Escape to the Tuscan Vineyard

Chapter Five

I had to stay professional. I was finally working in film, and I wanted it to stay that way. I’d have to apologise to Blake and somehow make it work – even though it was him who’d crossed the line. My career was too important to let a misunderstanding get in the way of being a success. I was already up and at ’em, morning run done and stood outside the studio wearing boyfriend jeans and a slouchy top to divert any unwanted attention. Best to try and blend into the walls. I took great pride in beeping my security pass as the door buzzed open, waving to Tanya, skinny latte in hand and my headphones on. My phone pinged with a photo.

Holly:Morning, Abs! Another Italian sunrise to add to your collection. When are you coming out to see me? It’s been forever ? xxx

I felt a pang of guilt as I read it. Pictures of sunrises and sunsets had been steadily filling my camera roll for the past two years, while I’d promised month after month to go out and taste the coffee and eat the cheese. I just hadn’t managed to get out there yet. I needed to plan it in, even if going would undoubtedly mean losing all control of my routine, which gave me huge anxiety. I liked to know where I was and what I was doing each day. It made me feel safe.

I thought back to the weeks post-Josh where I wouldn’t leave the house for days at a time. It had taken a lot to find the inner strength to build myself back up – on all sides – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The doctor had looked at me so kindly, as she’d written out a prescription and referred me to a counsellor. Anything to try and help me feel better. I didn’t ever want to be in that fragile place again. I was finally back on my feet, and I wanted to stay there, which meant looking after myself. Being my own champion and protector. Eating healthily, a strict exercise regime and a two-drink maximum on nights out. All of which would be impossible to maintain, while hanging out with Holly in the land of pasta, pizza, and prosecco.

I waved ‘good morning’ at the crew as I walked through the breakfast area, but not one person waved back, just a couple of half-smiles and lots of blank stares. Maybe they all thought I was waving at someone else, but it still stung to be such a complete and utter outsider. I’d taken the warm familiarity of my theatre family for granted and just assumed things would be the same in film. Over-friendly, over-chatty, big smiles all round. That didn’t seem to be the case here so far. Oh well, I’d get to know them all eventually. I’d had six months to make friends at Les Mis and we’d been like one big happy family. Maybe I was mis-remembering my first few days there – it had been a while after all. Our door was ajar, and Lucy was already in. Bloody hell! I’d come in nearly two hours early to try and get a jump on her. What time did this girl wake up?

‘Morning!’ I smiled, hanging my bag on the back of the door.

‘Hi,’ Lucy said, quietly, briefly looking up. She was measuring powders and chemicals into a bowl, and there was a vinegary whiff in the air.

‘Can’t wait to get started on them today,’ I said, brightly, trying to lift the energy. Travis had arrived for his patch-test shortly after Blake, so assuming neither actor had ballooned overnight, we were good to go with casting their faces. I pulled out the illustrations of the masks and Blu-Tacked them to the mirror. We had every iteration of the creative, so we could understand the evolution from early sketch to finished artwork and see how the thinking had developed. The moon heads had to fit nice and tight, so both actors’ faces needed to be contoured into the inner silicone.

My phone pinged again, and I went over to check it as someone walked in.

‘Oh. My. God! I’ve just heard what happened! Tell me EVERYTHING!’ a voice said, as I peered around the door. A tall ginger man jumped when he saw me. ‘Hiiiii! I’m Danny,’ he said, holding out his hand to shake. ‘Assistant Producer. Well, one of them.’ He laughed to himself.

‘Hi,’ I said. ‘I’m Abi.’

‘I knowwww! Great to meet you!’ He was very exuberant.

‘Tell you everything about what?’ I asked, looking at him expectantly.

Lucy shifted in her chair.

‘Oh, er, yes, well I was just wondering how it went with Blake and Travis yesterday,’ Danny said, with a skittish smile. ‘What were they like?’ He sat in the make-up chair and crossed his grasshopper legs, using the dressing table to spin himself around.

‘Both gorgeous, of course,’ Lucy said. ‘And friendly. Very friendly.’ She raised her eyebrows and looked at me, pointedly.

‘Have you worked with either of them before?’ Danny asked me, with gleaming eyes.

