by J. J. Bella
"Sure."
"Awesome. Shall we then?"
We grabbed our things and headed out. The evening was cool and calm, and we walked along the sidewalks of Midtown until we reached a small place that was down a flight of stairs, one of those little restaurants that you'd probably miss if you weren't looking for it. Liam held the door open for me as I entered.
It was a cute place, and tiny- only a few small tables were there. And older Thai man greeted Liam warmly as he entered, and it became clear that this was one of Liam's usual spots. We slid into one of the tables, a cute young Thai girl stopping by with a couple of beers. Liam put in the order for two pad thais along with an order of dumplings. I was happy to not deal with a menu; now that I was sitting down I realized that I hadn't eaten since that bowl of cereal this morning.
"OK, so get talking," I said, wanting to get right to the point.
"What would you like to know?" asked Liam, bringing the beer up to his gorgeous lips.
"What would I like to know'?" I asked, my voice raising and getting the attention of the waitress. "How about everything?"
Liam's eyebrows flicked up as he took a pull of his beer. He set the drink down, rolling it along its base on the table.
"Hmm," he said. "Well, after you broke up with me so suddenly, I went back inside and tried to shake off what had just happened."
"Oh, I remember," I said, having a very clear memory of Liam slipping his arm around one of the other girls at the table as I left after breaking up with him.
"Well," he said, getting my implication, "after that night, I realized that you were right, that I was doing nothing with my life."
"I never said that," I interjected.
"True, but you made it clear that a man like me would do nothing but hold a girl like you back; I picked up on the subtext. Anyway, I quit my job at the bar, knowing that the lifestyle I was leading there would result in me being a forty-year-old townie with a beer gut if I wasn't careful. And the day I quit, I happened to bump into a friend of mine who'd opened a small film production studio in St. Louis. I told him about my new life trajectory, and he offered me a position there doing some basic assistant work. I'd never done work like that before, but it sounded interesting, and I'd always loved movies, so I figured why not?"
"So, it was work like what I'm doing now?"
"Sort of. It was a small company, so it was just me, my friend, and a few other guys. No New York bigwigs barking orders while A-list actors ran around demanding attention. We didn't do anything too big- mostly commercials and corporate videos. But I fell in love with the work. And I got really good at editing, too. After about a year of this, I saved a good chunk of money, and decided that I was ready to move into the big leagues: New York. My friends thought I was crazy, that the city would eat me alive. I knew that there was a really good chance that they were right. But I also knew that there was only one way to find out."
"So, I arrived here in the city, took out a loan, and started Thorne Pictures. At first, I felt completely out of my depth. The competition was fierce, and there seemed to be no place for a small company like mine to even get a foothold into the industry. Eventually, I decided that I needed to look at the pictures that no one else wanted to touch, the ones that none of the bigger players wanted to take a chance on. After spending weeks going through scripts, I found one for a film called Along the Way- you remember that one?"
The name sounded familiar; like one of those indie flicks that makes the best of whatever year list and you make a mental note to watch sometime but never get around to.
"Yeah," I said. "I never saw it."
"Well, not many people did. But it was a critical hit and the buzz allowed to make back its budget, plus some. Not to mention, the lead actress got the Oscar nod for ‘best actress'."
Now it sounded more familiar. I remembered that's where Amy Miller, got her big break. Now I see her everywhere.
"And it's what gave you your big break too, huh?" I asked, taking a bite out of one of the steamed dumplings that the waitress had just brought.
"Yep. And not only that, but I, ah, sort of fell in love with Amy."
"That's your ex-wife?" I sputtered, the dumpling almost flying out of my mouth like a rocket.
Liam nodded. "That's her. Though when we started dating she hadn't had anything but bit roles here and there. We could go out for a dinner like this and not have people trying to take our picture. Anyway, we got a little caught up in the success of the movie and decided to get married after dating for something like two months. So much for mature decisions."
"What happened?" I asked, my need for gossip outweighing my social grace.
"She…really likes the limelight, as you might know."
I knew alright. I wasn't even that into celebrities but even I knew that Amy Miller was quite the…fan of gentlemen, to put it lightly. She seemed to be with a new famous guy every week. Actors, models, musicians- as long as they could bring the cameras, she'd be right there on their arm. For a little while, at least.
"So I've heard."
"Well, when she got her big break, she decided that being a wife, tied down to one man, just wasn't for her. And the way she let me find out, well, the less said the better. Rather than get tied down in a long legal ordeal, we agreed on an arrangement for Olivia, as well as a locked-down alimony payment. A bitter custody battle was the last thing that either of us needed in our career; at least she was clear-headed enough to see that."
"I'm sorry," I said, poking a dumpling absentmindedly with one of my long, red chopsticks, the dumpling leaving a trail of soy sauce behind it as I moved it around the plate.
"It's in the past," said Liam, waving his hand as though dismissing the subject. "Well, it isn't, but I'm not bitter about, is what I'm saying."
"You got a learn those lessons somehow, I guess," I said, the words blurting out.
"You of all people would know that," said Liam with a smirk.
