Page 28 of Jason
Jason smiled.He remembered her interview.He’d been desperate to fill a slot after Holly had quit in a flurry of tears and a list of disappointments with him.His disorganization had struck again.“All I remember is that you seemed competent.”
“I seemed competent?That’s it?That’s all you remember?”
“I remember you had your binder.Does that count?”
“Jason!”she said loudly, and picked up her whisky again, sloshing a drop onto the table.“You really don’t remember?I told you I wanted to be a director.We talked about making films.”
“Yeah, well, everyone who comes through that door wants to be a filmmaker or an actor.”
“Well, I meant it.I want to be a director.I’m working on my own short films.”
“You are?”Jason pulled up another headshot of a man who was so crusty looking, it was surprising he wasn’t holding a giant fish aloft.
“I am.I was working on it this week while you were away.It’s a short film about a woman who goes to get milk out of her fridge, and the carton is empty, and she goes into a murderous rage because it’s the final straw with her roommate, and she kills her.But then realizes what she’s done and has to dispose of the body and cover her crime.”She went on to explain the plot in a little more detail, and how the woman’s life was unraveling, and how in the end, the viewer would think she’d gotten it together, but the film ended with her going to the fridge and finding another empty milk carton, and we realize it wasn’t the roommate at all—the woman had lost her mind.She was animated—she had a passion for this project, which didn’t surprise him.He understood what it felt like when a story was clicking along and all the parts were fitting together.
“I’m almost done,” Mallory said.“I’m submitting it to a contest.”
No wonder she didn’t want to come to Maine.Mallory didn’t do anything halfway and she never left anything unfinished.“It sounds great,” Jason said.“I’d love to see it.”
She gave him a pert little smile that made him feel a little buzzy inside.“I’d love to show you when I’m done.I think it’s really good.I’ve got three more scenes to shoot, and then of course it needs to be edited.This guy won’t work, by the way.”
It took Jason a second to realize she was talking about a headshot.He’d been captivated by her energy and smile.
“But this guy will.”She clicked on another photo.The man looked like an unkempt and older version of Keanu Reeves.Even Jason could see the sex appeal in this guy.He could also see him in the role of detective.
“Yeah,” Jason said, nodding.“He looks good.Call Audrey in the morning and have her get these two guys out here at once.Fly them in.”
Mallory jotted down a note.“And then what?”
“And then, we call Cass and finalize two locations we’ve been a little iffy about.We have to be ready to go in a little more than a week.”
Mallory turned in her chair so she was facing him.“So how long am I going to be here?”
“Two days, tops,” Jason said without thinking.“Just help me get a new lead and the last two locations nailed down.Sound good?”
Mallory looked out the window again as if she was pondering this.The rain was light now, the storm flashing brilliantly over the ocean.“Two days,” she repeated, which he took as agreement.“But I want to move to a hotel.”She slid her gaze back to him.
“Absolutely,” he said.“Me, too.It’s easier to be near Cass and the crew.”
“Okay, then,” she said.She sipped more of the whisky, then stood up, stumbling a little as she attempted to step away from the table.She laughed.“Uh-oh.I broke my cardinal rule and drank on the job.”
“Uh-oh,” he said with a chuckle.“I think you’re safe.There were mitigating circumstances.”
“Riiiight,” she said playfully.“But you know something Jason?”she asked as she swayed into the kitchen.“Tonight wasn’t as miserable as I thought it was going to be.”
He choked on a laugh of surprise.“Umm…thank you?So I make you miserable?”He got up and followed her into the kitchen.
“Well, sometimes.I mean, you’re my boss.Bosses exist to make people miserable.”She glanced up at him, and her eyes were sparkling in a way that made him sparkle, too.Mallory was so appealing to him.She wasn’t as beautiful as women he’d met in the industry, but she was pretty.And there was so much more to her appeal than her good looks.She was giggling at him.“Oh, I made you sad.I didn’t mean to make you sad.You shouldn’t listen to me, anyway, because I think I’m a little drunk.”
“I think you are, too,” he said, and tucked a tress of her blonde hair behind her ear.
“It’s your fault.Are you maybe a little drunk?”
“I’m feeling pretty good.”He was not a little drunk on anything but lust, he feared.The woman turned him on.
She turned on the faucet and reached for the plates, brushing against him.“Oops,” she said when she’d done it a third time.
“Let’s leave it until morning,” Jason suggested.“I’m afraid you’ll drop something.”
