Cal moved closer to her. She’d let go of his hand and stepped forward.

  “Take a deep breath,” he whispered into her ear.

  She did.

  “Blow it out slowly.”

  Again, Piper complied. “He called me awhile back. Woke me up. This will be the second time I’ll have to deal with him over this stunt.”

  “I’m here. You’re not alone,” Cal told her. Piper glanced at him, grateful for his support.

  Before Cal could say anything further, Xavier was in front of them. For a moment he said nothing. He was out of breath and took time to calm himself.

  “Hello, Xavier, I didn’t expect you’d quit your busy schedule to come here.”

  “You’re going to kill yourself,” he blurted out.

  “I don’t think so. We’ve practiced this several times over.”

  He looked up at the framework, shielding his eyes from the sun. “You’ve set it up wrong. And I won’t be responsible for that.”

  “Why would you?” Piper asked. “You canned me. Our contract has been rendered null and void. In fact, since this is my property, you are trespassing. I did not invite you here.”

  “Have you checked the regulations?”

  He ignored her comment.

  “Is it even legal for you to perform this here?” Xavier gestured toward the apparatus.

  “We’ve complied with all the laws and regulations,” Cal said, coming to stand beside her. “We filled out all the paperwork and got the required permission.”

  “Who are you?” Xavier demanded.

  “I’m the engineer who oversaw the design and construction of this.” He waved his hand, indicating all the scaffolding and cranes that were in place. “I’ve done the math a hundred times over. I’ve calculated Piper’s mass and weight. The clothes she’ll wear, even the traction of her running shoes. I know the height of the scaffolding, each arm’s distance to the ground, the size of the poles she’s going to have to catch and climb over, the wind shear, heat index and all the known factors for this stunt. We’re leaving nothing to chance.”

  “Well, I’ve set up hundreds of stunts and I tell you this one won’t work. Piper may as well pull it down. She knows. She’s assembled it before and the outcome wasn’t pretty.”

  “When Piper designed it back in Hollywood and you were the coordinator, why didn’t you tell her it wouldn’t work then?”

  The color dropped from Xavier’s face. His speech sputtered before he regained both his anger and his speaking ability.

  “She wanted a chance to do her own setup, so I gave her the opportunity and look what happened. We had a man fighting for his life after everything went haywire.”

  “That’s why we’re staging this today,” Piper said. “No one could actually tell what happened and Austin doesn’t remember.”

  “You’re going to risk yourself to find out?” Xavier threw at her.

  “Of course, I’m not. But I need to know what, if anything, went wrong.”

  “You know what went wrong,” he said.

  Cal was ready to intervene. Piper could feel it. The crew had stopped what they were doing and were now watching them.

  “I know what you said went wrong. But I don’t believe you. You were so quick to assign blame to me, and that may be warranted, but I will only know the truth if I re-create it. And that’s what I’m going to do.”

  “You never were one to listen to reason,” he said. “And all to prove you were right. But, believe me, you’re wrong.”

  Then, like any movie actor delivering a parting shot, Xavier turned and exited stage left.

  “I would laugh,” Cal said. “If I didn’t want to grab the guy and punch his lights out.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  PIPER LOOKED AT Cal for a second. His words came back to her, comforting her. I’m here. You’re not alone, he’d said. Not like Xavier had done in a similar situation. He’d blamed her, thrown her to the proverbial wolves. Not Cal. She knew he’d stand by her no matter the outcome. They were partners. Every step of this project they’d worked hand in hand, complementing each other, filling in for each other when there was a gap.

  She trusted him. If he said everything was fine, then it was. They’d gone over hundreds of computer scenarios and the stunt should work. She had to say should because nothing was foolproof.

  Piper watched as Xavier walked away.

  “He’s certainly a character,” Cal said.

  “That sums him up more than you know.” She laughed a little, but she didn’t really feel any humor. The day had arrived and there was no going back now, not if she truly wanted to know what had caused the accident.

  “I’d better go change now,” she told Cal.

  He smiled and squeezed her hand as she started toward the house. It didn’t take long for her to put on the green outfit. It was exactly like the one that Austin had worn, a jumpsuit fitted to her form. Her hair was pinned up and her face clean of makeup. There were no loose sleeves or pant legs, hazards that could catch on anything. Her shoes were soft-soled sneakers that closed with Velcro strips instead of laces.

  Checking the bedside clock, it was close to the appointed time. Piper took a deep breath and dropped her shoulders. For a moment, she closed her eyes and rolled her neck, relaxing as she envisioned the task ahead.

  When she reached the porch steps, Xavier made another appearance. He’d obviously been waiting for her. She wondered who’d told him she was doing the stunt today and why he’d traveled all the way from Los Angeles to try and stop her.

  “I’ve looked over the equipment,” he began.

  “And I’m going to injure myself, right?” She knew the rhetoric as if it was a script.

