Page 27 of The Producer: Aaron

She smiles and shakes her head, blushing.

“I know, but with you, it’s different. I don’t have to impress you. You see me as potentially interesting. Or rather, you find me interesting if I’m a good actress, and that I know I am. It’s something I can work on and prepare for. With you, I have to be professional at work, which I can do because I can prepare in time. It’s not something I have to improvise. I can talk with youabout topics that really interest me, that I am passionate about, of which I know even the slightest nuance. You don’t expect me to be like the character I become on set. And it is easier because you answer me with just as many interesting facts, and it isn’t difficult to keep a conversation alive for hours. When you find yourself in front of a guy who just wants to slip into your panties, it’s hard to find a topic of conversation that interests him and keeps his focus on anything other than my tits squeezed into a bikini.”

Somehow I understand. I often have to change four or five topics to get the conversation to flow, especially in Hollywood, where nobody is himself in public. But I have years of experience on my back that have taught me to juggle these situations and a father who has beaten me to the point of branding this skill all the way into my DNA.

“And then there’s Serena, who doesn’t help. She is exuberant, always comfortable in every situation, and drags me into parties that sometimes are a little too out of my comfort zone.”

“Why do you keep going out with that girl? It’s clear that when you’re with her, you lose control.”

She shrugs and shakes her head as she swallows another bite of pizza.

“She is the only one who has remained close to me these three years, despite everything. I have noticed that people in this industry often approach me to get something. An audition, a good word with the casting director, with the director… They pretend to be my friends until they understand that my opinion in Hollywood is worth nothing and I can’t give them what they want. I know that Serena is not perfect and often plays on my insecurities, but sometimes a friend like her is better than being alone.”

I look at her for a long moment and realize how lonely she is. This industry tends to isolate you and let you flounder alone in shark-infested waters. I tried it, but at least I always had my brother. We have never been particularly close, but I know for a fact that if I need a word of comfort or even just to clarify my ideas, his opinion is always sincere, and his help comes without ulterior motives. I can’t help but wonder how deep her loneliness is if she feels the need to fill the void with fake friendships and alcohol.

“Don’t you have brothers or sisters?”

She shakes her head and smiles a melancholy smile.

“My father died when I was seven years old, and my mother never remarried.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It happened long ago, and my mother never let me lack the affection I needed growing up.”

I’m glad she at least had a parent to support her.

“Does she live far away?”

“Idaho.”

“What does she think about you living alone in a city like Los Angeles?”

The question pulls a kind of amused grunt from her.

“If it were her, she would make me go home instantly and continue my studies.”

Her reaction intrigues me. “Isn’t she happy about your career?”

She shrugs and cleans her mouth again with the back of her hand, a gesture that I find particularly sexy and distracts me for a few moments.

“When I took two years off after high school to perfect my acting skills, found a job to have money to move here, and then came to Los Angeles, she thought I would never be able to break through. She hoped I would soon give up and use the full scholarships for college I was able to nail. But I was lucky, I immediately got the part at my first audition and blew up all her dreams.” She laughs, amused.

“Don’t say you were lucky. You’re a good actress. You got this part because you deserved it, and you beat hundreds of other girls who showed up,” I tell her, and I see her blush with shyness.

“If Aiden Rodriguez hadn’t given up the part because of a conflict with the filming schedule of her other movie, I wouldn’t be here now.” She smiles half-heartedly.

I furrow my brows and study her to see if she is serious or fishing for compliments.

“It didn’t go that way,” I tell her, drawing her attention. “When the casting director had to choose between the two of you, he called me for the final decision. You were definitely better than her and more suited to the part, but you had no experience, and it was too big a risk to bet on a stranger. Sending Rodriguez home and finding ourselves with an unprofessional actress who blows up the production schedule was a risk to be taken with due precautions. When I saw the videos of your auditions, I had no doubt that you were perfect for the part. I preferred to risk a recasting after the first few episodes rather than let you go. It never happened that a casting director left the last word to me for the final decision.”

She widens her eyes in surprise.

“Really?” She almost seems to doubt my words. “She told everyone that she had to give up the part because she had a contract for another movie and couldn’t be on two sets at thesame time.”

I smile at her naivety.

“Of course, she said something like that. She certainly couldn’t say she lost the part to a complete stranger from Idaho!”

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