The Sweetest Mistake

by Layla Valentine

  The smile that lit her face almost made tears come to Juliette’s eyes. She’d never seen Tami so happy.

  “I went and got one of those 3D ultrasound pictures,” Tami said after a moment of gazing at the picture. “And it’s a good thing I did because I’m actually further along than they thought.”

  “How much farther along?” Juliette asked in surprise before realizing that she should have known. Tami was already showing so much.

  “I am five months pregnant as of today!” Tami said, her voice wavering with excitement, a smile wreathing her face.

  Juliette clapped her hands to her mouth and stared at her. “Oh, my God! Are you sure? Are you serious?”

  “Totally serious. I’m sure!” Tami nearly squealed. “So, I’m freaking out because I don’t have as much time as I thought. My baby will be here in four months, Juliette.”

  “Let me see the picture!”

  Tami laid it on the table, and a detailed image of her baby greeted Juliette’s eyes. Its hands were up by its head, and its knees were drawn up to its chest. But it was there. It was a tiny little human who they’d get to see much sooner than anticipated.

  “Did you find out what sex the baby is?” Juliette asked when she finally tore her eyes away from the scan.

  “It’s a boy!” Tami said gleefully. “I haven’t done anything except look up names since I found out. Well, that’s not true. I’ve also been buying way too many baby clothes. Little boy outfits are so cute that I can’t stop.”

  Juliette laughed, making a mental note to go do some shopping of her own as soon as she had some time off. “I’m so happy for you, Tami,” she said with a smile. “So, what names are you thinking of?”

  Tami was off and running in a heartbeat. Juliette leaned forward to listen, her eyes still on the ultrasound picture. To her surprise, she found herself wondering what it would be like if that picture was hers, and Dominic was the father.

  Juliette was a cautious woman; she always had been especially where relationships were concerned. Her parents’ marriage was strong, but she’d seen the fallout of other relationships that went south. It was never pretty.

  The suddenness of the idea that she and Dominic could be parents should have frightened her. Indeed it would have, just a few short months ago. But it didn’t frighten her now. In fact, it thrilled her just to think of it.

  “Have I thrown too many names out there?” Tami asked worriedly when Juliette had been silent for a good five minutes. “Am I overwhelming you?”

  “Oh! No, not at all,” Juliette said, snapping her chin out of her hand as she realized that she’d only been listening with half of her mind. “You have lots of good options,” she continued as she reviewed the names and their meanings. Tami had recited both with the accuracy of a walking baby-name book. “I wouldn’t worry about making a decision too early. You’ll probably change your mind a few times in the next four months. Maybe work on creating a shortlist and make it shorter every day until you find the perfect name.”

  “Good idea,” Tami agreed. She glanced at Juliette and smiled to let her know that she wasn’t upset. “It looked like there was maybe a little more to your thoughts than just good advice, though.”

  Juliette glanced around and then leaned forward. She couldn’t take it. She had news too, and she was just as eager to spill her secrets as Tami had been to talk about the baby. She simply had to tell someone, and she knew that Tami wouldn’t run straight to a gossip magazine with the news.

  “Dominic and I have been seeing each other,” she said, having a hard time keeping her voice from rising to a squeal. “Unofficially, of course,” she went on quickly. “We’re still under that ridiculous contract. It got pretty intense while we were on the island.”

  Tami shook her head as if she thought that she’d misheard. Juliette bit her lip when her friend didn’t even crack a smile. This wasn’t exactly the reaction she’d expected.

  “Are you kidding?” Tami asked after a second or two. “Even after the hit that your career might take if you get found out?”

  “Well, I—he said that he wants to get serious after the movie wraps.”

  She couldn’t miss the look on Tami’s face as she spoke—it brought back every single worry she thought she’d left behind. Tami looked worried and disbelieving. Of course, it really did sound like a lie. Or maybe it didn’t sound quite that bad. Maybe Tami didn’t see it as a lie as much as a line from a person who was used to tossing them out to adoring co-stars.