  “Right. I know what you’re planning and nobody can do that. Not since the Hitchcock era has anyone done a stunt this way.” Xavier referred to one continuous long scene that went from shot to shot without a break to reset lighting and camera angles.

  “It doesn’t matter. I knew you wouldn’t approve. How did you know about this anyway?”

  “The word is out all over town.”

  “Town being Hollywood?”

  “There are no secrets in the movies.” He smiled.

  “This isn’t Hollywood.” She paused a moment. “I’m surprised you’re here. Hollywood isn’t the other side of the world, but it’s a long way from Montana.”

  “I’m here trying to keep you alive.” Xavier’s voice was low, yet it held a note of strength she was all too familiar with.

  “And why is my welfare of concern? You were quite willing to watch me go to jail for years when last we met.”

  “That’s not true. I knew you’d be exonerated.”

  “So it was fine for you to tell the authorities that you had nothing to do with the planning and execution of the stunt? When you finished telling the tale, it was unclear whether you even had a company involved in the movies at all.”

  “That’s not true—”

  “It’s absolutely true,” she interrupted him. “Now, I’m on my way to do this stunt. You can go or stay. I have no idea who let you know this was happening today, but it is happening.”

  She moved to go to her set place.

  “If you really want to know, I got a call.”

  He stopped, using all the mechanics of the pregnant pause. Piper continued walking.

  “It was Caleb Masters,” he called.

  Piper stopped as if she’d hit an invisible wall. Slowly, she turned around. Xavier was leaning against the steps, a smug look on his face.

  “Cal? Cal called you?”

  He nodded.

  Abruptly, she turned and headed for Cal. He was talking to Tamara when he saw her coming. Stepping away, he headed for her. He had to know something was wrong. Piper did nothing to curb her confusion.

  “You called him?” she accused. “You called Xavier and invited him here?”

  Cal looked taken aback. “I can explain.”

  “Why?” Piper asked the question, but she didn’t give him time to answer. “Didn’t you think I’d be nervous enough doing this without having my ex-fiancé and the man who accused me of bungling the stunt the first time in the audience?”

  “Piper—”

  “I thought you were on my side,” she continued. “I should have known.”

  She saw his shock and hurt. Piper didn’t care. She’d trusted him. It was only a few minutes ago that she was telling herself how much she trusted him. How many times did she have to go through it before she committed it to long-term memory? Hurrying, she strode away, determined not to let him see her emotions.

  Cal called her name, but she ignored him.

  Piper reached the director, ready for her challenge. “I’m all set,” she said.

  “No, she’s not,” Cal countered. “We need to talk.”

  “I have a stunt to do,” she countered.

  “Not in this state. We’re going to talk, alone or with an audience. Your choice.”

  Piper had had enough stories spread about her. She didn’t want to provide more fodder to the folks watching her.

  “All right,” she said. “You’ve got five minutes and not a second longer.”

  * * *

  CAL GLANCED AT the crowd. All eyes were on them. Convincing Piper to follow him to the other side of the metal structure, they retreated into their small temporary office.

  “He had to be here. Don’t you see that?” Cal said as soon as the door closed and before Piper could speak.

  “No, I don’t.” She folded her arms. “You didn’t think I had enough pressure on me?” Disappointment pushed her on. “This is a stunt where a man almost died. Yes, I feel like I did everything right and I’m about to find out. There are a hundred people out there, some of them waiting for me to fail. Despite Xavier trying to get me to cancel, he’s one of them.”

  Piper sucked in a long breath.

  “I thought he was the one you were trying to prove yourself to,” Cal explained.

  “Prove myself?”

  “Prove yourself,” Cal repeated, his voice a beat stronger. “He’s been here with you for over a year. Everything you do has him as the object. You talk about wanting to redo this stunt. You’ve spent hundreds of hours looking at the video, re-creating this.” He waved his hand to indicate the yard. “This is all so you could prove you were right and that he was wrong.”

  “I have not.”

  “You’ve been doing it so long, you don’t even realize that’s the point,” he told her.

  “You’re wrong,” she contradicted.

  Cal watched her face pale.

  He moved toward her. She held her ground. “It’s the truth. And you know it. You don’t want word to get back to him that your stunt was a success. You want the satisfaction of knowing that he was here to bear witness.” He paused, giving her a chance to deny it.

  She didn’t.

  “You should want him here. To close a wound that’s been left open ever since the accident happened.”

  “I couldn’t care less—”

  “Stop,” Cal insisted. “Be honest with yourself. You’ve been waiting for this day. And I wasn’t the only one who let him know that the stunt was going down today.”

  Piper looked stunned. She didn’t have to ask who. With the way she tilted her head toward the group outside, it was apparent that Tamara had also made a call. Cal didn’t know who else, but he suspected several of the crew had also done what he had.

  “You’re right,” Piper said. Her voice was so low, Cal wasn’t sure he heard her.

  “I am.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I have been wanting to prove that I was right,” Piper admitted. “And I did want Xavier to know it. When he called me, I didn’t tell him to come, but I let him know I wouldn’t back down.”

