Page 34 of He's The Reason Why

“Hey, I have another one for you,” Marshall said. “How about the time you stayed up for a week straight so you could be ready to play that insomniac who had, like, what, three lines? I had to come pick you up because you were so tired you couldn’t drive, and you passed out before we got home.”

“It was good practice.” People were emerging from the row of trailers and the backlot. He lowered his voice. “It’s not like you’re any different. Look at all the research you did to get ready for this little rom-com fiesta you’re in now.”

Marshal snorted. “You think my recent dating life is research? Dude.”

“Can we drop it, please?” He waved to a couple of the crew he recognized.

“Hey, Blake!” A short guy with wild hair and glasses held up his phone. “I heard about the new project. Give me a call.”

Blake gave him a thumbs-up as he ran through his memory trick for names.

Glasses…Granny…Gerry.

“What do you think of Gerry?”

Marshall shrugged. “He’s cool. You know him better than I do.”

“I like him. He’s not afraid to speak up if he thinks it’s going wrong. But he can be stubborn.”

“Like we aren’t.”

“True.” More true for him than Marshall, but he didn’t mind arguing a point if he believed in it.

Kind of like Piper had done today.

Damn.

Theywerea lot alike.

“So, what are you going to do about your little situation?” Marshall pointed at his throat.

“Grab some herbal tea and more of these throat things. Then I guess stop talking.”

“Right.” Marshall hit him on the shoulder. “Good luck with that.”

Chapter Seven

Piper spent Saturday evening feeling like an asshole. She shouldn’t have said all that to Blake. It was rude and unprofessional.

And completely deserved.

Was this all just some kind of game to him?

Every day, he sauntered in with a cavalier attitude and that stupid grin and didn’t even come close to his potential. He kept trying to rush through the song like it were bad-tasting medicine he had to choke down.

Music was something he had to endure, rather than something he took pride in, and that lack of joy showed in his voice.

She couldn’t stand this. It felt like something she cared deeply about was being slowly dismantled. She checked the time. Seven thirty LA time was ten thirty in upstate New York. It was Saturday night in August.

Lizzie probably had a wedding going on. Piper didn’t want to disturb her, but she really wanted her big sister’s advice.

She tapped out a text message.Call when avail.

When Lizzie didn’t call right back, she paced around thehouse while she ran through all three songs, recited lines, and stewed.

Two hours later, the phone finally rang.

Piper tapped on the video chat with a sense of relief. “Lizard!”

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