pay any attention to the tabloids last year? It was all over town. Hell, all over the country!â
Crash never paid much attention to the gossip rags or the Hollywood rumor mill, especially not last year, when sheâd recovered from her accidents and the breakup with Kyleigh. âNo,â she said around the large lump in her throat. âI had no idea.â
She wanted to go after Jill, but Benâs voice held her back. âWhy donât we shoot your scenes while we wait for Jill to get back?â
Crash glanced toward the craft services tent and then back at him before nodding. This way, she would at least give Jill a break. She tried to forget about Jill and focus just on the upcoming stunt while the rigger attached her to the wire, but that was easier said than done. Visions of Jill, helplessly bound to a wheelchair, flashed through her mind. MS⦠God. Could people die from that?
âCrash?â Ben said. âYou okay?â
âOh, yeah. Sorry.â She quickly climbed up onto the concrete deck and got into position.
The cameras started rolling, and the platform began to shake beneath her.
How fitting, Crash thought. That was exactly how she felt: shaken to the core, just like the title of the movie.
âCut,â Ben shouted. âThatâs a wrap for today, folks. See you tomorrow.â
âHallelujah,â the stuntwoman whoâd played the trapped earthquake victim mumbled.
Jill gave her a commiserating glance. âAmen, sister.â She had thought the redeeming words would never come and they would have to do take after take of this scene until sunset.
When she got up from her kneeling position, relief weakened her knees. Or maybe it was sheer exhaustion. She didnât care. All she cared about was finally making it off this damn pile of rubble. She felt as if she had just fought a three-day battle against an enemy that outnumbered her. Unfortunately, the MS was an opponent that couldnât be beaten.
With her arms spread to both sides to help keep her balance, she made her way over bricks and other debris until she reached the edge of the platform.
It wasnât much more than a yard off the ground, but even that distance felt like having to jump off a plane without a parachute. Normally, her foot brace helped stabilize her ankle, but she couldnât wear it for this scene because the plastic was too rigid and made crouching and crawling over the debris nearly impossible.
She sat on the edge of the concrete deck and let her feet dangle down so she was closer to the ground, praying that her left leg would hold up when she jumped.
âWait!â
Jill had been so focused on safely getting down that Crashâs calling out startled her. She looked up.
Crash left her conversation with Ben and the stuntwoman doubling for Shawn and rushed over. She unhooked Jillâs safety wire and held out her hands to catch her.
âThanks,â Jill said. âIâm fine.â Crash had already helped her down once, and Jill didnât want to start behaving like a damsel who needed help every single time.
Crash let her arms drop and then folded them across her chest. A frown marred her face. âHas anyone ever told you that youâre as stubborn as a mule?â
âA person or two might have mentioned it,â Jill said with a tired grin. She waved at Crash to clear the space in front of her.
For a moment, Crash looked as if she wanted to ignore her wishes, grab her around the waist, and lift her down. Then she shook her head and stepped back.
Jill slid forward on her ass. When she pushed off the platform, her dress caught on a piece of concrete that was sticking up. The ripping of fabric sounded overly loud to Jill.
She landed unevenly, trying to keep her weight mostly on her stronger right foot, and clutched the platform to keep herself upright. When she trusted her legs to hold her, she let go and reached behind herself with one hand.
Crash never paid much attention to the gossip rags or the Hollywood rumor mill, especially not last year, when sheâd recovered from her accidents and the breakup with Kyleigh. âNo,â she said around the large lump in her throat. âI had no idea.â
She wanted to go after Jill, but Benâs voice held her back. âWhy donât we shoot your scenes while we wait for Jill to get back?â
Crash glanced toward the craft services tent and then back at him before nodding. This way, she would at least give Jill a break. She tried to forget about Jill and focus just on the upcoming stunt while the rigger attached her to the wire, but that was easier said than done. Visions of Jill, helplessly bound to a wheelchair, flashed through her mind. MS⦠God. Could people die from that?
âCrash?â Ben said. âYou okay?â
âOh, yeah. Sorry.â She quickly climbed up onto the concrete deck and got into position.
The cameras started rolling, and the platform began to shake beneath her.
How fitting, Crash thought. That was exactly how she felt: shaken to the core, just like the title of the movie.
âCut,â Ben shouted. âThatâs a wrap for today, folks. See you tomorrow.â
âHallelujah,â the stuntwoman whoâd played the trapped earthquake victim mumbled.
Jill gave her a commiserating glance. âAmen, sister.â She had thought the redeeming words would never come and they would have to do take after take of this scene until sunset.
When she got up from her kneeling position, relief weakened her knees. Or maybe it was sheer exhaustion. She didnât care. All she cared about was finally making it off this damn pile of rubble. She felt as if she had just fought a three-day battle against an enemy that outnumbered her. Unfortunately, the MS was an opponent that couldnât be beaten.
With her arms spread to both sides to help keep her balance, she made her way over bricks and other debris until she reached the edge of the platform.
It wasnât much more than a yard off the ground, but even that distance felt like having to jump off a plane without a parachute. Normally, her foot brace helped stabilize her ankle, but she couldnât wear it for this scene because the plastic was too rigid and made crouching and crawling over the debris nearly impossible.
She sat on the edge of the concrete deck and let her feet dangle down so she was closer to the ground, praying that her left leg would hold up when she jumped.
âWait!â
Jill had been so focused on safely getting down that Crashâs calling out startled her. She looked up.
Crash left her conversation with Ben and the stuntwoman doubling for Shawn and rushed over. She unhooked Jillâs safety wire and held out her hands to catch her.
âThanks,â Jill said. âIâm fine.â Crash had already helped her down once, and Jill didnât want to start behaving like a damsel who needed help every single time.
Crash let her arms drop and then folded them across her chest. A frown marred her face. âHas anyone ever told you that youâre as stubborn as a mule?â
âA person or two might have mentioned it,â Jill said with a tired grin. She waved at Crash to clear the space in front of her.
For a moment, Crash looked as if she wanted to ignore her wishes, grab her around the waist, and lift her down. Then she shook her head and stepped back.
Jill slid forward on her ass. When she pushed off the platform, her dress caught on a piece of concrete that was sticking up. The ripping of fabric sounded overly loud to Jill.
She landed unevenly, trying to keep her weight mostly on her stronger right foot, and clutched the platform to keep herself upright. When she trusted her legs to hold her, she let go and reached behind herself with one hand.
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