Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57423 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Didn’t he?” Was this what Jay had been moving her toward? “Did you feel like you would be able to keep your job? Because yesterday he pretty much told me to dump my boyfriend if I wanted him to consider me a serious actress.”
He’d never said the actual words that he would look for someone else, but the implication had been there. It had threatened to send her right over the edge. He’d known exactly how to slide the knife in. If West wasn’t so fucking perfect, she’d have pushed him out the door.
“I don’t think you should do that. It’s obvious he’s the reason you’re not a raving bitch. I’m not sure what Jay is thinking.”
“He’s thinking a vulnerable me is someone he can manipulate, someone he can turn into anything he wants.” Jay had seen her for who she was. Lonely. Desperate to prove herself. So fucking desperate to mean something in the world.
West had seen the same things, and he’d done what he could to lift her up, to show her she was already meaningful. West had shown her she could be more than a career.
“I don’t know if I would be that harsh. I mean, we’ve all known directors who pushed a little too hard.”
“Reid, he encouraged you to do cocaine and then be mean to me. When you think about it, he actually did turn you into a cocaine bear.” The dude had ravaged a couple of people. At least he had in the movie. “And now I wonder who is really talking about the chaos on set.”
“I thought it was the crew.”
A snort came from behind them, and Ally realized one of the makeup artists had joined them. It was the one she’d worked with. Kathy.
“The crew hates working with this asshole.” Kathy set her kit on the counter. “And you can quote me on that. There’s a reason he only retains the higher-up crew. The second ADs keep holding on because they think he’s going to win another Oscar and they’ll get their own directing gigs. The rest of us are almost entirely new. I wish someone had told me what a dick he is. Did you know he told me I shouldn’t compliment you? We’re supposed to tell Reid, Bryce, and Channing how amazing they all look, but we’re supposed to not talk to you. At first, I thought that was because you were one of those ‘don’t look me in the eyes’ assholes, but you’re fun to be around. He heard me talking to you the other day and threatened to fire me if I didn’t ice you out.”
She’d never had a chance with this crew. Her director—the man who’d promised her he respected her—had made sure no one else did. She hated the fact that tears pulsed behind her eyes. She’d never cried this much until freaking West softened her up. Well, he would have to do a lot of cuddling and taking care of her because she was about to quit this whole fucking thing.
“Hey, you know we like you, right?” Kathy’s tone had softened. “You’re a good one, Ally Pearson, and that’s why we’re not going to follow his rules any longer. And if you ask me, he’s the one who’s talking to the press. He doesn’t think we have ears or anything. Maybe he just doesn’t notice us because we’re beneath him or something.”
The other makeup artist joined in. Kenny was a doll of a man, and she’d so enjoyed listening to his stories while he worked on Reid or Bryce. “Are we talking about what the PAs overheard?”
Kathy nodded and started to unpack her kit. “I got my sister a production assistant job. She hates it, of course. I tried to tell her she would be getting a lot of coffee for people, but she insisted. Anyway, she overheard Jay talking about this million-dollar book deal he would be getting after this project was done. And she’s certain he was talking to the Vanity Fair reporter.”
“I know none of us is talking,” Kenny swore. “If we were talking, old Jay wouldn’t look like the golden boy who puts up with everyone’s shit for the sake of art. I think he’s the one causing all the chaos, and he’s doing it because he likes it.”
He didn’t merely like it. He thrived on it. If the cast hated each other, they didn’t talk to each other. They didn’t find out that the director was playing nasty games to “get them into character.”
How far had his games gone?
Mr. Taggart had asked a specific question, and she hadn’t been able to answer it. What had changed?
This role. That was the only thing that had changed.
The fucking call just might be coming from inside the house.
She stood up. “I think this is going to have to wait. I’m calling a cast meeting.”