Page 119 of Role Play
“This is the fucking reason that I’m losing actors left and right. The reason that women have unrealistic weight goals and wait in line at the bathrooms to stick their fucking fingers down their throats,” Ash snapped. His blue eyes were bright and could have cut through glass with the sharp glare he was sending her. “The reason that women around the country—the world even—deprive themselves, starve themselves, and can’t even enjoy a small pleasure in life with their meals—and all because of what? Because they’re terrified of what a fucking scale says? Because they’re worried that some asshole will comment on their beautifulcurves?”
It was clear he was no longer talking about me. Or at least not just me. Whatever this was about, it went deeper than my issues with food. This was about Ash. And probably Brie. And even though I rationally knew that he was in more pain than I was, it still stung a little. That even him standing up for me wasn’tforme.
“Get your shit and get off my set. You’re fired. And if I hear anyone else body shaming anyone on one of my sets, you will be fired too!” He shouted, dropping the plate of tiramisu back onto the table. With a quick glance at me, his mouth twitched further into afrown.
“Ash,” I hissed a warning, but he held up a hand in myface.
“Don’t,” he snapped. “I would have fucking said that for anyone on my set. Not just you.” With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behindhim.
I stood there, my hand gripping the plate. I was afraid to let it go, to set it down for fear that my hands would tremble uncontrollably. Had he seriously just done that? He might as well have put a giant banner over my head with lights blinking, stating that we hadfucked.
When I dared to look up at Kelly, I was met with her soft, blue eyes, a shade lighter than Ash’s and far kinder than I’d expected her to be. “Oh, Lucy,” she whispered, and took the plate of tiramisu out of my hands for me. “It’s Ash,” she said. “Ash was your contract boy, wasn’the?”
I couldn’t do this. I thought maybe,maybeif he could remain professional we could have worked together. But it was so clear now that Ash was incapable of keeping things professional. That should have been evident from the first time we kissed on set as stand-ins. Hell, nothing in his behavior had been professional or responsible. Uncle Rich was right. I swallowed hard, suddenly not in the mood to have dessert. “I… I have to go talk to Rich—Mr. Blair,” I said, walking past her toward thedoor.
She grabbed my elbow gently, stopping me just as I moved beyond her shoulder. “Lucy, wait. Don’t do anythingrash.”
I almost cracked a laugh, but I wasn’t feeling all that funny. I didn’t answer her… because I couldn’t lie. Not to Kelly, who surprisingly ended up being not only a fantastic boss, but a great friend. I just shook my head, saying nothing, and tugged my arm free of her gentle hold before exiting and marching into Uncle Rich’soffice.
He started as I walked in, looking up at me from behind his desk where he was reviewing some footage. “Lucy,” he said, taking in my face. “What’s wrong?” he asked,softer.
Nothing. Everything. I swallowed the grapefruit sized lump lodged in my throat and ignored the burning tears threatening my eyes. “I need to be transferred to a different movie,” I said quietly. “I don’t… I don’t think I can work with Ash anymore,” I admitted. I’d suspected it would be hard. But after that in the cafeteria? He and I couldn’t have a normal working relationship. Not right now. Not this close to what hadhappened.
Uncle Richard’s gaze darkened. “What the fuck did hedo?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.” And it was the truth. He hadn’t done anything that was truly wrong or bad. If it had been anyone else in the craft services line that had stood up for me, I would have been fine. Maybe evenhappy.
But it wasn’t just anyone. It was the one man I wanted desperately to trust. And to trust me inreturn.
“I’ll fire him before I fire you,” Rich said. And he meant it. I knew hedid.
“No,” I said quickly. “Neither of us is getting fired. Just transfer me onto a different film. I’ll doanything.”
Rich sighed and pulled out his schedule. “I don’t have any openings on the films currently happening,” he said, examining the calendar. “But after we wrap here, Kelly is starting a new rom-com we’re producing. She requested you for her team as her Associatedesigner.”
Those damn tears were back. Maybe they never left. “She did? Ash isn’t directing it, ishe?”
“He’s not.” Rich shook his head no. “But it’s three months away. Doesn’t start filming until nextseason.”
I sighed. Three months. I had bills to pay. I couldn’t wait three months for a paying gig. “Okay,” I said quietly. “I’ll takeit.”
He quirked a brow at me. “And… quit for now? Lucy, you could stay on. I’ll make sure you and Ash are never in the sameroom.”
I snorted. That was impossible. For the first time, I truly understood why companies ban inter-office dating. Dating someone you worked with wasn’t necessarily the problem. Breaking up with someone you worked with was. “How in the hell are you going to do that?” I asked, trying to keep the bitterness out of my voice. “He’s the director of the film, Uncle Rich. And whether or not either of us is mad at him, he’sbrilliant.”
“Only after he met you did he become brilliant on this film,” Uncle Richsaid.
I shrugged. Maybe that was true. Maybe not. Either way, it didn’t matter. Ash had a contract. And a long relationship with SilhouetteStudios.
Rich stood up from behind his desk and walked around to face me. His hands were heavy as they fell to my shoulders, squeezing me gently. “Tell me what happened, babybear.”
“I just… it hurts too much to see him every day.” I filled Uncle Rich in on what just happened at craftservices.
After I finished the story, Rich’s brows jumped. “Well, that doesn’t sound bad. It’s almost… noble. Like he was trying to protect you, even if it wasmisguided.”
I sniffled and Rich handed me a tissue from his desk. “It’s not about what happened.” What happened at craft services was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back. It wasn’t anything major or anything that was devastating. “But it just shows how neither of us is able to let the other go. And seeing each other daily, several times daily, is only going to make it that much harder to move on. I thought I could handle it—and I think I can in the future. But right now, it’s still too raw. Maybe these three months away from the studios will help. Give us the distance we need to be able to work together in thefuture.”
Rich nodded like he understood, even though I doubted he did. “So what will you do for threemonths?”
