and then he darts around the front of the Rover to open the door for Sally.
Mr. Hebert’s nephew moves to close the door to the back seat.
“Beau,” Mr. Hebert calls, stopping him.
“Yeah, Nonc?”
“Be nice.”
Beau leans in and says something to his uncle under his breath I can’t make out. But it’s obvious he told Mr. Hebert something he didn’t want me to hear. What the hell? When he steps back and closes the door, I meet Sally’s gaze through the side window.
We’ve been friends since we were nine, so a whole conversation transpires between us without words.
What did he just say?
I have no idea.
What do you mean, you have no idea??
I mean I have no idea!!!
She looks down as Ramon starts the engine, and in the next second I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket.
Sally: He said something in French and Mr. Hebert answered in French, sounding pissed.
French? Then it had to be about me. What the hell did he say about me in French?
And how rude!
“We should go,” he mutters. He doesn’t look happy about it. Well, I’m not happy about it either, but I stick out my hand anyway.
“Iris Adams.” And then because I’m an actor, I take a breath and deliver a line. “Nice to meet you.”
He glances at my offered hand and then back into my eyes with a dubious expression. Yeah, maybe I’m not winning a Golden Globe today.
“I know who you are,” he says, and the way he says it so flat, I have no idea how to take it. “Beau Landry.”
And then I nearly jump when his hand closes around mine. Because it’s a real handshake. His big hand surrounds mine and squeezes. Not tight and painful like some of those Hollywood execs who use a handshake like a power play, but snug. And heavy.
Like a weighted blanket.
It startles me, and I pull away a little too quickly. He’s handsome. Crazy handsome. And I thought so before I touched his hand, but I have to remember that this guy doesn’t like me. And he isn’t particularly nice.
I take a deep breath and let it out in whoosh. “Ready when you are.”
Without a word, Beau turns and heads back toward the dance studio. He locks the back door and lets the screen slam behind him.
“Allons,” he says with a head-jerk toward the remaining truck in the parking lot. I follow him, chafing at the terse French expression.
“Does everyone here speak French?” I ask, and maybe my tone is a little sour.
He snorts. “Not by a long way.” Beau pops the locks on his truck, and I walk to the passenger side. As I climb in, I lose my footing and bark my shin on the running board, but instead of crying out or cursing like I want to, I swallow a whimper and heft myself inside. Because he didn’t see. At least, I hope he didn’t see. And I’ve already made myself look like a walking disaster.
But, Holy God, it hurts so bad, I almost choke. I’m going to have a bruise that’ll probably require makeup if we shoot any scenes with me in a skirt for the next week. It hurts so bad, all I can do is breathe in barely controlled puffs and pants.
It hurts so bad, I don’t even notice that Beau Landry has climbed into the truck and is seated next to me—staring at me—until he speaks.
“You okay?”
I nod. But it’s not good enough. He keeps staring.
“Yeah.” The word rasps out of me, making it sound like I’m being strangled. “Good.”
His eyes narrow. “You sure?”
I nod again.
“Because it looked like you fell getting into the truck.” His frown is about as welcoming as a barbed wire fence. “Are you high or something?”
“What?” It’s hard to sound indignant when you’re in agony. I sound more like I’ve been stepped on.
“Are you high?” he asks again as though I’m stupid. Or high. This guy is starting to piss me off.
“No, I’m not high,” I snap. I’ve never been high in my life. Moira would lose her mind.
His focus doesn’t leave my eyes. In fact, he looks like he’s searching. Checking them out. And not in the good way.
“Hey. My eyes aren’t bloodshot and they’re not glassy because I’m not high, okay? Jesus.” I shake my head, unable to believe this jerk. “What happened with your uncle was an accident, understand? An accident.”
He doesn’t blink. Doesn’t yield a thing. “And what about just now? Getting into the truck?”