“Brie,” Sara says softly, “it’s common knowledge, well, everywhere, that Madeline has wanted Carson for herself for a long time. Why she didn’t jump at the chance to do this film with him, I’m not sure, but the minute word got out that Carson had a live-in girlfriend on set with him, Tom got that phone call. The tabloids may not have gotten ahold of this story just yet, but people still talk.”
“So Madeline is coming here to be with Carson?” I feel myself pale at the thought. I know he loves me, but she’s beautiful and famous and his equal. There is always a part of me that can’t quite believe he’s with me, that he wants me. The same part of me that’s afraid he will eventually realize how much of a burden I really am.
“Well, not exactly, Brie. Being with Carson implies that he has any desire to be around her. From what I can see, he only has eyes for you.” Daisy smiles at me and commences a series of kissing noises that turn my face from pale to bright pink.
“Agreed,” Sara chimes in.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out to see a text from Carson.
C: Need to talk. U on set?
I look at the clock, realizing I’ve used up every bit of the extra time I had and I’m about to be late. “I have to get to the warehouse now, but thanks for the info.” I smile at the two of them, hoping I look a lot calmer than I’m actually feeling.
“Don’t worry about that diva, Brie,” Daisy says as she gives me a wave.
“We’ll see you soon.” Sara hugs me with what I’m sure is supposed to be a reassuring smile. I’m not confident that this is a battle I can win, so I just say a prayer it doesn’t come to that as I hurry to the small office at the back of the warehouse, texting Carson on the way.
B: Just got here. Talk at lunch? :)
He replies right away, so I know he’s been waiting for my answer.
C: Sounds good. Love you.
B: Love you, too.
Putting my phone back in my pocket, I walk into the office where Adam and Kate are already waiting for me. I push Madeline Young to the back of my mind and get to work.
***
Carson
Dammit! Madeline Young? I knew Tom wanted Madeline for this part in the film; the part of my character’s ill-fated fiancée. I threw out the names of every age-appropriate actress I could think of, but Tom insisted that Madeline was perfect for this. It’s a small part, though, the character is killed off early on, and Madeline resisted taking it, saying it was “beneath” her. Tom just wouldn’t give up hope, and pushed back the scenes he needed her for as far as possible. Now, with Brie on set, and the gossip mill hard at work, Madeline can’t resist checking out the competition. Even before I met Brie, I made it clear to Madeline that I wasn’t interested in her personally. I thought she finally understood and now that my angel has come into my life, no one else holds a candle to her. She has a light within her that even her father couldn’t dampen, and the way she has been coming into her own lately is exactly what I’ve wished for her. Madeline, on the other hand, is jaded, manipulative and drinks entirely too much.
Brielle knows I love her, but the years of being told she’s worthless have taken their toll. I know she thinks she doesn’t deserve me, isn’t the “right” kind of girl for me, but I have done everything I can think of to make her secure in our relationship. I have the worst kind of feeling inside knowing that Madeline is coming. She has the kind of bite that can make a grown man cry and I don’t want her anywhere near the girl I love.
It’s time to call the man who is my father, my manager, and a giant pain in my ass. I have a feeling he’s partially to blame for her sudden change of heart. He has been trying to get us together for years.
I press the screen to call the seldom-used number and reach his voicemail. “This is Brian Malone. If you would like to speak with me, please hang up and dial (818) 555-1967 to schedule an appointment. Current clients may leave messages after the tone; all other messages will be deleted.”
What an egotistical prick. Good thing I’m a client. That’s far more important than being his son. God forbid the man actually answers the phone or speaks to another human being without an appointment. I hear the tone and say, “Dad. We need to talk about Madeline. Call me. Soon.” He’s not the only one who can get straight to the point. Nothing good can come from this. Not a damn thing.
Brielle
Hurricane Madeline is in full force by mid-day. She has made it clear that none of her lines are right, the costumes need to be re-designed, and the tuna salad needs to disappear from the menu before we break for lunch. Apparently, she’s much too sensitive to smells to work with anyone who may end up with tuna breath. Her scenes are scheduled to begin shooting tomorrow, so there is a major time crunch for getting the changes made.
Tom calls a lunch meeting to discuss the script changes with Madeline and the writers, so Kate asks me to sit in and take notes. Even though I’m just sitting here, mouth shut, pen scribbling on my notepad, I feel like there is a neon sign flashing above me. Madeline has stared at me for most of the meeting, checking me out and wrinkling her nose as though something in the room has an offensive smell. I’m trying hard not to compare myself to her, but a part of me wishes I had taken Sara up on the offer to give me a makeover this morning.
Madeline is tall, slender and gorgeous. Her shiny black hair hangs to her waist and her huge brown eyes would be the undoing of most human men. Her porcelain skin is flawless and I start to wonder how long Carson could really hold out if she decides to go after him. I’m pretty sure if you added up everything she is wearing today, it would cost more than the house I grew up in. I’ve never really cared much about money, but it’s disconcerting to have beauty and wealth waved in front of my face like this. I just keep reminding myself that Carson could have chosen her a long time ago, and, instead, he’s here with me. He brought me here to be a part of his life; he’s already made his choice.
