Page 71 of Cast to be Mine

Who was going to keep my morale up?

Me. I’m the guy.

The beach we’d cordoned off was stunning—white sand, turquoise water, palm trees swaying in the breeze. Exactly the kind of paradise that would make audiences forget they were watching a thriller. The contrast was the point. Elena’s perfect life, about to be shattered.

I just needed to actually capture it on film.

“Micah!” Toby jogged over, his clipboard clutched to his chest. “Wardrobe says they’re ready. Grace and Jack are both in their trailers.”

“Good. Let’s get them to set. We’re burning daylight.”

I positioned myself near the monitors, which were shaded by a large umbrella that kept threatening to blow away. The shot was relatively simple—Elena walking along the beach, lost in thought, when she runs into her ex-boyfriend. It was an early scene, establishing their complicated history before everything went to hell.

Jack emerged from his trailer first. He strutted across the sand like he owned the beach. He wore designer board shorts, his chest bare and oiled to within an inch of its life.

“Hey, does my chest look swollen enough?” he asked the nearest grip, flexing slightly. “I did extra reps this morning. Really wanted to pop for this scene.”

The grip looked deeply uncomfortable. “Uh, yeah, man. Looks great.”

Jack moved on to the next person. “What do you think? Swollen enough?”

I rubbed my temples. This was going to be a long day.

And then Grace came out of the wardrobe trailer.

She was wrapped in a white terry cloth robe, her hair loose and beachy, her feet bare. She picked her way across the sand carefully, and even from this distance, I could see her squinting against the sun. I couldn’t have them wearing sunglasses because I needed to see the whites of their eyes in the shot. I needed to see the fire.

“Grace, let’s get you to your mark,” the AD called out.

She nodded, moving to her starting position. I watched her take a few deep breaths, centering herself. Getting into character. Becoming Elena.

“Alright, everyone,” I called out. “Let’s do a quick rehearsal, then we’ll roll. Grace, whenever you’re ready.”

She nodded again. And then she untied the robe and let it fall.

I forgot how to breathe.

The bikini was simple, exactly what wardrobe decided was best. Navy blue and not overly revealing, but on Grace, it might as well have been lingerie. Every curve was on display. The dip of her waist. The flare of her hips. The long lines of her legs. Skin that glowed golden in the Hawaiian sun.

I was staring and I couldn’t stop.

“Micah?” Toby’s voice cut through my haze. “You okay?”

“Fine.” The word came out strangled. I cleared my throat. “Fine. Let’s, uh, let’s run through it.”

Grace walked her mark, hitting every beat perfectly. She was supposed to look relaxed. A woman enjoying a rare moment of peace before her world imploded. And she did. She looked like a goddess emerging from the sea.

Focus, you idiot. You’re a professional.

I forced my eyes to the monitor, watching the frame instead of the woman. Better. Safer. The composition was good. The lighting was working despite our earlier struggles. This was going to be a beautiful shot.

“Great,” I called out. “Let’s roll. First positions, everyone.”

The crew scrambled into place. Jack positioned himself farther down the beach, where he’d enter the frame after Grace’s solo moment. He flexed. Strutted. I supposed it worked for the character.

“Action!”

Grace walked along the waterline, looking thoughtful and a little wistful. The camera tracked her movement smoothly.