Hollywood Double: Hollywood Name Game Book 4 Page 5

  “This is a good casting decision,” she told him. “Mac brings a fresh prospective to everything.”

  “I know,” he said grumpily. “If I’d have known a stuntman could have this kind of raw talent to tap, I would never have called Finn.”

  Sydney joined them. “Call Finn Jarvis. Right away,” she emphasized. “Throw me under the bus if you need to. Say what directors have said since the beginning of Hollywood. That no one listens to you. The producers ganged up on you. We decided to go in a different direction. Whatever. His ego will be bruised enough so massage it the best you can.”

  “Will do. What about production? Any ideas on scheduling?”

  “Work on some of the victim scenes for two days,” Sydney said. “Mac will need to be fitted. Read the entire script. Learn his lines. Let’s plan to shoot chronologically with his and Keely’s scenes for now. Ease him in. Once he has a couple of weeks under his belt, then you can go out of sequence as need be. I’ll text you the call sheets.”

  “Okay. I think I’ll go see Finn in person. I have another project lined up after this. Maybe I can use him on it. I feel like I need to throw him a bone after this royal mess-up.”

  After Josh left, Sydney hugged Keely. “You weren’t crazy at all. How did you know Mac had this kind of talent? How long have you known him?”

  “My gut. I actually met him for the first time this morning. You know how it is. Sometimes, you just click with someone when you meet.”

  Sydney’s eyes flicked across the room to Dash and she smiled warmly. “Yeah. I know all about that.” She looked back to Keely. “So, anything going on between you? The chemistry in that scene was off the charts. You two are definitely going to make movie magic together.”

  Keely turned so her back was to the others. “This sounds crazy but I want to put my hands everywhere on him. I’ve never had such a strong physical response to a guy before. The fact that we’re working together? That would be a huge mistake.”

  “Don’t shut your feelings down. Maybe delay them,” her friend suggested. “You do realize that’ll be hard, though, with as much time as you’ll spend together over the next few months.” Sydney laughed. “Oh, I’m one to talk.”

  “I know,” she said, remembering back to days on the set as Sydney and Dash’s romance blossomed. “You have my word I’ll keep it professional between us. I’ll run lines with Mac before we come to set. He seems the type who likes planning in advance. The more comfortable I can make him with the dialogue, the better he’ll perform. I thought we’d start by getting him an agent. I think he’d like mine.”

  “Have Mac at the studio tomorrow for wardrobe and makeup tests. We’ll streamline that process the best we can. He’s so close to Beau’s size that it may be minor adjustments in the clothing is all we’ll need. Then work with him tomorrow and the day after. Report to set on Thursday, ready to roll.”

  “Will do.” Keely hugged Sydney. “Thanks for listening to me.”

  Sydney laughed. “We’re friends. I trust your intuition. You know I—rather, we—would never have made this big a decision, though, if Mac couldn’t bring home the goods.”

  “I do. I appreciate you giving him a chance.”

  “Good luck keeping your hands off him.” Sydney winked and led Keely back to join the others.

  “I don’t plan on rewriting a line,” Cassie said. “I’ll be on set most of the time while you’re filming. We can make adjustments as we go if they’re needed. I don’t think they will be.” Her eyes sparkled. “I think this is going to be a terrific experience for all of us.” She lifted her almost empty glass. “To Murder at Magic Hour!”

  Keely raised and then drained her glass, enjoying the small buzz the golden liquid brought. “Mac and I should get going. We have a lot to do.”

  Rhett laughed. “You’re beginning to sound like The General now.” He slipped an arm around Cassie’s waist and pulled her close.

  “I assume this is my copy of the script,” Mac said, indicating the one in his hand.

  “It is,” Sydney confirmed. “Don’t let it out of your sight. Read through it. Make notes on any questions you might have. Josh will meet with you before you film each scene and give you notes. I’ll do my best to stay out of that and let it be his picture. One bit of advice, though. Don’t let him run over you, Mac. Just because this is your first rodeo, you still need to trust your gut. If you want to try something different than Josh suggests, run it by him. If you don’t think what he’s asking you to do stays true to character, be vocal. You’ll be Thorne’s best advocate.”

