Page 31 of Snow Balled

“So, what’s the problem?”

“Problems.” I emphasized the plural. “First, it’s not finished.”

“Well, you’ve got time, don’t you?”

“I guess. Before my cabin got clobbered, I’d planned to stay until the end of the month.”

“Us, too,” he said. “You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need. I mean, unless they find you another cabin or something once the roads are clear.”

Jeesh, what was with these guys? It was as if the three bears invited Goldilocks to stay indefinitely. “But you have work to do.”

“So do you. We can do it together—as soon as I hear back from the fucking legal team.” He checked his phone and then pushed it away, visibly trying to calm himself. “Sorry.”

“You all didn’t sign on to babysit me for your entire stay.”

He shrugged. “Good thing that’s not what we’re doing. You’re working; we’re working. What’s the other issue with showing your screenplay to the pro?”

I bit my lip for a moment as I contemplated what to say. “What if it’s not any good?”

“Isn't that what he’s supposed to tell you?”

“She.”

“Okay, she. If she’s in the industry, she should be used to having people pitch ideas to her, right? I’m sure she’s gotten good ones and bad ones.”

“What if she thinks mine’s the latter?”

“She’d probably tar and feather you,” Tristan said with a straight face.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help giving him a crooked smile. “I think they only do that to people with misguided logo drafts on their wrist.”

He laughed. “Touché.”

The moment of humor faded and worry returned. “She doesn’t even know me—why would she want to read my screenplay?” Miranda Morales Sanchez definitely didn’t seem like the type to care about action movies, and even if she did, my role inThrill of the Chasewasn’t bound to impress an important director like her.

“Then introduce yourself first,” Tristan said.

“I was planning to. I wasn’t just going to go up and shove my script in her face. I mean, if I’m brave enough.”

“No, introduce yourself ahead of time. Contact her and tell her about yourself. Maybe give her your best elevator pitch. Trust me when I say that generating hype is half the battle in most endeavors.”

I frowned as I thought it over. Maybe there was a way to contact Miranda before the press tour. Just the thought of it made me nervous, but Tristan was right. It was better than trying to get up the nerve to walk up to her out of the blue.

My agent could probably get Miranda’s contact information, and if she couldn’t, Ronnie might be able to get Aiden to find it. “Maybe.” A smile spread across my lips. “Maybe I could do that.”

“You should. And you’re being all hush-hush about who this person is, but while you’re at it, could you ask if she designs logos?”

“Will do.”

Tristan answered my smile with one of his own.

13

SIERRA

That afternoon, after mentally going back and forth several times, I sent emails to both Ronnie and my agent asking if they could get Miranda’s email address. My agent was probably sick of me writing, because I’d already sent her two notes that basically said, “get me the hell out of here.” Unlike mountain rescues, finding out a director’s contact information was something in her domain, so hopefully it would work.

Drew cooked dinner, so he didn’t have to do dishes. After everything was cleared away, we all got in a few hours of work before Carter said, “Screw it.” He went into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of wine and some glasses. After that, we all retired to the sofa. Tristan poured the wine while Carter made a fire.

---