“It’s a tough balance between reality and fantasy—believe me, I know. But some part of you must always remain free from the grip of the film, play, whatever, to control everything. At the same time, you have to surrender a good chunk of yourself to the role. What I’m saying probably seems contradictory, but it is possible. You can do it.” Kazan paused. “I’m assuming Beth knows about… whatever’s eating at you?”
Aidan nodded.
“Then she’ll help you through it, I’m sure.”
Aidan bowed his head. “I know.”
“And if you ever feel yourself heading over that ledge, just stop the scene, and we’ll take a break. No questions asked. Got it?”
Aidan tugged at the collar of his T-shirt, his gaze falling on a cheerful Kazan family portrait hanging on the wall closest to him. “Yeah. Thanks, Gadg.”
Kazan clapped a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Atta boy.”
Aidan chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Fuck, I never did like heart to hearts.”
Kazan fixed him with a paternal look. “Me neither, but if it’s serious stuff, I’d rather you come to me so we can sort it out before you step onto the soundstage, you get me? I don’t know how much help I was—”
“You were. Trust me.”
Kazan nodded and led him out of the room. They said good night to Eileen, who was finishing up for the evening, and walked to the car in silence. They had done enough chatting to last a lifetime.
Aidan felt better about approaching his character now that he had voiced his concerns, even though he held back the details of why he and his father weren’t on good terms. The Chicago shoot would still be tough, but it wasn’t as if they were filming on his father’s doorstep. Ultimately, he felt he could get through it if he put his love for Beth ahead of his concerns and focused on playing his character to the best of his ability.
Kazan drove Aidan back to his Porsche, and they parted on the promise of seeing each other bright and early on Monday morning at the wardrobe fittings.
The backlot was emptier now that it was afterhours, so the drive to the commissary didn’t take Aidan long. Inside, Beth sat in the back corner with Matthew and Connie. She met his gaze across the room with a welcoming smile and a carefree toss of her hair, melting away his accumulated tension from today.
As Aidan arrived at her table, his first instinct was to give her a kiss, but in a room occupied by the Starlight Studios’ dinner crowd, it wasn’t the smartest idea. He already felt all eyes on them, and the whispers had grown increasingly louder since his entrance. He was able to rein in his desire using the knowledge he could give her a proper kiss when he dropped her off at home.
“Hello, Mr. Evans, my costar,” Beth said, mocking their unjust situation. “It’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“The feeling is mutual, Miss Sutton, my costar,” Aidan replied, unable to conceal his amusement.
“Evans, you gotta order the Loretta Young lasagna.” Matthew patted his stomach. “It’s phenomenal—even better than Connie’s.”
“Hey, watch it.” Connie swatted Matthew’s arm. He kissed her cheek amongst her laughter and playful protests.
Aidan sat beside Beth.
“Are you going to buy anything?” she asked.
“Nah, I’m not hungry.” The truth was his appetite had disappeared when he received the news about Chicago.
Beth didn’t look satisfied, but thankfully didn’t press the matter.
Matthew stood with a satiated sigh. “Connie and I have to hit the road.” He stuck out his hand to Aidan. “I’ll see you soon.”
Aidan provided him with a firm shake and then gave Connie a farewell nod. She nodded back with her typical indifference and left the commissary on her fiancé’s arm.
“How about you?” Aidan eyed Beth’s empty soup bowl. “You ready to go?”
She nodded and rose from her chair. Although he resisted the urge to help her with her coat, he did pick up her purse from the table and hand it to her.
They walked to the exit together amongst a bunch of whispers that Aidan chose to ignore. His focus was on how enthusiastically Beth spoke about her dinner conversation with Matthew and Connie. After everything she’d been through with Mr. Mertz, she was still optimistic, which made him want to fight for their relationship even more.
As they stepped outside under the starry night sky, Aidan brushed his hand against hers to show he was thinking about her. He couldn’t wait until they got back to her house, where they had no restrictions on their relationship.
It had been a tumultuous day, but he hoped the Golden Gloves shoot would be easier from here on out and Beth’s positive attitude would rub off on him, enabling him to return from Chicago unscathed.
On Tuesday, the first day of filming, Beth and Aidan met Olivia at the seamstresses’ building before heading to the soundstage, in order to have additional costumes tailored for Golden Gloves. The bulk of the fittings were completed yesterday, but some residual work remained.
Beth looked on in amusement as Aidan stood on a podium in one of the dressing rooms, fussing like a child.
“Aidan, will you stand still?” Olivia tossed Beth an exasperated look. “Is he always this restless? He’s driving me bananas!”
Aidan shrugged under the jacket Olivia was trying to fasten, examining his appearance in the mirror with a frown. “I don’t like how it feels.”
Olivia held up a sewing pin. “I swear, if you don’t stop moving, this is going in your eye. I can’t fix it when you’re being so difficult.”
Aidan smirked. “In the eye, huh? Go ahead, try it. I dare you.”
Olivia flashed a cunning smile. “I never thought I’d say it, but I’d rather work with Will Everett. He’s a walk in the park compared to you!” After shortening the cuffs with several pins, she took a step back and scanned the outfit. “All right, that should do.”
