“What? Is she insane? She can’t be serious.” He looks at me. “No way he’ll be ready for that, and what about Kathy? This seems in really bad taste.” His tone comes off nonchalant.
Weird. But also . . . wait. Are they suggesting what I think they are?
Hayden’s jaw tightens and he looks at me. “He’s barely talking right now and probably needs to talk to a therapist after this.” He pauses a beat. “And what if he says no?” He sighs, nodding. “Yeah. Yeah.” He looks up at the ceiling. “Sure. I’ll let him know Lisa’s lost her fucking mind. Alright. Uh-huh. Bye.”
“What was that about?” I swallow hard, bile rising in my throat because I’ve already put together in my head what he’s going to say.
“They want to finish the movie.”
“What?” My jaw drops.
“Seeing that it was one scene away from being done and all. I think it’s a bad idea, but Lisa was pretty insistent. Everyone else seems to be in so far.”
“And Kathy?”
“Stunt double. And they said if they have to, they’ll get one for you and have the character do the last almost kill scene in a mask before the victim gets the weapon from him and beats him at his own game.”
There was always a weird emptiness left in me when the victim got away at the end, ruining the killer’s best scene. It was alarming at first, and then I reminded myself it was all part of submerging myself in the role. And that’s what’s going on with me now, isn’t it? My habit of not breaking character until the movie is over. These aren’t real feelings. They can’t be.
“I’ll do it,” I say, my stomach feeling like a claw machine is lowering inside it.
“You sure?” He lowers his eyes at me.
“Yeah. As long as you’re there too.”
His lips twist and he nods. “Yeah, I can be wherever you need me to be.”
“With your camera on?”
His eyes flicker with what looks like curiosity. “With my camera on, pointing at you and set to record.”
I smile and he strokes my cheek before starting the engine. He pulls out of the parking lot, and when we arrive at my place, I step out of the car, my feet sticking to the ground as I go rigid.
He walks around the car to me, his eyes swimming with concern. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“I never told you where I lived.”
He smiles. “Yeah, I found out from one of the assistants. She said you sent her to grab some things for you once before.”
“Oh.” My chest settles. “Right.” One side of my lips lift. “I guess I forgot we worked with the same people.”
“It’s okay. It’s hard to think clearly right now, I’m sure. Ready to go inside and get out of those clothes?”
I look down and back at him. “Yes, please.” But I’m not sure I am. It’s because the scene isn’t done and the actor in me knows that. There’s no other rational explanation for it.
“When are they filming the last scene now?” I ask, following him up the porch steps and stopping when he does.
“Next week. She thinks everyone will be better to continue after a short break. I think it should be longer, but that’s just me.”
“The sooner the better,” I say. “Then I can go on my vacation, and reschedule my spot on the Tonight Show so I can get some much-needed lake therapy.
“Lake therapy sounds good.”
“Know any lakes around here where I can hide out until I feel ready to come up for air again?” It feels like too long until his answer comes.
He twists my key in the knob and grins. “Yeah, actually. I know the perfect place.”
“Yeah, I figured you might.”