Chapter 10
ANYA
I feel like I’m most likely missing some important information but now is not the time. I jog to keep up with Danny as he makes long strides to where Jaques is usually waiting with the car.
“Jaques has gone on a pick up,” I tell him belatedly. He can’t hear me, his fury rolling off him in waves.
I jump to his side and gently steer him back towards his trailer like a sheep dog. He doesn’t notice.
“I won’t work with him,” he spits. “I don’t care what they say.”
I keep my mouth shut.
He doesn’t notice when I corral him to his trailer, stretching my arm to open the door for him. He looks around confused as he takes in his new surroundings.
He turns to leave but I block his door.
“Let’s just cool down a minute okay?” I say, raising my arms. He glares at me.
“I don’t need to cool down,” he says, glowering. “I need to get the fuck off this film.”
“Well, Jaques is not here right now and I’m sure security would mow you down if you try to leave like this.” I doubt security would do anything except wave goodbye but it’s all it takes to get Danny to just sit and think for a minute.
He backs off and slumps on the couch like a deflated balloon, the fight leaving him.
“Right,” I say. I don’t know what to do with this new Danny. We’re usually spitting venom at each other. I’m not used to his ire being pointed in a different direction. “Do you want to talk about it?”
He shakes his head. “It’s a long story.” He points at me in an afterthought. “You steer clear of Callum McBride.” He says sternly. “Especially after I’m not here. He’s not a good guy.”
“Yes, dad. ” That earns me an eye roll. He leans his head against the wall and I sit beside him. “I can’t imagine I’ll have a job for much longer if you leave.” I try not to consider the possibility too much. It was nice whilst it lasted.
He rolls his head to look at me. I didn’t realize how close we’re sitting until I can feel his breath brush against my cheeks.
His eyelashes twitch as they scour my face.
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He’s quiet for a few moments. “Fine.” He says with his eyes still closed. “I’ll stay.”
Really? Well, that was easy.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
He runs his hand over his face and gives me a half convincing nod.
I bite back my smile. I don’t know what I did but it worked. Excellent work, Anya .
“Go back to the truck and say that I’ve been ranting and throwing stuff around in here but that you talked me down. I want minimal contact with him outside scenes. No rehearsal, no bumping into him at the food truck, no chatting in between takes. He shows up does the scene and then fucks off again.”
“Should I be writing this down?” I ask.
He shoots me a look. “And I mean it, freckles. Stay away from him.”
I nod once. If just the thought of him being on set causes this reaction in Danny, I have a pretty good inclination to steer clear.
I go to stand and do his bidding but his strong fingers clasp my wrist. I glance at where our skin touches, tingles racing up my arm at the contact.
“Wait a minute,” he says, hoarsely, his finger brushing the sensitive skin on my inner wrist. “Make it believable.”
“Okay,” I sit back, not pulling my arm away from his. We both stare at our hands. I’m scared to move, scared to breathe, scared to spoil whatever this is.
My phone chirps, spoiling the moment. I disconnect from him as I scan the text from Rachel.
Rachel: Come back to the truck
Rachel: Alone
“That’s my cue,” I say standing. “I won’t be long.”
I leave Danny where he is, his eyes burning into my back as I go.
As I cross the base to the production truck, Jaques pulls up alongside me. I wave to him as he stops the car and he returns with a smile. A tall blond man stumbles out the back. His eyes are hidden behind dark sunglasses and he has a jumper tied around his neck like he’s just jumped off his jet from the Hamptons.
This must be the infamous Callum McBride.
He pulls his sunglasses off and I hurry away before he has a chance to say anything to me. Even if Danny hadn’t warned me to stay away I would have felt the smarmy energy wafting off the man in waves.
I hurry up the steps and give a perfunctory knock before letting myself in.
Rachel looks up from her desk. “What’s he saying?”
I sigh heavily as if I’ve finally escaped a very delicate conversation. “He’s really angry, but he has agreed to stay and finish filming.”
Relief washes over the truck. And I thought I couldn’t act.
“But he has some conditions.” I relay Danny’s instructions to a chorus of scoffs.
“God, why do these actors think they own the whole film? I hate bending over backwards for these pricks.” Rachel groans.
I can’t decide whether to be defensive on Danny’s behalf or glad she’s including me in her bitch session, like I’m part of the crew. I don’t fit in right with the cast or the crew, always a little bit apart. The only place I fit is with Danny.
Gwendoline sighs, “Well at least you got him to calm down, Anya.” I blink before realizing she’s addressing me. My cheeks heat and I nod shakily.
I can’t believe Danny’s meltdown is what’s finally caused Gwendoline to speak directly to me. She knows my name , I think faintly.
Michael throws his hands up and says “Fine” like it’s anything but. He turns to Rachel, “We’ll need to throw out today’s call sheet. Which one do we need more today? Danny or Callum? God, this is going to be a ball-ache.”
Rachel sighs, shuffling the papers on her desk and pulling out a red pen from her desk drawer. “I’d probably say Callum. He’s here now and we can pick up Danny’s scenes tomorrow.”
“Right, fine.” Michael says briskly before turning to me. “Get him off the lot and we’ll see you tomorrow.”