34. Aspen
Chapter 34
Aspen
W hen I exit the hair and makeup trailer this morning and walk onto set, I realize that the person I was subconsciously looking for isn’t here. Of course he’s not, it’s Grey’s week off and he’s doing press for James Bond. Second best is Jack Mack, who’s standing within my line of sight.
I walk up to where he’s fumbling with his phone and say, “Hey, Jack, what’s up?”
He looks up and smiles genially. “Good morning, Aspen. How was your weekend? Have any plans for your time off next week?”
“It was good. And yeah, actually. I’m going to go home to New York and visit with my family.”
“Sweet. Say hi to your dad for me, will you?”
“Sure,” I reply. It’s still weird that Jack knows my dad so well, even though it makes sense—they are two of the best directors in the industry, after all.
“It’s sort of weird not having Grey here, isn’t it?”
“It’s a lot quieter, that’s for sure.”
“Maybe for you. You’re the only one he follows around like a puppy, chatting their ear off,” Jack replies.
I hate to admit it, but I blush a little at the thought of Grey favoring me over everyone else on set too.
Jack continues. “Ready to have all the focus on you this week?”
“Yeah, I’ve been preparing for Rosie’s mental breakdown scene my entire life.” I say, referencing the scene we’re filming today. The breakdown is the catalyst for Rosie disguising herself and going off the grid in the first place.
Jack laughs way harder than is probably appropriate. “Ain’t that the truth.”
He’s about to say something else when an extremely burly man runs up to us, asking, “Have either of you seen Grey?”
“Aspen, meet Brock,” Jack says, introducing us. “He’s the best trainer in town, works with the biggest—literally and figuratively—stars.”
“That’s why you quit after one session, right?” Brock teases.
“Hey, I just realized I prefer climbing over weights,” Jack defends.
“Hi, Brock,” I cut in.
“Hi, Aspen. I’ve heard a lot about you. Grey—wait, yeah, where’s Grey?” he asks, frantic again.
“He’s on his week off. I’m pretty sure he’s literally on the Today Show right now.”
Brock wipes his brow theatrically. “Oh thank God. I had gone to his place this morning for our usual workout sesh and he wasn’t in the gym. I checked his bedroom and he wasn’t there either. He wasn’t in the shower, or the?—”
“Wait, you were just snooping around his house?” Jack asks.
“Yeah, he gave me a key. Anyway?—”
“You looked in his shower ?” Jack asks. “What if he was in there?”
“Well, he wasn’t responding when I called his name, so either he was passed out and needed help or wasn’t there. It’s fine—he wasn’t anywhere, so I left and sped right here. I thought maybe he just forgot about our session.”
“You’re holding a Dunkin’ coffee right now,” Jack points out.
“Okay, I sped straight here with a pit stop for coffee. I’m a man, not a machine. Jesus, what a morning.”
My head is just swiveling from Jack to Brock, following the conversation like a tennis match.
“Did you text him?” Jack asks.
“No.”
“Maybe if you did he would’ve told you he was in New York.”
Brock rolls his eyes. “Okay, Mr. Know It All. I guess you’re a better detective than I am.”
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Brock,” I interject. This is getting awkward.
“You too. You really are a beauty; I get why Grey’s so obsessed with you.”
I’m sure he’s just being polite, but nevertheless I feel color rising to my cheeks. “Thank you.”
“Aspen, actually it's good that you’re here. I have a womanly question.”
“Umm?” I stutter.
“Sorry, a question for a woman. I need a woman’s advice.”
“What is it?” I ask, torn between amused and apprehensive.
“The wife’s birthday is coming up and I don’t know what to get her.”
I’m pleasantly surprised; that is actually a sweet question. “Well, you could take her out to dinner. Most women prefer thoughtful experiences over physical things.”
“What if it's thoughtful and physical? Like, she has this swing that she outfitted with all sorts of?—”
“Tangible,” I interrupt, sensing where he’s going. “I meant tangible things.”
“Oh. So a restaurant? Seems boring. I take her out to restaurants all the time. As long as they serve her gluten-free, dairy-free, fun-free rigga-frigga and my grilled, unsauced chicken for protein.” Brock laughs at his own joke, slapping Jack on the back in a you know women way. Jack makes a face that portrays that he very much does not know women.
“What about a trip then?” I suggest.
Brock hums thoughtfully. “A trip…that could work.”
A moment of silence passes, Jack and I sharing a get a load of this guy look.
Brock clears his throat and continues. “So, since I’m already here, do you guys need another extra? Or a directorial assistant?” he asks, eying Jack.
Jack shakes his head and opens his mouth to say something but Brock’s faster. “I could even be a body double for Grey. If you need to film any scenes with his back or something. I just can’t film any kissing scenes—the wife would kill me. Well, unless you guys could make sure what happens on set stays on set.”
Jack holds a hand up to silence Brock. “Sadly, we already have everyone we need. And speaking of the film, we really should start rehearsing now. Otherwise it’ll be a very long day. Thanks for stopping by, Brock, it was a pleasure as always.”
“Yeah, no problem, I completely understand,” Brock says. “I know when I’m not wanted, I’ll get out of your way. Bye, Aspen, it was nice to finally meet you.”
“You too.”
Brock winks at me and squeezes Jack’s bicep, as Jack flinches away. “I’ll be in touch with you, Mackey, about that training session this weekend. It looks like you need it.”
Brock shoots a final finger gun at Jack before stalking off. Jack turns to me with a bewildered expression. “Did I somehow black out and tell him I wanted a training session?”
I laugh. “No, not at all.”
“The guy’s a nut. He’s good at what he does, but he’s a nut.”
“I guess you’d have to be, to want to be stuck in a gym all day.”
“True.” Jack chuckles.
I turn to look in the direction where Brock walked away and find him at the food table, eating a literal fistful of danishes. As though he senses my eyes, Brock turns around and meets my gaze.
“Dirty bulk!” he shouts across the set with a nod.