  “I’m not counting on it,” Juliette said, trying to sound casual. Then, feeling disloyal to Dominic, she admitted, “But I guess I really am hoping for it.”

  Her face still a study in concern, Tami said, “You know you have to be careful, right? Albert Price has eyes everywhere and absolutely no patience if he thinks you’re making a fool of him. He won’t hesitate to screw you over to get at Dominic.”

  “I know, and it’s okay,” Juliette assured her. “We made a deal. What happens in Mexico, stays in Mexico. Here we’re going back to being professional. We don’t have much longer until we’re done so it shouldn’t be hard.” She linked her fingers together tightly. She really wanted her friend to understand, to be on board with this, but it didn't look like she was. “It really feels like it’s more than just a fling, you know?”

  “I just know that I would hate to see you get hurt,” Tami said carefully. “Or have to pay for a silly mistake with your entire career.”

  “I know how to take care of myself,” Juliette said, her tone just a hint sharp. “I’m not a complete bumpkin, you know.”

  Tami bit her lip. Then she sighed and said, “Look, I don’t even know the guy. If you see something there, then I’m happy for you. I hope it works out.”

  Juliette reached across the table and touched Tami’s hand. “I know how it sounds,” she said, deciding honesty was the best way to go. “But I really do feel like there could be something between us. Something different than just good sex and a fling. Maybe it’s not the right decision, but I have to see if I’m right. I’d hate to lose something so good because I didn’t want to take a chance.”

  Tami gave her a smile. It was still uncertain, but Juliette could understand why. Who better than Tami would understand how much losing someone could hurt? How lasting the damage could be? How confusing life could become when someone you loved proved that they weren’t the person you thought they were?

  “Okay,” she said, giving Juliette’s hand a quick squeeze. “Good luck. And I’m sorry I wasn’t as excited as I should have been.”

  Juliette shook her head. “You’re my best friend. You can always tell me what you think.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Tami said, her smile losing its tension. “Right now I’ve gotta run. I have a shoot in downtown, and it’s going to take us forever to get there.”

  As she stood up, dropping some cash onto the table to cover her part of the check and tip, Juliette looked up at her, belatedly realizing what Tami had said. “Wait just a second!” she said. “Who is ‘us’?”

  Tami waved her hand dismissively. “Jason. He insists on carrying all the equipment for me now that I’m showing.” She pointed at Juliette when her lips parted. “Don’t you dare say a word. It’s just for work.”

  Juliette held up her hands in mock surrender. “I’m not saying anything.”

  “You don’t have to,” Tami said with a sigh. “It’s all over your face.”

  Tami glanced at her watch and swore under her breath. She hugged Juliette quickly and hurried out of the restaurant.

  Juliette flagged the waiter down and handed him her card to pay for her meal. Once she’d signed the receipt, and realized that she was running a bit late herself, she grabbed one last sip of her drink before standing up. Then she noticed that the ultrasound picture was still lying on the table.

  It was too late to chase Tami down; Juliette had just seen her duck into a cab. She grabbed the picture and put it carefully into her purse, s
ending Tami a quick text to let her know she’d picked it up. She knew her friend would freak out the moment she realized it was gone.

  Chapter 18

  “I wouldn’t have cared where we ended up, Megan. This world, another one, or just stuck on some desert island. All that mattered to me was that I was with you.”

  “Is that your way of saying that you love me?”

  “Yeah. I guess it is. I love you, Megan.”

  “I love you too, Jake.”

  Juliette met the kiss eagerly. This was the final scene, and she knew instinctively that there wouldn’t need to be another take. Dominic’s lips were warm against hers. She wanted to keep him there much longer after the director yelled cut.

  Dominic pulled away first, giving her a smile.

  “Perfect!” Edward called. “And that’s it, everyone. That is a wrap!”

