Chapter Two
Shelter Cove shut down production for the day when the squall that meteorologists had been predicting all day finally blew in at four. The wind came up first and messed with the sound. They could dub the dialogue in later, but hair and costumes could only take so much, especially the dress Darcy was supposed to be wearing in his scenes.
His was a minor recurring character, a young man drawn to Shelter Cove to escape his mobster father and hiding as a woman. Dana was seen by LeBaron Dayer as arriving a little too coincidentally. LeBaron was also attracted to Dana, which gave the character a reason to hold him at arm’s length—and made him suspicious for all the wrong reasons. It was a good role, and the exposure on a show like Shelter Cove could only bring Darcy more work in the future, even if he preferred to stay in the Stellarton area.
Although he wasn’t making nearly as much as the principals, Darcy had a comfortable contract, and time enough to model for the life-drawing classes at the Stellarton College of Art and Design. The modelling didn’t pay much at all, but it was his way of giving back to the college he’d graduated from. It was what he did between acting jobs.
He shimmied out of his costume and into the soft jeans and a lightweight sweater that were his own clothes, washed Dana’s makeup off his face, and resigned himself to getting soaked waiting for the bus home.
“Hey, Darcy—craft services is setting up in the Buoy. If you take advantage, I can probably give you a ride back to town,” Kayleen said. She played the town librarian, a role even less recurring than his own, but with a handful of scenes every season. They were seldom shooting at the same time.
He glanced outside as he gathered his hair behind his neck and pulled it through a plain black scrunchie. The rain was being driven sideways by the wind.
“Thanks. I’ll be right there.”
The Buoy was the bar LeBaron owned and where Dana waited tables. A location set, in a normally abandoned boathouse. But since it already had half a dozen tables and chairs set up, it was as good a place as any for craft services to set out an early supper.
Darcy found himself in line behind Carlos Bowes, the tall, muscular black man who played LeBaron. Carlos glanced back and smiled briefly. “Nice work today, Darcy.”
“Thanks. You, too. Heard you got some daytime soap after you…?”
“There’s been some noise. Not sure it’s a good move for me, though. Besides, what if Shelter Cove takes off like Supernatural? This is only the fourth season. I’d be foolish to give that up for a soap.”
Darcy nodded, putting a sandwich, a fruit cup, and something that was either tapioca or rice pudding on his tray along with a bottle of cranberry juice and a bottle of water. He was just part of the fourth season plot arc; whether Shelter Cove had five seasons or fifteen, he was done at the end of this year’s production.
Carlos said, “I guess we’ll be finishing up tomorrow. You know our characters are probably going to kiss, given the storyline?”
“Yeah, figures.”
“I’ve never kissed a man before. You know. That way.”
“Me neither. How hard can it be?” Darcy said, hoping he was right. He’d never kissed anyone before “that way” as Carlos put it. He’d never been interested.
“Oh.” Carlos looked surprised. Then he grinned again. “Then I guess we’ll both learn something, eh?”
“I guess we will,” he responded. Kayleen waved frantically at him, and he smiled at Carlos. “See you tomorrow.”
He sat down with Kayleen as she gushed, “He’s so hot, don’t you think?”
Darcy shoulder-checked Carlos, catching mostly back and a well-curved ass. “I guess. I mean, he’s physically attractive, but then, so is Krista Michelle.”
She beamed at him. “Right. So. Some weather, huh?”
Darcy laughed, even as he glanced at the windows. The wind was driving the rain with pane-rattling force. “Yeah. Thanks for offering me a ride.”