Page 20 of Now or Never

Her heart dropped. She had acted super weird and made Vincent Shadd feel uncomfortable.

She took two more steps back. “I’m sorry,” she said, looking at her feet and trying to gain some composure. “I just . . . I love your work.”

His navy velvet loafers came into view as he, shockingly, moved closer to her, and she tried to process what the hell was going on.

An exhale came from his lips, then a rush of words.

“You have a lollipop in your hair.”

“I— What?”

“You have a lollipop. In your hair. It’s red.”

Chelsea’s eyes blinked at superspeed as she processed the words. Once they registered, she shot her hand up to her hair and felt around until her fingers found the sticky lollipop mushed into the side of her head.

“Oh, thank God,” she said, as she yanked at the red mess.

A chuckle came from Vincent. “You’re happy that it’s in there?”

She smiled. “Well, I thought I had made you uncomfortable with my fangirling and you were looking for a nice way to tell me to get away from you.”

Lilian laughed. “He doesn’t get many fangirls. He’s loving this.”

Vincent smiled wide, all teeth, and nodded. “How long has that been in there?”

“Oh, at least an hour,” she said on a deep exhale as Vincent and Lilian both bubbled over with laughter. “And I came into contact with several dozen people, including a super-hot dad at my son’s new school.”

Lilian laughed. “Annnndthisis why I never had kids.”

Vincent shook his head, then focused his attention on the hair-covered candy in her hand. “I have two daughters. God, I miss those days.”

She could see his minds-eye bringing up an old image of his kids as he stared wistfully at the disgusting mess, and she was pretty sure she would love Vincent Shadd until the day shedied. Whoever said you shouldn’t meet your idols was obviously idolizing the wrong people.

“Thanks for telling me, Vincent,” she said, still giddy to be using his first name.

He clapped her on the back. “Anytime. And I’m sure the super-hot dad will look past it. You’re lovely.”

Chelsea smiled. How was this real life?

“Now,” he said, breaking up the sentimental moment. “Let’s discuss your property. What do you think about the lighting?”

Chelsea cleared her throat, tried to be professional. “What are you shooting?”

“A Regency romance based on a book series. Starring Winter Barlowe.”

Chelsea forced her jaw to stay in place at the famous actress’s name. “I think the lighting is perfect. The property faces south, so the gardens are always sunny, no weird shadows. Nice open spaces.”

Vincent gave a slow nod.

“What do you think, Vin?” Lilian asked.

With a wink at Chelsea, he replied, “I think the lighting is perfect. The property faces south, so the gardens are always sunny, no weird shadows. Nice open spaces.”

She would have died of happiness, but a brilliant thought shot through her brain, stopping her: she should try to get a job on set.

She’d opened her mouth to ask whether she could apply for a position when the roar of an enormous engine behind her cut her off. She twisted to look over her shoulder and watched as an eighteen wheeler with an excavator on a flatbed came across the lawn at them.

Shit.

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