Page 20 of Dirty Dealer
“Oh, you don’t—” She stops when I hold up my hand, letting loose a wry laugh. “Right. Well, then. I think we’re shooting longer today. I probably won’t get done until closer to seven or eight.”
“I’ll be here at seven. Text or call if something changes.”
“Okay, then. Thank you.”
“See. The more you say it, the easier it becomes.”
“Don’t be an ass.” She rolls her eyes, but there’s a smile on her lips.
“Have a good day, Rachel.”
“You too, Jude.”
I practically skip back to my SUV in triumph. I’m wearing her down. Winning her over. I don’t care if it takes me weeks. I’m good at more than dealing puppies and sex toys. Soon enough, she’ll want more from me than a ride to work. I’ll convince her I’m someone worthy of her attention. Windows down and music up, I settle in for the ride back to my condo in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
I’m almost home when my phone rings, my mechanic’s name lighting up the screen on my dash. “Hey Jude, I’ve got bad and good news.”
“Mark.” I roll up the windows to better hear. “Don’t you always. What’s the damage?”
“You know as much as I, this car is worth more for scrap and parts. That’s about all a LeSabre is good for, especially when they’re as old as you are. She’s not a collectable. Not with that body style. The rust spots. She’s obnoxious as hell.”
“You talk about all your cars that way?”
His hearty chuckle comes through the line. “Not your precious babies, which is why I was a little confused when you sent this one my way.”
“Just give it to me straight, Mark. What’ll it take to get her up and running?”
“It’s the cam. They go when the oil isn’t changed regularly. I’ll have to take apart the whole motor. Five days, maybe four. But that’s just to start. The entire vehicle needs a tune-up. New filters. New hoses. I’d be surprised if the AC works, so if you want that repaired too, we’re talking four, five grand. Maybe more.”
Something tells me Rachel doesn’t have the means to cover it, but the thought of being able to provide this for her does something funny to my insides. I have the money. She doesn’t have to know I paid for it. Mark and I go way back. I’m sure he’d whip up a fake invoice if need be. “You know I’m good for it.”
“Sure you don’t want to replace it? I can get you a reliable starter car for less.”
“This one’s special.”
“Mm’kay. You’re the boss. I can order parts and have her back within a week. That work?”
A week. Yeah, that should give me enough time to wiggle my way into Rachel’s life. Become so annoyingly charming she’ll want to snuggle me to her rack like she did the puppy. If not, I’ll have Mark do extra work on the car. “It’s a deal.”
11
Rachel
Today is bittersweet. This job is one I wished could last forever, but since the film itself is a short and studio time costs money, we’re wrapping after three days of work. I’m thankful for the opportunity, though. Grateful knowing there are hundreds of other makeup artists they could have selected, but somehow they picked me. I focus on that, and not the bleak outlook of my future once I walk off set.
I don’t know how, but even with my car out of commission and next month’s rent looming, the time I’ve spent on this set has provided a much needed escape. Maybe because this is the first professional studio set I’ve worked on. Or when I’m here no one sees me as another struggling artist. Or because work on set has been fulfilling, and if anything, cements my decision to be in Los Angeles.
I only pray this isn’t a fluke. As good as it gets. Because I really need another break. A sign or something.
“Let’s break for lunch and finish the final scene when we get back,” Shannon, the director, says after checking the time. It’s well after two and my stomach grumbles in agreement with her decision.
“Rae, you wanna join us? We’re gonna head to the café on lot seven.”
As much as I want to, I don’t have the funds. “No thanks. I’m good.”
“Cool,” Shannon says. “Be back in one hour.”
“I won’t be late.” I won’t be going far, either. There’s a coffee cart one studio over, and they sell yesterday’s baked goods half off. If I’m lucky they’ll still have a muffin or scone, which will pair great with the banana I have packed in my purse. That and a shot of caffeine will get me through the day.
