Chapter 3
THREE
T he tungsten lamp pointed at Bianca made her eyes water. She rested her hand on Carter’s chest. “You saved me. I never could have done it without you.”
She held on to her smile. Right words. Wrong man. Or at least, not the firefighter that had taken over her dreams again last night.
An extra moved off-screen over her costar’s shoulder, and Bianca zeroed in on her mark—the point of Carter’s chin. She couldn’t glance over. Couldn’t spike the camera—look directly at it—and ruin the shot. She needed everything real to fade away. To be and to feel as her character.
Except all Bianca currently felt was her pain meds wearing off.
She fisted the fabric under her fingertips.
Though a hoodie shadowed Carter’s face, her costar’s gaze locked onto hers. “I think you have it backward. You rescued me.”
His words brought to mind when the firefighter had steadied her. Made her feel safe despite the chaos.
Fingers traced her cheek, and Carter’s pinkie hit her stitches.
Bianca flinched.
“Cut!” The director hooked his hands onto his hips. His gray shirt would have blended him into the array of crew members behind the lighting and cameras, but Leo’s glare couldn’t be ignored. “Bia, what was that?”
Bianca wiped her sweaty palm down her face, and the fresh makeup smudged onto her fingers. Great. “Sorry, I…”
Hesitated. Daydreamed. Panicked.
Beside her, Carter sighed. “You’ve really got to remain in character, Bia.”
Bianca winced again. If only she could redo the previous week. If she’d missed the entirety of the mayor’s event, yesterday’s headlines wouldn’t have read: Are Both Acting and Carter Old News for Bia Pearl?
The complete opposite of what her contract said must happen concerning the hype around her and Carter’s relationship on and off the set. Worse may have been the pictures of her injured face.
Leo stormed toward the camera. “Roll it back. I need to see if her stitches are visible. Bia, go see Tiff. Make sure she works her magic.”
Bianca ducked out of the crowd and sat in her chair. She grabbed her phone and a water bottle. Usually, the best makeup artist in the business would have beaten Bianca to her seat. Except Tiff wasn’t waiting behind the cameras. Maybe she had taken the day off, since one of the makeup assistants had done Bianca’s makeup earlier?
An assistant walked by, and Bianca waved her over. “Have you seen Tiff?”
The girl pushed up her glasses.
Bianca stopped. She knew the woman. “Hey, Grace. Your new hair color looks great.” Grace pulled her honey-chestnut hair over one shoulder. “I’ve had this color for almost two years.”
“Guess it has been that long since we’ve worked on a set together.”
Grace pushed her hair back. “Tiff had a family emergency. Her actual replacement just arrived.” She checked her phone. “Name’s Riley.”
“Bia!” Leo shouted.
“Yes, sir.” Bianca rushed to the camera the director glared at.
“See that.” Leo shook his finger at the screen. “I count two stitches.”
Grace wrinkled her nose. “That one’s only a hair stuck in?—”
“It will be fixed in fifteen minutes. If the press doesn’t die down about you and that firefighter…The point of your contract was to create hype about the movie. Not self-promotion. I took a chance on you despite your relationship and tabloids history. Don’t make me regret my choice.”
Bianca locked her jaw. “I’ll fix it.”
She marched for the makeup trailer and pulled out her phone. One text message from Frances.
Frances
Good morning, sweetheart. Accountability check to see if you’ve done your devotion this morning? Keep yourself in the Word and don’t listen to what people say online. They don’t know the truth. Keep shining for Him. Hope you’re feeling okay. Praying.
Bianca hugged her phone to her chest. She could use all the prayers. First, get her makeup touched up. No stitches. Easy enough. Next, she had to do damage control on her and Carter’s supposed relationship, spreading news about the movie. Then she’d squeeze in some Bible reading…
Her phone buzzed with another text. But it wasn’t from Frances.
Unknown
Lady B, call me.
She blocked the sender’s number and shoved her phone into her pocket. Third, get Nathan to stop trying to contact her. He knew the truth about her, but he allowed his lawyer’s lies to save him.
Eddie’s face from when he’d told her the truth about her injury popped into her head.
