AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Then what is it?”
He looked side to side although they were alone and leaned in. “Look, people talk, and I’m not supposed to know this, but I assume you already know if you work for Jack.”
“Oh, I don’t—”
“But I heard that he’s leaving the show.”
“He’s what?” Gemma said at the same time the trailer door swung open.
“I’mwhat?!” Jack blurted from the doorway.
Duncan suddenly stood up, his height swallowing up all the space inside. “Jack! Were you listening to us?”
“Yes,” Jack said without hesitation. He climbed the short steps inside, wearing a look of confusion. “What did you say, Duncan? I’mleavingthe show?”
Duncan stood back and crossed his arms with an indignant scowl. Gemma was going to scold Jack for interrupting what she thought had been a decent attempt at intervention on his behalf, but based on the look on his face, she needed to let him resume control of the situation.
“First,” Duncan said, pointing a finger at him, “rude. Second, more rude that you sent Gina to spy on me.”
“It’s Gemma,” she chirped.
“Third,” Duncan continued, “how dare you abandonme. Were you going to go without telling me? No one writes this character like you can, Jack. I don’t want him in anyone else’s hands. You’re really going to leave me—me—to go write a show about dragons and made-up kings? That’s not you.Thisis you.Mac Drakeis you. I don’t want to do this without you.” Duncan sat back down with a forceful huff, crossed his arms, and stubbornly turned his head.
Jack stared at him with his mouth hanging open. Gemma was at a complete loss.
“Duncan,” Jack finally said, “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
Duncan scoffed. “Oh, don’t lie to me. My agent told me she heard the news this morning. At least I can trustsomeoneto be honest with me.”
Jack ran a hand through his hair and stroked his chin. For all the certainty he’d had over being stuck in a time loop, Gemma could tell he was genuinely reeling. “Wh-what news?”
Duncan cast him a brutal glare. “Now you’re just insulting me.” He reached for another Starburst. “You’re going to make me break out from all this stress candy; my esthetician bill will be outrageous. I won’t be abandoned midseason, Jack.”
Jack pulled out a chair and sat opposite him. He spread his hands on the table in the same way that he had when he first explained to Gemma that they were in a time loop. His voice carried every bit of the same sincerity. “Duncan, I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but I swear to you, I’m not leaving the show.”
Duncan stopped chewing and turned to him. “You’re not?”
“No. I thought you were refusing to shoot today because you hated the new scene. You’ve never said anything before about—” He stopped himself from saying anything about all the times they had lived the day before because that would only make matters worse. He cleared his throat and started over. “I didn’t know you thought I was leaving, and that’s what you were upset about. I promise you, that’s not the case.”
Duncan eyed him suspiciously before his face broke out in a relieved grin and he threw a big hand to his chest. “Oh, thank god, man,” he said with a charming laugh as if his mood had done a one-eighty. “I knew you wouldn’t do that to me, especially with no warning like that.”
Jack joined him in smiling, and Gemma knew he was burying his confusion and putting on a performance for Duncan’s sake. “Of course not. I would never do that to you—or Mac.”
Duncan stood and grabbed his script. “Of course you wouldn’t. We’re like family, all of us.” He rolled up the script and excitedly whacked it against his palm. “Then let’s get back to it. This new scene is sick.”
“Thanks,” Jack said, and stood up too.
Duncan reached out and pulled him into a back-slapping half hug. “You’re the best, man. Mac Drake still has the best in front of him. Watch out!” He pointed his fingers like guns and pushed open the door with a laugh. “Nice to meet you, Greta.”
“You too, and it’s Gemma!” she called after him.
She heard him jump down onto the concrete and shout, “We’re back, baby!” to a round of cheers. She felt like she had whiplash from it all.
“Well, that was... dramatic.”
Jack snorted. “Welcome to Hollywood.” He stared at the floor with a pale, concerned look on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
