Page 4 of Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance

Kelsey’s probably already put a figure on his outfit. She loves estimating the value of an ensemble. But she’ll tease any work history out of him. It’s hard for a new actor to break into the industry without our office knowing about it way before the first check is cut.

Casting is a tight community, and we all know each other. If anything other than a shoestring indie film has discovered this kid already, we should know it.

“What have you done?” Kelsey asks.

He gives her a grin that I can totally see on a big screen but haven’t yet.Who is he?

“Just wrapped my first movie.”

He’s throwing down his cards right off. Kelsey takes the bait like a good blonde in a red dress, tilting her head as if she could listen to him all night. “What project is that?”

He sips from his glass like it’s no big deal when he says, “The sequel toDarkness Gathers.”

Now I know who he is. Jason Venetian. Plucked by director Harrod Jennings after seeing him in a tire commercial. They totally changed his look. He’s unrecognizable as the guy with a midsize radial on his shoulder.

“You have your next one lined up?” she asks.

He slips on a coy expression, and I stifle a groan. That’s why it’s impossible to talk to actors. Even a simple conversation is practice for their craft. “My agent is considering some projects.”

Kelsey plucks a card from her tiny silver bag. “If you want to be up for any of our current casting opportunities, call me or Desdemona.”

He looks it over. “You got something in mind?”

Her nonchalant shrug is better acting than half the guild members on the lawn could muster. “Maybe. Give us a call.”

But when she heads toward me, I can see that gleam in her eye. She has an idea. And it’s bound to be good.

“Where’s Jacobs?” she asks me.

I realize I’m alone. “I quit paying attention.”

“Easy to do with him.” She finishes her glass and steals mine. She does this with coffee, too. I switched to drinking iced espressos with almond milk and a drizzle of caramel, shaken rather than stirred, to match her so she’ll keep doing it. “I think I got him for Desdemona.”

I glance over her shoulder. Jason watches her, taking in the backside of her dress. I slip my arm around her shoulders, setting the empty glass on a table. He can watch us both walk away. Together.

“I saw that look you had,” I tell her.

Her face brightens like it’s lit from within. Casting is her happy place.

“Remember the girl from the Rosenberg Netflix show that just wrapped, the one with the horse farm?”

“I haven’t seen her pop up anywhere yet.”

“Exactly. She would be the perfect pairing with Jason inLimited Fate.”

“The artsy film? You think he’d do it after the action flick?”

She scrunches her face in the most adorable way as she thinks. “He’ll need to establish that he has range. That sequel is going to tank. We have to get him moving in the right direction so he can roll past that stinker.”

“You think that’s what Desdemona wants Jason for?”

“No idea. But this movie could make him. Really make him. She’ll balk at getting that girl. Dang, what was her name?”

“Gayle Sumners.”

Kelsey snaps her fingers. “Right. Can’t you see it?”

“I can.” Kelsey’s doing it again. Working her magic. She’s on fire when she’s putting couples together on-screen. And it doesn’t stop with the idea. She’ll coach them for the audition and coax out their best performances, especially if we’re sending in screen tests.

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