Page 1 of Second Act
Chapter 1
He had just enough power left in his burning lungs and spent legs to sprint around the next street corner, trying not to skid on the wet, slushy sidewalk. The pounding footsteps behind him punched an extra shot of adrenaline into his system, giving him a burst of speed as he leaned into the turn. He spotted a break in the row of facades just ahead. Five strides, four, three...and he was there, cutting hard left between two multistory brick buildings into an alleyway where his pursuers couldn’t shoot him for the next few moments, at least.
“Oof!” The last lungful of breath was forced out of him as he slammed into a body that wasn’t supposed to be there.
“Ow!” said a female voice.
His arms went around her as he spun his back hard against a wall to keep from crashing onto the dirty, cracked pavement. Hugh exerted every muscle in his carefully trained body to maintain his balance and that of the woman in his arms. But she was struggling to get loose.
He held on to his temper as he sucked in gulps of oxygen. “Lady, you should not be here.”
“But I almost had her,” she said, her face turned away. “Now you’ve scared her back into hiding. Would you please let me—?” She finally looked up at him, her gray eyes opening wide. “Oh my God! Hugh!”
Hugh had the strangest sense of being pulled backward through time as he stood with his arms locked around the squirming woman.
“Cut! What the hell?” The director’s furious voice echoed off the walls. “Where didshecome from?”
“She came from my distant past.” Hugh gazed down at the astonished face of his ex-fiancée, her long, silky brown hair twisted into the same lopsided bun he’d found so endearing the first day they’d met. Her eyes held surprise but also the soft light of compassion that had drawn him to her from the start. The generous curves of her mouth reminded him of the first time he’d kissed her, hoping he’d read the signals right and that she would kiss him back. When she had, his world had shifted under his feet.
“Hello, Jess,” he said.
It had been eight years since he’d last seen her—the day she’d handed him back her engagement ring before she left him—and he had no idea what she’d been doing in the intervening time. Jabs of guilt and regret lanced through him because that was his fault. His pride had kept him away from the woman he’d once loved with all his young heart and soul.
Bryan stomped up to them, his bushy red hair sticking out in all directions, with the movie’s crew, bundled up in their motley array of cold-weather gear, trailing behind him. “I don’t care if she’s known you since you were in diapers. This is an active movie shoot.” He glared at Jess. “Did you not see all the barriers and signs? And where is our goddamn useless security?”
Hugh released her with an odd reluctance. “Jess, meet Bryan Ostroff, the director ofChristmas Best,” he said. “Bryan, this is Jessica Quillen, my ex-fiancée.” He felt the group’s attention sharpen and focus on the woman at his side. He wrapped his arm around her slight shoulders in a gesture of protectiveness.
Even Bryan stopped shouting long enough to give Jessica a once-over. “I didn’t know you had an ex-fiancée,” he said before his anger returned. “And I don’t give a shit, since she ruined the fourth and about-to-be-perfect take of the chase scene.”
Jessica shrugged off Hugh’s arm and stepped toward Bryan with her hand held out. “Please accept my apologies, Mr. Ostroff.” The director hesitated only a moment before he took her hand. Hugh had seen Jess handle even tougher customers the same way, so he wasn’t surprised that she had disarmed Bryan’s indignation with her sincere good manners.
“I’ve been trying to catch a pregnant stray dog for about a week now,” she continued with an earnest smile. “I was so focused on following her that I guess I didn’t notice all this.” She gestured toward the array of cameras, barriers, and people. “I’m so sorry.”
When there was an animal in need, Jess didn’t let anything stop her from going to its aid. Her total commitment to caring was what had made her shine like a beacon to him all those years ago on another movie set. “You haven’t changed,” Hugh murmured.
“I told you I wouldn’t,” she said, her tone holding a glimmer of sadness.
Old pain and regret ripped through him. She’d been true to herself.
“Can you have this touching reunion on your own time?” Bryan said. “We need to finish this scene before we have to bring out the floodlights.” He beckoned to one of the assistants, a clipboard-toting woman in a sweatshirt and cargo pants, before turning back to Jessica and moderating the exasperation in his tone. “Almost Mrs. Baker, could you please go with Margaret here? She’ll take you to Hugh’s trailer to wait.”
“I wasn’t planning to stay,” Jessica said, thrusting her hands into the pockets of her quilted maroon jacket.
“Fine. Whatever.” Bryan was already walking away as he shouted instructions at the cameramen.
“Please wait. I’d like a chance to talk,” Hugh found himself saying.
Jessica glanced at the purple sports watch strapped around her wrist before starting to shake her head as she looked back up, her expression guarded. This was a new Jess. In the old days, she had never hidden her feelings from him.
Hugh gave her the seductive smile that made millions of women fall in love with the suave secret agent he played. “Doesn’t your ex-fiancé rate as much time as a pregnant stray dog?”
Her sweetly curved lips flattened into a frown. “The dog needs help. You’re well taken care of.”
“I very much want to know what you’ve been doing. Find out how you came to be here in South Harlem. It’s been a long time.” Hugh injected a subtle note of pleading into his voice.
“It’s been areallylong time, so why do you suddenly care about what I’m doing?” Fury sparked in her eyes before she made a gesture of apology. “Sorry, that was uncalled-for. I’m just frustrated about losing the dog again.”
He hadn’t expected the anger. “No, you’re right, it’s been too long. I’d like to apologize, but I can’t right now.” He nodded toward the bustle of the film crew. “If you can spare the time...”
