Page 63 of Jason
Inez reappeared with a bag slung over her shoulder.She glared at Jason as she went out.“Don’t let him sweet talk you,” she said darkly to Mallory.
“I won’t,” Mallory said, her gaze on Jason.“Come in.”She turned and walked down the hall.
Jason followed her into a living area painted powder blue.He could see a community pool sparkling through the sliding glass doors.The room was neatly kept, of course.There were some books stacked on a coffee table.Very colorfully embroidered pillows on the couch.
Mallory did not sit.Neither did Jason.“Sooo,” she said.
“I hired a new director.Jeff Craig.”
She frowned.She released the breath she was apparently holding.“He’s the best.”
“Yeah,” Jason said, nodding.“He wants a complete production redesign, though.”
“I don’t blame him.”
“We’re officially behind schedule now.”
She frowned.“Let me guess.You need me to rework on the schedules before I go.”
“I need you, Mallory,” he said, his words heartfelt.“But not for that.I didn’t come here for that, obviously.”
“Then why did you come?”
“To talk.To explain.”
“You don’t need to explain,” she said, and looked to the window and the pool beyond.
“I do.I couldn’t offer you the position of director.I stand by that decision.You need more experience before you can tackle a project like this.”
“I know,” she said softly.
“But I can’t ignore your goals, either.When you love someone, you can’t ignore that.”
Her gaze snapped back to him.“What?”
“I told Jeff that as a condition of contract, he must agree to hire you as an assistant director.”
“What?” She looked incredulous.
“Jeff didn’t want to.He said he had plenty of assistants.But I told him that was the deal, that it was incumbent on us to develop female directors where we could.But that I couldn’t hire you.”
“You can’t?”her voice sounded weaker.
“According to my assistant, that would be fraternization.I can’t love you and be your boss at the same time, Mallory.”
She was staring at him in utter disbelief.
“I know you’ve probably told the corporate film people you’ll go to work there, but that’s not what you want, is it?You want a shot at directing dramas.I know you do because I watched your contest entries and you’regood, Mallory, you are so good.But there are rough edges.With some training, some study under a guy like Jeff, you can become a really fantastic director.I said as much to Jeff.So will Neil—he thinks you’re talented, too.”
“What…what did Jeff say?”she asked tentatively.
“He said he’d like to meet you.And he had a couple of conditions.He can use you in the way he sees fit, for one.And if it’s not working out, he can let you go.That’s only fair.”
Mallory’s mouth gaped with surprise.
Jason moved forward.He reached for her hand.“I know I disappointed you.I know I let you down.It wasn’t the right fit, and if I’d done it, I would have been giving you an opportunity you hadn’t earned only because I love you.”
“You really love me?”
