“I can’t imagine you being green. You got your big break young, and now you’re launched.”
She takes a bite of bread and chews. “You’ll find that each new level you reach has its own challenges. It’s never a onetime thing, where you look around and say I’m a success. I can stop working so hard now.”
“Oh.”
She takes a sip of water. “But there are some things that get easier. I don’t have to audition anymore. I get sent hot scripts, and I can produce my own movies and put myself in it if I want. Actually, that’s something I’d recommend you do if you haven’t already. Create some content and put it online. A lot of actors have gotten deals to expand their shows that way.”
“I’m not much of a writer, but I could try.”
“Nowadays, actors have to be a little bit of everything—actor, writer, director, producer.”
“Comedian.”
“Are you a comedian?”
“Yes. I mean, I do stand-up sometimes. I like comedic roles. I like all roles. I want to have my choice of genre like you and not get pigeonholed.”
She nods, takes a bite of bread and chews. “Sorry for all the chewing. I need to settle my stomach.”
“No problem! Completely understand.”
“I was very lucky to land a movie early on that was a hit. It gave me options. It’s not just about hard work. It’s timing and a bit of luck.”
“Yes, I totally agree. Thank you for saying that.”
The waiter appears, offering small bowls of cold melon soup. “Compliments of the chef.”
“Thank you,” I say.
“Thanks,” Claire murmurs.
I take a spoonful. “So tasty.”
She takes a spoonful too. “Glad you like it. I come here a lot with my husband when we want a private meal. So tell me about your work experience so far.”
I set my spoon down and consider if I should take out my headshot and résumé from my oversized purse. No, she didn’t ask for it. This isn’t an audition. “I was in a perfume commercial last Christmas, an educational video series about libraries, and numerous student films at NYU. I graduated from there with my BFA in drama. I’ve been going on auditions regularly and booked three pilots for sitcoms that weren’t picked up. I’d love to work in movies. I’m a huge movie fanatic, so that’s the ultimate goal.”
“That’s awesome. I didn’t get my BFA, and I always kinda wondered if I missed out. I took classes and learned on the job. In my first movie they assigned me a personal acting coach, who I used for a while until I felt confident on my own.”
“All different paths.” Though I don’t have to guess how she got her first breakout role. She has a look that simply shines on camera, and her voice draws attention with its throaty husky tone.
“I hope you brought your headshot and résumé.”
I jolt. “Yes, I did! I didn’t know if you’d want to see it.” I grab my purse and unzip it, carefully taking it out, the résumé on the back of the headshot. I hand it to her. “I have a reel too you can check out on my website. It’s on the résumé. Just my name. Josie Abbott.”
Oh, God, I’m babbling. Chill!
She scans the résumé briefly and then takes out her phone. “I’ll check out your reel right now.”
My gut tightens. Why do people keep doing this in front of me? I need to stop mentioning it.
“Sure,” I manage. I focus on my soup as I hear my own voice coming from her phone. I can’t bear to see her expression. She could be completely unimpressed or disappointed. What if she feels like this talk was a complete waste of her time? She met with me despite having morning sickness. She totally didn’t have to do that.
“I really appreciate you meeting with me,” I blurt.
She holds up a finger as she watches my reel.
“Sorry.” I roll the napkin in my lap this way and that, waiting for the verdict.
She smiles and tucks her phone away. “Thank God you’re actually good. I was afraid I was going to have to pretend it wasn’t that bad.”
I beam. “Thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked it.”
“How do you feel about fantasy?”
My heart races. Omigod. Is she going to offer me a part in one of her movies? “Fantasy is cool. Did you have something in mind?”
The waiter appears to clear our soup bowls. “Lunch will be here shortly.”
I’m on the edge of my seat, waiting for him to leave.
Claire thanks him and turns back to me. “I bought movie rights to an epic fantasy, Labyrinth Unraveled.”
I squeak and slap a hand over my mouth.
She smiles. “You’ve heard of it.”
“Yes! I read young adult. I can pass for teenaged.” Labyrinth Unraveled features a teenaged witch who finally finds a tribe like her that ultimately overturn the dystopian patriarchal society. It’s basically the role of a lifetime! Huge fan base! Female-driven movie. Everything I ever dreamed of! My breath comes harder. Do not hyperventilate! Ahhh!
She goes on. “I agree, you look young. We want an unknown to play Sophie so audiences don’t have any preconceived ideas tying to any previous role.”
I fidget in my excitement. Finally it pays to be an unknown! “Makes sense,” I manage to say in a calm-sounding voice.
“We’re looking for eighteen and up to play her. Anyway, the book is long, so to do it justice for the fans, we’ll be making two movies filmed back-to-back. We’ve been on a huge global search for Sophie. I mean huge. We looked through five thousand applications with video that we narrowed down to three hundred for screen tests, and we still haven’t found the one. I’ll connect you with our casting director, and you can tell her I personally vetted you, so her eyes won’t glaze over. No promises, though, okay?”
“Thank you so much! This is so generous of you!”
