Page 59 of Beyond the Spotlight Discreet Version

We share things we hate like people who are rude to service industry workers and books with cliffhangers (more so her since I don’t read a lot of fiction books anymore, but I am quite curious about her spicy romances.)

I ask her when her birthday is (so I can spoil her when that day comes). February twentieth, which makes her a Pisces. I’m a Scorpio; my birthday is November fourteenth.

She snorts. "Scorpios are sex maniacs.”

“Yes... we are.” I relish the way her face turns bright red.

I’m counting down the days until I can show her just how much of a Scorpio I am.

Adelinereturnedfromhangingout with Lana two days ago, and Savannah resumed her nanny duties. The set doctor cleared me for work then I met with the fight choreographer to make sure I’m okay to do action scenes. After lying around in bed for nearly a week, returning to physical activities left my recovering body exhausted.

Returning to set also meant time away from Savannah. I want our first time together to be special. I’ll have to negotiate with my friends to take Adeline for the night. I know they would. It’s clear they want whatever is happening between Savannah and me to work out just as much as I do.

I’ve missed her in my bed. Last night, she slept in her room saying she didn’t want me tired and distracted today since it’s officially my first day back. I didn’t fight her on it because she’s right: all I want to do is finish what we started before getting sick.

“What are you pissed about?” Mylan asks when he sits down in a director’s chair beside me. He just finished a scene, and the crew is resetting for the next, which includes an intense police questioning between mine and Mylan’s characters.

I shrug. “Just wish I was home.”

“With Savvy?” Mylan wags his brows.

Yes, with Savvy.But I don’t respond to that.

“Thank you for taking care of Adeline while we were sick.”

“It was no problem. It helped solidify Lana and my decision to adopt.”

I smile. “Really? That’s amazing news, Mylan.”

His happiness dulls slightly. “Remember when we were teens, and we’d go out, get drunk, fuck around, get into trouble?”

“Of course. Best time of my life.”

“What the hell do I know about raising a kid? I was a mess growing up because of my parents. What if I’m like them? What if my kid ends up being like me?”

“You mean caring, strong, and selfless?”

“You know what I mean, Ren.”

“Mylan,” I begin, “you’re not the same man from five years ago. You realize that, right?”

He nods, still not entirely convinced he’s good enough to be a parent.

“Look... you’re going to have doubts every single day. When I got custody of Adeline, I thought for sure I’d fail. Then the first time I held her after my sister died, she grabbed my finger. She wrapped those tiny digits around, gripped hard, and smiled at me.”

“It was probably gas,” Mylan offers.

I punch him in the arm, and he hisses.

Wanker.

“What I’m trying to say, you fucking twat, is in that moment, I fell in love, and I knew I could do it. I could be a parent to this child who wasn’t mine. She wasn’t mine, but now she is, and five years later, she’s alive and happy because of me.

“So, yeah, Idothink you’ll be a good father. You’re nothing like your parents because you’ve learned from your mistakes, and you’ve righted your wrongs. Plus, you’ll have Lana, and I know she doesn’t put up with your bullshit.”

Mylan chuckles. “Truth.”

We don’t talk for a minute while Mylan checks his texts and I respond to a few from Savannah. She took Addy to Central Park after school, and they had a picnic in Sheep Meadows. A pang of missing this moment rips through my stomach. I should be there with them.