Page 17 of Where the Little Birds Go (Little Bird Duet 1)

Olivia walks up beside me. “We should see how she wants us to do this. You know, ask if there’s a specific way she wants our characters to act. I’m sure she has a vision.”

I snort at that, causing Liv to give me a weird look. Brushing it off, I follow her over to where Kinley stands.

“Hey,” Liv greets, smiling at Kinley. “Callum and I were wondering if you had any notes for us. Should our characters touch a certain way? Hesitate? Go all in?”

Nobody else knows that the slightest widening of Kinley’s eyes means she’s internally freaking out. She hates not being prepared for a question because she freezes.

“Uh…” She chokes out a nervous laugh, only watching Olivia. “I didn’t really think about it. I’m sure whatever is in the script for it will be fine. I trust you.”

She didn’t emphasize that she trusted both of us, which I file away under things to let get under my skin at a later date. Preferably not one when I’ll be filmed practically naked rolling around a bed with my co-star while my ex watches from the sidelines. I know damn well where she got some of the inspiration for this setup, but I wouldn’t call her out.

Olivia thinks she’s helping when she asks, “What about channeling from a past experience? I’m sure you wanted the scene between Beck and Ryker to be a certain way. When I read the book, it gave me chills. Their chemistry is undeniable. They’re soulmates, even when they shouldn’t be.”

Kinley’s lips part. “You’ve read the book?”

Olivia perks up. “I’m a big fan of your work to be honest. When I heard they were picking up rights to the film, I made my agent keep tabs on casting calls. You have no idea how happy I am to be Beck.”

All Kinley does is blink.

“So,” Liv presses, “should we try recreating the book the best we can? They did a pretty good job adapting it for the script, don’t you think?”

A nod.

“There’s almost a nervousness to Beck,” Olivia continues, practically bouncing where she stands. “I love that about her. She’s normally confident, but her love for Ryker makes her vulnerable. It was one of my favorite parts.”

I’m having trouble swallowing.

“Was it based on anything real?”

I’m choking on my own spit but manage to keep my cool while my eyes pierce Kinley’s. She still refuses to make eye contact with me, so I cross my arms on my chest and watch her squirm. Call me a dick, but I’m enjoying it.

“Not … well, no. Not really.”

My eyes narrow.

“Do writers ever draw from experiences?”

If I wasn’t so pissed at Kinley’s blatant lying, I’d be amused over Liv. She’s practically fangirling her. Shit, I didn’t even know she’d read the book. I bet she’s read all of Kinley’s titles two times over and I know there’s a lot of them. Between Mom updating me and keeping tabs on local Lincoln news when another one makes a bestseller list I get my fill of everything Kinley Thomas. It’s an unhealthy obsession.

Liv fires off more questions. “Are there any experiences worth writing about? Like, there’s an innocence to this scene, you know? Even though Beck and Ryker are far from virgins, they treat every moment with each other like it’s their first. To think you might have had that … ugh. I’m jealous just thinking about it. Your first time must have been amazing.”

Without blinking, Kinley says, “Or so bad that I’ve had to compensate through fictional sex over the years.”

My jaw drops.

Olivia bursts out laughing until there are actual tears in her eyes. “Oh my

God. I didn’t even think of that. You’re officially my hero. Was it really that bad? Did he finish in like two seconds? That’s what happened to me. It might have been like ten seconds, but I was kind of relieved because of how bad it hurt.”

That gets my attention.

Kinley’s face is bright red. “I don’t really think about it. It’s in the past.”

Olivia giggles. “You’re too nice. I bet you’re just trying to save the guy’s dignity. Let me guess. He didn’t even ask if you were okay. Most guys think it’s as good for us as it is them.”

My nostrils flare. “Give the guy a break. Do girls tell guys what it’s like their first time? Get vocal about what it’s like? No.”

Two sets of eyes land on me.

---