Page 56 of Between the Lines

“I am absolutely on cloud nine, glad to be here,” she gushed. “Can you spare a few minutes for questions?”

I nodded. “Absolutely—I’m sorry though, you’re with…?”

“I’m not with anybody,” she answered, cringing a little. “This is like, my first event, I’m just starting out. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, let’s do it,” I assured, hoping I could ease some of the anxiety she was clearly feeling.

She shared a little squeal with her camera person and then held up a little mic in my direction. “Whew. Let me get it together. Okay. You ready?”

I nodded.

“What’s up, y’all? It’s Dannie with the Stars, coming to you from theKinfolkpremiere party. I’m here with one of the gorgeous stars of the show, Mr. Shaw Brooks—who many of you may know as theunstoppableShadow Wolf from the hottest movie of the summer! Shaw—tell us, what was that transition like, to go from such an action-packed role to something much quieter for the role of Silas?”

“Relieving,” I answered with a chuckle. “Shadow Wolf was a very, very physically taxing role, from the stunts to the training to the diet, all that, plus scheduling differences between film and TV. It’s a completely different vibe, and I needed that. But, Shadow Wolf is a man—wolf—of much fewer words than Silas, and Silas finds himself behind a mask much less often.” I laughed. “So each role presents a challenge in its own way.”

“Of course.” Dannie nodded. “What’s been your favorite part of this new role?”

“Getting to work with so many friends,” I said. “I love meeting and working with new people as well, but a lot of the cast and crew are people I’ve worked with before, so I already have a certain rapport with them—just this family reunion kind of energy that is unmatched.”

“Awww,” she said. “I love that. Care to drop any names in particular?”

“Obviously, my boy Alec—we’ve grown up in this industry together, especially over the last few years as people really started to know our names. And of course, Ellie,” I said, as the woman herself stepped into my peripheral. I was pretty sure she was too far away to have heard me, but she looked up still, shooting a smile in my direction before she started making her way to where I was.

“Ellieas in…Elodie Perry?” Dannie asked, eyebrow raised. “What’s up with the cute nickname? You got something you want to share?”

I grinned. “You asked who I was excited to work with again, right?”

“I don’t thinkIframed it like that, but keep talking,” she urged. “You worked with Elodie a few years ago on thephenomenal One Day Sober—you were love interests in that project too, right?”

I nodded. “That’s right. I think thattoomight be a little spoiler though.”

“Oh, my bad!” She laughed. “I do have to ask though, and you can tell me to mind my business, but…it’s rumored that you and Ms. Perry may have made a little love connection during filming—fact or cap?”

“During which show?” I asked, smiling at Ellie as she approached, wearing a curious expression.

“Either,” Dannie said.

Instead of answering at first, I looked to Ellie, meeting her gaze to pose a silent question. Her answer was the most subtle shrug—so subtle I could’ve imagined it.

But…I thought back on that conversation we’d had the other night, after we crossed the line we’d really never planned to cross again.

The catalyst for us making what I considered one of the easiest decisions of my life.

Being with Ellie wasn’t about a “second chance,” not really. It was simply…coming back to what had always been right.

I…lovedher.

Without question.

And I wasn’t remotely interested in hiding it.

“No comment,” I said, then grabbed Ellie’s hand, pulling her close to me. She broke into giggles as I planted a quick kiss right on her lips in front of everybody.

“Seriously?” she asked, unbothered, and I nodded, moving in for another soft kiss as she grinned.

“Oh MY GOD,” Dannie squealed. “That’s gonna go viral,oh my God!”

“Are we done?” I asked her, amused, and she nodded, eyes still wide.

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