Page 77 of One Kind Hand

She was getting a little peeved about how Cody was naming reasons that had to do with movie production instead of Austin’s well being. “Let me ride with you guys. I can talk to him.”

“He doesn’t want to talk to you,” Cody shot back.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Did he say that? Or are you saying that?”

“Both.” He rubbed his head as if trying to ease a headache. “Another ride will come for you. I’ll settle Austin down.” Without waiting to hear another word from Charlie, Cody stomped off. He got into the back of the limo where Charlie caught a quick glimpse of Austin who was hunched over as if sick to his stomach.

Dammit. She’d done that to him and Cody wouldn’t let her try to fix it. She took several steps closer to the limo, intent on getting inside it, but it drove off before she could reach it. Now she was stuck waiting at the airfield until another ride showed up to get her.

But she could still contact Austin. She dug out her phone and tapped his name. The phone rang, but it went right to voicemail. Okay. Either he was still too upset to answer his phone or he didn’t want to answer because she was the one calling. Both scenarios sucked monkey balls.

Lowering the phone from her ear, she typed out a text instead.

Charlie: I’m so sorry, Austin. If I’d known, I never would have done that.

She tapped her index finger on the side of her phone, hoping for a response. When five minutes went by and she got nothing back, Charlie called Isabel.

“Hey, bestie. I thought today was the first day of shooting for you,” Isabel said.

“It is. I am. I . . .” Her throat tightened and her eyes prickled. She shook her head, willing these sensations to pass because Charlie Moyen didn’t cry. Especially over a guy.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Isabel asked.

“I flew Austin over water!” she blurted, her free hand curling into a fist at her side. God, she wanted to punch something.

Namely herself.

“I’m not following,” Isabel said calmly. “You flew Austin over water and then what?”

“Then he freaked. He’s got a fear of the water, Isabel, and I did one of my crazy stunts right over Brenton Lake.”

“Oh . . . shit.”

“Yeah, shit. Big shit. Shit the size of Jupiter.” Charlie paced by her chopper now. “I was flying us to Montpelier for the shoot today and I was playing tour guide then—”

“Then you did that nosedive-for-the-water thing you do,” Isabel finished. “And Austin nearly tossed his cookies.”

“I’ve never seen anyone get so frozen in fear, Isabel. I mean, who would think he would be afraid of water? His agent warned me about flying over water when I first took them up in my chopper, but I had no idea Austin was the one he was looking out for.”

“How could you have known? If Austin’s agent wasn’t specific and Austin never mentioned this fear, you’re not at fault here, Charlie. From where I’m standing, you were showing your new boyfriend a good time by showcasing your expert flying skills. No harm in that.”

“Except there was apparently a shit ton of harm in that.” Charlie turned around when a car engine sounded behind her. A black car—not a limo—pulled up alongside her chopper. The driver got out and opened the back passenger door.

“A ride for Ms. Charlene Moyen,” he announced in a cool voice that made Charlie think he was mad at her too.

“I gotta go.”

“Wait, what’s happening?” Isabel asked.

“Not sure, but I’ll call you when I know.”

“Okay. I’m sure it’ll all work out,” Isabel said, being her normal encouraging self. “I know what I saw between you and Austin when we all went to dinner, Charlie. That shit is real and I’m positive you guys can talk it through.”

Charlie wasn’t as certain, but she thanked her bestie anyway then climbed into the waiting car. The driver shut the door and got behind the wheel.

“You’re taking me to the set, right?”

“Yes,” the driver said.