Her Cowboy

Chapter 37

I was fine.

Really, I was doing okay. I apologized to my mom, which sucked, and she gave me that "I told you you'd regret not doing this and you'd eventually realize I was right" look which sucked more. But that was fine.

We started filming, and I kicked myself into gear and actually was able to successfully partake in the movie, much to Aphrodite's delight.

I didn't tell Luke about Kronos's and my little chat, and I don't think Kronos did either. So when I went to apologize to Luke and tell him I wanted to keep filming and I was sorry for this barrier between us, Luke was almost overbearing grateful. I saw the relief seep into his eyes, and the weight lift from his shoulders. I shoved the frustration at the truth of his situation out of my mind. He had done so much for me in the past. I could do this. I could not wince every time he touched me and could smile a little warmer at him as the crew watched our interactions.

And, lastly, I kept a safe distance from Poseidon and Sally. It confused Poseidon, and I could tell he knew something was going on. But anytime I had started to get close with him or Sally, I felt Kronos watching me. Almost as if waiting for me to slip up, waiting for a chance to ruin the ranch, to try and ruin me. So I put a mask on, and was polite to Poseidon. Nothing more.

It was suffocating. It was tense. But until today, it was bearable.

I was okay. I was okay. It would be okay. That's what I had in my head on repeat from when I woke up in my trailer and laid in bed listening to the bird and the horses outside, letting the nature calm me, to when I lay in bed at night, desperately trying to forget the fake Annabeth I'd been playing at all day that made me disgusted.

I was okay.

Until today.

We'd been filming for a couple of weeks. The leaves had fallen and the chill in the air had started to bite. I tossed and turned before my alarm went off. I'd gone to bed too early yesterday—not wanting to mingle, I sat in my trailer and dozed off early, so I felt wide awake before the sun rose.

With a huff, I pulled myself up and rubbed my eyes, then my arms. It was cold in here. I slung my golden curls into a messy ponytail and found some leggings. I rifled through the rest of my unkempt bag, but then groaned as I remembered I'd procrastinated on laundry and then sniped at my mom when she made the snarky observation that I had worn the same sweater two days in a row.

Then I threw all my clothes in a bin and took Piper's offer up on getting my laundry done.

Yesterday. And bless her heart, she probably left it on couch in her trailer—right next to all her dirty laundry.

I glanced outside. It was still dark, but the sky had started to get a little lighter. I could see a few of the crew members out near the barn, setting up for the day. Piper's trailer was on the other side of the house, that was a ways away, especially in just a tshirt and leggings.

I could go to the house. I know where Percy's sweatshirts are.

No. I cut that thought off.

Not that I didn't know where his sweatshirts were. And not that, in this moment, all my self control lapsed and I wanted nothing more than to be in one of his sweatshirts that smelled like him, wrapped up like he was right there with his arms around me.

Nope.

He probably didn't even leave any sweatshirts behind. That'd be funny, right? He probably took them all. I should probably check to make sure.

Before I could change my mind—or stop myself—I had quickly pulled a pair of boots on, and in leggings and a shirt, tumbled out into the cold air.

My breath came in puffs as I jogged to the house. The cold morning nipped at my bare arms, and I sped up my pace, reaching the porch and opening the door. It was unlocked—Poseidon was probably out started on the chores. A few of the ranch hands were gone for fall break, so his plate was pretty full this week.