  “It’s like a lot of different cooks in the kitchen,” Keely added. “Communication is key. You’ve got line cooks and sous chefs and a head chef. Everyone contributes to the finished meal. It’s the same thing with a film. RCDS is known for collaborative efforts. Don’t let anyone shut your opinion down. You need to be heard. You may not be right every time but speak up.”

  “Okay,” Mac said, looking a little overwhelmed. “Are you ready?”

  “I am. Let’s collect Jax. I hope he won’t be wearing any Pretty Pretty Princess pieces.”

  They said their goodbyes and found Jax playing outside with Kyle and Drew.

  “Hi, Keely,” the boys cried as Jax leaped in the air and came down with a yellow Frisbee. He returned it to Drew.

  “Drew DeLauria and Kyle Corrigan, this is Mac Randall. He’s going to be my co-star.”

  “Hi, Mr. Mac,” both boys responded politely.

  She liked how Mac took the time to shake each of their hands.

  “Can Jax stay longer?” begged Drew. “The girls had him for too long. Me and Kyle want to play with him more.”

  “Another time. We’ve got to get home now.”

  “If you go somewhere on vacation, I can keep him,” Kyle offered.

  Keely smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind. See you later, guys.” She found Jax’s leash by the front door and attached it to his collar.

  Mac helped her into the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat, letting out a long whoosh of a breath.

  “Are you incredibly overwhelmed?” she asked.

  “Pretty much. You get up and think it’s going to be a regular day. Then bam! The entire trajectory of your career—your life—changes in a heartbeat.”

  “I hope you don’t already regret the change.”

  He gave her a crooked smile that did something funny to her heart. “Not a chance.”

  “If you don’t enjoy making this movie or if acting doesn’t make you happy, nothing says you can’t go back to stunt work.”

  “Let’s wait and see.” He thought a moment. “I guess I’ll be one of those actors who does his own stunts. At least this first time.”

  Keely laughed. “You may be too valuable now. Josh might insist on hiring a stuntman for you. As it is, they’ll need to get a double for lighting purposes.”

  Mac started the ignition and looked at her. “Where to?”

  “You’re going to need an agent and possibly a manager. There’ll be contracts to sign. You’ll want an entertainment professional looking them over.”

  “Rhett said he’d have the contracts drawn up. He said he, Dash, and the RCDS attorney will be waiting for me tomorrow when I show up for fittings. My friend, Greg, runs the agency that reps me for stunt work but he’s never handled actors. He’d be out of his depth.”

  “May I suggest my agent, Carson Porter? He doubles as my manager. Most people hire separate people for those jobs but I’ve found Carson does each well. He takes a higher percentage but I think it streamlines things by him doing both.”

  “Let’s go for it.”

  Keely told him where Carson’s office was and then called to let Carson know they were stopping by. She briefly outlined what had happened and that Mac needed suitable representation by tomorrow morning.

  They arrived at the agent’s office half an hour later and were quickly ushered in. After exchanging pleasantries, Carson had them sit around an oval table. J
ax curled up next to her feet.

  “I’m not taking new clients now, Mac, but I’ll make an exception since Keely’s vouching for you.”

  “I don’t want to inconvenience you, Carson.”

  “You aren’t. With the two of you working the same film, I can be sure you’re booked together on the press junket and any other PR work. Knowing it’s an RCDS production, I won’t have to haggle over a lot of the small details. They’re known for fair contracts and I’ve worked with them several times since their start-up, especially when it comes to Keely. Do you have an idea what kind of salary you want me to ask for?”

  Mac looked to Keely, who said, “Carson knows the market. He’ll make sure you’re cut a good deal if you want to leave negotiations in his hands.”

