KATE
I stared aheadat the seat in front of me, trying to figure out how much longer they would be. If Drew was able to scrounge up some last-minute acting skills, it shouldn't be too much longer. But since this was Drew, it could take another hour or two. Hopefully they wouldn't lose the sunlight before it was over. We were scheduled to be here for another two days, just in case they needed to reshoot tomorrow, but I really hoped Drew would just get it over with.
Rip off the bandage. And rip out my heart.
The van door slid open, startling me from my thoughts. It was Oliver, looking very outdoorsy in his T-shirt and shorts. He ducked his head inside. "Drew says he needs you."
"What do you mean, he needs me?" Heat prickled at my cheeks.
Oliver shrugged. "He's having a hard time getting the words out. He says he always does better when you're there. He said something about you two running lines before."
"Yeah, but…" The last thing I wanted to do was help Drew runtheselines. He could get these out on his own. It was his deal after all. I wanted nothing more to do with it.
When I didn't move, Oliver cocked an eyebrow. "Alexis said something about your job requiring it…"
I squeezed my eyes shut. Was my job really worth it?
Maybe my job wasn't. But my screenplay was.
I sighed and slowly climbed out of the vehicle.
Oliver filled me in on the plan as we hurried to the set. "The plan is for you to stand on the platform with Drew. You'll stand in for Gwen and we'll just cut in a bunch of the old footage to make it look like he's really talking to Gwen. All we really need is to show his face as he says the words, get a shot of him down on one knee, and then we can get Gwen back in the shot for the hug and the kiss and the ring exchange."
I tried to numb myself from all feelings. This was just a job I was paid to do. My feelings meant nothing in this situation. Drew was faking it just as much as I was. I could do this. I could trust him to stay true to his word to me, even if it was hard. I loved him. I would stick with him through this.
But when I saw Drew standing in the setting sun with the ocean glistening in the background, my heart went to my throat. Seeing him like that…it was torture. I almost turned back and fled—ran away from everyone so I wouldn't have to be a part of this. But Drew jogged up to me with a smile on his face.
"Thanks for coming." He was out of breath when he reached me. "I couldn't get the words out on my own."
He took my hand and led me down the wooden planks past Gwen, who had a sour expression on her face, to the stage I'd helped the set designers put together the day before. He squeezed my hand as we walked. Just one squeeze this time, though. Maybe I'd imagined the three squeezes the first time.
Then we stood facing each other. Him in his nice suit. Me in my T-shirt and jeans. That alone told me how different our lives were. How our paths were going in different directions. Drew was the billionaire star of a reality TV show. And I was a divorced nobody he had a past with.
Drew took both of my hands in his and smiled. His eyes looked brilliant in the setting sun, the turquoise flecks bright and breathtaking. He licked his lips and began talking.
"From the first time we met, I knew you were something special." He smiled at me, like he had a secret. "You were wild and spunky, and always the center of attention." He paused and swallowed like his throat was dry. "As we got older, none of that changed. You were still the same crazy girl I grew up with, but you were also brilliant and beautiful. I thought I had to keep my feelings a secret because of our situation, but as more time passed, I only wanted to be with you more."
What was going on? They weren't going to be able to use any of this for the show. It was all about us. No one would believe Drew and Gwen had grown up together.
"What are—" I tried to interrupt him and tell him he was doing it wrong, but he just kept talking.
"I lost you once and regretted it every single day. I can't go back in time and get those years back. But I can make things right today. Which is why we're here."
I furrowed my brow. Was he talking about him and Gwen breaking up a couple of weeks ago? Because no one besides the crew even knew about that.
And where was he getting the years from? They'd only met a few months ago.
"There are so many things I love about you. I love the way your nose scrunches up when you laugh. I love the way you laugh at my jokes, even when they aren't funny. I love the way you tease me and make me stronger than I'd be on my own. I love your beautiful blue eyes and the way they make me lose my train of thought."
His eyes actually smiled at me when he said that. He was doing such a great job, it broke my heart that all these wonderful words would be edited to look like they were said to Gwen. I wanted them to be about me. I wanted these words to be mine to keep forever.
"When I think about my future, I can't picture everything that it will be, but one thing is always a constant in my vision. You. You are always there. Always in my life. Always with me." He sighed and let go of one of my hands. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box before lowering himself down on one knee. Inside was the most gorgeous diamond ring I had ever seen. The show had never bought such an exquisite ring before.
Drew's hand trembled as he held the box before me.
"Kate Avery Dawson, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"
My insides twisted up in a million knots. He accidentally used my name. Freudian slip, or was it just because he was looking at me instead of Gwen?