e the studio, sipping coffee as the sun dipped below the

y," he said. "Bett

ed. "Thanks

say I'm sorry for putting you in t

ce. "It's fine," she murmured. "Really." not like it's a

ke again. "I've worked with you for years, Grace. An

his eyes softened as he looked at

ng at his phone when a knock at the door pulled

inside. "And that scene, Williams... i

t scars, ones he wasn't ready to face. B

hesitated before saying, "G

inish, Grace looked a

ce steady but confused. "we've worked together, sure, but we were never

r. He wasn't usually the type to fumble for wo

ed scripts. Nothing special. But over time, I started noticing the way you worked. The way you really saw the story, how

t her now mo

that had nothing to do with the script. And tonight, when you stepped in for the scene, not because you want to or it was comfortable,

was a

ed". "I think I fell for you because we weren't." yo

ted for weeks, but in the end, he couldn't hold back any longer. He had seen her in a diffe

t reacted the w

s left his mouth. Her eyes darted away, he

er voice a whisper, "

t sank.

"Because you don't love me, Marcus. You're just caught up in th

g her eyes. "How can you say th

, retreating a ste

ra

pered, her voice thick wit

she turned an

. She needed space, time to think. Everything ha

-

her phone, and every night, she let it go to voicemail. He sent texts-

the world, avoiding him. But then, on

iams standing there, swaying sligh

een weeks since the movie wrapped, weeks s

ual charm buried beneath exhaust

in. The moment she closed the door, he collapse

e? She asked rather surpr

," he admitted. "I just...

him, watching as h

he said finall

tion of his name. "I don'

ly. "I get it. But c

a wary look. "W

laugh. "I had a fian

her off guar

never making time for her. I thought... I thought I was doing everything rig

rubbing his temples. "And now, here I am aga

th hitched.

he continued. "I just... I needed to tell

efore placing a hand on his.

them grew thick, heavy. And before she could stop herself, before e

way. She should have sto

oment, she didn't

e discard, bodies tangled together in desperate need. It wasn't love-not yet. But it wa

-

r, reality hit l

warm beside her. She found Williams in the kit

e asked, her voi

is expression unrea

rowned.

his voice hollow. "Sh

n her spine. "What a

omething-permission, reassurance, she d

her arms around herself. "Th

-

is ex-fiancée, Harper. She looked d

voice trembling. "Leaving you... it

his jaw. "Then w

scared. I thought you would never choos

e memories crashing

. "I don't know if I can just.

understanding

his emotions, another reve

it was stress, or maybe a new relationship she hadn't told him abou

antly, "I don't know how to tell you

?" Williams as

use. "Adu

ed. "No. That's

I saw her in a

nocking loudly. When she opened the d

iam,

oing? He demanded, his

written all over her fac

outed. should have come to m

cheeks." I didn't want

hen Harper, and now this. He didn't know how to f

time in his life,