She holds up a palm. “It’s a foot in the door, nothing more. We need someone who can give Sophie some gravitas while also being believable as a seventeen-year-old. She’s a strong empowered woman. She has grit.”
“I love that! I can totally play that.” I pull out my phone and drop it in my excitement. “Crap.” I can’t afford a replacement. I pick it up from the carpeted floor. Thankfully it’s okay. “What’s the casting director’s number?”
She pulls out her phone and reads it to me.
I want to call right away and start prepping for the role, but then I realize that would be a take and run. “Is there anything I can do for you? Do you need a babysitter? Someone to run errands for you? Anything?”
She laughs. “I’ve got it covered, but thanks for offering. Few people do. Oh, and you should know we’ll be filming in Vancouver for six months. Does that work for you?”
“Absolutely.” My smile drops as I realize that would mean saying goodbye to Sean. We’ve only been roommates for three weeks and together for a week, but I can’t help but think it’s the start of something significant. “When does filming start?” I laugh at myself. “She asks optimistically.”
“September.”
Lunch arrives, and we start eating. My mind keeps drifting back to Sean. It’s early May now. If we were still together by September, we could try long distance. It’s only six months. We’d only be together five months by then. Would he be willing to visit me? Would I be out of sight, out of mind?
I glance at Claire, who looks up at me and gives me a small close-lipped smile while she chews. “Is it hard on you when you’re filming and you’re away from your family?”
“Oh, no, my family comes with me. This business is hard on relationships. Make sure you have a partner who supports your career. My husband, Jake, traveled with me on location even before we were married. He was fully on board and worked virtually when he had to. Eventually, he went to work for my production company. Now with kids, they travel with us. Though, I’m more tired with this pregnancy and had to scale back. I’ve got a good team in place for Red Jewel Films, and you might’ve noticed I haven’t taken on a major
role in a couple of years.”
“But One Charmed Night just came out at Christmas. Oh, was that filmed before?”
She wipes her mouth with a napkin. “Yeah. Sometimes they hold a film back to release at certain times of year.”
I think about what she said about a supportive partner as I go back to eating. When I lost the pilot, Sean was really supportive and comforting. That’s when we got together. I still. Was that a coincidence, or did he not want to be with me until he knew I wasn’t going anywhere? Would he be supportive if my career did take off?
“You okay?” she asks.
I snap to attention. “Just thinking about what you said. Thanks for the advice. I think my boyfriend—I mean, we don’t have an official label—but I think he’d be supportive. I don’t know, though, since I haven’t had something that took me away for any amount of time. Hopefully, I’ll find out one day, and it’ll be in a positive direction, both career and relationship-wise.”
She takes a small bite of mashed potatoes, chews, and then says, “Some of my friends work it out other ways. Like, if their husband can’t travel with them, they try not to be separated more than two weeks. It’s a lot of flying back and forth. That takes its toll too. I suppose it’s best if you just talk to your partner about it and work out whatever you think is best for you both.”
“Yes, that makes a lot of sense.” I try to smile but can’t manage it. I’ve never had a guy I cared about enough to worry about this kind of thing. I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t know if I have the part in her amazing movie, and I don’t know where I stand with Sean either. Though I know he cares about me. It’s in his eyes and his touch, even if it’s not in his words.
We finish our meal, chatting about our favorite movies, and she even shares about her kids’ antics. They get really silly at bath time with bubbles. So sweet! She’s surprisingly down-to-earth, and I’m just so grateful she gave me this chance.
She picks up her purse. “I need to head back, but it was great having lunch with you.”
“You too! I can’t thank you enough for your generosity with your time and your advice and the foot in the door. Everything! I think I’m even more of a fan now than before, which is crazy. Not insane crazy.” I wince. “Sorry, I get too enthusiastic sometimes.”
“Aww, you’re welcome!” She stands and holds her arms out to me. I rush around the table and give her a hug.
“Thank you,” I say again when I pull away.
She smiles. “The best thanks would be for you to pass it forward when you’re in a position to help someone.”
“I will!”
She heads out the door, looking so polished and sophisticated. I stand there for a few minutes, trying to process all the fantastic stuff that went down in this room before I realize I should go too. I grab my purse and head out, catching a glimpse of her as her guard follows by her side out the door of the building.
I wait for a moment so I don’t look like I’m following her. That’s when I realize she must’ve covered lunch for me. Claire Jordan took me to lunch! I’m totally going to pay it forward just like she told me to.
Okay, heading out now to prep for greatness! The role of a lifetime.
Chapter Ten
Sean
I’m exhausted, but it’s all been worth it. At work we broke ground on our first Rourke Management project, with a lot of good press around it (people love that we’re part of the royal family in Villroy), and here at home I’m making great progress both with the renovation and with Josie. Not that she’s a project. She’s a pure delight. She makes every day brighter. I love coming home to her, having dinner with her, having her in my bed. And even though I miss out on sleep sometimes because of her tempting self, I have no regrets. It’s been three weeks since we got together, and what can I say? She makes me happy. I feel more like my old easygoing self again. We laugh a lot.