  The crew cheered, and Juliette heard a cork pop somewhere to her left. They had all been expecting several more days of shooting, but today had been absolutely charmed. Juliette and Dominic had been on fire for each other after the night apart, and most scenes had only needed one retake if they even needed that.

  And now it was over. Her first real movie experience. The pinnacle of her career so far.

  Now she would simply wait to see how she was received. Dominic had warned her of the mixed bag of reviews that was probably headed her way, but she could honestly say that she wasn’t too worried about that. She knew that she’d handed in a great performance. She was proud of it, her director and co-star had liked it, and that was pretty much all that mattered to her.

  Glasses of champagne were handed around to celebrate the wrap, but Juliette shook her head when it was her turn. She had put in a full day, had a long drive back to her place, and she was still a bit jet-lagged. The last thing she needed was alcohol on top of all of that.

  Thoughtful as ever, and not wanting his leading lady to be left out of the toast, Edward had his assistant run down and get Juliette an orange juice from one of the vending machines. Once the cold bottle was in her hand, they all gathered around in a big circle and raised their glasses.

  “To Sunset Island!” they shouted, clinking their glasses.

  The crew milled about, drinking and chatting. It might have seemed strange that they were hanging out with each other voluntarily while they were celebrating the fact that they were done working together, but it made sense; everyone was enjoying the afterglow that came from completing a long project.

  Dominic stepped up beside Juliette when Sabrina walked away. She and the makeup technician had been chatting about Sabrina’s new project, which she would be heading out to Ireland to begin in just three days. Juliette wasn’t jealous of the fast turnaround; she personally was hoping to sleep for the next three days.

  “It’s almost time to paint the town,” Dominic said with a grin. He’d kept his voice low, but she could tell that he was on the verge of pulling her against him.

  She looked up at him with a slight laugh. “We should probably wait more than five minutes to—”

  “Oh, shit! Sorry, Juliette,” someone called out.

  She glanced over when she heard the slightly frantic voice. To her relief, she saw that it wasn’t serious: Jackson had knocked her purse over, and everything had spilled out.

  “Oh, it’s okay, Jackson,” Juliette said, as the boom operator scrambled to pick everything up. “There’s nothing important—”

  “What kind of picture is this?” he asked as he picked it up. He squinted at it, turning it upside down and then to the side as he tried to figure it out. “Is it some kind of art project or something?”

  Juliette leaned forward. For a second, she didn’t recognize the photo that Jackson was holding. Then she remembered: she’d never taken Tami’s ultrasound picture out of her bag.

  Jackson figured out what it was at the same time that she did. His eyes went to her orange juice and then back to the picture.

  “Wait. You’re pregnant?” he asked, his eyes going wide in surprise.

  Juliette grinned and said, “It’s not—”

  “What?” Dominic demanded from behind her. She hadn’t realized that he’d moved so close. The shock had increased the volume of his voice, and she nearly spilled her juice when she jumped. “You’re pregnant? When were you going to tell me?”

  All conversation in the room stopped dead at his words. Juliette could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She felt like a bug under glass.

  She stood up from her crouching position and tried to take some form of control over the situation. It wasn’t irredeemable. Not yet.

  “Dominic—” she began, keeping her voice level and professional.

  It didn’t matter. He cut her off.

  “How long have you known about this?” he asked, even louder than before. His expression as he looked at her was a mix of confusion, disbelief, and…was that excitement?

  “I’m not—” she tried once more, but was again interrupted.

  “I’m sure that everyone here is very interested, but if you’re going to explain how you broke the contract, why don’t we do it in my office?” Albert Price said, putting a heavy hand on Juliette’s shoulder. “Edward, are you going to accompany us?”

  Edward looked like there was absolutely nothing that he would like less than to accompany Albert.

