Page 33 of Call It Home

Allie raised an eyebrow, a sly grin spreading across her face. “Oh, honey. You don’t have to be so territorial. Obviously, he’s not helping you cope with your stress. Life is too short to be so uptight.”

My hands balled into fists, and I could feel my pulse pound in my ears. I was trying to think of a good comeback when I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders.

“Everything okay here?” Mac asked.

Alli shrugged, a smirk still on her face. “Just admiring the view,” she answered with a sugary tone, batting her lashes at him.

Mac’s lips tightened. “Well, the views here are only good for sightseeing,” he quipped, managing to make his tone sound light.

Alli’s smirk faltered a little. Then she shrugged and returned to her brother’s side.

“Are you good?” he asked me, dropping his arm.

“Just fine,” I grunted. “I don’t need other women throwing themselves at you, that’s all. We’ve got a job to do.”

One of his twinkling eyes winked at me. “The only one who’s thrown herself at me is you, darlin’.”

My hands swung to my hips. “I’m telling you, I tripped.”

“Whatever you say, princess.”

Ugh. I didn’t need this today of all days. Maybe we could just get on with the show so I could get my hands on a sledgehammer and make some holes in the walls.

As if she read my mind, Kennedy called us all together. As we stood there, the set director, Ethan, called out instructions to his teams. The film crew moved like a well-rehearsed ballet, positioning cameras on tripods, lugging boom poles into the right positions, and putting the drone in the air. Off to one side, Jared Carson, looking smooth and polished in his suit, watched with interest.

While all that was taking place, Kennedy explained how the next couple of hours were going to work. We’d do interviews as couples, take some candid shots, and film the opening credits. We were directed through various shots, which producers would decide later what to use.

As we went on, each team seemed to warm up and joke around more, hamming it up for the camera. Even Mac seemed to relax, quietly chuckling at some good-natured ribbing and dishing it out in return. Whatever wasn’t used for the final footage was fodder for outtakes, as Kennedy warned repeatedly yesterday.

After what felt like hours of work, the screen was removed with big fanfare, and we could finally see the houses that had been assigned to each of us. I couldn’t help but squeal when I stepped inside the large home.

The sound of our footsteps echoed off the barren walls and floors as we walked through the empty rooms. Some of the rooms remained intact, while others displayed holes in the walls where the HVAC and electrical had been updated.

My mind brimmed with possibilities as I envisioned potential transformations, from removing walls and rearranging the layout of the kitchen, to color schemes and furniture placement.

I turned to Mac, eager to hear his perspective. “What do you think?”

“The house has good bones, I think. The view is amazing. But that’s true for everyone else’s home, too.”

“You’re right. We’re going to have to get creative and find ways to make this space truly stand out.” I looked at the two windows that ran along one wall. They showcased the view, but I wanted to make them more of a focal point in the design.

“Hey, Mac,” I started as I headed toward the windows. “What do you think—”

The toe of my boot caught on something, and I felt myself propelling forward. In that split second, I couldn’t help but think that if I got hurt, it was really going to suck for the competition.

But before I could hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around me from behind and hauled me close to a huge, warm body, nearly lifting me off my feet.

For several seconds, we both stood there, my hands clutching the muscled arm still banded around my waist.

“You all right there, princess?” Mac murmured against my hair.

“Y-yes.”

I turned in his arms without bothering to take a step back. His arm dropped, but only to rest his hand on my hip. My heart pounded against his chest, and I felt a flush rise up my neck and spread across my cheeks.

“Thanks for catching me,” I said, my voice still a little breathless.

He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. I saw a flicker of something I couldn’t quite place. Or maybe I was afraid to try because… what if I was wrong?

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