Today’s Saturday, and I stopped working in the late afternoon to take her out to dinner. She’s flying to California tomorrow for a screen test for a major movie through Claire Jordan’s production company. The casting director liked the video audition she sent two weeks ago and requested a screen test at the studio. Odds are still stacked against her; there’s been a lot of actresses who’ve done a screen test, but she remains optimistic. I’m proud of her. And she’ll only be away for a week. Her agent lined up a few more auditions for her while she’s there. All Josie cares about is Claire’s movie.
I’m taking her someplace nice tonight. She’s upstairs getting ready and told me not to peek. She wants to surprise me in her dress.
I finish getting ready and head downstairs to wait. The kitchen is really coming along. I’m estimating a week to finish. I scheduled the inspections for the following week. Somehow I did it. Winnie put a fire under my ass with her deadline, and it looks like the house will go on the market June first just like she wanted.
I signed a short-term lease for an apartment close to work, though I’m still hoping for a place in this neighborhood to open up. When I asked Josie where she was thinking of going next, she said if she had to, she could go to Nashville for a long visit with her parents, but she wasn’t sure what she’d do. I don’t want her so far away from me. Part of me thinks she should just move in with me. Is that too much too soon?
The doorbell chimes, and I head to the door, spotting a familiar blond head. It’s Winnie here to check up on me. I’m surprised she hasn’t shown up before this, considering how much she’s harassed me by text.
I open the door and immediately give her an update since I’ve got dinner reservations I don’t want to miss. “Hey, Win. Things are right on schedule. You should be able to put it on the market June first like we talked about.”
She steps inside. Her blond hair is tied back in a low ponytail, her face unusually pale. She’s dressed nice, as usual, in a light green floral dress with tan sandals. “I’m sorry about the deadline. I never should’ve put so much pressure on you to finish quickly.”
I’m momentarily speechless. I’ve been working night and day for weeks, and now she’s sorry about the deadline?
I recover myself. “So you don’t want to sell after all?”
“I don’t know.” Her face crumples, and she waves a hand around. “I’m sure it’s great.”
“What’s wrong?”
Her chin quivers. “Colin and I broke up. He wanted me to get new boobs for our wedding. He was all about surface.” Tears shine in her eyes, and I find it hard to sympathize over her heartbreak after the way she walked out on me to be with him. “I thought he was deep, you know? He had a real interest in art, but it was only a status symbol to him.”
Does she want to move back in here? I glance behind her. No suitcase.
A tear leaks out of her eye and rolls down her cheek.
I glance upstairs, considering getting Josie down here to deal with her cousin. But then I decide to let Josie finish getting ready for our special night. I’ll deal with Winnie as quickly as possible. “Sorry about Colin. What’s your plan?”
She sniffles. “I told myself I wouldn’t cry anymore. Let me see your good work.” She wanders over to the kitchen, opening cabinets and running her finger along the teakwood-topped island. “It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
She crosses to my side. “I knew you’d do great work.”
“Do ya wanna see upstairs? The bathrooms were finished since you were last here, and I repainted the upstairs bedrooms a neutral color and touched up the trim and doors.”
She takes a deep shuddering breath. “I just want to say I am so sorry for the way I left you. I know it was abrupt and terribly insensitive of me. I was a fool, and I regret it.”
“It’s alright, Winnie. I’m fine and that was a long time ago.”
Her lips press tightly together. “You’re a better man than he ever was. I let him turn my head with all his lavish trips and gifts. You’re the true gentleman. I never should’ve left you and, if it’s not too l
ate, I want to get back together.”
I rub the back of my neck. I never considered getting back together with her under any circumstances. The moment she left me for another man, I cut ties. And now there’s Josie. How do I explain I’m with her cousin now?
“Sean?” Winnie asks with a note of uncertainty.
“No, I don’t wanna get back together.”
Josie walks downstairs, looking stunning in a navy minidress with a deep V and sheer sleeves. Her red purse matches her red lipstick. A surge of affection makes me want to pull her into my arms and kiss her.
I cross to her. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she says, looking over my shoulder. “Hi, Winnie. I didn’t know you were stopping by.”
I turn back to Winnie. I can see her putting the pieces together. Josie and I dressed nice for a night out. Our familiarity. Josie’s not touching me, but she stands close the way she’s used to with me.
“You two are together?” Winnie asks in a small voice.
“Yes,” I say.
Winnie turns narrowed eyes on Josie. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’ve been busy,” Josie says. “And I’m sorry. I was going to tell you when I was sure it was going someplace.”
“Is it?” Winnie asks, looking back and forth between us.
I catch Josie’s eye. She gazes back at me tenderly. I can read her so well. She cares for me just like I care for her. This isn’t just a convenient hookup. It’s got emotion to back it up. My fingers tingle with the need to touch, my pulse quickening. This is real.
“And you!” Winnie snaps, jabbing a finger in my direction, startling me. I almost forgot she was here. “I trusted you to look out for my cousin, not seduce her!”
“I’m not a neutered monk, Winnie. Besides, she’s twenty-four. Give her some credit for knowing what she wants.”
“You?” Winnie asks.
“Yes.”
Rogue Gentleman (The Rourkes, Book 8) Page 11