“Finally,” Aidan mumbled. He wasted no time and removed the jacket.
As he was about to toss it on the chair in the corner, Olivia jumped in front of him. “Don’t even think about it.”
Aidan carefully folded the jacket and handed it over with a dazzling grin. “Thank you, Olivia, for tailoring this for me.”
“So is that how you get away with being such a pain in the butt?” Olivia said, still smiling. “You flash those pearly whites like some rebel Valentino and people forgive you immediately?”
He chuckled. “Well, you tell me. Did it work?”
Olivia pointed her finger at him. “Don’t push it, buster.”
“I’ll take that as a yes, then.” Aidan pretended to polish his fingernails on his white T-shirt. “Yup, I still got it.”
He jumped down from the platform.
Olivia hung the jacket on a rolling wardrobe situated along one wall. “All right, Beth, you’re next.”
“Good luck, baby.” Aidan took Beth’s hand and assisted her onto the riser. “I hope she doesn’t stick you as much as she did me.”
Beth looked into the full-length mirror at the tan button-down cotton dress she wore, which was too loose around the waist. Olivia circled her, making notes on what she had to alter, while Aidan took a seat on a chair in the corner.
Olivia used several pins to fasten the back of the garment and accentuate Beth’s waist and bust line, but even with the alterations, the dress still looked conservative. The censors would protest if the outfit was too tight, short, or low in the front, which worked perfectly since her character was a traditional housewife who was living on a strict budget and not fashion savvy.
“That looks very nice on you.”
Aidan’s comment drew Beth’s gaze from the mirror.
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“Hey, I think I had a part in this also.” Olivia pouted, pretending to be insulted.
Beth giggled. “Thanks for making me look so exquisite, Liv.”
“My pleasure.” Olivia flipped the measuring tape over her shoulder. “All right, you’re done.”
Aidan’s eyes widened. “What? That’s not fair. That took two seconds. I was up there forever!”
Olivia wagged her finger at him. “That’s what you get for being so difficult. Look how much harder you made it for yourself.”
Grinning, Aidan glanced at his watch. “We’ve got fifteen minutes to get to the set.”
Beth changed out of her dress, taking extra care not to disturb the pins Olivia fastened.
“Nathan’s meeting me here in twenty minutes.” Olivia hung the garment next to Aidan’s jacket. “I’ll see you two in a little while.”
Aidan walked to the door with Beth in tow. “I’d drive you, but my Porsche only seats two people.”
Olivia locked her sewing basket. “It’s fine. I have to drop your costumes off upstairs before I head over to the set anyway. I’d only make you late.”
During the brief drive to the soundstage, Beth’s nervousness resurfaced. On Friday, Kazan told Aidan he was satisfied with her performance at the read-through. She respected his opinion greatly and hoped she wouldn’t disappoint him today or throughout filming. Then there was the issue with her boss…
Yesterday, Aidan picked her up for their first wardrobe fittings and dropped her off at home afterward without incident, which surprised her. She’d expected a studio car to show up at her door. She didn’t know if Mr. Mertz’s lack of interference meant they had triumphed in their defense or if he was secretly planning a greater retaliation. Only time would tell.
When Beth entered the soundstage with Aidan, they were greeted by crew rushing around, taking care of the final preparations for the day’s filming, while some of their cast mates conversed by the water cooler.
Kazan waved them over to an apartment set at the far end, which Beth assumed belonged to Mary and Joe. The second set looked like the inside of a drugstore. The third was a hallway with doors leading to what she guessed were supposed to be the various apartments in the walk-up their characters lived in, and the fourth set, by process of elimination, was the inside of Sal’s apartment.
“Did you two get your remaining costumes taken care of?” Kazan asked as they joined him in Joe and Mary’s living room.
“We just came from the seamstresses’ building,” Aidan replied, eyeing the set. “All’s good.”
Beth noticed several blushing female extras whispering and pointing at her beau. As usual, he was oblivious to the attention.
Kazan gave a curt nod. “Good. After you get changed into today’s outfits, meet me back here and we’ll start the first scene.”
Aidan took off to the men’s dressing rooms and Beth traveled to the women’s dressing rooms at the opposite end of the soundstage. As she approached a door adorned with a plaque professionally engraved with her name, a proud smile crossed her face.
In the scenes she was filming today, she wore a cotton dress similar to the one Olivia pinned for her earlier, no makeup—aside from foundation to eliminate shine and create an even skin tone—and her hair was set in curls.
As she stepped back onto the set, Aidan paced the hallway outside their characters’ apartment, perusing his script. He was dressed in dark gray trousers and a blue sports shirt. Excitement surged through her, along with first-day jitters, as she surveyed the spotlights hanging from the scaffolding and the film equipment scattered about the floor. Her eyes roamed back to Aidan when a busty, female extra approached him, smiling attentively.
“Excuse me, Mr. Evans,” the woman said in a sultry voice.
Aidan stopped pacing and looked up from his script. “Yeah, what?”