  “So, am I forgiven?”

  Piper looked at him hard. He wanted her forgiveness. He wanted to make sure he’d come to the right conclusion. As much as he disliked Xavier, he knew she needed him here. And he also wanted to make sure there was nothing left between them that could affect her concentration.

  “I guess I’ll have to forgive you. You were right. I admit that. In a few minutes, I might have to eat crow if I’m proved wrong, that I didn’t do something I should have and a man was hurt.”

  “You did everything right,” Cal assured her.

  He watched as she searched his face, probably for a sign of insincerity. Finally, she smiled and he relaxed.

  “One more thing,” Cal said. “Neither Tamara nor I called Xavier. He called us.”

  * * *

  HE’D CALLED CAL. “Xavier called you?” Piper was more than confused. She was stunned. “He said you called him.”

  “He called the ranch and I was there. Naomi answered the phone and pried Xavier’s name out of him before she’d give him any information.”

  “Why?” She was stumped. “Why did he call you?”

  Cal shrugged. “I don’t know. With all these California people coming to Waymon Valley, it wouldn’t be hard to find out what was going on and where to find a local number.”

  “And then there’s Tamara. You said he spoke to her, too.”

  “Technically, she still works for him. I’m sure he had a way of getting in touch, obviously.”

  “What did he say?” Piper was still trying to wrap her brain around the fact that Xavier had called and that he was on the property. It was out of character for him.

  “He only asked when the stunt was taking place. I answered and he hung up.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want to add another worry to your list. But it seems that was a fruitless pursuit, since the outcome was the same.”

  “Well, he’s here now and I’ll do this routine with or without his presence.” Piper was adamant.

  “That’s my Piper,” Cal said, backing her up.

  “Don’t go that far,” she said. “I’m still angry with you for not telling me you two spoke and that he knew today was the day.”

  Outside again, Piper tried to push her doubts aside. Returning to climb the scaffolding, she eyed the huge beast. It felt larger than it had a moment ago. Time and doubt seemed to make it grow.

  “It’s time,” she told Cal. “I feel like I won’t fail.”

  She took a step toward the metal structure. Strong hands took her arms and turned her around.

  “That’s exactly the way it is.” Cal’s face was close to hers, his voice strong and convincing. “You won’t fail in this attempt. You are not going to suffer that fate.”

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Kissed her hard. Piper hadn’t expected that. She knew Cal was on her side, that he believed in her. The two had avoided getting even closer because their time in Montana was limited. If this stunt went as planned, she’d be exonerated. She could go back to Hollywood and resume her career.

  And Caleb Masters could resume his.

  But his arms were around her now, sure in their strength. She’d been stiff from the surprise, but just as quickly she relaxed. Soon, Cal stopped the kiss and stepped back, his head bowed as he stared at the ground.

  “I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks,” he said, looking up at her.

  “Well, you picked a fine time for it,” she said, attempting levity that didn’t work. Not for her and not for him. Her voice was too breathy, her emotions too close to the surface. “Getting back to you will be on the top of my mind while I’m up there.” She nodded toward the iron skeleton.

  “Don’t,” he warned her. “Concentrate on every step. We’ve done this. It’s going to work. But you need to be focused. Nothing should come between you and the perfect execution of each step.”

  She nodded, unable to speak. The intensity of his voice reached inside her and wrapped itself around her core. After one long look, she pushed his arms aside, raised herself up on her toes and kissed him as hard as he’d kissed her.

  If this stunt went wrong, she wanted to make sure she knew once and for all what it was like to feel his mouth on hers. Piper had thought about it more than once. Yet it was nothing like she could imagine.

  It was so much better.

  * * *

  LEAVING CAL BEHIND, but taking the kiss and its effects with her, Piper stopped as Tamara approached.

  “Take a deep breath,” Tamara said. “I just saw what happened.”

  Closing her eyes, Piper did as instructed.

  “How do you feel?” she asked.

  Fine. The automatic response was on her lips, but she didn’t say it. She knew Tamara’s question had nothing to do with the stunt. She wanted to know about the kiss. “Confused,” she finally said.

  “Take another breath. And imagine the stunt. Go through it from start to finish.” It was a technique they often applied before the cameras started rolling.

  “I’ve heard this speech before,” Piper said. She knew Tamara wanted her to think of nothing except executing the stunt precisely and efficiently.

  “Quiet. Just do what I said.”

  Piper did, and a few minutes later, she was ready. She nodded at the other woman, a signal they both knew.

  Piper climbed into the harness. From the corner of her eye, she saw Xavier coming. She braced for another argument. Cal intercepted him, arguing with Xavier and barring him from coming any farther. She smiled, thinking both of Cal’s aid and Tamara’s directions. Piper no longer had Xavier in her head. She turned to the structure. It wasn’t the monster she’d seen from her kitchen window. It was a prop, an apparatus that had no life and no consciousness. It did not lead or impede her. And she was prepared to go through it.