Page 31 of Breaking Free

The large, brightly lit room was mostly empty except for a table at the front where three people sat. They faced her, their expressions unreadable. Piper took a deep breath and approached the group.

“Good morning,” she said, forcing cheerfulness and the same bright smile. Despite the butterflies in her stomach, her voice was surprisingly steady.

A middle-aged woman with a no-nonsense attitude nodded curtly. “I’m Sheryl Martin, the casting director.” She didn’t introduce the others. Instead, she waved her hand at the man with the clipboard, who had only sort of shown her in. “This is Morgan Perry, one of our production assistants. He’ll read with you. Take it from the top of page three whenever you’re ready.”

Piper nodded and cleared her throat as she flipped the slightly crumpled pages of her script. Thankfully, she’d been over it a hundred times and had it memorized. The scene they requested was of her character in a heated argument with her boyfriend, ending in a passionate kiss.

From what she could glean of it from a synopsis of the storyline and the brief scene, she did her best to convey her character’s emotion. Morgan was actually quite good, and boosted her confidence. As they reached the climax, he pulled her flush against him, but right before the steamy kiss, the casting director held up a hand.

“That’s enough. Thanks for coming in today, Piper.”

Morgan immediately released her. He stared at her a moment then, with an air of indifference after they’d just had a shouting match, he walked to a chair along the wall, dismissing her too. Her stomach sank. If they cut her off before the big finish, she had failed to impress them.

“Is there anything else you’d like me to read?” Piper asked, sounding desperate, even to herself.

The casting director shook her head. “No, that will be all. You’ll get a call if you’re cast.”

Piper nodded, attempting to hide her disappointment as she forced herself to walk calmly to the door. This was one audition among many, she reminded herself. Despite her silent pep talk, she felt defeated as she stepped into the hallway. Maybe because she knew she’d have to pass the reception desk to get out of there. After bombing so badly, if the snooty brunette gave her another dirty look, she’d burst into tears.

With her gaze fixed on the door and her chin held high, she was determined not to give the slightest hint that things hadn’t gone well. But at the last minute, her courage wavered. Bowing her head, she made a beeline for the exit. Just as she reached for the push bar, the door swung open, and she had to sidestepquickly to avoid being slammed to the floor by the man rushing in.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” The man gripped her arm to steady her. “Piper?” he suddenly exclaimed. “Is that you?”

Her head came up. “Hunter? What are you doing here?”

“I work here,” he explained, hanging onto her a little longer than necessary. “How did your audition go?”

“I...uh... You knew I was auditioning? Did Josie mention it?”

“No. I saw Sheryl’s call sheet.”

She blinked, still not understanding.

“Sheryl works for me. I’m the director of the series you auditioned for,” he revealed.

Her jaw dropped in surprise. “I had no idea. Wow! Congratulations.”

“Thank you. We have an amazing script and crew. Now all we need is a fantastic cast.” He took a step closer, speaking softly, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I read Claire’s part, I immediately thought of you for it. I had my team reach out to yours. I hope you don’t mind.”

Stunned, she asked for clarification. “You arranged the audition?”

“Indirectly,” he confirmed.

“But...there were more experienced actresses auditioning, several I recognized,” she replied, still trying to process the situation.

“I wanted someone fresh for the role. I’ll have to discuss it with my team, but I’m confident you did great. The part is yours if you want it.”

She pleaded softly, “Please don’t joke if you’re not serious.”

“I wouldn’t be so cruel. Besides, haven’t you heard? It’s all about who you know in Hollywood. Hey. What do you say we grab lunch and discuss the role?”

Despite his friendly smile, a sense of unease took hold. They were neighbors. He could have mentioned something or told Josie, or her agent. Why was he being so secretive? And seriously, what director offered a role to an actor they’d never seen perform?

Sleazy casting couch scenarios came to mind. He’d asked her out. He must find her attractive. Was he expecting more than lunch in exchange for giving her the part?

“Hunter,” rumpled, indifferent Morgan called from the hallway. “You’re needed on set. There’s an issue.”

“Be right there,” he said without turning. His hand moved up her arm to squeeze her shoulder, his smile suddenly more creepy than friendly, and his touch made her skin crawl. “The boss is always in demand. Another time?”

---