14. Cole
Chapter fourteen
Cole
The binder with cast and crew information had everything I needed to know.
For example, it told me that her birthday is this weekend and mentioned the number of the room she’s occupying in the apartment building where we all live.
A quick internet search told me her calendar is booked a year in advance, so there goes making an appointment once we get back to California.
The thing it didn’t tell me, though, is that she’s the jealous type.
Seeing Mara attempt to get closer to me triggered something inside her, effectively pissing off arguably the most important person on set.
All because seeing me next to someone else made her feel something she didn’t like.
Mara walked away from us, completely red-faced. She tried to brush it off with a forced smile, waving her phone in the air as if to answer a fake call. Jenna acted so casually in the situation, as if inviting her fake boyfriend over for dinner at her place was something she did regularly.
It caught me off guard, too, but I went with it.
It’s what I do.
And if it meant having dinner with the girl whom I can’t stop pining over, I’d call it a win.
She did ignore my texts on night one, though. So, I’m going to confidently assume that the want between us is strictly one-sided.
Jenna seems like a ‘one and done’ type of girl, and usually it wouldn’t bother me, but I don’t think I’m anywhere close to being finished.
Not with her, anyway.
Not yet.
Once things had settled down at work, and we got a few more takes in under our belts for the day, I pulled my phone out of my pocket to text her again.
I knew I’d probably be adding to my list of unanswered texts, but I’ve never been the type to give up on something I want before getting it. I also wasn’t about to show up at her apartment for a dinner that she wasn’t actually inviting me to.
Me: I’m not picky.
Snow: ??
Me: If you’re not on the menu, then I’m not picky. I’ll eat anything.
Snow: Oh. That.
Snow: Sorry, I was just going along with your little prank.
Snow: You know, that whole boyfriend thing you sprung on me? Had to make it look believable.
Me: That’s a shame. I was looking forward to eating out tonight winky face emoji
Snow: Ugh, you’re annoying. That was a one-time deal. We can pretend all you want on set, but behind closed doors, we aren’t a thing.
Me: So how about that date, then? Maybe we can become a ‘thing’
Jenna: Goodbye, Cole.
Me: We’ll see about that.
I chuckle to myself as I lock my phone, slide it back into my pocket, and head out of my trailer. It’s finally time to go home.
The sun is setting, different shades of orange, yellow, and dark blue paint the sky, but not even the slightest breeze graces my skin.
The once busy car park at Wingrove Estates is emptying, and I head for the hire car that Marv handed me the keys to this morning.
Throwing my phone into the center console, it lights up as I turn on the ignition, and I see my brother’s name on the screen.
“Hey, man. I’m just heading home now,” I tell him as I place the call on speaker.
“Stop past Bridie’s to collect our beers. I’ve already arranged them with the owner. The low carb ones are for you, so don’t question them,” he says. His voice is a little distant from the phone, with the sound of the shower running in the background. “You have a few shirtless scenes coming up, so you need to look in top form.”
“Yes, boss.”
Hanging up the phone, I stop past Bridie’s pub where their owner, Bea, gives me everything my brother ordered, plus a complimentary bottle of the new Wingrove Estates white wine. “This is from their summer collection,” she says with a smile. I give her one back, nodding my thanks, and lug everything back to the car.
If I were pulled over right now, the cops would think I’m heading to some sort of party with the amount of booze I have sitting on the passenger seat.
Luckily, the town has only one cop and next to no crime, so chances of that happening are unlikely.
Pulling into the car park at our apartment building, I lift the heavy boxes and the bottle of wine into my arms, close my car door behind me, and head for the doors. “Good evening, Mr. Green,” I hear Marv’s voice say from behind the cargo in my arms, blocking my vision. He takes the key that’s gripped between my fingertips and places it on one of the many hooks behind his desk. “Would you like some help?” he asks. I shake my head in response. Not that he can see me.
“I’m good. Thanks, though. You have a good night.”
Heading for the elevator, I walk past the apartment Jenna occupies on the bottom floor, knocking into Tahnee, and her husband, Gio, on the way.
“Crap. Sorry, Cole,” she says, quickly steadying the boxes in my hands before they fall.
“It’s alright. I got it,” I reply, lowering the boxes to show my face. “Hey, man. I’m Cole. You must be Gio.” Gio eyes me suspiciously, his eyebrows pinched together. “I would shake your hand but—” I tilt my head to the boxes in front of me.
“No worries. Come on, Tahn. We’re going to be late.” He ignores me, intertwining his fingers through his wife’s, attempting to pull her away.
“Relax, babe. Jenna’s apartment is right next door.” She gestures to the apartment with the number one painted on it, a subtle smirk leaving her lips like she was letting me in on a secret. I already knew, though. “Weren’t you meant to be coming over for dinner?” Tahnee teases, knowing full well Jenna only invited me to keep up appearances. “I kind of want to see what she would do if you just…showed up. It’s only fitting that her boyfriend was there for her birthday.”
Me too, but after the text conversation we had earlier, I can almost guarantee she will kick me out, or ignore my existence all together. And I’m really not in the mood to be rejected in front of a group of people I don’t know. “Not tonight,” I say with a laugh as the elevator doors open. “See you tomorrow..”
Riding it to the top floor, I bash on our apartment door with my foot to get my brother to open it, and take the boxes from me.
“Good. You actually showed up.” He sits them down onto the white, marble bench top.
“I don’t really feel like I had a choice,” I say, placing the rest of the alcohol down onto the counter beside it. “Why do we have so much, anyway?” I ask, cracking open a beer from the box with the words ‘ no carb ’ written in big, bold letters.
“I panicked. The owner sounded hot.” He shrugs. “Movie?” Placing the rest of the glass bottles into the fridge, I agree, slouching down onto the cloud like couch.
We settle on the latest Denzel Washington movie before calling it a night. I head to my overly large room with a bed large enough that my feet don’t dangle off the end, and a duvet that doesn’t feel like it’s coated with a thick layer of dust. My freshly washed clothes are hung up or folded in the walk-in closet, which is the size of the place I used to call home.
This job has given me a life I could only dream of, and it’s only the first week.
Pulling my expensive sheets back, it feels like my skin is touching my most lavish type of material known to man, and I don’t know how I’m expected to just go back to where I came from.
Especially if this doesn’t work out.
But it will. It has to.
If it weren’t for the constant doubt and imposter syndrome rolling around in my head, I would’ve fallen asleep hours ago, but I feel like a fraud being here.
My contract is the biggest of any debut actor that Hollywood has ever seen, and every single day the little devil on my shoulder tells me that I’m not worth that kind of money. And every single day, I have to force myself to believe that I am.
Pulling my phone off the charger beside my bed, I open my text messages to see the last one I sent to Jenna. My fingers hover over the screen to send another, and my stupidity wins out.
Me: You up?
Snow : Who’s this?
Me: Funny .
Me: What are you wearing? winky face emoji
Snow: Goodnight, Cole.
Me: What? Why can’t a guy know what his girl is wearing to bed? fire emoji
Snow: Because I’m not your girl, and I’m trying to sleep.
Snow: I’ll say it again. Goodnight, Cole.
Me: We’ll see about that.