"Come on Evie! Please? For me?" Megan pleads on the other end of the phone.
"Why me? I'm not an actress." I huff back.
"A lot of the part is just looking mean and riding a horse, both of which you excel at. Would I ever steer you wrong? Besides consider it your chance to finally see England in person. That's been your dream for like, forever!"
"It's filming in England?" I waver, my interest peeked, "When do I have to decide by?"
"That's the thing, you'd need to leave by this afternoon to not delay filming. There's a flight at 4pm."
I look down at my watch and scoff, rolling my eyes at her for good measure.
"That's in less than four hours from now. I'm not packed, I'm not even sure where my passport is. Besides Kara has never flown that far."
"Oh please! Your passport is more than likely in your lockbox behind the fake books where it always is, and I know it's not expired because we got them together and mine's fine. As for Kara, she's flown several times and will be fine. You'll both be fine. Don't make me beg, you know I will."
"Fine but you so owe me sister. What movie even is it I'll be in?"
"I can't tell you that until you get here. I signed an N.D.A. and though they allowed me to ask you to cover for me they don't want me to tell you any details until you sign one too but I promise you're going to love it. It's right up your alley!"
"You can't or you won't?" I ask skeptically.
"Can't. Come one Evie! It's England..." She trails off, doing a little happy dance for me.
"Fine. Can you book the flight for me so I can just get my stuff together?"
"I already did. I'll text you the information. I cannot wait until you're here! This is going to be so awesome!"
Megan hangs up and I pinch the bridge of my nose, the beginnings of a headache already forming. Kara, sensing the change in my emotions comes over and nuzzles her wet nose under my free hand. I smile as I look down at her, scratching her silky ears, sighing deeply.
"Looks like we're headed to England girl."
It didn't take me long to pack and before I really had time to think too much about what I was doing I was disembarking in London. Megan was waiting for me and judging by the huge smirk on her face as she saw me I knew she was up to something, she usually was, and the anxiety I'd managed to evade during the flight started peeking it's head out.
She hugs me as best she can without dropping her crutches as we reach her and I hug her back.
"How was your flight?" She inquires as we separate.
"It was alright. I'm tired though. How long until we get to wherever you can't tell me we're going?" I grumble.
"Oh stop complaining Evie, you're finally in England! You should be smiling not scowling at me. Did Kara do ok? No problems or anything during the flight?"
"Everything was great actually, not really looking forward to the return trip whenever that's going to be though. When is that going to be?"
"They're hoping to wrap filming in June, which will hopefully mean we can spend your birthday doing some exploring."
I can't help but smile at that. I've wanted to come to England since I'd seen Winning London in 2001. I'd devoured everything our school library had on England after that and it's a research project I'd tended since. It felt surreal to actually be here now, in a good way though.
"I guess that'll be nice. So where are we going? I'm dead on my feet sister."
"Well you're in luck. We're still here in London for the next few days and Sophie and a few of the other executives are ready to meet you now if you want. After that I can take you to my flat and you can get some rest. What do you say?"
"I say lead the way. I'm not a huge fan of being in the dark. I wouldn't be doing this for anyone else. What would've you done if I'd been busy or just said no?"
"You wouldn't have." She shrugs and turns around, "Come on, lets get this done before you fall asleep on your feet. I won't be able to catch you in you do."
"What did you do anyway?" I ask, falling in step beside her.
"I was practicing a stunt and the horse threw me. Broke my leg in two places."
"Well that makes me really want to take your place." I roll my eyes at her.
"Oh whatever, you know you've always been better with horses than I ever thought about being. They understand you and you understand them. That's why I recommended you. Doesn't hurt that we look so much alike either."
We make it outside and I breathe in deep. It was lightly raining and slightly cooler than it had been in North Carolina but it felt wonderful. It helped wake me up as well and there was a bit more bounce in my step as I follow Megan to a waiting car. She turns and looks at me as we reach the car and raises an eyebrow.
"Wanna ride up front or in the back?"
"Front is fine, gives you more room to prop your leg up on the seat beside you."
"Good point. Hold these while I get in."
She hands me her crutches and opens the door, hoping slightly to get close enough to slip into the seat. She slips in fairly gracefully and I hand her the crutches, Kara jumping in beside her. I almost go to open the passenger door before I catch myself, that is the driver door here, and quickly round the car.
"Evelyn, this is Ducky. Ducky, this is my friend I told you about. Ducky is part of the crew too, he was nice enough to offer to play chauffeur for us today."
I turn and my eyes go wide. This Ducky looked nothing like the Ducky on NCIS, the opposite in fact. This Ducky has broad shoulders with biceps almost as big around as my thighs, and short honey blonde hair, warm brown eyes twinkling at me as he smiles.
"It's nice to meet you Ducky." I manage to say, extending a hand towards him.
"Pleasure's mine love. Any friend of Megan is a friend of mine. You two really do favor, your pictures don't do you justice Evelyn."
"Please call me Evie, Evelyn just sounds so formal."
"Evie it is. So are we ready to go? You got everything loaded in the boot already?"
"Yeah, we're ready. I'm texting Sophie that we're on our way. Evie is a bit jetlagged already."
"First trip across the pond right?" He asks, pulling into the flow of traffic.
"It is." I confirm, watching everything as we pass.
"Well you'll get into the flow of things here in no time. What has Megan told you about the show?"
"Nothing really, she said she wasn't allowed to. Just said I'd mostly be on a horse and I'd have to look mean. So it's a show and not a movie?"
"Not allowed to?" He asks, looking back at Megan.
She doesn't answer him so I turn and look at her and she wouldn't meet my gaze. I blow air through my lips and give her the look. I knew she was up to something!
"So what am I walking into Ducky?" I ask, turning my attention back to him.
"Well..." He winces, clearly knowing he's said something he wasn't supposed to.
I cross my arms over my chest and glare at them both in turn. Kara sensing something was off whines softly and sticks her head between the seats.
"Spill or I'm getting out at the next light and flying back home Megan. You know I'm not bluffing."
"It's not bad I just knew you wouldn't come if you knew who was going to be here." She hedges, finally meeting my gaze looking guilty.
"And who's that? What show is it?"
When Megan doesn't answer me I turn my gaze to Ducky. We slow down, getting stopped at a stoplight and I reach for the door handle. I wasn't joking I'd get out of this car and walk back to the airport with Kara if they weren't going to give me some answers. As the car comes to a stop I pop the door open and go to get out but feel Megan grab my arm.
"Season three of The Witcher." She finally admits.
My hand freezes on the door, still partly open and look at her like she'd grown a second head. She couldn't be serious. That would mean he'd be here, I'd be working with him and that would more than likely lead to all kinds of drama with her. But judging by the look on her face I knew she wasn't joking and I wanted to wring her pretty little neck.
"Well at least now I know why you wouldn't tell me." I snap, closing the door again and facing forward, arms crossed tightly over my chest. "But I'm already here so might as well get this over with but if something happens I'm placing full blame on you."
"So you're staying?" She says hopefully.
"For now. Might as well hear the offer since I'm already here. But you sister are on favor probation for the foreseeable future."
She gives an audible sigh of relief and I roll my eyes. I couldn't believe she'd do this to me, that she'd put me in this position when she knew why it was such a big deal to me. I didn't need or want the drama and I had no doubt that there would be a heaping helping of drama before this was all over with. If she wasn't a factor in this finding out I was going to be working on The Witcher would've been amazing news but the fact she was ruined it.