I somehow get through the rest of the meeting and the room clears as I take a second to steady myself. I put the pen and notebook back in my bag and pull out my phone. There is a new text from Carson – I completely forgot to tell him I couldn’t talk at lunch after all. I begin typing my answer as I exit the room and I almost drop the phone when Madeline steps out in front of me.
“Brianna, is it?” She sneers at me. “I’d like to talk to you.”
“Um, it’s Brielle, actually, and –“
“Whatever. Listen, I know you’re staying with Carson. You’re his flavor of the month or whatever. I want you to know I think that it’s cute. I didn’t really think he was the type to enjoy slumming it, but, if it has kept him happy, then I can’t be too upset. It was my mistake to leave him alone this long. I guess I went a little crazy there for a while. I’m sure whatever you two have going on has been fun, and I’ve allowed it this long, but things will have to change now that I’m back in his life.”
She stops talking to take a drink from her disposable coffee cup, and the smell of alcohol overwhelms me for a moment. I shake my head to clear it, the familiar scent trying to take me away to places I’d rather not visit ever again. I remember Carson mentioning an alcohol problem; her secret drinking in the middle of the day tells me nothing has changed. I don’t get a chance to think too much about it before she starts talking again.
“So, I can expect you to be out of his trailer by tonight, right? I’m sure he’s already mentioned it. We’ll be together all the time, going over our scenes and reconnecting personally, so we might as well be living together while I’m here. I’m already thinking I may just stay until the movie wraps, anyway. A week just isn’t enough time to rekindle our love. Or to spend making love,” she giggles at me.
She may be smiling, but the venom is dripping from her lips as she speaks. My mind is whirling. Carson told me that he and Madeline had never slept together. Is it possible he just didn’t want me to know? Is this really supposed to be a temporary fling while he waits for her to come around? I don’t want to believe
a word she says, but she seems so sure. Carson hasn’t said anything about wanting me out, and I can’t believe he wouldn’t want to say something first if there was any truth to this. I stiffen for a moment and the blood drains from my face as I remember his text about wanting to talk to me.
“Oh, Brianna, I’m so sorry. I see he hasn’t mentioned this yet. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter who tells you, as long as you’re out by the time we’re ready to go home tonight.”
I’m having trouble forming the words; I want to respond, but my mouth won’t cooperate. Anger starts to build up inside me as she gives me a look of pity. “Madeline,” I begin.
“I think you should probably call me Ms. Young,” she sniffs. “You’re just an assistant around here, I’m a star. There is a pecking order to these things, and I’m way above you.”
That’s about all I can take of this. Mousy, frightened Brielle has had time to learn a little bit about confidence and self-worth, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let this uppity bitch bring me down. Maybe some or all of what she says is true, maybe it isn’t, but I’m not doing a damn thing about any of it until I talk to Carson.
“Well, excuse me, Ms. Young,” I try again, my tongue finally working, my voice dripping with sarcasm and disdain. “You’re right. Carson hasn’t said a word about any of this to me. When I speak to him, I’m sure we can straighten things out on our own. It’s been lovely talking to you, but, perhaps next time we can have our little chat when you’re sober.”
Her mouth falls open; she clearly didn’t expect me to do anything but run away crying. Instead, I walk away from her with my head held high. It isn’t until I’ve reached the women’s room and locked myself in a stall that the tears come.
It’s probably silly to cry when I don’t know where I really stand in this situation, but I can’t help it. Something about being talked down to and made to feel like nothing, especially with the scent of alcohol in the air, leaves me emotionally exhausted and it’s several minutes before I can make the tears stop. I send a text to Kate, telling her that I’m headed back to the trailer with a migraine. I hate lying to her, but the excuse Madeline Young may have just turned my whole world upside-down is a little more than I want to explain right now.
When I enter the trailer, I look around at the space I’ve shared with Carson. Evidence of the life we’ve started to build together is everywhere. I make my way to our bed and climb in, snuggling his pillow close against my chest. I will the tears that have started again to go away, and try to shut my mind off for a while as I fall asleep.
I have no idea how long it has been, but I wake with a start when the door to the trailer bursts open and Carson calls my name. I sit up in bed, still clutching his pillow, unwilling to let go of the fabric that holds his scent in its fibers. He comes in and sits next to me, reaching for my hand.
“I just heard from Kate that you have a migraine. Are you doing okay? Do you need anything?” The worry in his voice does a little to reassure me, but the tears begin again anyway. His face, his voice – it’s everything I’ve come to care about in this world.
“Angel, what is going on?” he asks me, starting to sound panicked.
“It’s, it’s … there’s no migraine,” I sob. “Madeline. She, she…”
“That crazy bitch,” Carson swears. “What the hell is she up to this time?”
“You don’t know?” I ask him. I look up at him, knowing I must be a complete mess, but wanting to see the truth on his face. “She didn’t tell you she talked to me?”
