Page 45 of Becoming Cinderella

“Great, this will be perfect practice then.”

“I can’t. I’ll feel silly.”

“It’s just me.” Liam steps towards me, closing the distance between us. “You never have to feel silly around me, okay?” His voice drops and the hairs on my arm stand to attention. “Now,” he steps back with a widening smile. “Let’s say you’re….” he looks up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

I’m about to object, to tell him I don’t need a scenario to make it happen when he snaps his fingers.

“I got it! Stargazing. Yeah, that’s romantic. Okay, so you’re stargazing with Jared. What would you do?” Liam lays down in the middle of the floor.

“No. I’m not doing this. I’m not an actress Liam, I’m not great at the whole improv thing.”

Liam lifts his head up and shoots me a look before he taps the floor next to him. “No excuses, come on.”

I let out an annoyed, dramatic, sigh before I go lay down next to him.

Liam turns his head to look at me, giving me a pleased smile. “Okay so we’re stargazing.” He sits upright suddenly. “Hold on.” He rushes to go turn off the lights, darkening the studio. “Okay, now we’re stargazing.”

I’m still able to make out his facial features from the sun streaming through the door as he makes his way back to me.

He wiggles like he’s trying to get comfortable as he lays back down. “Is your first move a chat up line? Tell me it’s not a chat up line.”

“A chat up line?”

“Pickup line.”

“You’re so British." I teasingly roll my eyes at him. "But no, I don’t have any cheesy pickup lines for stargazing.” I laugh.

“But you do have pickup lines?”

I stare up at the white painted ceiling as I think. “I lost my number, can I have yours?”

“You’ve used that?” He sounds incredulous.

I keep my attention on the ceiling and not Liam as I smile. “No, but I like it.”

“That’s so bad.”

“Let me guess, your pickup line is just ‘hi, I’m Liam Taylor.’” I drop my voice to imitate his own.

He rolls his eyes as he turns his attention from me to the ceiling. “Oh please. Besides, I’m not Liam. I’m Jared, remember? And we’re stargazing.” He points to the ceiling like there’s an actual night sky there.

“I don’t know what to say,” I whisper.

“Dang Adams, work was wild today, right? Good thing I was working with you though, you always make it better.” Liam switches to his American accent.

“Stop,” I giggle, reaching over to lightly swat his arm.

He looks at me with a grin. “You’re not very good at this. Now come on, focus. You’re under the stars with the guy you really like and there’s something about the current mood that’s making you feel almost vulnerable.” His voice gets softer, his normal accent back as he paints the picture in my mind.

“You should do a voice recording for one of those meditation apps.”

“Carter,” he warns.

Fine. I can play his little game.

“Did you see that?” I jolt up, my attention still on the ceiling. I squint my eyes like I can’t make out what it was, glancing down at Liam then back at the ceiling. “Seriously, did you?”

“What?” Liam sits up now, looking closely at the ceiling. “I don’t see anything. What was it?” He looks back at me, confused.

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