Page 16 of Wrapped in You

This pleased them all the more. Beck stormed up to Alan. "Did anyone tell you The Thirsty Bucket is the best bar in the world?"

Alan laughed openly, his chest bouncing. "If you're an actor, you've got real talent."

"I'm just a sound guy," Beck assured him. "I've never gotten away with a lie in my life."

But the following early morning on set was not an easy one. Sophie had only one glass of wine before heading home for bed, but many other cast and crew members hadn't been so sensible.

Or they knew how to celebrate in ways Sophie didn't.

Either way, Sophie felt bright and chipper as she strung even more Christmas lights over the catering table and turned on the outdoor heater. Randy was still in the van, drinking a massive bottle of water and shivering. She was pretty sure he was hungover, too, but he refused to say.

It wasn't long until the sound guys got there, limping around as they set up their equipment. Beck approached and asked for, "Coffee. As soon as you can pour it, and as black as you can make it."

Beck hung his head as she poured. Sophie asked, "What else happened last night? Any drama I should know about?"

Beck raised his chin to show eyes laced with capillaries. "I'm pretty sure Natalie and Brent went back to the hotel together."

"So they left the bar together. But don't they have separate rooms at the hotel?" Sophie asked.

Beck nodded. "But did they use those separate rooms?"

Sophie giggled. "It doesn't sound like you have any real gossip."

Beck groaned and took his cup of coffee. "The only gossip I have is that the other sound guys and I drank one too many beers last night. That, and Derek Brownlee said something awful to his assistant and stormed out of the bar."

This caught Sophie's attention. "You didn't hear what it was?"

Beck shook his head too quickly and winced. Sophie could imagine his head heavy with a hangover.

"I don't envy Cara," Beck said, sipping his coffee. "I just hope she doesn't quit. I have a feeling she's the only person keepingSilver Bellstogether. Well, Cara and Sophie, of course."

On cue, they heard Derek Brownlee growling at someone on the other side of the cameras. Sophie tuned in to hear.

"You do know you're supposed to be falling in love with each other in this film, don't you? That's the whole point?"

Sophie craned her neck to make out Natalie and Brent on the far side of the cobblestone street. They were rehearsing their next scene before the cameras rolled. Natalie had her hands shoved in her pockets; her skin looked vaguely green. Brent seemed unable to look at her.

"See?" Beck muttered. "I think something happened! Now, they can't even work together!"

Several other cast and crew members approached to grab croissants and cups of coffee before filming began. Sophie was getting into the rhythm of it and even remembered most everyone's names.

"You're a godsend, Sophie," the assistant costumer said. "I heard you have croissants?"

But Sophie didn't just have croissants. "I have the normal version and the Christmassy version. Which would you like?"

The costumer laughed. "Uh-oh. Derek's in a foul mood already. And you're offering Christmas croissants?"

Sophie raised her shoulders as if to say,I'm not in charge of the way Derek feels.

"It's just the way we do things in Willow Creek," she offered instead.

"A Christmassy croissant, then," the assistant costumer said, rubbing her palms together.

Last night, Sophie came up with the idea of layering the croissant with whipped cream and strawberry jam so it looked like Santa's hat. She even added some green and red sprinkles on top to make it livelier.

The costumer's eyes lit up like a child's on Christmas morning. "This is adorable," she said. "Can I take a picture?"

"Take as many as you want!" Sophie said as she handed the croissant over.