Page 32 of The Director's Daughter

“Always with the jokes,” Jerry said with a chuckle.

“Anna, get up,” Zach prodded urgently. “You’re about to get a pat on the back.”

“Shit, okay,” she whispered, nervously rising to her feet. “Over here,” she called, waving her hand.

“Sometimes we forget less is more,” Jerry exclaimed. “You just proved it. Gave me fucking chills. Keep it up and there are nominations in your future.”

There was a spontaneous burst of applause, with several people jumping up from their seats.

“Oh, my gosh,” Anna Lee muttered under her breath, “Zach...?”

“I told you everything would work out,” Zach said, standing up and placing his arm around her shoulders.

As the clapping died down, and the audience began strolling out, Zach spotted Jackson making his way towards them.

“Hey, Anna Lee,” he called as he approached. “You were fantastic. I knew it when we were filming, but baby, that camera is crazy in love with you.”

“Thanks, Jackson, and thanks for being so great.”

“You know who Marilyn Monroe is, right?”

“Of course.”

“I say is, because legends like her never die, and you, girl, you’ve got that same indefinable quality. Vulnerable, but sexy as hell, and you have amazing natural instincts. Just keep doing what you’re doing, but you’d better prepare yourself. You’re going to be big. Really big.”

“Can we make the rest of our scenes as good as that one?”

“Piece of cake,” he said with a wink. “Like I said, just keep doing what you’re doing...and Zach...in a weird way I owe you one.”

“You don’t owe me anything. As you said to Anna Lee, just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“I guess gifts come wrapped in all kinds of packaging. See you around.”

He ambled away, leaving Anna Lee and Zach alone in the theatre.

“Zach...” she began, smiling happily, then suddenly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “This is all thanks to you,” she declared, her voice cracking. “You make everything okay. You make everything better than okay.”

“Hey, I’m not the one delivering the lines and turning in an amazing performance. Take the credit. It’s all yours.”

“What if I say the credit belongs to both of us?”

“Maybe eighty-twenty, and you’re the eighty.”

“I just realized...I’m actually hungry,” she said, releasing him and stepping back. “Will you have dinner with me? We can fight about the percentages over a glass of wine and something yummy.”

“You bet. This calls for a celebration. Emile’s is nearby. It’s just a casual cafe, but the food is great. Will that satisfy a big star?”

“I don’t know if it would satisfy a big star, but it sounds perfect to me!”

Making their way through the building and out into the street, they walked the short distance, but as he pushed open the door he was surprised to see Kurt Fielding and Emma sitting at a table against the far wall. The restaurant had no hostess, and as Anna Lee began to head in their direction, Zach caught her elbow.

“Over here hon, it’s brighter,” he suggested guiding her to a booth in a corner next to a window.

As they sat down he glanced at his watch. It was just past six-forty-five. Emma had left his office at three-thirty. Was it possible Kurt had been with her for three hours?

“Zach? Is everything okay?”

“Yes, fine, hon. Let’s get some food. I’m hungry too.”

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