Page 80 of Solid Ground

“I’m so glad you’re here. Josh is somewhere around today, and we just broke for lunch. Your timing is perfect.”

I peck him on the lips, and he takes Daisy from my arms and lowers her into the pram. “I’m excited to look around. I’ve never been on a movie set before.”

“It’s not that exciting. But I can show you my trailer.” His eyebrows waggle, and I laugh. This is the Declan I love—so relaxed and flirty with me. I’m glad he’s working again if this is what he’s like when he does.

We make our way toward a tented area where people are sitting at tables.

“The food trucks are just over here. It won’t be anything too fancy, but there’s a good selection of food. We’ll eat and then I’ll show you around.”

“Declan? I was hoping we could run lines?”

I swallow hard. I swear the woman coming towards us ismaking heart eyes at my partner. My jealousy isn’t helped by the fact that she’s gorgeous. Blonde shoulder-length curls surround a heart-shaped face with big blue eyes and rosebud red lips.This is his co-star?

In the haze of dealing with my newborn, I’d heard her name but never looked her up.

“Not today, Hadley,” he replies, his voice smooth as silk.

“Oh?” She pouts. God, she even looks good when she does that. Is this what he’s had in front of him daily for the past two weeks?

I push my feelings of inadequacy down, but Declan seems to pick up that something’s wrong as he wraps his arm around my shoulders.

“My girls are here to spend some time with me.”

Hadley’s eyes flick to me, and it’s like she barely registers my existence before they shift back to Declan. “So, you’ll be around later?”

I exchange a glance with Declan.What the hell?

He shrugs. “Probably not. I’m meeting with the director this afternoon and then I’ll be going home.”

I’ve never felt so plain. Here’s this beautiful woman, dressed to the nines, making a play for my man right in front of me. I’m wearing no makeup and stuffed into jeans that only just fit after giving birth two months ago.

I will not cry.

He’s not giving her an inch, but this still hits me in ways I know it shouldn’t. Where’s my fight?

“Really? Please, Declan?” Hadley reaches out, placing her hand on his forearm.

Found it.

I draw in a deep breath. Declan shakes her hand off. “Yes. Really. You need to find someone else to run lines with. I’ve got better things to do.”

He squeezes my arm and plants a kiss on my temple, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Oh, thank God. I thought I’d become invisible,” I say.

She shifts her gaze to me. “Oh, are you Declan’s girlfriend?” The way she says it, it’s like she’s spitting razor blades.

“Yes, I am. And you are?”

Her lips tremble—I’ve clearly hit a nerve. Am I supposed to know who she is?

“Zoe, this is Hadley. She’s in the movie.”

Not ‘my co-star.’ Not anything more important than‘She’s in the movie.’I think this is Declan’s way of putting her in her place.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us, I’m taking my gorgeous girlfriend to lunch.” He slides his hand into mine. “Have a good day, Hadley.”

He takes over pushing the pram until we reach an empty picnic table, and Declan indicates I should sit.

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