When Harry got a break from shooting, it felt as if someone had let air out of a balloon.
Harry had convinced himself that after 36 days of continuous shooting, making endless takes, and piling one tension on top of another, there was no way he could keep going—his head was spinning by the time Daniel suggested going "somewhere tropical and scriptless".
Despite the fact that Javier couldn't go because of previously scheduled engagements with Cormac McCarthy (mostly centred around their discussions on violence, morality, and the silences in between words), Harry was fine with it, since he understood. Cate Blanchett wasn't invited to go either, though there was no reason Harry would explain to anyone why.
As he stood at LAX waiting to board his flight, waiting with his sunglasses pushed up on top of his head and his Nokia phone in his hand, Harry noticed that Daniel was still not there. Again.
"What makes this man think he can keep me waiting for my flight...I'm serious." Harry looked at the clock and muttered an unkind remark.
Suddenly, an SUV pulled up to the curb. A passenger door swung open.
Out of the vehicle stepped Daniel Hayes in all of his Caribbean Island glory: huge sunglasses, brightly coloured Hawaiian-style shirt, shorts that barely covered anything, and flip-flops. Daniel took a big stretch, just as if he had just woken up from a good nap.
Harry was frustrated when he saw Daniel arrive late and with a suitcase. When Daniel told Harry to relax because he had picked up someone, Harry looked at Daniel, wondering who it was. Who else would it be but Anne Hathaway.
"Hi," she said warmly.
Harry blinked. "Anne."
Daniel grinned. "Hope you don't mind. She looked like she needed a break too."
Harry exhaled slowly, choosing his battles. "Do we even have a seat for her?"
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you a billionaire now?"
Harry sighed. "My net worth crossed a billion two days ago."
"Perfect," Daniel said. "Sorted."
There was no need for Harry to worry anymore about whether Anne would have a seat on the plane now that Daniel had planned ahead and secured a seat for Anne somewhere in the vicinity of where they were sitting in first class.
As soon as the plane took off and started to climb, Daniel started to doze as soon as possible after getting on board because he said he wanted to conserve his energy for the weekend. He fell asleep with his head resting on Harry's shoulder and drool was beginning to reach international boundaries.
With tight lips and clenched fists Harry was resisting the temptation to shake him awake out of frustration.
Anne chuckled lightly to herself behind the palm of her hand. "He's consistently been that way from shooting day one."
Looking towards Anne then Daniel then back to her he said, "You should have seen him when we were shooting Providence, fumbling over lines and making a fool of himself. I have to admit, at least it was amusing to watch."
As the aircraft cruised above the clouds, they conversed in whispers, discussing insignificant things about their work, plus how Harry seemed completely different away from the directing chair.
"You have an authoritative presence on set," she cautiously pointed out, "While you're here, you're much more relaxed."
Harry responded with a shrug, "I have to be certain of my decisions on set; when I'm not directing I am just trying to keep up." She paused for a moment before asking, "Can I ask you a personal question?"
He looked at Anne with curiosity, then continued. "I'm guessing you are going to ask me about Cate..."
Anne shook her head in defiance. "You know, I haven't even thought about that."
Harry smiled to himself, thinking otherwise, "The tabloids sure do think about that!"
Anne nodded her head, happy to change the subject.
Harry leaned back in his seat and stared ahead while his mind wandered even though he didn't want it to. He remembered the way that Cate had looked at him on set in such a teasing way that always caught him off guard and made him feel uneasy. He was telling himself not to worry about it or think about why she made him feel this way, because it didn't actually mean anything.
Maybe she wanted to have another round with him.
The Bahamian weather welcomed him warmly as soon as he landed in Nassau.
In order to have a bit of luxury while in the Bahamas, he reserved the most luxurious hotel on the island. The hotel was filled with glass and white stone with water so beautiful it looked fake. Each one of them would be assigned a different room. Daniel insisted they go to the beach first.
Harry wanted to go to sleep but lost the argument.
The beach was incredibly vast with an endless amount of beautiful white sand and turquoise water. The sound of waves crashing against the shore was a peaceful melody, so he lay down on the sand with his sunglasses on. Daniel was busy flirting with girls from other countries without any fear of language barriers or common sense.
Even though he was trying to focus, Harry's mind kept wandering.
He noticed Anne a few feet away from him, her dress had been replaced by a very simple two-piece green swimsuit. When she caught him checking her out, she smiled and gave him a little grin.
Harry straightened, suddenly aware of himself.
"Can you give me a hand with this?" she called as she strode toward him with a bottle of sunblock.
Harry wasn't sure what to say. "I—"
"Puh-leeze," she said with a playful tone.
So that basically sealed it.
She lay face down as he poured some of the lotion into the palm of his hand and spread it over her back. He was very conscious of how every part of his body touched hers and tried to keep everything under control instead of letting his mind run away with itself.
"Can you go a little lower?" she asked gently.
He stopped for a moment and then continued spreading the lotion on her skin while his movements were now slower and not as automatic. When she exhaled, it sent a shockwave through Harry's chest and he realized that he was having difficulty breathing.
"I like your hands," she said.
Harry was taken aback by her compliment. "They're multi-talented."
She then turned her head and gave him a small smile. She didn't seem to be pressing him into anything, just a curious look, giving him no doubt about having her consent to proceed.
At some point in the background, Daniel had come into the scene yelling and cursing in another language. However, Harry couldn't be bothered with what was happening there because of his focus on Anne.
When she rolled onto her side, she was close enough for Harry to smell both the sunblock and the salty sea air, as well as the scent of her. She didn't shy away from making direct eye contact with him.
"I wanted to thank you," she said quietly. "For the role. For believing in me."
Harry leaned back on his elbows, heart beating faster than it should. "You don't owe me anything."
She tilted her head. "Maybe I want to."
The world narrowed to the space between them.
Far away, Daniel sprinted down the beach, chased by an enraged man twice his size.
Harry didn't notice.
The ocean kept rolling in. The sun kept shining. And whatever happened next didn't need to be explained to anyone.