Page 29 of Good Enough

She closed the packet and shoved it several inches in front of her. “Who authorized the removal of Tribe as the consultant and added the U.S. Army in its place?”

“I did,” Big Bird replied smoothly.

“Aside from the fact that the contracts were already agreed upon by a majority vote Friday, in what universe would you think it was appropriate to have the Army consult on the procedures of Navy SEALs?”

Waters noticed that the gentleman one down from Stapleton’s left was trying to hide a smile.

Okay, so she’s not completely unsupported. Good to know.

“Tribe costs too much. The Army can give us military consultation at a much cheaper rate and keep us under budget.”

“So, you’ll sacrifice accuracy for dollars?”

The suit at the far right of the table dared to speak up. “We discussed it, Ms. Serrano, and a majority of us agreed that the average person won’t know the difference. It will appear accurate enough. It’s a necessary sacrifice to ensure we have room in the budget.”

“You discussed it?” She looked around the room. “I believe that’s a violation of contract, gentlemen.” She flipped to a page with a yellow flag.

Uh-oh. Mistake. Nuclear bomb in three… two… one.

“I direct your attention to page forty-two, section nine of the contract: ‘All discussions regarding budgeting and film direction will be held with the director, Kai Serrano, in attendance.’”

She flipped a few pages further to an orange flag. “Page fifty. Section four: ‘Once a budget line has been voted into acceptance, no changes may be made without a unanimous vote of all parties, including the director. Item B under that section states that if a previous consultant has been approved and signed a contract prior to that unanimous vote, then removed without physical evidence of negligence, the consultant will be paid the agreed-upon fee plus a ten percent bonus for inconvenience.’”

She flipped a few more pages to a red flag. “Page fifty-nine. Section one: ‘In the event that this contract is violated, the director will be free to remove herself from the project and collect her full fee, as well as retain her residuals from future film revenues.’”

Oh, baby, three-two and two outs. Get ready for the fallout, gentlemen.

She closed the binder, then primly folded her hands on top of it, leaning on her forearms. “So. What will it be? Will you accept your new, unapproved budget that violates the contract—thereby effectively firing both Tribe and myself, which, I’m no mathematician, but I’d say that costs you a fuck-ton more money than you’re already agreeing to spend with the previous budget—or will you stop allowing this dickhead to bully you into his misogynist antics and let me make the best goddamn movie this studio has ever produced?”

Score is tied. So hot. Mine. Mine. Mine.

It took every ounce of Waters’ control not to grab her, drag her out of the room, and then find the nearest supply closet or abandoned office to fuck her silly.

There was a cough in the ensuing silence, then Big Bird attempted to double down on his stupidity. “Kai,” he began patronizingly, “I don’t think you’re capable of interpreting that contract with any sort of—"

“Enough, Stapleton.”

Waters' head moved to the voice that had spoken up to see the smiler stand up behind his place at the table and button his suit coat. There was no smile on his face now. “I warned you this was a dick move, one that I did not support, and I’m guessing that several cowards at this table also do not support but are too chickenshit to say so and that she’d nail you on it. I’ve been proven correct, which only solidifies my support of Ms. Serrano.” He closed the budget packet. “If she is removed from the project, whether by you or herself, my money is out of the project and this studio. And I believe you can find that this is a legal move based on page ten, section one.”

And there’s the walk-off from a pinch hitter. Game to Kubrick.

With that, the suit put his sunglasses on, turned, and left the table, not bothering to push in his chair. When he reached the door, he gave Kubrick a nod, which she returned, and without looking back, he threw the budget packet in the trash as he exited out the door Waters had opened for him.

Her gaze had turned back to the gentlemen at the table. “I would also remind you that none of my pictures have ever come in over budget. Not even close. I find it extremely offensive that you would suggest that this picture would be any different, no matter what you may have heard from a third party.” Her glare at Stapleton did not go unnoticed. “My methods and style of running a production have not changed.”

There was no response from anyone. In fact, the only one looking at her was Big Bird, and he was beyond pissed. Now, she’d have to look over her shoulder for him, and Waters would have to be on extreme alert.

“Well, I guess that’s it.” She smacked her hands on the table surface and stood. She began packing her bag back up. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow for the set location. I believe all further communication can be handled electronically, don’t you, gentlemen?” She flashed a deceptively cheerful smile at them. A smile that she even included the head of the table in. “Have a nice day.”

She moved with purpose back to her trailer, her ponytail bouncing violently with each step. She was pissed. He followed behind, recognizing she was not in the mood to talk, watching everything around her. She opened her door at her trailer, walked inside, dumped her backpack in the middle of the floor, and went straight to the cupboard.

Waters picked up her backpack and set it on the booth seat at her table, his eyes never leaving her. The smile was gone. She had pulled a bottle of Santo tequila and a tumbler down from the shelf, poured herself a liberal shot, and slammed it. She leaned on her locked arms on the counter edge.

“Exhale, Kubrick.”

Her body actually shuddered as she let all the air out of her lungs. Shaking her head, she poured another shot. “I’m taking a shower.”

Throwing her ball cap on the counter and taking the tumbler with her, she pulled the hair tie out of her ponytail and headed back to the bedroom portion of the trailer. He waited until he heard the water start, then he exited the trailer and sat on the front step to make his call. There was no way he could stay inside knowing where she was, what she was doing.

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