Chapter 15

A loud knock tears me out of my thoughts and I walk to the door of my trailer. It is Sunday and as we are on track of your filming schedule, the crew and the actors have a day off to relax. While some of them like to spend time with their families or drive to a bigger city close by, I decided to stay in my trailer and work on my third book. Or at least I try, because my thoughts keep going back to the night that I acted the scene with Henry.

Even though I tried, I haven't been able to push my feelings aside for him. When they filmed the kissing scene in the woods a few days ago, I had to leave the set. I hate myself for that. I don't want to be jealous. I don't want to have these feelings for him. I just want to go back to be just friends.

When I open the door of my trailer Henry stands there fully dressed in his outfit when he takes his bike out for a drive. In his left hand he holds a bag.

"Hi," I say and press my lips together, because I have tried to stay away from him in hope that my feelings would magically disappear.

"Hi stranger. Why do I have the feeling that you have tried to avoid me in the past week?" Oh shit, he noticed it.

"I might have started writing on the third book?" I tell him dodging the real answer to his question.

"Really?" He looks surprised and excited at the same time.

"Yes." Again, I press my lips together as an awkward silence spreads between us.

"I remember you telling me during a lunch break that you always wanted to ride a bike," he says after a few moments and lifts up the bag he has in his hand. Confused I draw my eyebrows together. "So, I thought since we are not working today and it's the perfect weather for it, I would ask you, if you want to join me on a drive." Somewhat hopefully he looks at me and I sigh. Running a hand through my hair, I think about it.

"Don't you want to spend your time with someone else?" I ask him concerned and he shakes his head.

"I think I have told you once, that when something or someone is important to me, I will make time for them. And right now, I want to spend time with you and nobody else," he answers and probably knows why I asked the question. I wanted to make sure, that he really wants to spent time with me and not her. "So, get changed and then I'll show you the beauty of the Lake District, because it has come to my attention that you haven't seen much of this amazing area."

"I don't have a choice, do I?" I ask him and the corners of his mouth twitch.

"You do, but staying here would be boring," he chuckles, and I take the bag from him with a loud huff, before closing the door to my trailer.

To my surprise the cloths fit really well, and I have the feeling that maybe Heather has to do something with that, because I know that they talk regularly, and she knows my sizes from when we were shopping together.

"Looks good on you," Henry says when I step out of my trailer, and I feel flattered by his words. He gives me a helmet and picks up his own from a table next to my trailer.

"Thanks. Let me know, what you paid for it."

"Charlotte don't think about it. We are friends," he sighs, and he reminds me about the relationship we have. Friends. A word that I have grown a certain dislike to. But friendship is better than nothing.

He wraps an arm around my shoulders, and we start to walk to the makeshift parking lot. I need to take a deep breath to calm my own nerves because of this simple gesture. I notice the looks from some of the crew members around us. All of them know that we are friends since we both emphasized it several times, but I have the feeling that they might wait for it to happen. However, I know that it won't since he is interested in someone else.

"Can you tell me anything about the book? Because I am dying to know how you plan on continuing the story," he tells me after a few minutes of walking.

"How about we make a deal. I tell you something about the book, if you can tell me how your relationship with the woman you like has progressed," I suggest. I know that I am fishing for information, and I know that it might hurt me, but I still want to make sure that she makes him happy.

"Sure," he immediately accepts it and I turn my head to look at him warily. Usually, he tries to stir the conversation away from that topic. Suspiciously I pucker my mouth and he starts to laugh. "What?"

"I'm not sure, if you will use my own strategy from the day we met, against me. But it's already too late." Expectantly I wait for him to start, but he shakes his head in amusement.

"Ladies first." I open and close my mouth couple of times, because I am at loss for words, for playing the ball right back into my court.

"A huge battle will take place. Lives will be lost," I tell him, and he raises an eyebrow at me.

"Thank you for that elaborate response."

"You are welcome," I tell him and nudge my shoulder against his body. "It's your turn now."

"She is quite busy, so we weren't able to spend time together this week."

"Have I met her yet?" I ask him curiously and he sighs.

"Charlotte, I am here to spend time with you," he says with a firm voice and puts me into my place.

"Yeah, you are right. So where are you going to take us?" I ask him as we stop in front of his bike.

"It will be a surprise."

"But I hate surprises." I wrinkle my nose and pucker my lips in displeasure.

"I know, but I know that you will love it. So, stop complaining and get your helmet on," he chuckles as he points to the item. After I have put it on, he checks if it sits correctly.

