Page 36 of Love like the (Real) Reel Thing
“She is,” Doug said flatly. “I gave her a few extra lines.”
Jess pulled out her phone and opened her emails, clicking into the new one from Frank Charleston.Afternoon, Jess, I heard about the incident in the tunnel from Anthony. Please make sure that nothing like this will happen again. The last thing we want is a lawsuit on our hands. Regards, Frank.
She suppressed a sigh and glanced back up at Spencer, whose jaw was clenched.
“But I wasn’t told about any changes to the script today,” he said.
Doug looked surprised. “You weren’t?” He clicked his tongue. “I’ll have to talk to Mel about that.”
“Also, every time there’s a change, it’s because Afric’s getting extra lines.” Spencer folded his arms. “Why is that?”
Doug put a hand on his shoulder. “Try to understand, Spencer. I have a certain creative vision for this movie. This was just an oversight,hm? Now, we’re going to take the scene from the top with the new lines. We all good?”
At that moment, they were interrupted by one of the makeup artists and Spencer curtly excused himself.
After he left, Doug turned to Jess.
“I think we’ve had a breakdown in communication, honey.”
“Is this about the incident in the tunnel, Doug?”
“Yes. Specifically why the fuck you took her into a tunnel in the first place!” He narrowed his eyes. “Afric is claustrophobic.”
“So I discovered. Pretty quickly, in fact.” Jess kept her tone even. “Mel asked me to take her in, so she wouldn’t be so nervous when you’re shooting the tunnel scenes. She was only in there for a few seconds, but when she was leaving –”
“Shooting the tunnel scenes?” Doug cut across her. “Do me a favour, honey? Don’t attempt to take Afric near those tunnels again. And if Mel asks you to do anything else, you run it by me first.”
“Of course.” Jess felt a flush creep up her neck. “Is there anything else?”
“Nothing that you can help me with.” Doug turned and walked back over to the crew.
Jess watched as he spoke to Mel. Before she could turn away, Mel shot her a steely look.
“Where’s Spencer?” Doug shouted. “I need Callie here too! We’re gonna start with the kiss!”
Jess reached her office and closed the door behind her. Shit, how hadsheended up being the bad guy? And why hadn’t Mel told Doug about her taking Afric into the tunnel? Not to mentionthat the whole thing had been leaked online and now seemed much worse than it was!
“Places, everyone!” Doug called from the foyer.
Jess took a deep breath and pulled a set of noise-cancelling headphones out of her desk drawer. Whatever game Mel was playing, she wished she’d leave her out of it. The last thing she wanted was to be drawn into Doug and Mel’s apparently complicated relationship. Not that she was in any position to start judging relationships, when all of hers had failed.
Great! Somewhere, the world’s smallest violin was playing at the Pity Party for one. All she needed to complete the little scene was chocolate. She opened the desk drawer again and found the KitKat she’d been saving.
Perfect.
CHAPTER 19
@starzwatch: Is Afric Brooks’ new movie set in 2026 or 1926? Because someone needs to tell the wardrobe department that nobody in Ireland wears shawls anymore. #wardrobedisaster #AnIrishInheritance
All she had to do was to get to the end of the day, and then it would be the weekend, Jess thought, as she buried herself in work the following morning. The main thing was to avoid any of the film crew – especially Doug and Mel. By next week, the whole tunnel incident – which, she reminded herself, wasnother fault – would be forgotten. It would be easy, really. Linford Castle was big enough for her not to see whoever she wanted not to see. Especially when she’d stocked up on a takeout coffee, a packed lunch and some extra chocolate.
There was a loud knock on her door shortly after three, and Mel Winters burst in.
Crap, she thought, bracing herself. It had seemed like the perfect plan.
“Mel, if this is about the tunnel –”
“Afric just burned her hand badly during shooting,” Mel said. “How far is the nearest hospital?”