  His gut told him to trust Keely. “I’ll put everything into your hands, Carson. Make the best, most reasonable deal you can. I don’t want to start off being difficult. Truth is, I’d do this for free.”

  Carson laughed. “First rule in Hollywood, Mac, never let ‘em know what you’re thinking. Especially that.”

  They discussed a few other details and then Keely told the agent they needed to leave to begin rehearsal. They made plans to meet on the studio lot in the morning fifteen minutes before their scheduled time in order to discuss anything that might come up and then took their leave.

  “What next? Should I call you ‘General’?” Mac asked as they got back into the truck.

  Keely laughed. “That’s Breck O’Dell’s nickname for Cassie.”

  “That’s her sometimes writing partner, right?”

  “He is. Breck was a stunt guy, same as you, when he and Cassie wrote their first spec script with Rhett in mind. They’ve teamed up on several projects since then. Breck’s also written for his wife, Jo. She has a comedy act. Jo’s done a one-woman Broadway show and several cable and Netflix specials.”

  “I saw her show live last year. She’s a riot. She was about six months pregnant, already big as a barn, and the funniest person I’ve ever heard.”

  “I’m sure you’ll meet them sooner than later. Breck’s former Delta Force and Rhett’s best friend since kindergarten. He and Jo are always one of the couples invited when the Corrigans or DeLaurias have people over. I think you’ll enjoy talking to Breck since you have some things in common.”

  “They have people over very often?”

  “As much as two working parents can. They have a large but tight-knit group of friends.”

  “And you’re a part of it.”

  “I am. Most of them have kids, except for Knox and London. She’s pregnant now, though.”

  “London Monroe? I love her voice.”

  “You’d love her. And Knox. They’re really decent people.” Keely sighed. “I know a majority of those in the film industry are egotistical. A lot of infidelity and divorces get thrown into the mix. This group is different, which is why I like them. They have friends outside the industry they also socialize with. All of them adore their spouses and children. They’re really down-to-earth, kind individuals. I’m lucky they took me under their wing years ago.”

  As Mac pulled out, Keely gave him directions to Topanga. He didn’t question why but he did have something else to ask.

  “So, you said they get together. Have people over. Is it always couples?”

  “Usually. Most everyone is married except for Scarlett and me.”

  “Do you and Scarlett bring dates with you?”

  “Sometimes.” Keely grinned. “Is this your way of asking if I’m seeing anyone, Mac?”

  He kept his eyes on the road. “Maybe.”

  “I’m not. When I first came to California, all I dated were actors since those were the men I met in workshops and at auditions. I actually moved in with one and thought it might lead to marriage—until I landed Shadow of Suspicion. I thought my boyfriend would be happy that it became my breakout role. Instead, his ego couldn’t take it and he told me I had to move out.”

  Keely ran a hand through her hair. “I didn’t date for a year after that. Too emotionally wounded and too busy professionally. Then I started seeing an architect. That lasted four months. He couldn’t understand the long days of shooting or going on location. After him came the OB/GYN. Bruce definitely understood the crazy hours because his were the same. Babies wait for no one, no matter what plans you might have. That’s what ended our relationship. We were compatible. Enjoyed our time together. In the long run, though, we were both so busy, we never really saw one another.”

  “When did that end?”

  “Three months ago.” She petted the dog in her lap. “Nowadays, Jax is the only guy I need.”

  She fell silent and the conversation ceased. Keely wondered if she’d spilled too much about her personal life. Or turned Mac off—when what she wanted to do was turn him on.

  To her.

  CHAPTER 5

  Mac contained the shout that threatened to erupt by hearing Keely wasn’t involved with anyone. He focused on the road ahead. Conversation died between them and he had to bite his tongue not to talk. It was ridiculous to feel as giddy as a kid walking into Disneyland for the first time simply learning she wasn’t in a relationship. He had to think about her priorities, though. And his.

  He was going to be in a Hollywood movie.

  The thought astounded him. He had an agent. A leading role in an expensive production. A lot rode on his shoulders. Sydney Revere and the rest of RCDS had gone out on a limb for him.

