Page 3 of Song of the Shadow Prince
Marty rushed over, his face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Perfect! That’s the shot! Who knew a blender could be so... symbolic?”
I got to my feet and handed the blender to Jake with mock solemnity. “Keep this for the Oscars. It deserves its own award.”
As everyone on set burst into action, packing up cameras and props for the next scene, I felt a warm glow of camaraderie. These people were as much a team as any squad I had been part of in the army. We might not have been in life-or-death situations, but we sure knew how to make a splash.
Trish came over, clipboard in hand. “Great work. You ready for the lake scene, or do you need a break?”
I grinned, feeling the familiar thrill of anticipation. “I was born ready. As long as it doesn’t involve any kitchen appliances, I think I’ll manage.”
Trish laughed. “Don’t jinx it!” With a shake of her head, she walked off to coordinate the following scene of chaos.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the lot, I took a moment to appreciate this bizarre, exhilarating world of stunt work. From military boots to movie sets, it was definitely one hell of an act to follow.
The crew shifted locations to a nearby lake specifically chosen for the movie. The next scene was straightforward and yet thrilling—a high dive into the murky waters below, chased by an explosion. Classic Hollywood spectacle.
Luckily, I had a bit of downtime before my scene while everyone set up. I was well acquainted with the mantra ofhurry up and wait, so I chilled near the snack bar while things were situated.
Finding a stool, I plopped down and pulled out my phone to text my boyfriend, Fernando. I hadn’t heard from him lately and I was getting antsy. Instead of sending him a text, I dialed his number, but the asshole sent me to voicemail.
“Bitch,” I muttered, barely restraining the urge to hurl my phone across the set.
Calming my nerves, I was about to pull up my best friend’s number when an incoming text from her flashed across the screen, followed by her calling. Instead of reading the text, I answered.
“Hey girl, what’s up?”
“Cat!” Angie said, slightly out of breath. “Sorry to bother you at work, but did you see my text?”
I shook my head as if she could see me. “No, you called like, a second after it came through. Why? What’s going on?”
“Cat!” Trish, the assistant director waved her arms and called me over to start shooting.
“Be there in a sec!” I yelled back. “What’s going on, Angie? I gotta go.” I sensed her hesitation and rolled my eyes, wishing she would just spit it out. “Look, I’m going to hang up if you—”
“Fernando is cheating on you!” she blurted.
I paused. The blood running through my veins turned to ice as I slowly pulled the phone away and looked at the text message she’d sent. Sure enough, it was a picture of Fernando cozied up with another girl in Beverly Hills when he was supposed to be in Malibu spending time with his parents.
“Son of a bitch,” I growled.
“Cat?” Angie called out. “Cat!”
I brought the phone back to my ear. “Where did you get this?”
“It’s circling through the crowd. Everyone knows,” she mumbled, sounding miserable. “I’m sorry, Cat. I wanted to tell you before you found out from someone else.”
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Thank you, Angie. For being a loyal friend.”
“What time do you get off work?” she whispered. “I’ll bring ice cream and we can binge watchBridgertonin our pajamas.”
I scoffed. “You think I want to watchBridgertonand eat ice cream right now?” I was met with silence. “I want to slash his tires and super glue his balls to his a—”
“Cat!” Trish called for me again, cutting me off mid-tirade.
I gritted my teeth and squeezed my hand around my phone. “I have to go, Angie. I’ll call you when I get off work. It’ll be late.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll stay up.” Her soft tone told me she was worried.
Marty snapped his fingers and raised his voice to be heard above the chatter. “Alright, people, let’s get to work!”
