AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not much.” He dragged a hand down his face. “They’re giving this director too much freedom, but they know the movie will be a much harder sell with another actor in the Blaze Ripley role. That’s why they agreed to all my terms. Still, I won’t do it unless they change the script.”
“Will they?”
“I don’t know.”
“It sounds to me like you have a litany of reasons for being reluctant.” She approached and rested her hand on his lower back. “What would you do if you didn’t makeFatal Glory 7?”
He rested his elbows on the railing, pushing his camera strap higher on his shoulder, and stared out at the ocean. A little kid was digging a trench around a bucket-shaped sandcastle.
“A few months ago, I read a script based on a novel I’d read a few years ago by an author named Lincoln Atwood. It was calledTruth.It was published well over a decade ago to great acclaim, and it’s been kicking around Hollywood for years. An independent studio finally picked it up, and Conrad Birch signed on as director.”
“Didn’t he win an Oscar last year?”
“And three years ago.” Jake flexed his hands together. “The protagonist inTruthis Tom Dillon, a Vietnam vet who leaves his factory job and hits the road. He encounters all these people and learns their stories, and in the process, he figures out how to deal with his own trauma and history.”
“Sounds like quite a departure from Blaze Ripley.”
“Yeah.” Jake picked at a loose splinter on the wooden railing. “But when I read the novel and the script, I felt like Iknewthis character. I knew how I’d play him. Or at least, I wanted to try.”
“Have they cast the part yet?”
“No.” He pushed away from the railing. “Against my agent’s advice, I auditioned, but I haven’t heard anything yet. I don’t stand much of a chance. As Rich reminded me, every real actor in Hollywood wants the part of Tom Dillon.”
“So what are you, if not a real actor?”
He shrugged.
“Jake.” She tugged his arm, forcing him to look at her. “I don’t know much…okay,anything…about Hollywood, but I do know that acting is about embodying a character so well that the audience believes the story is the truth. That the character is real. I’ve only seen oneFatal Glorymovie, but there’s no question in my mind that Blaze Ripley is out there somewhere, figuring out how to save the world.”
Affection weakened him. He twisted a stray lock of her hair around his finger. “No question, huh?”
“None.” She poked him in the chest, her expression earnest. “Just because your movies make a gazillion dollars at the box office and you have fans all over the world screaming your name doesn’t make you anyless realan actor. You wanted to make movies because you love the stories. Don’t feel guilty for wanting to tell a different story now.”
He pulled her closer, unable to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her. Her body settled against his to perfection, all her curves fitting just right into the angles of his chest. He pressed his lips against her warm temple and breathed in the peachy scent of her hair.
“It’s stupid, though.” He let out a heavy sigh. “To walk away from a deal like that. People would kill for even a fraction of what they’re offering me. If I don’t sign on, I’m putting hundreds of other people’s jobs at risk.”
“Okay, first…stop saying it’sstupid.” She pinched his arm, easing back to look up at him. “No decision that’s right for you is stupid. You can’t live your life based on what other people would do. You also can’t sign a contract just to ensure people have jobs. That’s noble and admirable, but not if it compromises the character and story you’ve created over the past decade. You still want to be proud of everything you do.”
The sun shone on her hair, bringing out gold and reddish highlights that shimmered around her face. A tiny dusting of freckles spread across the bridge of her nose. And her mouth…
He lowered his head, capturing her lips swiftly, as if he were afraid she’d disappear. Maybe she would. He’d never expected to find someone like her anywhere, much less during his exile in Bliss Cove. God knew he hadn’t imagined that smart girl Callie from high school would come back into his life with the power of an earthquake and shake up his very foundation, in the best possible way.
She responded to his kiss without hesitation, as if parting her lips and letting him inside was the most natural thing in the world. He cupped the sides of her neck and tilted her head to just the right angle.
Her hot mouth was so fucking sweet, and the way she curled her fists into the front of his T-shirt inspired a surge of protectiveness. Tugging her closer, he lost himself in her taste and scent. Heat flooded him right before a glimmer of rationality reminded him where they were.
Breaking their kiss, he pressed his forehead to hers. Her breath puffed against his lips.
“So…you watchedFatal Glory?” He straightened and flexed his hands on her shoulders. “Really?”
A pink flush colored her cheeks. “Last night. Justone,” she added a little irritably.
Pure male satisfaction spread through his veins. “Why?”
“To see what all the fuss was about, of course.” With atsk, Callie turned and started walking, her shoulders set.
Jake hurried to catch up with her. “You sure it’s not because you have a little crush on me?”
