Page 59 of Jason
“Good God,” Uncle Graham said.“That’s why I was trying to get hold of you.To warn you.Jason, this has gotten out of control—”
“Look, I know,” Jason said.“But please don’t do anything, Uncle Graham.If you pull funding it looks like it’s true, and you have to believe me, I didn’t know anything about Darien Simmons.”
“I believe you, Jason, that is not the point.The point is we are facing a rash of lawsuits.”
“I have insurance,” Jason said quickly.Not enough, he figured, but still.“I can fix this.It’s already turning into a he-said she-said, and Cass…well, I don’t know what his problem is, but he’s trying to destroy me.”
“What?Why?”
“Because he wants a better deal with Sony Pictures.If he can get out of his obligation to me, he can pursue it.But he can’t walk away without cause without losing money.And honestly?I think also because I brought a young woman on who is better at the job than he is and he doesn’t like it.”
Uncle Graham didn’t speak, so Jason jumped into the silence.“Look, Cass is gone.I’ll get a new director in, right away, just like I did the actor.Someone with some heft, right?We’ve already started filming.If you pull out now, I won’t have enough to cover the last few episodes.I need you to believe in me, Uncle Graham.For once in my life, I need you to believe in me.”
Uncle Graham made a sound of surprised.“Jason…I havealwaysbelieved in you.Always.You are so talented and so creative.This is not a reflection on you.I’m proud of what you’ve done.My brother would be bursting with pride if he could see you now.This is just business.”
Jason stopped at the top of the stairs.“It’s not just business to me, Uncle Graham.It’s my life.”
Uncle Graham was silent for what seemed an eternity.Jason said nothing.He’d said all there was to say.
“All right,” Uncle Graham said.“Just…just get this taken care of.”
Jason closed his eyes and sent up a silent prayer of thanks.“Thanks, Uncle Graham.I won’t let you down, I promise.”
He clicked off the call.He looked back—Cass and the reporter had left.He turned around and made his way to Mallory’s door.
She answered after one knock.Her eyes were wide, her face ashen.“What happened?”
“Can I come in?”Jason asked, and hobbled into her room, easing himself down on her bed and onto his back.He filled her in on what had transpired downstairs.Her face turned whiter as he talked.When he’d finished telling her most of it, she sank onto the bed beside him.
“Is he…is he coming back to work?”
Jason snorted.“No.He quit.”
“Oh.”She looked up.“Oh.” A sheepish smile flickered across her face.“I can’t say I’m sorry, Jason.He didn’t want this gig.I don’t know why he didn’t quit before.”
“Money,” Jason said.His back was killing him.Was it possible it was stress related?He’d been feeling better today, until Cass showed up.“I talked to my uncle.He’s not pulling funding yet.”
“That’s good.”
He began to clench and unclench his fist against the pain in his back.“I need you to get some directors in for me to interview,” he said.His mind was racing ahead, searching for ideas to put a finger in the crack of this dam.“At least three, but they need to be directors who have some notable experience behind them.I need someone who is respected in the industry, who Emmy voters won’t write off as being too…” He tried to think of the word and happened to look up and see Mallory’s face.
She looked like she’d been hit by a truck.Her expression was crumpled, her eyes bewildered, and Jesus, he could be an idiot at times.He struggled to sit up.“Mallory, listen—”
She was already off the bed.“Why not me?”she demanded of him.“I’m not going to pretend to be okay with this, Jason.I have to know—why not me?”
“You’re too green,” he said honestly.“I need someone with clout.”
“Why?Everyone on set has clout.You’ve got the best in the business, and you can’t let someone new in?”
He could feel her distress.She wished she could feel his.There was so much riding on this series.He couldn’t hand this to her because he loved her.
The thought caught him off guard.He did love her.But he had worked hard to get here, to this point of his career.“Not this time,” he said softly.
Mallory’s gaze dropped to the floor.She was taking in deep gulps of air to calm herself.
“Will you hear me out?”he begged her.
“No.I don’t need to.”
