Page 29 of Love like the (Real) Reel Thing
“Usual stuff.” Mel took a sip from her coffee thermos. “Now, darling, I need the tiniest favour.”
“Of course.” Jess swallowed quickly. “Anything.”
“That’s what I told Afric.”
Jess made sure to keep smiling.
“So, the thing is, Afric has a silly hang-up about small spaces.” Mel rolled her eyes. “I don’t think she’sactuallyclaustrophobic – just a bit dramatic.”
“Sure, okay.” It sounded like claustrophobia, but Jess knew better than to argue.
“Anyway, you’ve probably heard that we’ll be shooting a very short scene in one of the tunnels.”
“Right.” Jess was starting to feel a bit uneasy.
“Afric doesn’t want to do it,” Mel continued, “so we thought it might be helpful if you were to take her into one of the tunnels. It’s not yet decided which one we’ll be using but probably the one you used yourself.”
“The one I –”
“When you helped Chelsea Deneuve last year by being a decoy bride.”
Jess laughed nervously. “Well, that’s not really what happened.”
“Happened, schmappened!” Mel gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “What matters is that you can help Afric get past her little hang-up.”
Should she admit that she was pretty claustrophobic herself and the last thing she wanted was an adventure in a four-hundred-year-old tunnel? No, this was the first time she’d been asked for help – she couldn’t say no. She’d figure something out.
“Just tell me when it suits Afric and I’ll be happy to oblige.”
“Wonderful, darling. And no need to mention it to Doug. He has enough on his mind.” Mel’s voice hardened. “Part of my job is to find solutions to his little problems – and Afric is just another one of those.”
Briefly, Jess wondered what Afric had done to earn Mel’s disapproval. Maybe the rumours were true and there was a good reason why Spencer hadn’t wanted to work with her? Was shedifficult on set? She hadn’t seen much evidence of that, but she hadn’t seen a lot of filming either.
Still, it wasn’t her job to worry about any of that. For the next few weeks, Blue Star Studios was the customer. And at Linford Castle, the customer was king. Or queen.
She gave her best professional smile. “I won’t say a word.”
“We’re gonna need to see some chemistry between you two or this movie is going to die on opening weekend.”
Tension seemed to be rolling off Doug Strathan as Jess watched him cut another scene in the Great Hall after lunch.
A three-wall set had been built in the middle of the room to improve sound quality, while some of the castle’s furniture had been moved into it so it resembled an elegant sitting room.
Now Spencer Torres stalked across the parquet floor and grabbed a bottle of water from a refreshment table off set, while Afric Brooks flashed Doug a mutinous look and wandered off in the opposite direction. Jess watched, engrossed, as Doug followed Afric and began to talk quietly with her. Afric glanced in Spencer’s direction and Doug touched her arm, as if trying to get her attention again.
Callie, meanwhile, had sat down in a corner off set, and was busy scribbling notes on the script.
Jess became aware of someone standing at her elbow and turned to see Lisa Greensmith beside her, arms tightly folded.
“It’s an utter shit-show,” Lisa muttered.
Probably better not to agree. “What is?”
Lisa rolled her eyes. “These two! How the fuck were they paired up again? And how am I supposed to sell a movie when they’re scratching each other’s eyes out?”
“Maybe it’s just professional differences?”
Lisa gave her a long look. “You’re a marketing manager, right? So I’m gonna assume that you get the importance of brand and image to sell a movie.”
