He was certain they’d end up married? She thought to herself, Just wait and see.
A future built on misery never led anywhere good.
Dawn had begun to break.
Hadley wrapped up her shoot for the night and started wiping away her makeup. Chelsey offered her a cup and said, “Here you go, Hadley.”
Gratefully, Hadley took the cup from her. “Thanks. This is just water, right?”
With a small laugh, Chelsey replied, “Of course. You just wrapped up your shoot, and you’ll be heading—”
“To bed soon. I wouldn’t hand you coffee now.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Chelsey.” Hadley accepted the cup and took a sip.
Before she could say more, her phone started buzzing. A message popped up from Eric: I’m outside.
She passed the cup back to Chelsey in a rush. “I’ve got to go!”
Snatching up her bag, Hadley hurried out the door.
She spotted Eric near the car and broke into a jog, calling out, “Eric!”
But as she got closer, a strange feeling crept up on her.
Hadley’s head swam for a second, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to shake off the dizziness.
“Hadley!” Alarm flashed across Eric’s face. He rushed forward, but he was still too far to catch her.
Thankfully, Tamara moved fast and managed to steady Hadley just in time.
“Hadley!” Eric reached them in moments, gently taking Hadley from Tamara’s arms. His gaze swept over her, and concern tightened his features. “What just happened?”
Hadley started to say she was alright, giving her head a little shake. But when she caught the look on Eric’s face, she stopped herself.
Her honesty slipped out. “I felt a wave of dizziness, like the whole world spun for a second.”
g?ν.0; ?
The seriousness in Eric’s expression only deepened.
“Really, it was nothing.” Trying to lighten the mood, Hadley lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers. “Just a bit, I swear.”
She lowered her voice, sounding almost sheepish. “Even if Tamara hadn’t grabbed me, I probably wouldn’t have hit the ground.”
He didn’t look convinced. “People don’t just get dizzy for no reason.”
Hadley checked in with her body before answering. “I feel fine now. It’s probably because I’ve been burning the midnight oil for too many nights, and it’s taking a toll on me.”
She spotted the worry lingering on his face, so she reached out, tugged on his arm, and gave him a playful shake. “Quit frowning like that. It’s not a good look.”
Rising on tiptoe, she leaned close, peering at his face. “Let me see if you’re sprouting any wrinkles.”
Eric realized she was teasing him and finally broke into a smile. He drew her close, wrapping her in a hug. “Filming can wait. Taking care of yourself comes first, you hear me?”
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