Today was a tech day where the crew mostly took his measurements andhe pretty much stood still.
But the fire in his blood hadn’t calmed down. He turned around and headed toward his dressing room. A splash of water on his face might help. As he opened his door, an older woman who was slightly heavy-set, with a gray streak in her hair, stood, holding her pocketbook in front of her. “Mr. Morgan?”
This woman seemed harmless and hopefully whatever shewanted would take his mind off of Ashley so he nodded and said, “Matt is fine. How are you?”
She stepped forward. “My name is Medina. We met briefly, yesterday morning, at Ms. Gonzales’ house.”
The name rang a bell. Yesterday, the last day he’d spent with Ashley.
His entire body froze. Yes. Ashley had spoken to Jennifer’s maid requesting Cosimo’s car seat. He motioned withhis hand, “Jennifer’s filming but her dressing room is next door.”
Medina’s face thinned but she shook her head. “I’ll deliver her report in a moment, but I wanted to talk with you about Miss Ashley.”
Her name alone sent butterflies in his stomach. He lowered his head and said, “She’s gone.”
Medina gave a curt, businesslike nod. “Yes, to Miami to pack her things. I spoke toher this morning, but I was hoping to give her my resume and tell her I’m willing to move, wherever she goes. I can put in my notice with her cousin.”
Wait. His eyes widened. Home. She’d really left him. “She went to Miami?”
Medina blinked like she thought this was old news as she simply said, “Si.She had an apartment and a few mementos she wanted.”
He took the older woman’swrinkled hands. “Then where is she going?”
Medina said, “She was still deciding, sir. If you speak to her before me, can you tell her I want a job?”
“I’ll hire you if Ashley doesn’t. I own a few homes… I hope she’s happy.” He let her hands go.
The idea that he’d hurt a nice woman who loved him because he’d interfered in his family’s lives made him feel small.
Jenniferand Anthony weren’t his business.
And he’d ruined his own happiness in the process.
Medina had no idea what he was thinking as she shuffled toward the door. “I’m sure she will be. Nice people always end up well in the end.”
Ashley deserved only happiness which wasn’t something he’d ever truly had in his empty life. He held the door for her. “You’re right. She’s better off.”
A stage hand passed in the hall and said, “Matt, you’re needed on the set.”
Right. Work. He nodded and told Medina, “Take care of yourself and call me if Ashley can’t take you on.”
Once she left he glanced at himself in the mirror. The contracts to work with Jennifer hadn’t ever mentioned hiring her staff as his own, so Medina would be easy for Pilar to fit into managing oneof his properties.
His hair was too short still and his facial hair had hardly grown.
He’d never be Axel for this part. His brother had been clear right away that he loved his fiancée.
Matt realized that Ashley deserved way better than him—he had to let her go, so he straightened his shirt and hustled down the hall.
Once in the studio he headed toward his mark as thedirector called, “Places.”
His entire body had pins and needles as he stood still and the lights turned on.
Then Eva took the spot next to him and the lights went against her skin too, pale in contrast to her brown hair.
All the equipment needed was their faces and bodies to have the sensors center the cameras on them later, but this part of the job, though dull, was betterthan how people had stood for hundreds of years for portraits.
Eva smiled at him. “Standing still can be pretty boring.”