  Dominic swallowed hard, but Juliette couldn’t tell if he was repressing nerves or simply holding back words it wouldn’t be a good idea to say. She prayed frantically that he wouldn’t say anything yet. Maybe if they handled this delicately, it wouldn’t be too bad. Maybe she wouldn’t lose everything she’d worked so hard for.

  Her heart had sunk to the floor, but still she followed the two men down the hall when they exited the soundstage. Dominic hurried after them. After a few steps, he caught Juliette’s hand and held it tightly.

  She knew that it might not be the smartest move, but she didn’t protest; she’d begun to shake as hard as she had on the plane. Surely, she wouldn’t be penalized now. Not when the movie was officially wrapped. Not when she was this close to her dreams.

  Albert pulled up a chair and sat down behind his desk, eyeing the two of them critically. Edward took a seat as well, despite the fact that he looked horribly uncomfortable. Juliette didn’t think that he was far off from shaking with nerves as well.

  Juliette dropped into a chair because she didn’t think that her trembling knees would support her, but Dominic remained standing. His arms were crossed over his broad chest and, other than the fact that his breath was coming a little too quickly, he looked calm.

  “I have to say I am very surprised that I need to remind you of the contract that you signed,” Albert began after a moment.

  “How far along are you?” Dominic asked at the same time.

  Juliette looked between the two of them, unsure of who to answer first. Answering Dominic’s question might relieve some of Albert’s wrath, but Albert hated to be ignored. It might make the situation worse to talk to Dominic first.

  “Albert, is this really necessary?” Edward muttered, relieving Juliette of the responsibility of deciding for the moment. “The film is wrapped, early even. I was on location with them every single day, and I can vouch that no problems were caused by their relationship. There was no harm done.”

  “The problem is that these two breached their contract,” Albert snapped. “And there could be significant harm done if I let him off the hook now.”

  “How the hell do you figure that?” Dominic asked in surprise.

  Albert continued, speaking only to Edward. “It’s a matter of respect and willingness to obey authority figures. What will he do on the next set if I let this go? What will he do with the next co-star?” He glanced at Juliette and shook his head, pretending sympathy that she knew he didn’t really feel. “Because there will be a next one, you know. The baby won’t change a thing.”

  “Hold on just a second,” Dominic said, his voice dangerously tense.

&
nbsp; “I’m not pregnant!” Juliette shouted, unable to take the situation any longer.

  All of the men in the room stopped speaking and stared at her.

  “The ultrasound belongs to my roommate,” she went on, relieved that she finally had their attention. “She’s five months pregnant, and after we had lunch together yesterday, she left the ultrasound at the restaurant. I put it in my bag, and forgot to take it out. It’s that simple.” She repeated herself, speaking every word with emphasis. “I’m not pregnant—with Dominic’s baby or anyone else’s.”

  Dominic sank down into the chair beside her now. “Holy shit, Juliette,” he said, looking at her with a grin. “Were you trying to give me a heart attack?”

  “Are you kidding me right now?” Juliette snapped. “Did you really think it was appropriate to ask me if I was having your baby in front of the entire cast and crew?”

  Dominic cleared his throat and pushed his hand back through his hair. “Okay, maybe not,” he admitted. “I was just kind of surprised, baby girl.”

  Albert coughed, drawing their attention back to him. “The pregnancy or lack thereof is not the issue,” he said doggedly. “The issue is that the two of you willfully broke contract.”

  Juliette took a deep breath, preparing to explain everything that had happened. There was no choice now but to plead her case with the producer. She had to do her best.

  “You and your contract can go to hell,” Dominic said before she even had the chance to get her thoughts together.

  Juliette’s mouth fell open in absolute shock. Edward’s did the same. Albert leaned back in his chair, looking uneasy for the first time.

  “Dominic!” Juliette whispered in disbelief when no one else spoke.

  He shrugged. “What’s the big deal? The movie is over, and I wanted to be honest about us from the beginning. There was no way in hell that I was going to let you slip through my fingers.”