I was very glad I hadn’t been sick in the car.
“Thank you,” said Molly.
The driver kept his gaze forward. “Of course.”
I slipped my shades back on and played music. No one ever asked me what I listen to, but for the record, when things got super tough, I listened to Italian opera or dub step or electro house music—any music more dramatic than my current overwrought emotional state. I settled for La Traviata and imagined curling up beside Hades and Persephone and Morrigan and Stone.
A few minutes later, I drifted to sleep on the shoulder of Molly’s lightly padded jacket.
I woke when she nudged me.
“What?”
She widened her eyes. “You just howled in your sleep.”
I shook myself awake. “I did what?”
“You gave a few yips and a bit of an ow-oooo.” She legit giggled. “Guess I know who you were dreaming about.”
Embarrassed, I asked. “Are we there yet?”
“Almost, sir,” the driver told us. “Another five miles.”
I closed my eyes, and in a few more minutes, we left the highway for a coastal access road. Gravel crunched beneath our wheels when we pulled into the clearing where the car had left us that first night.
The pen was still set up, despite the fact that Stone must be long gone. Deacon Caine stood speaking into the mic on his headset. Several members of the crew carried lights and sound equipment toward the area where we’d shot the day before.
“Wait.” Molly pointed to someone coming out of the trees. “Isn’t that your guy?”
“Stone?” I turned in the direction she was looking. “He left this morning, so I doubt it.”
“I think it is.” It took me a second, but I saw what she saw. Stone, Hades, and Persephone emerged from the woods like something from a fairy story. Deacon opened the pen and backed away. Stone put the hybrids inside and latched the gate. A small thrill rippled through my chest and spread.
“I guess he didn’t go after all,” Molly observed.
“He said he was heading out first thing.” I couldn’t fathom why he’d still be there. Had he lied to make things less awkward?
“You have to introduce me.” Molly practically leaped from the car.
“Wait—” Acutely aware I’d gotten sick on the way back, I wasn’t thrilled to walk over to the animal pen with her—until Stone looked my way and a smile lit his face.
“Oh, hey. Sebastian!” He waved as he came toward me. Then his happy expression melted into one of worry. “Are you okay?”
“I thought you’d be long gone.”
“That’s on me,” Deacon said from behind Stone. “The powers that be liked the scenes with Stone’s hybrids so much, they want more.”
Maddie wasn’t going to be happy about that. “Did you talk to Madison?”
He nodded. “We promised we’d find her a body double for those scenes and shoot the closeups without the animals. Gina, Kyle, and Marlon have already agreed to the new scenes.”
That made sense. None of the other werewolf actors had complained about the animals on the shoot.
“In the meantime, I’m staying for a while,” Stone said. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look awfully pale.”
“I’m just a little—” Molly dug her elbow into my ribs. “Ow. Er, I told you about Molly, my PA. I said she’s the very model of a modern major general?”
“Pleasure to meet you, Stone.” She stepped forward and held out her hand. “Let me know if you need anything. I’d be happy to help out.”
They shook warmly. “I was going to invite Sebastian for dinner. Would you care to join us? It won’t be formal. Do you know who would deliver a pizza out here?”
“I do know that.” Molly—as always—had things in hand. “If you give me your number, I can send you links to any of the restaurants in St. Nacho’s. There’s a local online delivery service that will bring food out here. Thank you for the invite. I’d be thrilled to come.”
“We can bring food. It’s no trouble,” I said.
“After the terrific meal you brought last night?” Stone asked. “I insist. Let me get this one.”
“Okay.” Had I wounded his pride? “Of course.”
While Molly told Sebastian which restaurants were good to order from, I watched them interact. Since shaking his hand, she hadn’t taken her eyes off Stone’s face. Based on the way he’d tilted his head so only the unmarked side showed and how the crest of his high cheekbone darkened faintly, he felt her gaze.
Stone was aware she was staring.
How often did that happen? Every time he met someone new?
I couldn’t tell what Molly was thinking from her expression, but knowing her as I did, she felt some combination of grief and empathy. She returned to her usual, efficient self a few seconds later, but the damage was done. Stone wouldn’t meet her gaze after that.
“You’re parked by the bluffs, aren’t you?” Molly asked. “Is it pretty there? Bast loves to take pictures. Did he tell you?”
Stone’s glaze slid my way. “No, he didn’t mention that.”
“It’s my hobby,” I admitted. “Whenever I get sick of being in front of a camera, I step behind one.”
“Come by anytime.” Stone whistled for Hades and Seph.
“We’ll see you,” I said.
Molly and I watched as he opened his van, which held separate large crates for Hades and Seph.
It was probably only vanity, but I thought maybe the wolfdogs knew me from the night before. They looked my way and sniffed and swished their long tails as though they remembered me.
“God, when you’re right, you’re right. He is dreamy,” Molly said as we watched Stone put Hades and then Persephone into their crates. He stopped to talk to Deacon, so we took off toward our golf cart.
“He’s sweet too. The wolfdogs are like family to him. Wait until you meet his emotional support dog, Morrigan.”
She turned to me. “Why don’t you have an emotional support dog?”
“I travel too much, so I got myself an emotional support PA instead.”
“You dork.” She bumped my shoulder with hers before getting behind the wheel of the cart. “Let’s get back. I want to change into something stretchy.”
“And I need a shower. I can’t believe that hot man saw me with vomit breath.”
“Sebastian? Can I have a minute?” I turned and found the hot man in question standing behind me.
“Oh God.” He heard me, didn’t he?
“You really don’t look well.” He took me by the shoulders and came close enough that I thought he was going to hug me. Instead, he took a deep breath.
“Did you just sniff me?”
Oh God. Stone Wilder sniffed me. Now I had to find a quiet place to die.
“Let me feel your forehead. Do you feel like you have a fever?” He pressed both hands to my cheeks, and if I didn’t have a fever before, it was for damn sure I needed a lethal one. Right now.
“Molly? It’s been wonderful. Kill me now. Just do it.”
“Aw.” Molly couldn’t have cooed. She wouldn’t dare. “You already sound like a really good friend.”