‘No, this is my first movie. I’m usually with the C-listers in the theatre. Or complete unknowns – I’m hopeless with celebrities.’

‘Oh, I don’t know?’ Lucy chipped in, giving me another loaded look. She was being very weird.

‘It’s hard to see them as normal people to start with, but you’ll get over it. And if all else fails, you know what they say?’ Danny whispered, conspiratorially. ‘Just imagine them naked.’

I wasn’t sure that would help. I knew exactly what Blake looked like naked. The two of them were watching me, so I laughed to play along. I hoped Lucy hadn’t got the wrong impression when she’d walked in on Blake trying to kiss me. Maybe I should explain the situation to her. We were going to be working closely together for the next month at least and it would be hard to keep secrets.

‘I’ve got an updated call sheet for you here,’ Danny said, handing each of us a yellow folder. ‘The first Moonmen scene is being filmed next Monday, so the guys will need to be in full make-up for that. It’s a 6 a.m. start, with lights down and cameras rolling at 9 a.m.’

‘Got it,’ I said. ‘We need to get a wriggle on today, then.’

Danny nodded.

‘Skin tests were done yesterday, and Blake is in first thing for his face cast, then Travis this afternoon,’ Lucy said.

‘Shall I grab us some coffees so we can fuel up before Blake gets here?’ I asked.

‘Ooh yes. My third of the day. White, no sugar, please,’ Lucy said.

‘Black and two for me,’ Danny added, spinning himself wildly the other way.

I was looking forward to filming starting, once we’d got Blake and Tyler’s faces in the bag, but I was nervous about seeing Blake again and hoped we might get a few minutes alone, so I could try and smooth things over. I’d been tempted to message him last night but couldn’t find the right words and didn’t want to play it wrong on my first day. I wanted to move on in a professional way, make friends and enjoy the magic of working in the movies. Once I was through today, I could focus on the part of the job I loved – creating something from nothing – and Lucy and I could properly get to know each other and hopefully become friends.

I queued for coffee and smiled at a few people. They weren’t a very friendly bunch so far; in fact, the people in front of me seemed to deliberately turn their backs. Or did they? Maybe another coffee was a bad idea – I was getting paranoid. I opted for a camomile tea instead and took the tray of hot drinks back to the room, where Lucy and Danny were speaking in hushed tones. They stopped when they saw me.

‘Right, well, I’ve got to get on,’ Danny said, grabbing the cup marked with a B. ‘Nice to meet you, Abi.’

‘You too,’ I said, handing Lucy her coffee.

There was a knock on the door and Blake poked his head in. ‘Morning! Am I too early?’ His shaggy beard had gone, and his hair had been cut short. He was a clean-shaven jock version of the handsome tramp who’d tried to kiss me yesterday.

‘Morning,’ I replied. ‘No, not at all. The sooner the better.’ I held the back of the chair Danny had just vacated and gestured for Blake to sit down. My heart was in my mouth at being so close to him again, but I’d have to push through it. He was gorgeous, there was no question about that. And he had the kind of energy and charisma that made you want to get close to him. We’d had an amazing physical connection that first night, but that was as far as it went. I didn’t want to blur the boundaries. Relationships just weren’t for me anymore, and there were now several reasons why a relationship with Blake Thomas was a definite no. Not least because he didn’t seem to understand the meaning of the word.

‘Morning, Blake,’ Lucy called.

‘Morning! I brought my own coffee today,’ he said, holding up a reusable Starbucks cup. ‘I’m a stickler for a double shot soya cap. Not keen on that muck-in-a-cup they’re serving out there.’

Lucy was all over the mixtures and potions we needed to get Blake’s face cast done and she wheeled over the trolley, with two bowls of silicone, ready to get going.

‘Top off today, right?’ Blake asked, taking a swig of his coffee.

‘Yes please. We don’t want to ruin your white T-shirt,’ Lucy said. Blake pulled it over his head in one fluid move, without putting his coffee down, moving it from one hand to the other, then throwing it onto the sofa. His body was tanned, and his abs were taut; a brown leather belt held his battered jeans up over biker boots. He looked like an underwear model. I covered him up with a gown. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate with him sitting there half naked. And neither would Lucy.

