Page 31 of Axe-Rated Lumberjack

“Would you like to go with me tonight? We could get something to eat, walk around the festival, and see the Factory after it opens.”

I looked at him.

There was no microphone between us at that moment, no script to follow, and no production manager waiting for our next take.

He was asking me to spend the evening with him.

I wanted to say yes so badly that I had to remind myself not to answer before he’d finished speaking.

“I’d love to.”

His smile widened.

“Good. How about I pick you up around seven thirty? That should give us time to have dinner and look around before the haunted house opens.”

“Seven thirty sounds perfect.”

“Then it’s a date.”

A date. Hudson had actually said the word.

I was suddenly very glad I’d spent so much time choosing my outfit that morning, although now I’d have to choose another one. I briefly considered calling Chelsea for emergency wardrobe advice.

No. Absolutely not.

I could manage one date without involving my older sister, who would undoubtedly demand photographs, a full romantic history, and confirmation that the man possessed all his own teeth.

Besides, I was getting rather fond of making my own decisions where Hudson was concerned.

I smiled at him.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too.”

There was a warmth in his expression that made it difficult to look away.

For several seconds, neither of us seemed particularly interested in returning to work.

Then Hudson glanced at the pages waiting beside the microphone.

“Want to finish that last scene before we call it a day?”

“Yes,” I said, grateful for something useful to do. “Let’s get Drake and Isadora through this section before we leave them stranded in another enchanted forest.”

“Good plan. I wouldn’t trust either of them to find their way home.”

We returned to our chairs and adjusted the microphone for the final duet.

The scene took place near the entrance to the Heartwood, where Drake and Isadora had finally stopped arguing about their destiny long enough to admit how much they wanted each other.

The author had given them some wonderfully intimate dialogue.

Naturally, she’d also surrounded them with magical trees that seemed determined to involve themselves in the proceedings.

Hudson skimmed the final page and smiled.

“Looks like the vegetation’s behaving for once.”