My face went a deep red. I couldn't believe that I'd said what I said. Thankfully, Liam didn't seem too bothered by my thoughtless comment. He had his flaws when we were dating, but he'd always been able to keep a cool head, never getting too bent out of shape over little things like uncareful words. Which was nice, since I always felt like I was putting my foot in my mouth one way or another.
Soon, the waitress returned with two steaming plates of pad thai. My mouth watered as I looked over the coils of glistening noodles, the fresh smells of the spices and cilantro wafting up to my nose. It all smelled and looked so good that I couldn't wait to dig in.
"And I think that about brings us to where we are today. I've been lucky enough to have a string of successful films, and I've made something of a name for myself in the indie film world."
"It's…really impressive," I said, sticking my chopsticks into the food and twirling the noodles around them. "I never thought that, um…"
I trailed off, this time catching myself.
"Though that what?" asked Liam with that devilish smirk of his.
"I don't know, I mean, that you, um…"
God damn it.
"Sorry," I said, trying to make some kind of social recovery. "It's just all very surprising."
"Don't worry about it," he said, pinching his lime between his fingers and spraying it onto his noodles. "I know what you're thinking: it's surprising that the loser townie that you knew way back when actually has a somewhat respectable job."
Somewhat respectable? He was being modest.
"Truth is," he continued, "that I have you to thank for much of my success."
"Really?" I asked, noodles dangling out of my mouth.
"Really. You breaking up with me was a real wake-up call. I mean, what clearer sign that you need to get your life together do you need than to have a total catch like you say you're not good enough?"
More blushing.
"Don't be modest," he said, noting my now-red complexion.
"I can't help it," I said, my mouth full of
food.
I knew I should've at least taken a minute or two to talk, but I couldn't help it- the food was just so damn good.
"It's true- you're a great girl. I mean, you turned things around and ended up here, after all."
"Yeah, as your assistant," I said.
"Well, my career path hasn't exactly been conventional. A lot of luck got me to where I am today."
"Now who's being modest?" I asked.
He smirked again, conceding the point.
"I mean, making films and putting them out, hoping they'll land…it depends on so many factors that're out of your control. I mean, you can put together a great flick with top talent and a solid script but it might tank just because they film-going audience was interested in different things at that point in time. It's a lot like gambling, almost."
He stopped himself, gesturing to the food.
"How is it?"
"Amazing," I said, more noodles dangling from my mouth.
The rest of the dinner was wonderful. We talked about lighter subjects, and I'd managed to even squeeze out a few choice anecdotes from Liam about some of the talent he's worked with. All very hush-hush, of course. He was fun and charming, just like I remembered him. It was like he was the same Liam I'd always known, but without the rougher aspects to his personality that I remembered.
Soon, we were done. We took the car back to his apartment –I guess, our apartment, for the time being, at least-. He showed me to my room, bringing in some sleeping clothes that were evidently left over from when Amy Miller still lived here.
"Care for a nightcap?" he asked.
"Sounds great."
He poured a couple of glasses of wine and led me out to the balcony. The glittering city stretched out before us, the World Trade Center standing tall above the buildings, its angular form peeking against the inky black night sky. The gentle din of traffic sounded from the streets below.
"It's weird being outside and not having to listen to ambulances and garbage trucks clanging down the street," I said, noting the calm and quiet of the balcony.
"I'd go crazy if I didn't have my peace and quiet," he said, taking a sip of his wine. "I shared a place with a few other guys for a few months when I first got here- never again."
I said nothing, instead enjoying the wonderful view of the city before me.
"It's good to see you again," I said, finally. "And good to actually have you treating me like someone you, you know, actually dated."
The corner of his mouth pulled up.
"It's just…an unusual situation. I wanted to make sure I handled it carefully."
I turned and looked up at Liam, noting the reflection of the city lights in his blue eyes. A feeling of comfort surrounded me, mixing with the pleasant buzz of the wine. I felt close to Liam, as though no time had passed since we'd last seen each other. Part of me wanted to move close to him and rest my head on his shoulder, to feel the warmth of his body once again.
But before I could consider this too deeply, Liam finished the last bit of his wine.
"I should get to bed," he said, the sentence coming out rather abruptly. "Good night."
And just like that, he was gone. I was alone on the balcony, no company but the sounds of the city below.
Chapter Nine
I awoke early the next morning, my evening with Liam still weighing heavily on my mind. When I showered, dressed, and headed to the kitchen, I saw that Liam was already up, a cup of coffee and a bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh fruit before him on the kitchen bar. His eyes were narrowed as he scanned the laptop in front of him, and I got the sense he was reading something important and relevant to our work.
"Morning," he said, not looking up from the computer.
"Good morning," I said, making my way across the long stretch of living room to the kitchen, where I poured myself a cup of coffee.
"I hope you didn't have any plans for today," he said. "We've got a few meetings that I was only able to make time for today."
I was a little surprised -I'd woken up today expecting something of a relaxing day- but I knew working on the weekends was just part and parcel of the business.
"With whom?" I asked.