She exhaled.
Lastly, she’d figure out how to stop that firefighter from sneaking into her mind.
She pushed out the doors of the warehouse they had been filming in, and the afternoon light made her squint.
Heels click-clacked on the concrete behind her. “Bianca, wait.”
Bianca turned to find Grace jogging toward her.
Grace heaved in a breath. “Sorry about Leo in there. He’s a little stressed over some behind-the-scenes details about the movie’s finances.” Grace pushed up her glasses. “Never take his mood personally. He can’t truly be upset with you for having to get stitches after someone attacked you.”
“Doesn’t help when the media missed the memo about me being attacked. Apparently, I slipped off my heels that night because I’d had too much to drink and rammed into a window. Not exactly good publicity for a family film.” Bianca held on to her smile as she passed some extras, who waved at her. “Unfortunately, there are a few details that didn’t get accomplished at the masquerade auction.”
Grace juggled her phone and notebook in her hand as they took the steps to the makeup trailer. “Yes, the staged photos of you and Carter. I have a suggestion about that. I would have run it by your agent, but she hasn’t returned my calls.”
Bianca’s smile slipped. “She’s probably busy with her other clients.” Her current clients. Alexis had forbidden Bianca from signing this movie contract. No, it wasn’t a great upfront contract. More hoops than benefits. But it wasn’t like Bianca had any other options.
Before Grace could reply, a tall woman in ripped jeans and a navy tank top, her brown hair pulled back into two messy buns, stepped out of the trailer.
Grace cleared her throat. “This is Riley. Your replacement makeup artist.”
The woman stiffened. “You’re Bia Pearl.”
Bianca clasped her hands together. “And you’re exactly who I need.”
Grace pointed at Bianca’s hairline. “The director’s hypersensitive about her stitches. I suggested giving her character a haircut, but that was also ignored.”
Riley frowned. “Stitches? They happened on set?”
“No, thank goodness. That might shut production down for hours.” Grace took the door handle from Riley and motioned for her and Bianca to enter. “Bianca had to be rescued by a firefighter at the local mayor’s campaign auction. Surprised you haven’t heard. It’s all over the news.”
Bianca failed to hold the sigh in as she eased into the chair that she had previously sat in this morning.
Riley shrugged one shoulder. “Been a little busy getting here.”
Grace spun the chair Bianca sat in to face her. “You’re probably wishing Carter could’ve been the one to rescue you. But the reason I wanted to talk with you…” She sent a side glance to Riley, who had moved over by her makeup table. “What if you don’t suddenly try to plaster Carter as your fake boyfriend on your social media?”
Bianca gripped the armrest of the chair. Pretending on- and off-screen was the package deal. “No choice in that, I’m afraid.”
Grace pressed her lips together. “Because your contract says that you and Carter must jointly promote the movie. However, it doesn’t give a timeline, and after your apparently ex-agent texted me to stop calling her about you…”
Bianca’s gaze snapped up to Grace, who winced.
Grace held out her palms. “I probably should’ve led with how I already knew she’d dropped you, but I read everyone’s contracts. I found wiggle room. Especially for you to not have to fake date Carter…just yet.”
Riley walked over and rotated Bianca’s chair to face the mirror. Grace stayed next to Riley as if they were in a three-legged race.
Riley swirled a sponge into a shade of foundation.
Grace made a strangled noise and grabbed another color of foundation off the counter. “Tiff likes to use this to blend. Bianca’s skin has a redder undertone.” She handed it over to a scowling Riley and then squatted until she was level with Bianca. “I know it’s good to have a hero on your social media. It’s good for you as an actress, and it’s good for your viewership. That’s probably why your contract is worded for the costars to jointly promote. But what if we ditch Carter for the time being? We use the hero who actually saved you instead. Let’s milk that a little while. We’re just going to take what the media gave us and see what we can do with it. My guess is your followers will rise, which means more people will hear about the movie because they’re following you. Plus, it’ll help your reputation to be seen with a real hero too. This film’s supposed to be a romantic mystery adventure for the entire family. So its genuine audience will latch on to an everyday, hardworking hero they relate to. Not Carter, who was photographed last night doing shots and kissing three different women.”
