Pete and Mark stood, and the filming crew repositioned for the fight sequence while the director watched playback on several different screens.
Chase moved closer to Despina. “If Z’s fine, what did the doctor say about her issues?”
“Stress.” Zahara’s voice shivered over his shoulders. She stood behind him in the same clothes Despina wore. Her hair was down and straightened like Despina’s. And she’d erected another one of her aloof walls. The sweet, vulnerable Zahara he’d kissed last night was gone. “He said it’s just stress.”
“I’ll catch you two later.” Despina gave Zahara’s arm a squeeze. “You stay calm.”
Chase lowered his voice for Zahara’s ears only. “Seriously, what did he say?”
“Seriously, he said I’m perfectly healthy. It’s just stress.”
“Then he’s a shitty doctor. You’re no more stressed now than you were on the Chilled set.”
“Right.” She shot him a sarcastic smile. “My life is as carefree as it was two months ago.”
“Chase, Z, Pete, Mark,” Andy said. “Let’s finish this up.”
“Walk through the sequence,” Andy directed.
Chase and Pete exited the back room and stepped into a mini mart that had been paid well to close for the day so they could film. The four of them talked through the scene, stepping through the fight sequence, leaving Chase nothing but guesswork to figure out what was going on behind Zahara’s barriers.
They’d connected last night. Really connected. She’d sounded like she believed his explanation of how this hoax with Lila had started. Even seemed to forgive him for the unintended mess he’d made. Their kiss confirmed she still wanted him. Yet, here she was, once again facing him with unfathomable barriers in place.
A crew member handed Pete one of the prop guns as the camera crew settled in. Restlessness turned to silence. Sometimes it was eerie how so many people and so much equipment could become so damned quiet in such a small space.
Chase followed Pete into the mini-mart to kick off the scene. He shook out his limbs, stretched his neck, and closed his eyes to visualize the moves.
A crew member called the scene and snapped the clapboard.
“Ready,” Andy called, “and action.”
Pete pried the mini-mart’s back door open and cautiously entered the rear corridor. Chase followed, slipping in behind him before the door closed. Pete approached the end of the hallway where it opened into a small storage space with the short flight of stairs.
Chase gripped Pete’s jacket. When the other man turned toward him, Chase chopped at his forearms. The gun clattered against the cement floor, and Chase shoved Pete against the wall, faking two gut punches. Pete dropped, and Chase turned toward Zahara just as Mark entered from a door linked to the outside corridor, confronting her.
Chase sprinted toward the steps and lunged for Zahara, grabbing her arm. He put all his strength and body weight into hauling her toward him, knowing she’d need the momentum. She fell toward him, flipping in midair like a fucking gymnast. She made it look effortless. Made it look like he’d flipped her.
She tumbled down a few stairs, and Chase engaged Mark in an old-fashioned fistfight carefully choreographed by and practiced with Keaton and Wes. Right hook, left hook, right uppercut. Then it was Mark’s turn to land a few shots, and Chase took them just the way he’d been taught.
Behind them, Pete attacked Zahara again, and she gave him the prescribed beating. Finally, she and Chase took both Pete and Mark down at the same time. Which was the only part of the stunt that had gone awry. Chase should have ended his fight just before Zahara ended hers.
“Cut,” Andy said. “Holy shit.”
“Well done, you two.” Wes clapped. “Made me proud.”
Andy watched the replay on a camera screen while Zahara offered a hand to Pete and
Chase offered a hand to Mark, helping them up.
“We may have gotten the whole damn fight in one take,” Andy said to no one in particular. “How often does that happen?”
“Never,” Keaton said, entering the space with Connor on his shoulders. He approached Andy and watched the replay over his shoulder. “It happens never.”
“They’re so damn in sync,” Andy said, his gaze riveted to the playback.
“That they are,” Keaton said, then turned his grin on them. “Nice work, guys.”
When Chase glanced at Zahara, he found her staring at Connor, eyes wide and glassy, the color from the fight scene fading from her face.