The next morning I woke up cuddled up next to Tom on his couch. It scared me how right it felt just being with him. But I knew I had to play my cards close to my chest, if he didn't have the same feelings I could ruin our friendship and make the next two months filming this movie very awkward. Which after spending six months filming OBX with my ex, I really couldn't handle.

"Morning..." he yawned as I sat up.

"Morning..." I smiled back at him.

"Were you impressed with my impersonation of Prince Naveen." Tom teased me.

"Of course...How could I not be, your dance moves were spot on as well." I said back to him.

"Well flattery gets you brunch on me." Tom said as I got up from the couch.

"Well then I will have to keep complimenting you, but first let me run back to my room to change. I know you said they have different paparazzi laws here. But the announcement came out that I quit OBX last night. So I know gossip sites are paying a lot of money for the first photo of me post that breaking news." I said back to him.

"I think it's such bullshit that they put all of this on you from the beginning. You were with Chase for two years. He was the one who broke your heart and you have to apologize to him because it's better for the show? How the fuck does that make any sense?" Tom said as he came back to my room with me.

"Thank you, finally one person who actually understands me." I sighed as pulled some clothes from my closet to throw on.

"You don't owe Chase or the show anything now, you really have to take back the narrative." Tom suggested. He was right, now that I had left the show I didn't owe anyone anything...but I owed myself the opportunity to tell my truth.

"You're right. I think it's time I told my story. Plus it will be the first picture I post since the announcement. So that will keep the cameras off me for a little while longer." I said as Tom and I headed down to a cafe nearby the set for brunch

"There I posted it, with creds to you for the lovely photo. You got my good side." I teased him trying to make the conversation lighter. He smiled at me and shook his head.

"Every side is your good side Gem, and you deserved to tell your truth because yours is the only one there is." Tom said. "Now I need your help with this scene, it's where Coriolanus admits he was the reason Sejanus was killed. He breaks down and tells Livia." Tom said explaining the emotion behind the scene. We worked on it for a good hour before I noticed Tom was doing everything in his power to not make a comment regarding how I hadn't touched my bagel at all. "Gemma..." He finally broke, pointing to it still completely untouched on my plate.

"One of my bad days..." I said back to him trying my best not to make eye contact.

"Let's turn it into a good one then." He said noticing my reaction. The sentence was so simple but it made me blush. He walked up to the cafe counter and came back with a chocolate croissant. "There is just no way you can resist one of these. I'll split it with you." He said as he broke it in half. I took it from him and had to just take a bite because it did look worth the calories. And it was.

"Oh wow that is amazing." I nearly yelled back to him. He laughed as he picked up a napkin to wipe the chocolate off my face.

"You have a little.." Tom teased as he inched in closer to my face to wipe my lip. For second we looked at each other the same way we did after the kiss on set. But this time it didn't feel like we were playing a role. I felt myself lean in even more like we might just go for it right here, no cameras rolling this time. But we stopped the second someone recognized us.

"Oh my god is that...Gemma Clark from Outerbanks!" One girl shouted. "And President Snow oh wow can we have a picture!" Another person said. We immediately jumped back into our professionalism. We smiled and took photos with the fans and we got out of there before anyone could take any other photos of us. Tom and I took a car to set and talked the whole time like nothing had just happened between us, well until we reached the set. As I was getting out of the car Tom called my name.

"Gem!" He said.

"Tom.." I said back.

"I finish a little before dinner tonight, I think my last scene is with you. Are you free for dinner?" He asked. Was this a date? Could I even ask him that? Had I completely lost my mind...that one I could answer...because yes I had.

"You and me? Just us two?" I asked as if that wasn't obvious. He laughed and looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes.

"Yeah, if that's alright with you." He said back.

"Yes, that'd be great." I said back almost passing out right there in front of him.

"Looking forward to it." He smiled at me as he headed over to his trailer. I walked towards mine and the second the door closed I screeched like a little girl. Oh my god...I have a date tonight. Wait...I have a date tonight. I went through a plethora of emotions from happy, to anxious to sad I was at the start of it all again. But back to happy when I pictured Tom sitting across from me. I wasn't sure how to get back into dating...Chase hurt me so bad, I honestly wasn't sure if I could ever love again. But every time I looked into Tom's eyes, it felt like starting over and I couldn't have been more ready to try.