Bianca shook her head. “Those photos could’ve been photoshopped.”
Grace twisted her lips to the side. “Could have. But that doesn’t stop people from believing what they want to believe. What if you ride this firefighter-hero wave that the media has hand delivered? Gain more followers. Both you and Carter improve your online characters. Finish filming and then…bam. You and Carter are seen together. Plant the rumors about dating then. Contract still validated. Which conveniently will be right before the movie goes live. And in my opinion, will be better timing for promoting the movie. Perfect plan, right? When it works, I was hoping…you’d let me be your official media assistant or personal assistant. We could argue over titles later.”
Bianca blinked at Grace. “My assistant? But you’re…”
“An assistant to an assistant.” Grace licked her lips. “I’m way overdue for a promotion around here, and I’m so tired of getting coffee…I mean, I’d love to get you coffee?—”
“You could get me an espresso.” Riley dabbed the mixed foundation on Bianca’s hairline.
Grace rolled her eyes. “Being a set assistant and your assistant might come in handy. I mean, yeah, you need one, especially since you currently don’t have an agent. And I think I’d be a great one if people would give me a chance.”
“Amateur.” Riley grunted. “One huge pothole in your perfect plan.”
Both Bianca and Grace stared at Riley.
Riley handed Bianca a handheld mirror. “You assume the firefighter will drop everything and be at her beck and call. Not everyone in the world jumps at the command of the Bia Pearl.”
Bianca inspected Riley’s touchup on her stitches in the mirror. “She’s right. Carter’s job depended on rumors of us together. But not Eddie’s.”
Grace held up a finger as she moved to the corner where some dresses hung on a rack.
Grace grabbed the third hanger of what was probably supposed to be a dress but looked more like a long tube top. “Except this green dress will make your eyes pop. Just go over to the firehouse. See if he’s willing to step in and play the role of a hero on your social media for a couple weeks. Boost your targeted audience. You and Carter can still promote the movie together—later. Wear this. How could your hero say no?”
Bianca wrinkled her nose. Two fake relationships instead of just one she’d never wanted in the first place. Not the direction of her restarted career she’d prayed for. “I prefer it when my portrayed character wears more fabric.”
Riley raised a brow.
Grace shook the dress on the hanger. “It covers all your important parts. At least try it on.” She pulled Bianca from the chair. “Your contract works on back-end residuals. The more the movie makes, the more you will too. People love firefighters. The hero works at Eastside. Your hair and makeup’s already done.”
Riley wiped down an eyebrow brush. “Isn’t she supposed to be filming?”
Grace lifted her chin and sent her hoop earrings swinging. “We have a little lag time in the filming schedule today. I’ll talk to Leo.”
Riley cocked her hip. “And ask him what? His coffee order? You can’t request a director to stop filming.”
Grace’s shoulders sank. She didn’t meet Bianca’s eyes.
Both Grace and Riley had a point, but Bianca did need a way to check off all the boxes on her contract—like getting people to the theater, growing the movie’s social media sites, and creating a must-see atmosphere about the film—or she wouldn’t get paid enough to have agreed to the indie-produced film. They hadn’t offered her a typical union contract with plenty of guaranteed cash. Instead, she’d agreed to a small weekly contract with a much heavier royalty percentage. “First off, thanks, Riley.” She gestured to her forehead. “This looks spot on.”
Bianca touched Grace’s arm. “Second, we can try out you being my assistant, especially for my media stuff, because honestly, I hate it.”
Grace pressed the dress to her chest. “You’ll give me a chance?”
She didn’t exactly have anyone else lining up to support her.
Bianca held up her finger. “Let me finish this scene, and then we’ll both talk to Leo. He’ll have an idea of whether or not the producers will agree to your revised plan.”
Grace bobbed her head. “Then you’ll go get your firefighter?”
Bianca laced her fingers together. The exact person she was trying to get out of her mind.
Would he really agree to a plan that would save her career? Maybe if she could figure out a deal. One he couldn’t resist. “Okay. Give me the dress.”