Page 71 of Fierce Love
Their laughter floats through the door before I see them. The sound sends a shot of warmth through me. Getting a laugh out of Hollyn is rare, but Posey seems to be able to do it more often than most. The number of takes that have been ruined by the two of them cracking their TV personas to burst into laughter should make me frustrated. But I love to see the friendshipthey’ve formed, the ease Hollyn has around Posey when she used to be so guarded.
They arrive at the door at the same time, and Hollyn’s smile is still wide when they both enter and slip into the seats across from me.
“Problems, boss?” Hollyn asks, arching a brow.
Definitely getting her to call me that later, maybe in a breathy voice as I bend her over some piece of furniture. The sight of her is an instant turn-on. It’s amazing I get any work done around here at all.
“Network problems again?” Posey asks, probably when she notices that I can’t quite drag my gaze off Hollyn.
“Yeah,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “They say that Interflix wants a more dramatic episode before they’ll consider picking it up. Realistically, I think the chances of Interflix picking up the series before we’ve done all the episodes and we’ve started showing them in Bellerive is slim, but I’m relatively new to all of this.” I spread my hands wide.
“What kind of drama?” Hollyn asks. “At this point, it doesn’t even feel like reality TV. Or at least not what Ithoughtreality TV was. Situations are edited deceptively. We work really closely with the clients to ensure we have a vision they’ll support before we even film. Even which one of us will ‘win’ in an episode is often predetermined. Nothing seems to be left to chance or circumstance.”
“As long as they’re not pitting us against each other,” Posey says. “I’m happy to bring the drama.”
I wince. “Not exactlyagainsteach other. But they do want one of you to be out of touch with what the client needs or wants one episode. Really far out of touch.”
They both stare at me in silence, and I can tell, at least from Hollyn’s expression, that she’s working out what that might look like.
“They want a villain,” Hollyn says.
“I wouldn’t put it that way,” I say. “But they do want one of you to be really off and for the other person to…” I call up the email to try to remember how they phrased it.
“Give them a reality check?” Posey suggests.
“Something like that,” I agree, scanning the email. “Or exactly like that.”
Hollyn and Posey exchange a long look, and then Posey says, “I think it should be me.”
“Why?” Hollyn asks. “I’m probably better suited to be the villain.”
“There was an article about you living in Nate’s mansion today,” she says and hesitates before continuing, “and speculation that you two are together.” She waves her hand between us. “It was a blind item, but…”
Bellerive gossip is something I’ve lived with my whole life. Any time I’ve dated anyone since I’ve returned from college, I’ve been the subject of multiple blind items. When I moved into producing television and movies, I also got hit with the gossip machine, and I’ve learned to live with it. Ignore it, mostly. People are going to believe whatever they want. But I can tell from Hollyn’s expression that she’s deeply uncomfortable.
“All the misogynistic assholes are going to think I slept my way into this job,” Hollyn says.
“Which is why I think I should be the one who gets it wrong,” Posey says. “Besides, I was raised next door to the palace. Nick, Brice, and Alex are practically my brothers. If anyone would be out of touch with reality, it would be me.”
“Except anyone who’s met you would know that’s not true,” Hollyn says.
“As you already pointed out, the show is far removed from reality,” Posey counters. “If the show gets picked upinternationally, we just need a small grain of believability. It’s there, trust me.”
“What do you think?” Hollyn says, turning to look at me.
The truth is that I’m a little worried about how Hollyn will be received by Bellerive in general on the show. She’s from a family of known criminals, she left the island for America, carved a place for herself in a world-famous interior design company, and returned to star in a television show. We selected Hollyn because her poor background might make her relatable, but there’s little about her life after she left Bellerive that fits the bill. Leaving here brought her success and turned her into an outsider.
“I think Posey is the wiser choice,” I say.
“Why?” Hollyn counters, and there’s an edge to her voice, as though she’s pulled my thoughts out of my brain and read every one.
“Subvert people’s expectations,” I say. “If we want drama, we go with the less obvious choice, and we can craft something believable about why Posey might be so off base with these particular clients. Root it in Bellerive history or culture somehow.” I scan them both for signs of discontent, and while Hollyn doesn’t look thrilled, this request was never going to make anyone happy. “Am I good to push this out to the writers and other production staff?”
“Yes,” Posey says, and she takes Hollyn’s hand and gives it a squeeze. “Let the trolls try to come for me.”
And I’m grateful that Posey seems just as determined to protect Hollyn as I am. Hollyn has grown up, and she’s certainly not the fragile teenager she once was, but there’s something delicate under Hollyn’s surface, as though the wrong people could still cause her to bend in ways I’d never want to see.
“If you both think that’s what’s best,” Hollyn says.
