Page 66 of A Cameo for a Cowgirl

Mal nodded. “Let me think on this.” He glanced at Harrison. “Would you be willing to act in water?”

It’s what his signature on a contract said. And if it meant an excuse to be near Cassie again, then, “Absolutely.”

One hundred percent.

And perhaps this was an answer to prayer.

Fourteen

Cassie herded the steers into the corral and shut them up, ready for loading to market. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, checked the number. Why was Ainsley calling her?

“Hello?”

“Oh, Cassie. Have you got a few minutes?”

“Uh, sure.” She moved away from the noise and leaned against the wooden barn. “What can I do for you?”

“See, that’s exactly it.” Ainsley sighed. “I might’ve got myself into a little bit of hot water and I’d really appreciate it if you could help me out.”

Ainsley? The golden child of As The Heart Draws in hot water? “What have you done?”

“I might’ve got into an argument with Mal and Jerry, the lead writer. We had a meeting on set today.”

Cassie’s brows rose. “And you want me to help how?”

“Look, you probably know by now that I’m the one who recommended that you could be the substitute stunt rider in an upcoming scene.”

“I’d wondered.”

“The thing is, at our meeting today some of us discussed how bad it looks for the show to constantly reinforce women as being inferior to men and needing to be rescued by them all the time, which is what you said, right?”

She winced. “Yes. And Mal wasn’t too happy about that.”

“Well, I don’t know how happy he was about me saying it either. But I did, and Dana and Harrison agreed that it sends the wrong message, when men are always portrayed as the heroes.”

Her pulse glitched. “Harrison said that?”

“He did.” Ainsley giggled. “He might’ve also mentioned how a certain cowgirl rescued him, but don’t tell him I said that.”

Cassie swatted at a fly, smiling. He’d said that about her?

“He also shared that he got saved recently. Not at the meeting, just privately to me, but isn’t that awesome? I’m so excited for him! I’ve sent him a link to Lincoln Cash’s new group for Hollywood-based believers, and he’s told me he has already reached out and attended his first Bible study.”

Her throat was tight. “He has?”

“It helps when it’s online.”

“I’m so glad.” It sounded like he really was growing in the things of God.

“Me too. He really is maturing, and we’re praying together and everything.”

Jealousy bit. But how could she complain when she’d basically ignored him? She couldn’t blame him for finding spiritual encouragement where he could. She wondered if her father had been in touch with him.

“Anyway, back to the point, which is that I think you may get a phone call from Mal asking if you’d reconsider the role. I’m pretty sure he now wants to change it, and you may find that it ends up being a little bit bigger than what was originally proposed.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, I’m not privy to all of what Mal and Jerry have planned, but I hope that you will consider it.”

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