Page 38 of Affinity

Stepping into the trailer, I was in awe. There were hardwood floors and granite countertops with all stainless-steel appliances filling the immediate space. It was insane to think all of the trailers I’d passed by could be just as nice on the inside as this one. I set my bags down on one of the black leather captain chairs and looked back into the space before I stepped back outside.

I guess he wasn’t hiding a woman in his trailer.

We walked in step as Jenner took us further down the line of mini-homes. “I know you’re used to all this, but it’s truly amazing.”

“How so?” His brows were furrowed as he squinted from the sun.

“Your trailer is nicer than any home I’ve ever lived in besides yours, and there are over a dozen of them all in a row here. The amount of money put into it . . . I guess I never thought about the budget of a show or movie until now.”

Pausing in front of a trailer marked ‘wardrobe’ his shoulders slumped, and his hands fell to his sides. “I don’t know any better than to expect this, but I do know it’s excessive. I’ve been on locations in impoverished countries and try to convince the crews to have the leftover food from the day to be given to the homeless, or if the trailers and supplies are being left there to give them to shelters, or for some way to help those less fortunate. I don’t need all the amenities provided with my trailer, but they try to make each actor’s space equal, so there doesn’t look to be favoritism.”

My mouth hung open at the ways he tried to help. I would never have pictured him as the philanthropic type.

“Sometimes, like right now, it makes me sad you think I’m that bad of a human being. We should go before Wanda castrates me for being late.”

Jenner held the door open for me to step inside, his jaw tight as he looked down at the ground. Stepping inside, I turned back to him, so we were eye to eye. My hand cupped his stubbly cheek as I leaned in and spoke low enough for only him to hear. “Never once have I thought you were a bad human being. Spoiled, yes, but with each day I’m getting to know you, I’m learning what a remarkable man you are. Stop putting yourself down for past mistakes and live for now. For your future.”

His strong arms wrapped around me in a warm embrace. I thought I heard him say ‘our future’ as he kissed the top of my head, but when I asked him about it, he only said thank you.

“You don’t want to be late with the dragon lady,” I whispered into his chest.

Jenner threw his head back and laughed. It was only then that I realized in the days we’d spent together, this was the first time he’d laughed, and it was glorious, deep, and full of so much happiness, warmth spread through my entire body.

If he kept that up, I’d jump him in front of everybody and not give a damn who saw us.

“This won’t take long.” He moved passed me and was met by a tiny woman who couldn’t be more than five feet tall and skinny as a rail with deep frown lines marring her face.

It didn’t bother me when he didn’t introduce me to her. Not once did she look in my direction as she spoke harshly to him about the wear of his clothes as if it was his fault? I doubt he was purposely trying to damage them.

It was then I realized I had no idea what his show was about. I’d stopped paying close attention to his life once he started to go downhill after his divorce. Now that I knew most of the story regarding Poppy, or at least I thought I did, I felt bad for not realizing the man getting dressed in front of me was going through something horrible and didn’t know how to cope. It was a good thing he’d had Catherine and Alex in his life otherwise who knew where he’d be–possibly looking down the neck of a bottle of alcohol.

I must have been in a daze because the next thing I knew, he was crouched down in front of me with a mischievous smirk on his face. “Where’d you go there, dumpling?”

Dumpling? Where the hell did that nickname come from?

Blinking, I saw the wardrobe lady standing by a rack of clothing with a scowl on her face as she watched us.

“I was just thinking.” There was no way I’d tell him what I’d been thinking about.

“If you’re donethinking, what do you say we get out of here and move on to hair and makeup.” He leaned in and spoke under his breath. “A much more pleasant experience.”

Giving the woman to our left one more look, I turned back and smiled at Jenner. “Lead the way.”

Wrapping his hand around mine, Jenner pulled me to standing and out the door. His arm wrapped around my shoulder, pulling me to his side as we walked. “Is this okay?”

“It depends.” My arm went around his narrow waist, my finger hooking into his belt loop. “Are you doing this because it’s what you’re supposed to do when we’re out in public, or is it because you want to?”

Jenner turned us back the way we’d come in. His jaw flexed before he answered. “I want to do it, but it’s also expected. I asked because I don’t want you uncomfortable. Things have progressed kind of rapidly and slowly at the same time.”

Stopping between a couple of trailers, I leaned up and kissed Jenner on the cheek. Was it sad I swooned over his concern about my reaction?

“What was that for?”

“For being sweet and not taking advantage of the situation.”

Leaning down, he brushed his lips against my cheek as he moved to the shell of my ear. “Maybe tonight I’ll get that goodnight kiss.”

If he kept this up, he might get more, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

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