‘This shouldn’t take too long,’ I said. ‘We’ll both be painting on the silicone for speed. Starting with your neck and chin, then onto your face, leaving your nose until last. Then I’ll put these small tubes in your nostrils so you can breathe, while we paint your nose and allow the mask to set.’

‘I’m all yours, ladies,’ Blake said, leaning back in his chair and getting comfortable. ‘Do with me what you will.’ He winked at me as Lucy turned her back and I couldn’t decide if I in any way still fancied him, or if I was starting to get the ick. I’d never been one for a snidey wink. His Hollywood status was giving off big, swinging dick-ick energy.

‘You’ll need to sit still for half an hour, so finish your coffee,’ Lucy said, handing me the second bowl of silicone, while stirring hers. Blake necked the last of his soya cap and handed me the empty cup.

‘Ready?’ I asked. He nodded. ‘OK, let’s go.’ I self-consciously stirred my silicone while Lucy applied a thin layer of Vaseline to his face. At least his eyes would be shut while we worked. She gave me the nod and I went straight in with the paintbrush. Slowly sliding the bristles up and down his neck felt almost too sensual now I knew who he was, and I knew he knew who I was. The silicone was bright green this time, and we worked quickly to smooth layer on top of layer and cover his face.

‘Are you OK?’ Lucy asked, with a smile, as we reached halfway.

‘More than OK,’ Blake replied, reaching his hand down and stroking my leg, hidden by his gown, while Lucy painted the crevices of his right ear. I flinched and took a step back, shuffling to stand in front of him, as his hand tried to subtly follow, groping at the air. Lord, grant me the confidence of a man trying to goose a woman against her will, with his eyes covered in silicone.

‘Time for the nasal tubes,’ I said, trying to decide how hard to shove them up his nose. I maintained my sense of professionalism, gently inserting one into his left nostril and pressing down on the right. ‘Take a deep breath and give me a thumbs up if it feels OK.’ I’d already painted a thick layer of silicone over his mouth, so he couldn’t speak.

Blake held up a steady thumb and I added the second tube. We had successfully transformed him from an A-grade hunk, into a faceless blob. Lucy finished off his nose and I set the timer. It would be twenty-four hours for the mask to set completely, but we’d wrestle it off his face once it was semi-hard.

‘Right, Blake, that’s the silicone on. You’re doing really well,’ Lucy said, brightly, like a primary school teacher. ‘Twenty minutes and you’ll be cooked. Can we get another thumbs up to know you’re breathing and nothing feels odd or itchy?’

Blake sat back in his chair and gave us a double thumbs up, completely comfortable in his own skin. There were very few situations where I’d let complete strangers paint over my eyes and mouth and leave me with the world’s smallest snorkel to breathe through.

‘Excellent.’ I looked over at Lucy. ‘I’ll take these into the kitchen and clean them out,’ I said, piling the bowls on top of one another, as she peeled off her rubber gloves. I walked down the corridor and could see Danny coming towards me, deep in conversation with one of the runners. As I got closer, they both went quiet.

‘Hey, Abi. Have you finished with Blake?’ Danny called, no sign of slowing down.

‘His mask?’ I asked.

‘What else?’ he said, and the runner cracked a smile.

‘Yes, all done, it’s just setting now.’ I waved the bowls of green goo in the air as they breezed past. The people here were very strange. I washed up and grabbed some sparkling water from the fridge, feeling a huge sense of relief. I’d got through the awkward part of the day and managed to avoid Blake’s advances. Or at least dodge them, anyway. Hopefully now he’d take the hint. No means no. A gorgeous guy like him could have anyone he wanted – but the word ‘no’ was like catnip to these ‘have-it-all’ types. The thrill of the chase made them desperate for more. I’d seen it in the theatre when auditions had gone badly in the past – actors stalking the director, demanding answers, convinced a mistake had been made. And on my many dates with Type-A men – they did not take kindly to being ghosted.

Eight minutes left on the timer. I dried up the bowls and glugged down some water. A day could easily whizz by without me thinking about food or drink if I wasn’t careful. I made my way back to Blake and Lucy, just as the buzzer went off.

‘Good timing,’ Lucy said. ‘Shall we do one side of the mask each? If we even out the pressure, it should come off nice and clean.’

