Page 24 of Keep It

“I don’t need to cool down,” he says, glowering. “I need to get the fuck off this film.”

“Well, Jaques is not here right now and I’m sure security would mow you down if you try to leave like this.” I doubt security would do anything except wave goodbye but it’s all it takes to get Danny to just sit and think for a minute.

He backs off and slumps on the couch like a deflated balloon, the fight leaving him.

“Right,” I say. I don’t know what to do with this new Danny. We’re usually spitting venom at each other. I’m not used to his ire being pointed in a different direction. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He shakes his head. “It’s a long story.” He points at me in an afterthought. “You steer clear of Callum McBride.” He says sternly. “Especially after I’m not here. He’s not a good guy.”

“Yes,dad.” That earns me an eye roll. He leans his head against the wall and I sit beside him. “I can’t imagine I’ll have a job for much longer if you leave.” I try not to consider the possibility too much. It was nice whilst it lasted.

He rolls his head to look at me. I didn’t realize how close we’re sitting until I can feel his breath brush against my cheeks.

His eyelashes twitch as they scour my face.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He’s quiet for a few moments. “Fine.” He says with his eyes still closed. “I’ll stay.”

Really? Well, that was easy.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

He runs his hand over his face and gives me a half convincing nod.

I bite back my smile. I don’t know what I did but it worked.Excellent work, Anya.

“Go back to the truck and say that I’ve been ranting and throwing stuff around in here but that you talked me down. I want minimal contact with him outside scenes. No rehearsal, no bumping into him at the food truck, no chatting in between takes. He shows up does the scene and then fucks off again.”

“Should I be writing this down?” I ask.

He shoots me a look. “And I mean it, freckles. Stay away from him.”

I nod once. If just the thought of him being on set causes this reaction in Danny, I have a pretty good inclination to steer clear.

I go to stand and do his bidding but his strong fingers clasp my wrist. I glance at where our skin touches, tingles racing up my arm at the contact.

“Wait a minute,” he says, hoarsely, his finger brushing the sensitive skin on my inner wrist. “Make it believable.”

“Okay,” I sit back, not pulling my arm away from his. We both stare at our hands. I’m scared to move, scared to breathe, scared to spoil whatever this is.

My phone chirps, spoiling the moment. I disconnect from him as I scan the text from Rachel.

Rachel: Come back to the truck

Rachel: Alone

“That’s my cue,” I say standing. “I won’t be long.”

I leave Danny where he is, his eyes burning into my back as I go.

As I cross the base to the production truck, Jaques pulls up alongside me. I wave to him as he stops the car and he returns with a smile. A tall blond man stumbles out the back. His eyes are hidden behind dark sunglasses and he has a jumper tied around his neck like he’s just jumped off his jet from the Hamptons.

This must be the infamous Callum McBride.

He pulls his sunglasses off and I hurry away before he has a chance to say anything to me. Even if Danny hadn’t warned me to stay away I would have felt the smarmy energy wafting off the man in waves.

I hurry up the steps and give a perfunctory knock before letting myself in.

Rachel looks up from her desk. “What’s he saying?”

---