The Girl From Summer Hill (Summer Hill 1)

“And who will take care of it when you’re on some faraway location set clumping around in a suit of armor?”

“Think Kit would like to muck out the stables?”

Casey groaned. “He’d tell the poor creature it was wearing the wrong expression. ‘Pony! I want to feel what you do!’?” she quoted in a deep voice. “?‘Don’t just stand there munching the hay, emote!’?”

Tate looked behind Casey, and suddenly his face changed to horror.

Her whole body seemed to drain of blood. Obviously, Kit was behind her and he’d heard. But when she turned around, it was Olivia and she was suppressing a giggle.

Casey whipped back to glare at Tate, but he’d disappeared down the path and she could hear his laughter. “I’ll get you for that,” she called after him.

“I look forward to it,” he yelled back.

Casey and Olivia had spent a lot of time together, but whenever Casey tried to find out what was between her and Kit, Olivia had politely but firmly changed the subject.

The day after the estate sale, while Olivia helped her bake pies, Casey had told her about rescuing the little boy.

“You weren’t worried that Tate would drop you?”

“I don’t think it crossed my mind. He is rather muscular, you know.”

“A veritable Colossus of Rhodes. How about if we go over your lines for tomorrow? Let’s see if we can prevent Mr. Montgomery from complaining so much.”

“Do you know what’s wrong with Kit? I spent a lot of time with him this winter and he was one of the calmest people I’ve ever been around. Stacy and I said that he was like those men on the Titanic who gave their seats away to women and children.”

Olivia was looking at her script. “How about if we go over the scene where Wickham says that Darcy is a man without honor? I think you might have trouble there.”

Casey was blinking at Olivia. She had completely ignored the question.

“I’ll be Wickham. Will that be too difficult to imagine? Should I paint on a chocolate mustache?”

Olivia was smiling, and Casey had wanted to ask her questions, but she didn’t. “Sure, let’s work on that.”

Now that everyone was settling into a routine, Kit’s bad temper did seem to be calming down. Casey was getting better at pretending Lizzy didn’t know what Darcy was doing behind her back, but tomorrow they were going to start on the scene where Darcy asks Lizzy to marry him. She was to tell him what he could do with his proposal. Casey had played the scene in the audition, but then she’d been in a very different mood.

“Hello.”

She turned to see Devlin Haines standing outside her screen door. She hadn’t spoken to him—or, for that matter, thought of him—in days. “Hi. Would you like some pie and coffee?”

“Love it.”

He came in and when Casey motioned to a stool, he sat down.

“How about raspberry cobbler?” She took a plate off the shelf.

“Exactly what I wanted. Would you mind if I had a glass of milk instead of coffee? I know it’s childish, but I’m missing my daughter so much that I need it.”

“You must be excited about seeing her.”

“Will she be here soon?” His eyes were eager, but when he saw Casey’s startled expression, he looked shy. “Sorry. That’s something I should know, but to get to my daughter I have to go through my ex-wife. The only word I ever hear from her is ‘no.’?” He gave a little shrug. “Yet again I’m dumping my problems onto you. How have you been?”

“Great,” Casey said. “I’ve been learning that acting is really difficult. Here, have some almonds. I bought them to use in a pie crust, but Olivia told me she’s allergic. How have you been?”

He took a bite of cobbler. “This is delicious! Actually, I may have a job. At least, I’ve got a chance to try out for a new cop show that will be on FX. I won’t be the lead, but I could be the lead actor’s best friend. If I get it, that is.”

“Congratulations! Or do I say ‘break a leg’?”

“I’ll take either one.” He looked down at the pie, then up again. “Town gossip is that you and my ex-brother-in-law have become a pair.”