‘Alright in there?’ I called. Blake nodded. ‘Bear with us. You’ll be out of here in ten minutes if this goes according to plan.’

Lucy and I set to work, edging around the silicone at the bottom of Blake’s neck, then lifting it up just enough to get our fingers in. We had to be gentle but firm, like peeling an egg.

‘You good?’ Lucy asked and I nodded. We went together and removed Blake’s entire silicone mask in one go. It was so satisfying as it suckered off. Blake’s beautiful face reappeared, completely smooth, and perfect. He scrunched up his nose and wiggled his mouth, giving both cheeks a slap.

‘Now you can create my doppelganger,’ he said, with a charming smile.

‘An evil twin?’ Lucy said, with a raise of her eyebrows.

‘Could the world handle two of me though, ladies?’ Blake’s eyes glowed with the question. The sound of running and screaming disrupted the heat in the air, as the door flung open and two little girls burst in. Both had nut-brown hair in French plaits and matching pink dresses.

‘Daddy!!’ they screamed, as they flung themselves at Blake. Each of them jumping onto one of his knees.

‘Hey, hey heyyy! What are you two doing here…?’ Blake cried, clearly both surprised and overjoyed to see them. He cuddled them in tight and kissed them, as a tall, tanned supermodel, walked into the room, followed by an officious-looking Danny, brandishing a clipboard.

‘Surprise!’ the supermodel said, joining the family photo and kissing Blake on the lips. This was a surprise. She had a diamond the size of an ear on her wedding finger, on top of a thick gold band. Oh. Blake looked over at me and swallowed. And this was why I didn’t do second dates – they only ever led to heartbreak and disappointment.

‘We’ve come to England for the weekend, Daddy!’ the taller of the two girls said.

‘We’re going to see the KING at Buckingham Palace,’ the little one added.

‘They wanted to surprise you on set, darling,’ the woman said, looking around the room. ‘We got the red-eye, and they slept the whole way, so they are full of energy. Lucky Mommy.’ She glanced across at me and Lucy, noticing us for the first time. ‘Hey, I’m Cora, Blake’s wife,’ she said, as if it needed explaining. ‘And these little livewires are Stephanie and Amelia.’

‘I’m Lucy and this is Abi,’ Lucy said, with a smile.

‘And I’m Danny, the Assistant Producer.’ He waved his clipboard to verify his importance.

‘Nice to meet you all.’ Cora nodded primly, as Blake bounced the girls on his knees.

Well at least that would stop any more attempts at fraternising. I really should have googled him last night and taken an interest in his personal life. I’d been so busy yesterday, then lost all sense of time rushing to meet Sara after work. I’d look him up and get the full low-down later. But at least now he knew that I knew he was married, there could be no question of wandering hands. And poor Cora. Bringing up his daughters on the other side of the world, while Daddy played the field as a single man. She was either completely in the dark or knowingly looking the other way. My inner girl-code wanted to tell her, just in case. To make sure she knew what he was up to over here, but I couldn’t bear the thought that he’d cheated on her with me.

‘Who wants to come and see Daddy’s dressing room?’ Blake shouted, as Stephanie and Amelia squealed. The family foursome rolled off down the corridor, with Danny and his clipboard in hot pursuit.

‘So cute,’ I said, monotone, as I shut the door.

‘Such a gorgeous family,’ Lucy agreed. ‘Absolute goals.’

Hardly, I thought silently. We had an hour or so before Travis was due, so we cleaned the room and prepped all the ingredients for his cast. He was the perfect patient, in and out within an hour, leaving us with two faces ready for the plaster cast. Lucy and I worked quickly and quietly, making twelve casts in total, one for each of the moon heads. We had just finished pouring them out when Danny came swinging back in.

‘All OK in here?’ he asked, fanning himself with a wad of papers.

‘Yes, both done and all on track,’ I said, pleased with where we’d got to.

My phone started ringing and the three of us looked at each other in alarm. A phone ringing out loud, in the middle of the day? Someone must have died.

Danny tutted dramatically.

‘Sorry, guys, I thought it was on silent,’ I said, running over to my bag. There was a strict ‘no phones’ rule during the working day and we were all supposed to be practising ahead of filming starting next week. One accidental beep or bleep when the cameras were rolling could ruin an entire scene and cost thousands.