The woman gave a flirty toss of her blond hair. “I came over to introduce myself. My name is Joan Yearly. I’m playing your neighbor.” She extended her hand and pushed out her chest. Her low-cut wool sweater clung to her ample bosom. “We have one scene together where our characters run into each other in the corridor and you assist me with my groceries.”
Although Joan looked stunning with her plump red lips, cat-like eyes, and voluptuous curves, Beth was secure enough in her relationship with Aidan that she didn’t feel at all threatened. Instead, she watched their exchange in amusement.
Aidan shook Joan’s hand warily. “Yeah, I know the scene.”
“Oh my, look at those biceps.” Joan placed her free hand to her chest. “I can tell you’ve thoroughly prepared for your role as a boxer in this film.”
Aidan pried his hand from her grip, his expression lacking interest.
Joan batted her eyelashes. “I look forward to working very intimately with you today, Aidan.”
He regarded her in annoyance, but she seemed too enamored with him to notice.
“Anyway, I’ll let you get back to your reading.” Joan clasped her hands together. “I apologize for interrupting your genius.”
Beth suppressed an eye roll. Aidan didn’t. He returned his focus to his script, ignoring Joan’s strut over to her fellow extras. Beth couldn’t help but feel smug that he only had eyes for her.
Olivia arrived soon after with Nathan. She gave Beth a hug so dramatic it was as though they hadn’t seen each other in ages.
Aidan joined the trio with a welcoming grin. “Nate, how’s it going?” He rolled up his script and tucked it into the back pocket of his pants.
“I’m good. I thought I’d come inside and see what’s going on. The sets look great.” Nathan gestured to Joe and Mary’s apartment. “Although I’m sure you’ll like filming much better when you’re on location in Chicago.”
Aidan looked to the floor. “Uh, yeah… for sure.”
Beth frowned.
“I have an additional matter to discuss with you, though.” Nathan motioned for them to come closer. “Luther is sending some of his men over to the set today to check up on you two.”
Beth shot Aidan a panicked look. She was certain this was only the beginning of what they’d have to endure throughout filming.
Aidan folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t worry. Gadg won’t let anyone who doesn’t belong hang around, no matter who sent them, and I sure as hell won’t put up with it, either.”
“Come on, golden boys and girls,” Kazan called. “Wardrobe tests under the lights in two minutes!”
Olivia smiled. “That’s our cue.”
Aidan shook Nathan’s hand. “Thanks for the warning.”
“No problem. Enjoy your morning.” Nathan tipped his hat and exited the soundstage.
Beth and Aidan walked to their character’s apartment and stood with their cast mates and the extras. Olivia stood by the camera with Kazan. The actors’ outfits had already been coordinated for each scene, but it was also important to see what they looked like through the camera lens in case there were combinations that didn’t translate well to film.
“Aidan, Beth, please step forward and look at me,” Olivia instructed as Kazan looked on. She studied their outfits and nodded approvingly. “All right, looks good. Beth, you can take a step back. Ms. Yearly, please take her place.”
With a seductive sway of her hips, Joan joined Aidan’s side, wearing more censor-appropriate attire than her personal wardrobe from earlier. She stood so close to him that their arms touched.
Aidan stepped to the right, putting some distance between them. Joan followed him without delay. Beth smiled as Aidan took another step, and then another, with Joan copying his every move. His avoidance attempt reminded her of a Charlie Chaplin routine. All that was missing was the derby hat, moustache, and cane.
Kazan emerged from behind the camera. “Joan, can you stand half a foot away from Aidan, please?”
With a pout, Joan did as she was told and Olivia was able to assess their costumes.
After every outfit was given the green light, they began filming the first scene, where Joe stopped to help Joan’s character, Thelma, unlock her apartment door, as she was loaded down with groceries. The scene was supposed to highlight Joe’s gentlemanly manner outside of his relationship with Mary, in contrast to his tough boxing reputation.
For the first time since joining Starlight Studios, Beth felt like a real actress. In fact, she learned more during her first scene than she had in all of her acting lessons since signing her contract.
In the second scene of the day, Joe entered his apartment after a long shift at the factory and Mary had dinner ready for him. Amidst their conversation at the kitchen table, Aidan darted his eyes across the soundstage and halted his lines. Kazan officially stopped the scene as two men dressed in black suits made their way toward him. Beth knew who they were immediately.
Aidan stormed off the set, leaving her sitting alone under the hot stage lights. She raised her hand to touch her angel pendent but remembered she had left the necklace in her dressing room because it conflicted with her character.
“What’s going on?” Kazan called after him.
“Mertz sent his goons to spy on us,” Aidan replied on his journey toward their unwelcome visitors.
Kazan was quick to follow him as the rest of the cast and crew looked on curiously.
Aidan marched right up to the men, barking profanities. Kazan and a burly sound technician leapt between them and held him back.
“Get out of here,” Aidan shouted, struggling against his restraints. “And tell your boss you ain’t comin’ back!”
The men answered with something Beth couldn’t make out from her current position.
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