Page 41 of Camera Stays On

“YOUR WEDDING DRESS?” Juliet laughed. “Last I heard, you ran out of the church, and Sawyer bought it at an auction. It belongs to his production company now.”

Bea and Lux stepped back from Juliet, their eyes wide and mouths hanging open, almost as if they were just as confused as I was.

“I... Yes, that’s technically true, but—”

“No buts. Sawyer took me to his house today to grab it. He wasn’t sure he even wanted you in the role anymore, so he asked me to try it on. It’s a bit big, but I can make it work.”

Was she trying to body-shame me? We were grown women. This wasn’t middle school.

“Actually... Juliet, you haven’t fully zipped it. I’m not sure—” Bea started, but Juliet snapped her head over, silencing her.

“It doesn’t matter. Sorry, Purdy, but while you were off with Asher—doing whatever—Sawyer and I were making plans for our movie. We have a vision. You might as well pack up now, because he doesn’t see you in it.”

“Her name is Andi. That bullshit has to stop now. Start addressing her correctly,” Ash said from the doorway, causing us all to turn. Butterflies fluttered in my belly as he leaned against the frame, arms crossed, one leg propped. “And I’m really curious about this vision of yours, because I was just outside with my brother, and he’s all for Andi and me being the leads. Just because you put on a dress and try to claim the job doesn’t mean you’ve got it. Does Sawyer even know you put that on?”

Juliet’s face flushed deep red as she scowled at Ash.

“I was going to surprise him.”

“I suggest taking that off now and giving it to Andi before Sawyer catches you. I don’t think he’d appreciate you treating the star like this.”

Star?

Now it was my turn to blush.

Sure, I’d done some acting when we were kids—making dumb movies in our backyards—and some extra work while I’d been in college, but I would never consider myself a star. With a huff, Juliet stomped back behind the partition, and everyone slowly filtered out of her room.

“Juliet didn’t tell us any of this,” Bea said in the hall. “She made it sound like you had already turned down the role.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry, Andi,” Lux said. “This is all so awkward.”

“It’s all good. Are...” I shifted uncomfortably. “Are he and Juliet dating?” I didn’t want anyone to think I was jealous, because I wasn’t. It would just explain why she was so angry at my presence.

Bea and Lux exchanged looks and shrugged. My eyes flicked to Asher, who was standing nearby, his arms crossed and a stern look on his face. He raised his hands in innocence. “She’s never been to the house when I was there.”

I shifted uncomfortably and pushed my hair behind my ear. “I don’t know why she’s so angry at me. I’ve done nothing to her.”

“I’m sorry.” Bea cringed. “I don’t know.”

Lux smiled kindly. “It doesn’t matter because we’re not going to let her talk to you like that anymore.”

“She probably thinks you’re trying to steal Sawyer from her,” Bea said, but immediately snapped her mouth shut. “Sorry, that was snarky, I shouldn’t keep adding to it.”

Ash’s arm came around my waist, and he swept me back into him.

“Any stealing won’t be coming from her.” He grinned. “Come on, let’s go downstairs.”

I rolled my eyes and moved away. While he was trying to quell rumors about Sawyer and me, I didn’t want him creating new ones that would make our situation even worse. It was one thing not to want to fuck Sawyer. It was another to fuck his brother instead.

“I’m not interested in Sawyer romantically. She can have him and the dress for all I care. I think I was just surprised. Thank you, guys, for having my back.”

Juliet’s door was yanked open, and my old wedding dress was thrust out into the hall and dropped unceremoniously before she slammed the door again. I bent down, taking it gently off the floor.

“I guess I need to hang this up,” I said, staring at it. It’d been so long since I’d seen it, yet I recognized the white lacy dress the instant I saw it on Juliet. “You go on without me. I’ll see you all down there.”

Ash frowned, but he simply nodded and joined Bea and Lux in going downstairs for dinner.

I headed to my room and went right over to my closet, keeping the dress lifted over my head so the skirt didn’t touch the floor. Seeing that I had no hangers, I took it to my bed and laid it out, smoothing the wrinkles and spreading the skirt and sleeves. The memory of my wedding day settled over me as I stared at the dress, with its off-shoulder sleeves, and its corset bust with a sweetheart neckline. I ran my fingers along the silk flowers I’d sewn by hand along the waist. They led down into the large lace skirt that went to the floor when I wore it.