Danny frowned. ‘It’ll be instant dismissal as of Monday.’

Who the hell was calling me? I pulled out my phone. Phoebe. I pointed to the door. ‘I’ll just be a minute,’ I whispered. No news was good news with Phoebe. She had so many clients that once I had a booking, I didn’t hear from her for weeks. It must be an emergency. I tapped the green button and walked through the coffee lounge towards the front door.

‘Hang on Phoebs,’ I whispered. ‘I can’t speak till I’m outside.’ Tanya frowned in disapproval as I ran past and out the front door. ‘What’s going on?’ I breathed into the phone.

‘Sorry to call while you’re at work, but this is a biggie,’ she said, sounding strangely flat. ‘I wanted you to know as soon as I knew.’

‘Know what?’

‘Brace yourself – I’m not going to sugar-coat it. There’s been a cock-up with your booking. Apparently, the director had specifically requested the Alien Attack woman come in and oversee the prosthetics. You know the one – Gem Adams. She was booked for the gig a while back and obviously has her own make-up artist and assistant. The long and short of it is that you and Lucy won’t be needed.’

‘Whattttt? But I’m here and working? I haven’t seen her. We’ve already started!’

‘I know. I’m so sorry, sweetheart. Apparently, Gem couldn’t start until the beginning of August – AKA the day after tomorrow – hence the muddle only coming to light today. She sent through her list of demands this morning by all accounts. She’ll be wanting a tropical fish tank and bowls of blue Skittles. You know the type.’

Gem Adams was a legend in the world of make-up and prosthetics. She’d won an Oscar for her work on Alien Attack and her masks had been so magnificently creative, it was hard to believe there were actors in there, and they weren’t alien beings from another planet.

‘But the good news is, it’s LATV’s mistake, so you’ll still get paid. In fact, I’ve already played hardball and you’ll be getting your fee upfront for the whole month. They are extremely apologetic about the whole thing and happy to throw money at it.’

‘OK. Well, that’s a relief at least.’ My financial panic subsided momentarily, but my disappointment was still going strong. ‘If they’re paying me anyway, can’t I just stay and work with Gem? I could learn so much from her.’

‘Sorry, my love, she’s got her own people, so no can do on that front.’

I was gutted. When Phoebe had landed me this booking, I’d been so excited. Even though it was only for a few weeks’ cover, it was something. I’d been so looking forward to finally getting some film experience and broadening my CV. A month’s pay was great, but it wouldn’t last long if I didn’t have long-term work.

‘Do you think you’ll be able to line me up a new job in a month?’ I asked.

‘I’ll do my best, but you know what it’s like – they book the teams up way in advance for the big productions, so it might not be on another film just yet. Sorry, Abi, I know what a disappointment this must be for you.’

‘I thought this was the big one, Phoebs,’ I said, sadly.

‘So did I. But something will come up. Hot property like you? Once word gets out Abi Mason is available, you’ll be snapped up, no problem.’

‘You think so?’

‘I know so,’ Phoebe said, reassuringly. ‘See it as a free month off. The universe is giving you a paid break – and you deserve it. Go on holiday, relax, enjoy yourself.’

‘Hmm, I’m not sure I feel that happy about it yet. I was having a great time getting stuck in with Lucy and now I’m leaving before I’ve even started. When do they want me to finish?’

‘Erm… like… anytime really. Today. Now?’

‘Now? Right now? They don’t want me to hand over to anyone? And Lucy’s going too?’

‘Yes, but I’m not sure if her agent has been told yet, so don’t say anything.’

‘She might cotton on when I start packing up my suitcase?’

‘Hmm yes. Good point, love, maybe wait till the end of the day then, once she’s gone home.’

‘OK,’ I said, sadly.

‘You’ll get your money as a lump sum this week, so don’t worry about that. And this isn’t the end of your Hollywood dreams, Abs,’ Phoebe said. ‘I’ve got wind that the new Marvel film is coming to Elstree in November, so let me get my nose in on that and I’ll see if I can get you in.’

That cheered me up a bit. A Marvel movie would be a better platform to establish myself. Moonmen was a one-off blockbuster. If I got in with Marvel, that would keep me in freshly squeezed celery juice for many years to come.