Page 5 of When You Were Mine

“I know how it sounds, but my agent thinks there's real potential here. She said it’s got all the elements to make it a hit. Multi-generational, soap opera-style relationships…violence.”

“You were going to blow off the audition, remember? You said it was a low-budget film with a no-name producer. When I asked if you’d go back for another audition, you said, ‘No way in hell.’”

“I was wrong about the producers. My agent says they’ve been around a long time. They know what they’re doing.”

He couldn’t possibly be considering this job. “I have to get home to my sisters. I mean, if it paid well, if it had real potential, then, yeah, sure…” But it didn’t.

“I know it’s a long shot, but Elz, it’s ouronlyshot. We have eighteen hundred dollars to our name.”

“I’m confused. Two weeks ago, you said, ‘Who wants to watch a three-hundred-year clan war in sixteen-hundreds Scotland?’ and now, suddenly, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime?”

But his jaw remained taut. “I took it.”

“Took what?” She remembered his tone a moment ago when he’d said,“I’m sure.”“You took the job without talking to me?”

“Yes.” Finally, he broke into a smile. “Hey, we’re outlaws, remember? We take risks.”

“Trevor, this is not funny. You’re going to Scotland when my family’s in crisis?”

“That’swhyI took the job. Your sister’s situation is just one in a long string of problems we’re going to face. You know what life is like. A disease hits my dad’s crop, and we’re eating nothing but bread and tomatoes for a month. Weather fucks up your dad’s deliveries, and he can’t pay his bills.”

“Okay, okay, hang on. Did I miss something here? In all your auditions and acting classes, did you somehow catch the bug? Do you actuallywantto be an actor? Tell me right now, because that will change everything. I love you, Trevor. And if this is your heart, your passion, then you should take it.”

“You’remy heart. You’re my passion. I don’t give a fuck about acting. But how can I make a life for us in Riverton? We’ll be right back where we started two years ago with no money and no hope. This is the only opportunity I’ve gotten, and I have to take it.”

“There’s no pay, Trevor.” Her voice rose, edging toward anger. “There never will be. It’s a Scottish clan war. It’s not going to be some runaway hit. You know that, right?”

“Elz, this is how it happens. Every movie star starts out taking shit jobs for no pay.”

She’d met his agent before. Those were her words. “Look, I get it. We’re going home empty-handed. It sucks. But we’ll figure something else out. You know we will.”

“No, youdon’tget it.” He whipped a folded sheet of paper out of his jeans pocket and shook it at her. “I can’t make this much money in ten lifetimes living in Riverton.”

They’d made that list years ago in the Four Rivers diner when they were figuring out a plan to buy a ranch in Calamity. First, they had to pay off the farm’s mortgage. Second was getting her dad out of debt. Third was setting up her sisters with college funds. And then, finally, they’d get to buy their property.

But even after checking all four off their list, they still needed enough savings to operate the ranch. The number circled in red at the bottom of the page was daunting, and Hollywood seemed the only solution for two scrappy kids from a farm community in Wyoming.

Her heart ached for the burden he’d placed on himself. “You’ve been carrying that around all this time?”

“Of course. It’s my motivation. We’ve invested two years into this effort, and it’s finally paying off. I just need to give it one more year, and I either get discovered, or it’s back to Riverton, and we live hand-to-mouth like everyone else. But, Elzy, if I don’t take this shot, we’ll have debt up to our eyeballs and no future beyond doing the same boring jobs until we die.” He shook the paper. “You bet your ass this is all I can think about.”

He was an only child whose parents worked from dawn to dusk. She got it. That scarcity mentality was deeply embedded. “Hey, Wild Bill.” She reached for his hand and kissed his knuckles. “You’re not alone in this. I’m here, and I’m doing it with you.” She gave him a gentle smile. “Don’t forget the other list we made that day. It was full of business ideas. Working on the farm is not our only path. We’re smart. We think outside the box. We’re going to make something of ourselves—and it doesn’t have to subject you to eight months of free labor in Scotland.”

But he didn’t soften his stance. He didn’t crack a smile. “There’s no better path to make that kind of money. If this movie takes off, there’ll be a second one and a third. And even if it doesn’t, it could lead me to another project. Don’t you see? This is our only hope to make big money.”

“Okay.” She didn’t believe that, but she wouldn’t argue when he was so adamant about it. With the burden he carried on his shoulders, he needed her support, not her negativity. “I don’t see it that way, but…” She’d just have to accept his decision. “Well, at least it won’t cost us anything.” She gave a bitter laugh. “They’re not making you pay for your own costumes, are they?”

“No.” His chin tipped up. “But they’re making me pay for my travel expenses.”

“Excuse me?” She shook her head. “Oh, come on. This is a scam. It has to be.”

“It’s not. My agent says it’s legit. They’ll feed and house the cast, but we have to get ourselves to Scotland.”

“Trevor, we don’t have any money.” Now, she was pissed. He was taking this too far.

He gave her a steely look. “We have some.”

His meaning kicked her right in the belly. “How much is airfare?”

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