  Mac didn’t plan to let any of them down.

  Still, he wanted Keely to know he was interested in her. He didn’t want some other guy waltzing in and swooping her up. He grinned. They would be spending an awful lot of time together. So, would he do his best to keep things professional—or would he ignore his head and lead with his heart?

  The only time he’d thrown caution to the wind had proven disastrous. He’d fallen head over heels with Ellen in an instant and pushed her hard. They’d married within a few weeks of meeting and then gone through a tiny bit of paradise together before slogging through hell when she lost her leg. That didn’t begin to touch the tip of the iceberg in the room.

  Her betrayal.

  He’d wondered about it long and hard. Why she’d taken a lover. Mac thought they were good together. Happy. The only thing he could think of was that Ellen, who was a beautiful woman, had felt less than herself after returning stateside. Maybe she’d needed to flirt to prove she was still attractive to men, even minus a leg. Maybe the flirtation had gone too far and that’s how she’d plunged into the affair with Dr. Asshole. Mac would never know. He’d long ago pushed aside any regrets and decided never to give his heart away again. Never get burned. That experience had taken everything out of him. He couldn’t live through a repeat. Until now.

  Keely Kennedy tempted him. She was the first woman in four years who’d caused a blip on his radar. No, he wouldn’t lie to himself. Keely wasn’t a blip. She was like an earthquake that had occurred, shaking his world and turning everything topsy-turvy. On a ten-point scale?

  She easily notched a twelve.

  They approached Topanga and she spoke up, guiding him from the PCH to her house. She lived on the beach side of the highway, which meant her place had to be double in value from houses set along the east side.

  “See the red and white mailbox? Pull in there,” she instructed.

  Mac did as she asked and she gave him a four-digit gate code. Slowly, the fence moved away, allowing him to pull his truck through. Jax sat up expectantly.

  They reached the end of the drive. A charming cottage sat there, with lush foliage and flowers in blues, yellows, and pinks. He got out of the truck at the same time she did, Jax running around in circles, making his odd but cute yodel sound.

  “Grab your script,” she said as she unlocked the front door. The basenji flew in and Mac followed him.

  “Go straight through.”

  He entered a room that had an entire wall of glass that looked ou
t to the ocean. Turning, Mac saw how appealing the décor was, a palette of blues and grays with a bit of moss green mixed in. A large sofa with throw pillows dominated the room, with two club chairs opposite it. By the glass, an oversized recliner that looked inviting beckoned to him.

  “I guess the army’s still in your blood.”

  His eyes met hers. “Why do you say that?”

  “You take in everything as far as your surroundings go. People, too. We’ve only known one another since this morning but you’re pretty predictable in that department.”

  Keely headed into the kitchen, which was open to the den, and retrieved two bottled waters. Jax followed her and began noisily chowing down on some food. She handed Mac a bottle.

  “It’s definitely in my DNA now. I observe everything around me. I suppose I’m always a little wary, especially going into new places and situations.” He looked around. “Your home is nice. Cozy. Comfortable. Muted colors that soothe.” He indicated the view. “That is spectacular.”

  “It was worth paying for,” she admitted. “I drive a modest car. I don’t splurge on clothes. I didn’t hire a decorator. I pulled all of this together myself. I did, however, want that view. I’m from Colorado. I adore the mountains but there’s something about being by the water that calms and yet energizes me at the same time.”

  Jax trotted into the room and she leaned down to pet him. “Jax loves to walk and run on the beach. It’s easy to cross the road and hike in Topanga Canyon, too. Speaking of, basenjis are high energy dogs and I need to take him for some exercise. Why don’t you have a seat for an hour and read as much of the script as possible? That way, when we start running lines, you’ll have more of an idea about Thorne and where he’s coming from.”

  Keely indicated the recliner. “I enjoy reading scripts in that chair. It’s comfy and gets great natural light. I need to change. I shouldn’t wear Ashley’s clothes down to the beach. Excuse me.”