Bad Boy Brody(80)

Progress.

There was the usual buzz among the crew. People were like that. They talked. They gossiped. The only times they fell silent were when they were working.

And one other time.

I was running lines with Kara by the river, but the crew wasn’t being quiet. The cameras were off at that moment. Shanna wanted to get a look at some of what we’d already shot in case she needed to redo it, so it was a normal day.

People were laughing.

Even Kara and I were joking with each other. Then a hush fell over everyone.

I looked over, and saw Morgan across the opposite bank. She was sitting on Shiloh, who was pawing at the ground.

“Oh wow,” Kara said under her breath, lowering her script.

I looked from Morgan to everyone else before going to her side.

Shanna’s assistant was tapping her on the arm, and she pulled her attention away from the tablet she was reviewing film on. “What?”

The assistant pointed at Morgan, and Shanna said, “Oh.”

She looked at me, too, before standing. There were plenty of yards before she got to the river, and even more before she got down to where Kara and I were standing, but we were immediately across from Morgan.

I was eyeing Shiloh. “She wants to bolt.”

Morgan leaned forward a little. I saw how she tightened her legs around the mare, signaling her for to hold. She said, “She’ll wait for me.” Morgan was watching Shanna coming toward us at a slow but steady pace. “Can I be here?”

Should she be there was a better question.

I wasn’t given the chance to answer because Shanna arrived almost in a huff. She forced herself back, her body almost swaying from the abrupt change in motion. Her mouth was hanging open, but she tucked some of her frizzing hair behind her ear and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Morgan.”

Morgan nodded back. “Can I be here?”

Shanna had been around Morgan on a few occasions, but Morgan was either sitting by me or on my lap. If she wasn’t with me, she was with Finn or Abby. She was shielded from the burning questions everyone knew Shanna had for her. But this occasion was the second time she saw her on Shiloh, and I could tell Shanna’s director’s eye was going crazy.

She wanted to shoot Shiloh, but she wanted to shoot Morgan on Shiloh even more. No extra or horse handler would have the ease Morgan had on that horse, or the magic.

She forced out a breath, and I heard her counting to three under her breath before she managed a bright smile. “Of course, of course, Morgan.” She cleared her throat, her head inclining a little. “And this is your horse? That famous Shoal?”

“This is Shiloh.”

Shiloh backed up a few steps, throwing her head back at the mention of her name.

Shanna was almost drooling. I saw how she tightened her grip on her arm. She was literally holding herself back.

She blinked rapidly a few times. “Shiloh. Not Shoal.”

“She’s Shoal’s daughter. Shoal’s with the herd.”

“Yes. The herd.” Shanna was almost preening from excitement. “Where’s the herd? Not close, right?” Her head suddenly popped high up from her neck.

Morgan was hiding her own grin. “They’re on the other ridge.” She nodded toward the next mountain. “Everyone’s safe.”

“Yes. Yes.”

Kara, who was watching the exchange with the rest of the crew, cracked a grin at Shanna’s mannerisms.

Shanna began patting her chest repeatedly. I didn’t think she knew what she was doing.

“Could I—um—” She shot me a look.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Could you—” She faltered again but took a firm step forward. Her arms fell from her chest. “Could I ask you to run your horse up and down that bank for me?” Her voice was awestruck. She gestured to one of the cameras. “It would be amazing if we could get some footage of you and especially on your horse. I’d love to capture this. In a way, this movie is just as much about you as your mother, and you’re in your natural element.” The excitement and gushing faded, and her voice grew concise. “I don’t think you realize the effect you have on that horse. It isn’t something I could ever produce in a studio or with another actor.”

Morgan cocked her head to the side. Her eyes found mine.

I held up a hand. “It’s your call, not mine.”

She nodded. “You just want me to run up and down the bank?”

“Yes, yes!” Shanna’s eyes got big as she began backing away toward the camera. “Just run back and forth. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. The more you run, the better.”

Morgan frowned, but Shanna was running back to the camera and missed it. She was barking orders and everyone was scrambling.

Shiloh reared back from the sudden commotion, lifting straight up so she was standing only on her hind legs.

Kara grabbed my hand and gripped it hard.

The only one not alarmed was Morgan.

Shanna snapped her fingers at the camera guy, and he swung the lens around. Whether Morgan knew it or not, she was already being recorded.

She bent forward, running her hand over Shiloh’s neck and crooning to her. She was soothing her. After a second rearing, Shiloh’s feet landed on the ground and stayed, but she was pawing there. She wanted to run. That was obvious.