Page 53 of One Time in Paris
Isla was struggling to get away from Tomas, but he held on to her by the shoulders. “Let me go,” she hissed. “I saw you flirting with her?—”
“That meant nothing?—”
“Seriously, Tomas, you’re hurting me. Back off.”
Aiden’s heart lurched.Enough.
Maybe they were acting. Maybe they weren’t.
Aiden was moving before he even registered it.
His hands fisted in Tomas’s shirt, yanking him backward hard enough that his boots scraped across the gravel. Aiden shoved him away, his body coiled, ready for a fight. “Stay the hell away from her.”
“What the—” Tomas landed on the gravel sending a few rocks flying, then lifted his head up, brows raised.
“Aiden.” Isla’s voice was rough with shock. She grabbed him by the elbow as his hands clenched into fists. “It’s fine?—”
“It’s not fine. She said stop,” he said, glowering down at Tomas. “Which means you stop.”
Tomas stood with narrowed eyes and dusted himself off. “Why is he here, Isla?”
“And cut.” Boyd’s voice came through the chilly night air, and he crossed toward them. He offered Aiden a smile. “Sorry, mate, you walked into our shot.”
Aiden’s jaw dropped, his face flushing as he looked from Tomas to Isla. Tomas had his arms crossed, a smirk on his lips.
But Isla? The look of confusion in her eyes was palpable.And she doesn’t look pleased to see me, either.
“What is going on?” She scowled, then flicked her gaze at Boyd, a tired expression on her face. “Do we need to do that take again?”
“No, I think we’ve got enough material to work with.” Boyd smiled broadly. “I think we can call it the martini shot and wrap.”
Tomas laughed and clapped Aiden on the back as though they were more than acquaintances. “You didn’t think that was real, did you?”
No, of course not.
Moron.
“I—” Aiden offered a terse smile. “Sorry about the shove. Are you all right?”
“Fine, fine. Just some dust. Nothing to worry about. Coming in for a drink?” Tomas asked, nodding back toward the pub.
“Maybe,” Aiden offered. He gave a hesitant glance back at Isla, but she’d already started off across the car park, heading for the large van that the crew had been using to transport everyone. Excusing himself, Aiden hurried toward her. “Isla, wait.”
She didn’t slow.
“Isla—”
She turned, her face shadowed by the darkness. “Does Lola know you’re here?”
Lola?He slowed. Just whathadshe told her?
At his hesitation, she shook her head. “You know what? Forget it. It’s none of my business. You obviously had plans with your girlfriend this weekend, and I should have understood when you didn’t answer my text on Friday. I’m not really sure why you’ve bothered coming here at all, Aiden. We just wrapped, and I’m leaving in the morning. But swooping in and attacking Tomas while we’re filming? What the hell even was that?”
“No, look, you’re right. I . . . misread the situation. And I should have responded to your message.”
She let out a short, bitter laugh. “Oh, youshould have?” Her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “Yeah, well, I should have known better. Should have remembered that you only ever show up when it’s convenient for you. Or aren’t distracted by more interesting things.”
Aiden stilled.