“I haven’t seen her all afternoon, Brie. I ate lunch with some of the guys on the crew today. One of them mentioned seeing you go into a meeting with Tom, but they weren’t sure who else was there. I texted you to see if we could meet up after, but I never heard back. I had a call right after lunch, so I couldn’t call or text. We did about a million takes of the same shot all afternoon before we got it just right and that’s when I went looking for you. Kate told me what happened, and I headed here to find you. That’s my whole afternoon. No Madeline involved. I’m afraid to ask, but what the hell did she have to say?”
“She pretty much told me I was going to lose everything that matters to me.”
Carson’s face pales as he hears my words and he pulls me onto his lap. “She said she was crazy for letting you go before, but she’s back now and you two are making another go of it. She said, um…” I start to choke up. “She said I had to be out of the trailer by this evening because she would be staying with you.”
“Goddammit!” Carson yells as he sets me back down on the bed. He stands up, running his hand through his hair and muttering about Madeline being a devious bitch. I know he’s an actor, but if this is a performance, it’s Oscar-worthy. My heart begins to heal itself as I realize she was lying through her teeth.
Carson pulls his phone from his pocket and stabs at the screen furiously before putting it to his ear. “Dad,” he growls. “I mean it. You call me back or I am done with you when this movie wraps. Do you hear me? Done.” He puts the phone back in his pocket and turns to me. “Angel, I’m so sorry. It’s my job to protect you and I didn’t do it very well today. Hell,” he swears again, “Fucking Madeline. My fucking father. I’ll be damned if I will let them ruin us, Brie.”
“How do you feel about her?” I hold my breath as I wait for his answer.
“You can’t even imagine, Brie. The time and money it takes to keep her problems, not to mention her attitude, mostly under wraps would blow your mind. It’s part of the reason my father wants us together. I think he figures I can help control her. I’ve told them both repeatedly that I have no interest in being her boyfriend or her chaperone. Two years ago I was already tired of dealing with this, and now that I have you to think about, I refuse to deal with it at all. She lies, she shows up late to everything, she makes crazy demands, and she drinks constantly.”
I haven’t seen Carson this angry since he found me lying in a hospital bed. He’s so protective of me, so loving, and I feel like such an ass for believing her, even a little, in the first place.
His phone rings and he pulls it quickly from his pocket. Checking the screen, he presses it to answer the call. “Dad,” it sounds like a warning. “What the hell are you thinking?” I can’t hear anything from the other end but the muffled sound of a man’s voice. “I’m not kidding, Dad, I…”
He’s cut off by another stream of words from the voice. “One chance, just one. You talk to her, you tell her whatever you have to. Just make sure she leaves Brielle alone. You won’t win this one. If you can’t get her either under control or out of here, your time as my manager is over.” He presses the screen again and tosses his phone on the bed.
I stand and he reaches for me, putting his arms around my waist and pressing his forehead to mine. “I’m so sorry she got to you, Angel,” he whispers to me. “Nothing she can say or do will ever make me choose her over you.”
I believe him, and in my relief I cover his lips with mine, pulling him down into our bed and showing my love for him over and over for the rest of the evening.
Chapter Sixteen
Carson
With three days left until Madeline leaves the set for good, she has been on her best behavior all week. I’m pretty sure I’ve smelled alcohol on her breath a couple of times, but she has showed up almost on time every day and gotten most of her lines right. While she has been a raging bitch to most everyone on set, Brie tells me Madeline hasn’t spoken directly to her since that first day. I guess that’s all I can ask. I’m basically holding my breath until she leaves; I have no idea how long she can manage to stay out of trouble, and I don’t want to have to deal with the fallout.
I know Madeline’s little display wasn’t my fault, but I still feel the need to make it up to Brie. Daisy and Sara are going to take her for a girls’ night out tomorrow, but tonight is just for us. I came back to the trailer during a break in shooting earlier and set up the trailer for a romantic night. I’d take her
somewhere else and pamper the hell out of her, but we both have to be back on set early tomorrow morning, so I’m making the most of the space we have here. I’m having our dinner catered by an incredible Italian restaurant Tom told me about. He says they serve traditional Italian food that’s absolutely divine. I’ve ordered bruschetta, fresh pasta and sauce, and some cannoli for dessert. I set up a playlist of beautiful piano music to play during dinner and rented Casablanca for us to watch – Brie has mentioned no fewer than three times how much she has always wanted to see it.
Two dozen roses are waiting for my angel on the dining room table. I know it all feels very cliché, and I’m almost afraid she will think it’s uninspired, but I want to give her everything I can. I want to give her all those things she’s only read about, all the traditional romantic gestures. She’s everything to me and I need to make sure she knows that, make sure she really believes in me – in us.
When I headed back to the warehouse, I checked in with Kate to make sure she’d send Brie home on time. My girl has become kind of a workaholic, always staying on until the last minute, making sure everything and everyone are taken care of before heading home for the night. She even sets a pot of coffee in the crew lounge to brew at seven am, just as the first people are rolling in each morning. Every single thing this girl does makes me love her even more.
I meet the delivery guy at the trailer just before six-thirty. I know Brie will be walking across the lot at any moment, so I hastily pay him, including a generous tip, and hurry inside to plate up our dinners. No way in hell is she going to think I managed to cook this whole thing, but it might as well look nice. I have just enough time to get things on the table before she comes through the door.
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