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I’m going to swear off dating men for a while.

My workstation is barely set up for the extras and other side actors when my first person shows up for his makeup. I get started making him look like he’s cold by paling his face, then rosying his cheeks and nose.

“Hell-ooo!” Ellie’s voice singsongs as the door swings open.

I do a double take, having not expected her. She waltzes in as if hangovers aren’t a thing that exist, one hand holding a tray of Starbucks drinks and the other a pink pastry box.

“What are you doing here?” My voice is crotchety from not having been used yet today.

“Good morning to you, too,” she says, the smile on her face not waning in the least. Ellie sets the coffees and box down. “I wasn’t sure what your drink is, so I got a couple different options.” She lists them, all with varying types of milk and coffee flavours.

“Oh... uh. I’ll take the oat milk caramel one. Please.”

She hands it to me, then opens the pastry box with a flourish to reveal cupcakes, pointing at each and telling me all the varieties.

“Isn’t it a bit early for cake?” I raise an eyebrow.

She gasps as if I’ve caused her great offence. “Never.”

I take the least sugary-looking one and set it down beside my drink. The guy in my chair takes one, too, and then Ellie grabs the rest of the drinks and cupcakes and flits around the space giving them all away, returning empty-handed.

“Where’s yours?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I can get one later. Anyway!” She claps her hands, then rubs them together. “We need to come up with a plan.”

I eye the dude in my chair. “Maybe... later?”

“Ah, yes. Wouldn’t want word of our sinister plot getting around, now would we? Even though I’m sure Rick here can keep a secret. Can’t you, Rick?” She nudges him, and he laughs.How does she know this random extra’s name?

Ellie looks behind her, moves a few things out of the way, then plops her ass down on my table and gets comfortable.

I blink at her a few times. “Are you just gonna sit here and watch me work?”

She straightens. “If that’s okay. Yeah. I don’t have anywhere else to go, and I don’t know of anything to do in this city. And honestly sitting at home alone all day after what happened is kind of depressing, so I thought I’d come visit you at work, because, you know, where else would I be? But if I’m cramping your style, or getting in your way, or—”

She moves to get up, but I stop her. “It’s fine. You can keep me company.”

Ellie sighs in relief and gives me a happy smile. “Thank you. Plus, I want to see you at work! Makeup is so fascinating. I can barely put on mascara, and you do a full face—”

She continues chattering away next to me, like a happy little parakeet, but it’s not as irritating as I found it before. The day passes quickly with Ellie commenting on what I’m doing and asking thoughtful questions or telling me stories that keep me on my toes and bring a smile to my face. Behind the scenes, she knows so much about the industry and fills me in on the goings-on between takes. Before I know it, it’s wrap time and nearing dinner.

“Hungry?” I ask after cleaning up my station.

“Starving!” Ellie hops down from her perch and stretches, a little sliver of belly appearing below her Christmas sweater.

“I know a place, but you can’t wear that. It’s outdoors.”

Ellie shrugs, then peels her shirt off. My eyes follow every bit of skin revealed as her tank top tries to leave her body with the sweater, catching just below her bra line, before she removes it and readjust herself. “How’s this?”

I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry. “Yep. Good. Ready?”

We both jump in my car and drive west toward Vancouver. Ellie scans the radio until she finds a song she knows, then sings obnoxiously with the window rolled down, her unruly blond hair blowing back behind her. Her energy is contagious, and before I know it even I’m tapping my fingers on the steering wheel.

We pull into the parking lot fifteen minutes later.

“Mariah, this is a Canadian Tire,” Ellie says, stating the obvious.

“I know.” I unbuckle my seat belt and get out, Ellie following close behind. Once she’s out of the car, I nod my chin toward an unassuming food truck parked close by. “That’s Lully’s—best hot dogs in BC.”