Page 4 of One Golden Summer
Pearl’s eyes lit up like a slot machine. “I’ve got good news. No, great news.”
“My next movie fell through, and I can take six months off, not just one or two?” Inwardly, Saffron did her happy dance, but outwardly, she remained stoic because Pearl had the habit of stamping out all hope for a peaceful life.
“Yes and no.”
“I’m not following.” Saffron eyed her agent’s glee with a healthy dose of caution.
“I was able to get you out of that indie project that in all likelihood would be a box office snooze and highly unlikely to garner any nominations, so what’s the point, really?” Pearl hitched a shoulder. “Instead, James Thorpe has advanced the production schedule for the next great thing that will have all your fans screaming with joy. We’re talking serious cash.” Pearl let the script land on the tabletop with an emphatic thud.
Saffron read the working title:Girl Racer 3. Pinching her eyes shut, she bit down on the insides of both of her cheeks. Luckily for her, a barista fired up a machine, the sound drowning out a helpless whimper.
“Isn’t it exciting?” Pearl squirmed in her seat like a child unwrapping birthday gifts.
“Considering I’ve been in the first two, not so exciting.” Saffron flicked the pages, imagining tossing it into a fire one page at a time.
“Don’t undersell yourself. You’re the Racer Girl.” Pearl loved to change the wording to make it seem Saffron was the only stunning female astride a motorbike, when the cast included many babes on bikes to pull men and women into the cinema to watch an action flick starring mostly chicks. “It’s your megastar status that’s made the third film a possibility, and trust me when I say this. I’m going to put the screws to them. We’re talking eight figures.”
“I don’t need more money.” If she had to do a movie, Saffron would have preferred the indie option, but even that wasn’t all that appealing, since Saffron suspected she had been offered the job solely for her celebrity status, not because they thought her perfect for the role.
“Of course, you do. Everyone needs more money. Do you have a fever from this heat? Should I call your doctor?” Pearl lowered her head to inspect Saffron, not in a joking way. Sharks had more humanity than Pearl, who hunted for any money-making scheme, no matter the humiliation for Saffron.
“I don’t have a fever. I just want some time to relax.” Saffron glanced away, her gaze landing on an abstract painting of Holland Park, the name of the local artist and price printed below the frame.
“I’ll book you a day at the spa.” Pearl added with charitable gravitas, “A full day.”
“I don’t think a day will cut it,” Saffron scoffed.
“Do you need a weekend retreat? Where did Stevie go for two days of pampering?” Pearl rapped her fingers on the table. “I’ll have my assistant look into it. We’ll get you the rest you need. Don’t you worry.”
Saffron reached for Pearl’s hand to steady the finger tapping. “You don’t understand. I don’t want to be pampered for a couple of days. I want to go away for a month.”
“A month!”
“At least. Two would be even better.” If Saffron had it her way, she’d be gone until September. Could she dare for longer?
“That’s simply not possible. Not at all.” Pearl pressed a finger onto the table, whitening the tip.
“It has to be because I’ve booked a place in a quiet seaside town.”
“Which one?” Pearl had her phone handy to log the details.
“I’m not telling you, otherwise I won’t get a moment’s peace.” It wasn’t like Saffron would be able to stay hidden no matter where she went, but she preferred making things as hard as possible for her demanding agent who had no boundaries.
“What about the movie?”
“What about it?” Saffron sipped her drink, avoiding Pearl’s hardening stare.
“It can’t proceed without your blessing.”
“I’m sure the world will survive without another movie about illegal street racing.”
“What’s bugging you?” Pearl folded her arms over her chest.
“I told you. I need a break. I’ve been in the biz for too long. I can’t even go out for a coffee without people wanting to take a photo with me.” Saffron leaned close to Pearl and spoke as quietly as possible to only be heard by the agent. “I’m tired of always having to be the glamorous star. It’s exhausting.”
“Do we need to get you a trainer to work on those muscles? Cindy has a facial fitness expert she can’t stop raving about. I heard she’s turned down working with Angie, but I know I can get you in. No one will have the guts to say no to the hottest actress on the market.” Pearl reached for her phone.
“No. I don’t need any more trainers.” Saffron pressed her palms together to avoid the temptation to scream. Instead she said in a monotone voice, “How can I get you to understand?”
