Page 64 of Born to be Wilder

“Who’s in it? What’s it about?”

“We’re not at liberty to discuss that,” said the younger one.

I nodded along. “Yeah. I bet. Gotta be a lot of top-secret stuff happening on movie sets. Don’t want any leaks, huh?”

“Exactly,” the one with the glasses said. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we are about to head back.”

Leveling them with a serious stare, I leaned forward, my elbows sliding onto the checkered vinyl tablecloth. “It’s alright, I get it. I’m cool, you know? I understand. And I couldn’t help but overhear you’re going over budget. You looking for talent? Free talent? Because you’ve just hit the mother lode.”

Their eyes met each other’s again, confusion and wariness apparent as they darted their gazes back and forth.

I held up my hands. “I know, I know. You’re thinking I’m some competitor’s plant. Trying to swindle my way onto your set. Sell the secrets. Bomb the opening. But I’m not, I swear. I’m no spy.”

“That’s not what I was thinking at all,” said the younger one. Then he paused. “But now I am.”

“Here’s the deal. I’m on a road trip with those fine ladies back there, and we’re looking for something fun to do. Come on. Just let us come to the set, maybe be extras for a few hours. You won’t regret it.”

The bald one shook his head. “Can’t do that. As we said, closed set. And there are plenty of regulations around using extras.”

I grumbled, glancing back at Alice, and debated pulling out the heavy artillery and throwing out the cancer card without her. Then I remembered I promised her I wouldn’t do that again.

“Hold on.” I pushed out of my chair and hurried back to our table.

I slid into the bench seat and bumped into Doris as I came to a stop.

“What did you do?” Sylvie whispered, leaning forward.

“I hope you didn’t embarrass us.” Alice set down her coffee.

I didn’t answer, staring at her as a sweet smile started on my lips. “Alice?”

Her face immediately dropped. “Don’t. Don’t you dare ask what I know you’re going to ask.”

“What’s she going to ask?” Doris looked back and forth between us.

“Come on, Alice. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. And between your beauty, your fame, and your⁠—”

“Cancer card,” she finished for me.

“Exactly. And I was good. I didn’t wield it without you.”

“Good. Because the only one who can wield the cancer card is the one with cancer. Me.”

“So, will you? Will you please come over and try to get us onto that movie set?” I pressed my hands together. “Please, please, please…”

She slowly sipped her coffee, our eyes still locked together, mine filled with hope and hers filled with long-suffering exasperation.

“Come on, Alice. This is war. I’m trying to infiltrate that movie set, and right now, those three are the guards. I need a sniper to take them out. That’s you. You’re the sniper. Come on, Alice. Take ’em out with the cancer card.”

“You really want to do this, don’t you?” Sylvie said.

I nodded so hard my Viking hat almost fell off. “You know how much I love movies. I can quote hundreds of them. I watch movies every night with Roxie. But I’ve never been on a movie set. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”

I looked back at Alice, sticking out my lower lip. “Pleeeeeease…”

“Ugh. Fine. I’ll do it.”

I whooped and caught the attention of everyone in the restaurant, including the film crew.