Page 18 of The Grumpy Actor

“The way you two acted around each other, with all the tension. I could tell it wasn’t just a boss-employee relationship,” Mom explains. “And I’m sure he knew about the Grant’s special because he heard about it before…from you.”

“Oh no!” Lily gasps, crouching next to my chair. “I’m so sorry, Sophie. I had no idea, and I kept gushing about him. You must have been so hurt to hear me go on about him like that.”

“No, it’s all good now. It’s all in the past.”

“Are you sure? You really loved him, Sophie,” Mom says, cupping my cheeks. “You should quit that job. I’m sorry for roping you into it.”

“Mom, it’s fine.” I smile. “Yes, I was hurt by him, but I’m fine now. Besides, I really need this job. I won’t let the past ruin this opportunity for me.”

Mom pats my cheeks. “As long as you know you can always quit if it gets too much, then I support you.”

“Thanks, Mom.” I smile.

Chapter 6

Liam

“Cut!”Timcallsoutfor the hundredth time this afternoon. “You’re still not getting it, Liam. I need your raw and heartfelt emotions to shine through in this scene.”

I grunt, running my hand across my hot temple. The sun is killing me, this particular costume is pretty uncomfortable to wear, and having to sit on the sidewalk pretending to be a lovelorn fool isn’t exactly working out for me.

Before this, I always felt montages were the easiest things to shoot. No dialogue is involved, just raw and honest expression.

But here I am, struggling to shoot a five-scene montage. I’m only on the second one, and I just can’t seem to get it right, according to the director.

Not to lie, even I can tell something isn’t right because I’m not feeling anything. I can’t pretend to be a lovesick idiot when I don’t even know what that feels like.

“Here.” Sophie hands me a bottle of water.

I eagerly take it, gulping down the contents like my life depends on it.

I hand back the bottle. “Thank you.”

She lets out a little gasp that draws my attention to her face. A little blush graces her cheeks as she quickly averts her gaze from mine.

“I’m just surprised you’re thanking me. You’ve never done that before,” Sophie says before heading back to my chair.

I rub the back of my neck, wondering why that happened. I’d been so parched that getting water from her seemed like a blessing from the brightest angel ever.

My eyes remain fixated on her as she stands beside my chair.

Memories of our time together yesterday fill my mind. Spending the day with her and getting to see everything she loves so dearly about her town rekindled the emotions I felt for her back in college.

Seeing the things she used to talk about in the flesh was like a moment of epiphany. The craziest was the visit to her family’s diner.

I’d pictured young Sophie working away with her parents while coming up with all those disastrous recipes she’d told me about before they finally settled on Grant’s special.

The diner held every memory of the beautiful family that owned it and worked there. Knowing that she lost her dad a few months before we met seven years ago makes me aware that the diner is also her link to him.

All these feelings have added to how my mood has changed since last night. Meeting her mom, I felt like the douche I was. Even if her mom didn’t say it, I’m sure she can tell I’m the same Liam who broke her daughter’s heart, yet she served me like she would any other person.

Experiencing her kindness made me feel worse about everything.

So even if I wanted to concentrate fully on this scene, I couldn’t, because Sophie Grant is all over my mind.

“That’s it!” Tim squeals happily. I glance around to see him hurrying toward me. “That expression right there is what I want you to have. That’s the lovelorn look this scene needs, Liam. I knew you could do it.”

“What?” I blink. “I had the look?”

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