AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Okay,” Jessie calls out. “Bennet?”
Reluctantly, the quiet one ambles to his feet and takes Forrest’s place, but not before the renowned actor nods at me again. “Good luck, Stella. I hope we get to work together.”
A shiver of appreciation rushes through me, the memory of how he had caught me from falling still fresh in my mind.
“I hope so, too,” I tell him honestly, hoping he’s not just acting. But how the hell would I know? The man has been nominated for how many Oscars now?
Bennet stands beside me, his frame, which probably reaches six-foot-two, towers over me, and I catch a whiff of his spicy but sporty scent. I cock my head to look at him, and the photographer purrs with delight.
“Oh, yes!” he growls happily. “That is gold! We’re going to need lots of that when they’re on set.”
Bennet still says nothing, returning to his seat as Gabriel shuffles forward. “No pressure, huh?” he jokes. “I mean, if my ugly mug messes this up, we’ll only have to start the search for another Heartbreaker all over again.”
“You are not ugly,” I insist. “Nor are you going to mess it up.”
“Perfect!” the photographer cries gleefully. “All three are wonderful. She’ll do as a Heartbreaker.”
Relief sweeps through me, and I throw a thumbs-up sign at the guys, but before I can say a word, Jessie is ushering me out of the room again, not giving me much of a chance to enjoy the small victory.
“Now what?” I cry, exasperated. I’m beginning to feel like a house pet.
“The doctor. I explained all this to you,” Jessie sighs. “You’re going to need to keep up, Stella. Things move quickly here.”
Chewing on the insides of my cheeks, I bite back any quips that threaten to fall out of my mouth and nod. I want this job—I need it.
“I’ll keep up,” I promise, waving goodbye to the men as I’m led to yet another part of the studio.
Jessie keeps stride a few feet ahead of me, chattering into her headset as I rush after her, my pulse roaring. I don’t dare get excited yet, even though it feels like I’ve gotten the part.
We land in front of a closed door. Without knocking, Jessie throws it open, and I find myself in an actual medical room, complete with an exam table and a doctor donning a stethoscope.
“Is this our new Heartbreaker?” he asks, turning his round, full-cheeked face toward me. I cringe both at the repeated use of the name “Heartbreaker” and the weird vibe the doctor gives me.
“This is Stella Crestwood,” Jessie says, ducking back out. “Stella, come find me when you’re done. We’ll need to discuss the next steps.”
She’s gone again before I can question any of what she’s just said, even though I’m brimming with questions. I guess they’ll have to wait.
“Up on the table, please,” the doctor instructs. His nametag reads, “Anderson,” but I don’t call him anything. I’m not going to see him again, anyway, and I don’t want to get too personal, particularly when he’s giving me weird energy.
Then begins the litany of questions, as if I were undergoing an inquisition.
“How old are you?” he asks.
“Twenty-six.”
“Smoker?”
“No.”
“How much do you drink?”
I shrug. “Not much.”
He scowls and sets his tablet down. “If you want this to work, you’ll need to answer truthfully.”
Defensively, one brow quirks up, annoyance sparking through me. “I am being truthful. I drink socially, maybe have a glass of wine or two after a long day.”
“Hmm.”
