Chapter 6
Hill
Ilaughed at Josh’s joke, and all the crew members sitting around the table looked up from their phones. Jonique, the camera operator, raised an eyebrow. “Care to share the laugh?”
I shrugged, still chuckling. “My, uh, friend, Josh. He has this donkey, Benny.” I explained the joke, and everyone laughed.
Carl, the assistant director, raised an eyebrow. “So this Josh. He’s only a friend?”
“Um, he’s—” My face went hot.
My co-star Gina gasped and pointed at me. “That’s why you stay in most nights!”
The others made “Ooooh” noises, and I knew I was turning even more red. What the fuck was I supposed to say? Any effort to declare Josh and I were merely friends wouldn’t be believed.
But, to Gina’s point, having a fake boyfriend would get me out of more social activities. Without another thought, I gave them a shy smile and shrugged. “Maybe I like spending time with Josh more than you losers.”
Jonique put her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand. “How did you meet?”
I snorted. “Cole Washburn introduced us.”
“Come on, Hill. It’ll be fine.”
My stomach roiled as I turned away from Trevor’s pleading face to stare out the window at the throngs of Parisians and tourists clogging the sidewalk.
We’d been back in France for two days, and this scene should’ve been simple.
I only had to stride broodily down the sidewalk and answer my phone.
But we didn’t have a permit to block the street, so Trevor wanted to do it with only me and a camera.
“The security team will intervene if any passersby get in the shot.”
I glared at him. “You know it’s not the shot that concerns me, Trevor.”
He grimaced. “Sorry. But the locals are blasé about celebrities. What happened in Chicago won’t happen here.” I hesitated, and he sensed my weakness. “Please try it once. If things get ugly, we’ll do it on a soundstage back in L.A., okay?”
Meaning if I was a whiny baby who refused to film in public, it’d be my fault for incurring the additional time and increased costs of using a soundstage. Fuck.
“Alright. Let’s try it.”
Jonique went out first with Denis and Alain, the security team, and Tori, her assistant.
The camera was on a rolling cart, and Jonique would walk backwards as Tori led her along the sidewalk.
To avoid being in the shot, Denis and Alain would stay by the camera as it moved.
Jonique chose a spot thirty or so feet away, then waited for a break in the pedestrian traffic. She raised her hand.
That was my cue.
I settled my character around me, channeling my stress into his motivation and internal angst. He didn’t have any worries about members of the public rushing at him.
I exited the office building we’d been filming in, pulling the door open dramatically and making sure my hair caught the resulting draft of air.
Absently buttoning my suit jacket with one hand, I checked my phone with the other.
I stalked down the sidewalk for a few strides before I tucked the phone into my pants pocket and reached into the front of my jacket for my sunglasses.
I was lifting them to my face when a woman walking toward me did a double take. “Hill Concannon?”
I ignored her as I walked past, but she turned around and started talking. She had a severe Southern American accent. “Oh, my gawd. It is you!” Three more people turned to see why she was shouting.
Ahead, Jonique raised her hand to cut the scene. Alain and Denis jogged toward me.
My heart pounded as I stopped and pointed toward the camera. “I’m sorry, but we’re trying to film a scene.” Hurry, hurry, hurry, I mentally urged the security guys.
The people who’d stopped didn’t care. They’d all taken their phones out and were asking for pictures. So far no one was trying to touch me, but my tension was increasing rapidly.
“Step back. Move away from Mr. Concannon.” Denis and Alain put their arms out to either side of me and ushered me back to the office building. I ducked inside with a sigh of relief.
“We almost had it!” Trevor threw his arms in the air. “If we can get to the point where you answer the phone, it’ll be a wrap!”
Fuck, I had to do it again. They did let me sit down for a few minutes while we waited for the crowd to disperse. I closed my eyes and practiced my meditation. All too soon, it was time to try once more.
As Jonique and the others took their positions on the sidewalk, I prayed to the movie gods that this would be the last take.
She raised her hand, and I got into character.
Sweeping through the door, I headed down the sidewalk and checked my phone before tucking it away and pulling out my sunglasses.
I slid them on my face, and a few steps later Jonique signaled, my cue to glance down and hastily grab for my phone and the information my character desperately needed.
Unfortunately, a couple on the other side of the street had noticed the camera and me, and they ran through the traffic, shouting my name.
Americans again. I didn’t look up, hoping they could be cut out of the frame, but they jumped in front of me.
I flinched back as they exclaimed how excited they were to see me.
Responding faster this time, Denis and Alain bracketed me and ushered me back to the office building where Trevor was waiting, smiling and rubbing his hands together.
I gave him my best pleading expression. “Tell me that was enough.”
He grimaced. “You almost had it. One more take is all we’ll need. I’m sure of it.”
This time I couldn’t sit still. I paced the lobby while we waited for the onlookers to leave.
When Trevor told me it was all clear, and Jonique was back in position, I did thirty seconds of a breathing exercise while I got into character.
His distressed demeanor didn’t require much acting, and I felt in my soul how frustrated he was without the information he needed.
I pulled the door open impatiently, tossing my head in the draft of air.
I stomped out to the sidewalk, glancing at my phone and stuffing it into my pocket when it didn’t show me what I was waiting for.
I squinted in the sun before yanking my sunglasses out of my pocket, still striding forward, daring anyone to get in my way.
Sunglasses on, I waited for Jonique’s signal.
Then I slapped my hand over my pocket, fumbling my phone out, anxious to hear the information my character needed.
I put the phone to my ear and stopped walking.
Focusing on Jonique so I didn’t miss her signal to cut, I barely caught the movement in my peripheral vision as someone came toward me at a high rate of speed. I started to twist away, but I wasn’t fast enough. I grunted as they tackled me, the pain in my side hot and sharp.