Chapter 8
CHAPTER 8
Ash
Dear Max,
I showed the locations to Sebastian and he absolutely loves them. (Well done to you—do you have any idea how rare that is?) He wants you to book them for the shoot, and also arrange with them for me to scout the locations and conduct sun surveys.
Curious to know how the client schmoozing went. Was the cheese worth $12,000 a day?
Leigh
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Dear Leigh,
Glad to know Sebastian is happy with the locations. I was starting to think we weren’t going to get them right. Are the shoot dates still the same? Just want to confirm before I book. I’ll speak to them about you scouting the locations. Are there any dates that do not suit you, travel wise?
The cheese went down really well. So well, in fact, that I think I might have to give you a commission. Will 10% suffice?
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Dear Max,
The sooner I can conduct the surveys, the better. Some of the shots are very complicated, so the more prep work I can do, the better. Am okay to travel anytime.
10% seems a bit too generous. I don’t think three cheese suggestions warrants that much compensation.
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Dear Leigh,
I think you underestimate the brilliance of your suggestions. I’ll get on to those bookings now and come back to you as soon as I have dates for the survey. Will one full day at each location suffice, or will you need more?
Max
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Dear Max,
We’d better make it two days.
I’m flattered by your compliment. I’ve always considered myself to be an excellent fromager.
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Dear Leigh,
I couldn’t agree more with that assessment of yourself. I’ll get back to you soonest. As always, it was a pleasure chatting to you.
Max
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Dear Max,
You too! Have to run. I have to go to a pitch now at one of my “favorite” places.
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Dear Leigh,
Okay, you cannot leave me hanging with inverted commas like that. Now I have to know what your “favorite” place is.
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Dear Max,
I’ll tell you, but only if you swear yourself to secrecy!
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Dear Leigh,
Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.
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Dear Max,
Hahah! I have not heard that in years! I’m off to VGC Advertis ing agency to sit around with too many creative directors who think they actually know how to shoot. If I have another creative director tell me that he wants everything to have a real cinematic look to it and tell me how I should light the actor’s face, I think I might toss a C-stand at them.
———
Dear Leigh,
I would probably pay to see that. I’ve been on a couple of sets where I’ve had the pleasure of seeing a few of those kinds of creative directors in action.
———
Dear Max,
I didn’t think your job would put you on set that often?
———
Dear Leigh,
I pride myself on providing a very hands-on, premium offering. I like to make sure that both the production and the location are happy, and no one steps on each other’s toes. After a few issues where production tried to shoot in areas of the location that were not agreed upon, and disrupted the location’s daily operations, and the location didn’t allow the production enough time in one area, when previously they’d agreed on a set amount of time, I decided it was in everyone’s best interest that I be there. Especially when it’s a big shoot like this. I don’t stress as much when it’s not such a high-stakes job. But I’ve never worked with your production company before, or with any of these locations, so I like to be there to make sure everything runs smoothly.
———
Dear Max,
Wow! That is a premium service indeed.
———
Dear Leigh,
It doesn’t come cheaply, though, obviously!
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Dear Max,
I would never dream of assuming you are not well compensated. I’ve seen where your office is located, remember. And I do know where you live.
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Dear Leigh,
It sounds like you’re stalking me.
———
Dear Max,
Only outside of work hours!
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Dear Leigh,
Hahah! Is it weird to say I think I’m flattered?
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Dear Max,
You should be.
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Dear Leigh,
Well in that case, I’m very flattered.
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Dear Max,
Then I guess I’m flattered that you’re flattered.
There was a long pause in the conversation again. Holding back . . . holding back. Were we going to cross the line?
Dear Max,
As much as I would like to continue discussing your obvious flattery, I really do need to get to that meeting.
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Dear Leigh,
Pity, this conversation was just getting interesting . . .
———
Dear Max,
Perhaps we can pick it up later?
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Dear Leigh,
I would like that. A lot.
We seemed to have dipped our toes over the line slightly, but not so much that the line could not be redrawn if necessary. I smiled to myself as the warm feeling filled my chest once more, but then I very deliberately stopped myself from smiling. Wait, what the hell was I doing, again ? Dating detox. I sighed out loud, but semi-flirting with Maximillian felt so good. I closed my laptop angrily, cursing myself and Maximillian’s obviously irresistibly charming and flirty nature. I would need to be stronger. I needed to recommit myself to this detox. Surely I had more will power than this! It felt as if I’d gone on a diet on the first of January, only to be smashing an entire soft, silky Brie topped with candied walnuts and soft poached pear on the second.
Well, Maximillian was not a cheese and I was not going to eat him. No matter how delicious he seemed to be turning out to be.