"Looks good. Before we get on it, there are a few things that you need to follow," he starts and begins to explain to me how I need to move with him when taking a curve and everything else I need to be aware of. "If you don't feel comfortable with the speed, just tab three times against me body, and I'll know to slow down. If you feel unwell or want to stop completely, tab against my leg."

"I think I can do that," I tell him, and he nods.

"Good. So let's hop on," he says and gets on the bike. Then he turns his head to me and stretches out his hand to help me balance while I try to climb on it. When I am sitting behind him, he turns his head.

"You will need to scoot a bit closer, and the bike doesn't have any handlebars, therefor you need to wrap your arms around me."

"Why are you only telling me that now?"

"Because it slipped my mind," he says, and I roll my eyes. I move my body closer to his and my inner thighs touch his thighs. He casually puts on hand onto my knee which makes me shudder, but he doesn't comment on it.

"Are you ready?" he asks me, and I nod. He closes the visor of my helmet and then his own, before starting the bike.

At first, I am slightly afraid, but I trust Henry and that he knows how to drive this thing. After a few minutes I relax and start to enjoy the feeling to sit behind him and the wind that rushes around me as we drive down the road which is mostly either lined by trees or goes through woods. Occasionally there is a grass or arable field.

We stop in a village, and he helps me get off the bike first, before he does the same.

"Here, let me," he says when I struggle to undo the fastening of my helmet and reaches for it. I need to press my lips together when he stands so closely to me and moves his hands underneath my chin.

"There you go," he tells me please after he was able to undo it and I take the helmet off. A gust of wind blows a few of the loose strains of my hair into my face and I wrinkle my nose, because I don't like the feeling of it. Henry starts to laugh and then carefully moves the strand that I stare at behind my ear.

"Where are we?" I ask him and turn away to create some distance between us, because his gesture made my heart race.

"At the Hill Top Farm," he tells me and wraps his arm around my shoulder.

"Wait," I start in excitement and turn my head back to him. He looks at me with a wide smile on his lips. "As is Beatrix Potter's house?" I continue, and he nods his head.

"Yes. I always wanted to come here but have never had the time. My mum read me the stories when I was little and I think she even might have the bunny that used to be my favorite stuffed animal when I was a toddler," he says and I put a hand onto my chest, because the thought of it makes my heart melt. Tiny toddler Henry with Peter Rabbit.

"That's cute. I still have my favorite stuffed animal from when I was a child and it has seen its best days, but I don't want to get rid of it."

"And what would that be?"

"Tigger from Winnie the Pooh," I tell him, and he starts to laugh.

"It fits you," he explains when he sees my wary look.

"Do you want to tell me, that I mispronounce words and cause chaos?"

"No, not that. More that you are resourceful, fearless, tough and optimistic."

"I think I can live with that," I tell him and playfully hit him with the back of my hand against his abs which makes him laugh even louder.

"Have you ever read any of her books?" Henry asks me as we walk closer to the farm. Some people think that she used to live there, but she only used it as her studio to create her art.

"Yes, I have. The books she wrote are amazing and very controversial as well as radical for her time. I mean The Tale of Peter Rabbit starts off with his father's death. Death is a very complex topic in books, and you wouldn't really think of putting it into a book written for children. However, I think it is something that children need to learn about as well."

"Would you ever write a children's book?"

"Oh wow...," I say and think about it. "Maybe if a have the idea for one or have a child of my own at some point."

"So you want to have children?"

"Yes. What gave you the idea that I wouldn't want to be a mother one day?"

"I don't know. You looked somewhat opposed to it, when Heather asked you if you were pregnant."

"No, I'm not. I was just taken aback by her question. We just met and asking a woman if she is pregnant, is intrusive. What about you, do you want to have kids?"

"Most definitely. I love to be an uncle and I can't wait to settle down and start a family of my own. I will read them The Tale of Peter Rabbit and perhaps even the stories of Winnie the Pooh and his friends," he laughs, and I can feel him squeezing my shoulder.

"Come on and let's get inside to see where Beatrix Potter wrote her books, before the people around us figure out who we are and want to take pictures with us," he adds quickly.

"I thought, you don't mind talking with your fans."

"Usually not, but today I want to give you my undivided attention and just be a normal human being and not a well-known actor," he whispers into my ear.

"Okay, then we should hurry up, but not too much, because I want to take all of this in," I whisper back and he chuckles.