Page 6 of Love At First Fright
“I want six weeks of dating, and you’ll pose for photo ops.”
“Make that four weeks, and you won’t make her spend the night at my place.”
“You sure? Jenna’s a very beautiful woman.”
“Brody, you’re fucking vile,” Ellis said, and hung up. A moment later his phone buzzed with a text from Brody:Table booked at Omno, 8p.m.4 weeks.
One day soon, Ellis would fire that piece of shit. He’d put up with his crap for far too long. At least, that’s what Ellis told himself. He knew he’d never do it. Brody knew too much about him, and Ellis knew that if Brody ever caught wind that Ellis was going to fire him, he’d send it—all of it—to the press. He wasn’t ready for that, not yet.
Ellis rinsed the chalk from his hands and slid open the door from the gym, taking the winding, cobblestoned path through his garden back to the house. He made a mental note that the herbs would need replanting, and he’d need to check on the greenhouse before he went away for filming. The barbeque stared mournfully at him from the corner by the shed, growing rust. Next summer he’d clean it. Next summer he’d finally have that barbeque with friends and family he’d promised himself.
Ellis wished he could spend longer in the garden, but there never seemed to be enough time to do the things he loved.
The October frost had settled in, coating the ground in crunching golden leaves. There was woodsmoke in the air and soon the clocks would be going back, with the eveningsdrawing in faster. The porch light flickered on as he approached, Fig barrelling past him into the warm house. She snuffed, bounding onto the sofa and wriggling into the comfiest spot. When Fig had been little, she’d been full of bouncing energy, to the point that he would find himself on midnight walks just to make her tired enough for bed. But now she was four years old, she enjoyed the finer things in life: blankets, carrots, and chewing holes through all his socks. They still went on a run every morning, and Ellis took her to set with him whenever he could. In the evenings they would curl up on the sofa, fire crackling in the hearth, and watch a movie.
Sometimes, when Fig had fallen asleep on Ellis’s leg, he would think about how lucky he had been with both of his dogs. And then inevitably his mind would stray to Hank, and his chest would seize. He’d watch Fig sleeping peacefully and silently promise her that he wouldn’t let the same thing happen to her.
—
Ellis dragged himself into theshower, the steam soothing his aching muscles. The workout hadn’t smoothed out all his annoyance, though. What had he done to make that Rosemary Shaw—whom he hadn’t even met—dislike him enough to make a complaint to her agent? And what had she said? That he was the wrong casting choice for the role. She was just an author, not a professional casting director. Ellis didn’t allow himself more than ten minutes of silent shower grumbling time, as he had to change into something more respectable and fake-date-worthy than old chalk-covered gym clothes.
He knew why Brody had chosen Omno for the fake date—or rather, why Brody’s assistant Melissa had booked it on his behalf—it was well known as a social media spot. The foodwas good enough, but people really went so they could beseengoing there. And that was Brody’s entire ploy; he needed Ellis and Jenna to be seen together.
It wasn’t a new tactic, Ellis thought, as he stood in front of the mirror shaving. Every now and again, Brody would sign a new actress to his agency who had enough chops to be cast in a Hollywood blockbuster or two. Then he’d make Ellis go on a few dates with them, which was a surefire way of getting that actress the “Hollywood respectability” she needed to get whatever role Brody was putting her forwards for.
The women were always sweet, and Ellis always made sure they knew they could contact him if they ever needed an intermediary with Brody. He also made sure to put them in touch with other actresses he knew well, people who would do a better job at showing them the ropes of how to survive in this industry. It was difficult enough for him; he couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like for a woman.
Ellis looked at himself in the mirror, mid-shave. There were lines around his eyes that hadn’t been there a few years ago, and his hair was beginning to grey at the temples, a fleck of silver here and there. He might have been a Hollywood heartthrob once, but those days were fleeting. Unused boxes of hair dye that Brody insisted on posting him were stacked under the bathroom sink, a sign of his agent’s determination to continue milking Ellis’s action hero career until he was too old to play the hero and came back as the villain.
“You’re an old man, Ellis Finch,” he said, and his reflection grimaced back.
—
The interior of Omno wasall sleek mahogany wood panelling and avant-garde lighting, historical meets modern. It workedwell, but Ellis wondered if the restaurant would still retain its glamour with the top lights switched on and daylight streamingin.
Jenna was already seated by the time he arrived.
“Sorry I’m late, I needed to give my dog dinner before I left.” He smiled, taking a seat opposite her in the semiprivate booth Brody had purposefully chosen for the dinner.
“That’s alright, I really appreciate you doing this for me,” Jenna replied, in a light, airy voice—Australian, he realised. She was tanned and golden-haired.
“It’s no skin off my back,” he said, perusing the drinks menu. “What’s the role you’re going for anyway?”
“The main love interest in the new Battle Quest movie. This one takes place in space.”
“What’s the monster this time? Aliens?”
“Dinosaurs.” She laughed drily. “It’s going to be a terrible movie.”
Ellis’s eyes flicked up to her. “But you still want to be in it?”
Jenna grinned a megawatt smile. “Of course I do. Have you seen the revenue those movies make? The butts on seats in cinemas? And this one would be coming out on Independence Day next year. I just need a few of those under my belt and then I’m all set.”
“Set for what?”
“My master plan.” Jenna rubbed her hands together like a movie villain, earning a chuckle from Ellis.
“You’re laughing at me.”
