Page 87 of Not the Bodyguard's Princess
Jordan giggled. “It is pretty funny.”
“I love you.”
“What?”
“I said I love you. I wanted to say it to your face, but I can’t wait any longer.”
“I love you too, Andrew. Go get some sleep. Tomorrow you can tell me again and I can kiss you and make everything all better.”
Epilogue
Jordan and Andrewwelcomed Hannah and her mother to the ASL premier of Princess Sam’s Christmas special and posed for photos next to a cutout of Princess Sam.
The idea for shadow signing the end of the series had sprouted during the weekend of their reunion. Soon they’d recruited several deaf actors and started their practices. Jordan would sign her own parts. Andrew took on Storm’s roll. A closed-captioned version of the special would be played on a screen hung over the signers’ heads as acting out the scenes wasn’t feasible. With Hearthfire’s agreement to allow the screening, Jordan funded the event herself.
Jordan’s signing improved over the month of practices. She’d found a role where her character was an ASL interpreter in a movie set to film in March. A deaf teenage actress would play the lead ever so much better than a hearing actress pretending to be deaf.
Andrew was in the process of qualifying for a national interpreter’s license, which would come in handy as Hastings’s newest client was deaf and would be in the same movie as Jordan. Instead of leaving the family business, Andrew started a West Coast office.
Maria touched up Jordan’s makeup. “There. Perfect. I’m so glad I could see you again.”
“Are you staying?”
“No, I wanted the seats to go to someone who appreciates sign language, but I’ll watch from home.”
Jordan stood and smoothed her black dress. “I still can’t believe Hearthfire is live-streaming it on their website.” According to social media posts deaf teens and parents across the country planned to watch the video stream.
“You’re ready. Go break a leg.” Maria closed her lipstick jar.
“You are taking the job as my personal artist, right?”
“Turned in my notice to Hearthfire this morning.”
Jordan gave Maria a hug before joining the others in the wings.
Andrew stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. “I can’t believe you talked me into acting.”
Jordan leaned into his hug, one of her favorite places to be. “Technically, you are interpreting.”
“But the kissing scenes...”
“We don’t have to do those. We are interpreting, not acting. Although with you, I don’t need to act like I did with Storm.”
Andrew nuzzled her neck. “Good.”
A light near the stage turned from red to yellow letting everyone know they had thirty seconds till curtain. Andrew let Jordan go and went to stand on his mark. He wouldn’t appear until the second scene.
Jordan and the interpreter playing Reggie’s role walked out on stage.
An hour and twenty-seven minutes later, the stage was cleared of everyone but Jordan and Andrew.
“Princess, we need to talk,” signed Andrew in sync with Storm’s voice.
“Why?”
“Because I have come to several conclusions. The most important is that I love you.”
“Really?” Not for the first time, Jordan wondered at the scriptwriter’s skills.
