Page 53 of Take 2
“I wasn’t sure you’d brave the boat again.” Chris’ demeanor is open and straightforward. So much easier to deal with than Preston, though I suppose he wasn’t wrong about me being a little complicated when it comes to him.
“Now that Preston knows I can swim, he isn’t likely to try to kill me that way again.”
“That’s someOnce Upon a Time … In Hollywoodshit.”
“Yep. We may be writers, and the pen is mightier, blah blah blah, but we do a lot of research on how to kill people and hide bodies, so don’t mess with us.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” He goes to work—a cog in the movie gears, and I jot notes and ideas in the background. This is everything I dreamed of for most of my life, but the sunny perfection of it all is tinted, and not just by my sunglasses. The clapboard resets everything, and actors get as many takes as they need, but I’m stuck in a live performance where mistakes can’t be undone.
I haven’t gotten to the scenes they’re filming, but my read-through of the screenplay is going faster than I expected. I thought I’d be distracted by knowing whose brain it came from. Instead, I’m so wrapped up in the story that I forget to be bitter about it.He’s really good at this.
This shouldn’t be a revelation. He’s won three Oscars for it in record time. But part of me was holding out hope that he sucked the right dick or something to get into his position. Turns out that was as absurd and jealousy-provoked as logic would make it seem.
When we head back into port, the sun is setting behind the mountains. Rafael comes into the cabin lounge and sits next to me. “Mirabelle, I was hoping to get you and Preston for dinner tonight, but I’m afraid we have an early start tomorrow, and I’m exhausted.”
“Not to worry, there’s plenty of time.” I cross my legs at the ankles. “I’m honored to be on your set. Don’t think you have to entertain me.”
“No, I’m the one who needs something from you. I can’t wait to hear what brilliant films you’re cooking up. I’m a planner. I have to know I have something good after this one.”
“I might have a few options.”
“Of course you do. You’re one of the hardest-working writers in Hollywood.”
“Thehardest working,” Preston says as he walks up to us.
I offer him a smile for the compliment if it even is one. “Much to the detriment of my social life.”
“Well, that’s why Preston kidnapped you and brought you out here,” Rafael says. “You have to live too.”
“I’ll addget a lifeto my to-do list.”
Rafael pats my hand, and the boat comes to a stop. “This industry ages you in dog years if you don’t. I’m only twenty-five, but look at all these grays.” He winks and turns to Preston when he stands. “Are you riding up with all of us tomorrow?”
“No, we’ll drive,” Preston says.
“Of course you will.” He grins at me. “I’m glad you came, Mirabelle.”
“Please, call me Mira.”
“And you call me Rafi. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
When we’re alone, I look up at Preston. “Are you usually a bigger pain in the ass, and I’m distracting you from being so?”
“Probably.” He offers me his hand, and I take it and stand. “Shall we?”
I lead the way back onto the dock. “How early do we need to be up tomorrow?”
“Still not as early as the wake-up calls you get from James.”
“You don’t have to be next to me when that happens.”
“Of course not; that’s why we have two rooms.” From behind me, he sounds perfectly content with that. I glance over my shoulder to see if his face gives away anything else, but he only shrugs as if it really doesn’t matter to him at all.
Well, fine. It’s not like I need to cuddle with him. Not cuddling is probably smarter.
“We should leave by five, actually.”
I groan. “Maybe I will ask James for a wake-up call. Will a coffee IV be provided?”