"Well, we're meeting with the McDonnells, who're going to be sitting in with us while we meet with some potential leads for the film. You're familiar with Emmanuelle Jarrod?"
I almost spit out my coffee upon hearing this. Emmanuelle Jarrod was something of an icon for me. Beautiful and stylish, she was one of the few actresses that I kept tabs on, sometimes daydreaming about what life as her must be like.
"Yeah, I know her. Of her," I said, trying to play it cool.
Liam turned the laptop screen to me, showing me the title of the article he was reading. It said something about talks falling through for Emmanuelle Jarrod's last role. Under the headlines was a picture of Jarrod, looking glamorous as always despite the candid nature of the picture, her red hair pin-straight, a long, delicate hand in front of her face as if trying to hide from the paparazzi snapping away.
"I've known about this for a while," said Liam. "She was set to do some big Oscar-bait part in a period piece about Queen Elizabeth or something, but she'd been having clashing with the director. Everything was set to go, but she backed out at the last minute. Luckily, because I'd had my ear to the ground, I was able to jump in and get a meeting set up for today. With any luck, we can get her on board.
"Wow," I said. "Emmanuelle Jarrod…"
I let the words hang on my lips. I knew it was silly to be so constantly star struck, but this was all so overwhelming.
"A fan?" asked Liam with a smile.
"Something like that," I said, feeling a little silly.
"Don't worry about it," said Liam, picking up on my hesitancy. "You'll be jaded to working with these people before too long- enjoy it before you start looking at them as the high-maintenance pains-in-the-ass that they are."
My mind flashed back to Jace Landau's little hissy fit over the coffee. Liam was right- it'd probably only a matter of time before I got used to all this, might as well enjoy it while I can.
"Anyway, we're going to be meeting with the McDonnell's at the office, then we're going over to Emmanuelle's place in the East Village.
I tingled with excitement at this- being able to check out a celebrity pad in person sounded like a pretty nice way to spend the afternoon. But as I came out of my little daydream, I saw that Liam was looking my outfit up and down. I was wearing a pair of jeans, my sneakers, and a fitted t-shirt. Pretty standard stuff for gofer work.
"What?" I asked, becoming self-conscious.
"When's the last time you've bought a new outfit?"
"Hey!" I said, putting my hands on my hips. "All my stuff's at my place."
"You're avoiding the question."
"Um, it's been a while. My money pretty much just goes to rent and food; not much left over for Fifth Avenue shopping trips, you know?"
"Well, this is fine for today, but we're going to need to do something about your wardrobe. We're going to be rubbing elbows with some fancy folks, so you're going to need to up your clothes game a little. You are representing two companies right now, you know.
I blushed in embarrassment. I'd gotten so used to my casual clothes that I forget about the idea of looking professional.
"You ready?" he asked, finishing off his coffee. "You can grab a bite on the way there."
I nodded, eager to start the day ahead.
One car ride and one bodega bagel and egg sandwich later, we arrived at the offices for Thorne Pictures. There was only a handful of staff around since it was Saturday, and Liam and I made our way to his office.
"The McDonnells are in there," said one of the many stylish hipster-types that worked there, gesturing to the office with a worried look on his face.
"You're not telling me something," said Liam.
"Um, well," said the employee.
"Go on," said Liam, not wanting to waste any time.
"Th
ey met with Jace last night for drinks….I don't think it went too well."
"God damn it," said Liam.
He turned to me.
"We might be in damage control mode," he said, dismissing the employee. "Leave everything to me for the time being."
As we approached the office door I could hear the quick murmuring of heated conversation. Liam opened the door, and we saw that the McDonnnels were engaged in animated talk, their hands gesticulating wildly as they spoke to one another next to each other on Liam's couch.
"I can't believe you did that," said one of them, the one with the hat, Clive, I think. "What the hell was going through your mind? I swear, sometimes I can't believe that we're actually related."
"I was feeling a vibe, you know?" said the other, Adam, "he seemed like he was down."
I gulped, having a guess of exactly what they were talking about.
"I'm going to hope that you're not saying what I think you're saying," said Liam, striding into the office and taking a seat across from the brothers.
"That depends," said Adam. "What do you think we're saying?"
Liam crossed his legs and glowered at the pair. I stood by the door, not sure of what to do with myself. Seeing this, Liam flicked his eyes at me and pointed to the chair at his side.
Sighing, Liam spoke. "I'm going to guess one of you two made a pass at our potential leading man."
"Maybe…" said Adam, looking around coyly, reminding me a little kid getting forced to fess up to eating ice cream before dinner.
"And how'd he take it?" asked Liam, seemingly trying to assess the situation.
"Not well," said Clive, his hands folded over his knee.
"More specific than that," asked Liam.
I could tell his patience was wearing thin. Liam was trying to get right the point, and these two were doing everything they could to be as evasive as possible. I could see now that managing personalities was probably one of the more difficult and taxing parts of this job. But Liam seemed to know what he was doing. He was calm, yet stern.
"He pretended to take a phone call and left running out of there like he was about to pee his pants," said Clive, turning a withering gaze to Adam.