by Stacy-Deanne
Jamal walked in the office. “Hugh, the damn animal lady is on the phone again about the tiger.”
“What?” Gabrielle chuckled.
“There’s two scenes in Fatal Honor that involves a tiger.” Hugh rolled his eyes. “Damn Animal Control and Pita are up my ass, and we haven’t even filmed yet.”
“A tiger?” Gabrielle gripped the front of her dress. “I hope it won’t be in a scene with me.”
“The lady wants to see the notes and plans for the scene to make sure the tiger isn’t harmed.” Hugh went behind his desk and got a cigarette from the pack. “See, this is the crap you deal with during movies that no one knows about.”
“What do I tell her?” Jamal asked. “She’s asking all these stupid questions. Where the tiger is from, how long he was trained, has he ever been in a movie before. Don’t nobody know that shit.”
Gabrielle grinned.
“I’ll handle it,” Hugh said.
“Let me get out your way,” Gabrielle said. “See you tonight, Hugh.”
He picked up the receiver from the desk phone, winking. “Can’t wait.”
Gabrielle breezed through the hall anticipating another enlightening night with Hugh while questioning how far she’d let him go this time if he seduced her.
It wasn’t until she got to the elevator she remembered she’d forgotten her purse. She flew back to Hugh’s office but hesitated to go in when she heard Jamal speak.
“Man, you’re slipping,” he teased Hugh. “Gabrielle was at your place last night, liquored up, and you still got none?”
Gabrielle moved further behind the door to listen.
“It’ll be a different story tonight.” Hugh chuckled. “Mark my words. Those panties will hit the floor before dinner. Guarantee it.”
She shut her eyes, covering her mouth.
“Not sure about that, man,” Jamal said. “Gabrielle’s a hard nut to crack. Many men have tried and failed.”
“Those men weren’t HuMac either. I’ll get it tonight. How much you wanna bet?”
Gabrielle exhaled, bursting with disgust.
“I got her playing right in my hand.” Hugh snickered. “I’ve been waiting for years for that pussy.”
Jamal cackled. “Maybe if you give her something harder than wine tonight, you’ll get it.”
“I’m getting it, regardless.”
Gabrielle composed herself and strutted into the office. “Excuse me.”
“Holy shit,” Jamal whispered.
Gabrielle got her purse.
“Gabby.” Hugh jumped up, color rushing from his cheeks. “Did you—?”
“Yes, you bastard. I heard every single word you said, and you must be crazy if you thought you were getting in this tonight. Honey, you weren’t getting shit and now your ass will never have the chance. Lose my number. Unless it has something to do with the film, I don’t wanna see you.”
“Gabby, wait.” Hugh scampered to her, grabbing her. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“You’re every bit of the dog I thought you were.” She yanked free of him. “All you care about is getting between my legs. I’ll be in your damn movie, but I will never be in your bed. Now go to hell.”
“Gabby, please.” He reached for her as she flew out the door. “I’m sorry!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Miss Delfino?” The bubbly, blonde secretary hung up the phone at her desk. “Madeline will see you now.”
“Thanks.” Sierra threw the magazine in the chair beside her and hurried from the waiting area.
“Miss Delfino?” the secretary called out. “Good luck.”
Sierra smiled and scurried down the butterscotch-scented hallway to Madeline Chambers’ office.
“Sierra.” Madeline smiled from behind her semi-cluttered desk. “It’s always wonderful to see you.”
“Is it?”
She jumped up and pulled Sierra into a tight hug. “I’ve been worried about you.”
“So worried that you couldn’t return my texts, calls, or emails?” Sierra sat, lowering her purse off her shoulder.
“I’ve been busy.” Madeline’s smile forced attention to her crow’s feet. “It wasn’t intentional.”
“I’ve been with you for fifteen years, and you’ve always been busy.” Sierra crossed her legs in her black slacks. “You usually get back to me in twenty-four hours.”
“I apologize.” Madeline walked behind her desk in a gray skirt and matching 4-inch pumps that showed off impressive legs for a woman of fifty-six.
Sierra twisted the ring on her middle finger. “I hope you have good news for me.”
Madeline shuffled papers from one end of her desk to the other. “I called you here because I respect you and we’ve worked together so long you deserve me to do this face-to-face.”
“Do what?”
Madeline clasped her liver-spotted hands, her diamond wedding ring catching the light above them. “It’s difficult for me to say this—”
“Just spit it out.” Sierra held her breath. “I’m a big girl.”
“I’ve tried my hardest to get you something but there’s nothing.” Madeline batted her long eyelashes. “That’s why you haven’t heard from me. I was trying to make things happen, and it didn’t work out.”
“There’s nothing out there period?” Sierra’s voice cracked. “Or nothing for me?”
Madeline dropped eye contact. “Nothing for you.”
“There has to be something.”
“Sierra—”
“I owned Hollywood. Do you understand me? People loved and cherished me. I refuse to believe there’s nothing left.”
“There’s nothing I can do for you anymore.” Madeline held her palms out. “I care about you. We’ve been on this journey together for a long time, but I’ve been an agent for over thirty years, Sierra. When it’s the end...it’s just the end.”
“It’s not the end!” She pushed papers off the desk, tears flowing. “I’m a star, now you get me a role and you get me one now.”
“If I were going on my feelings for you, then I’d stick this out forever. But, I have other clients who still have a...a career. I have to focus on them. I’m sorry, Sierra. I can’t represent you anymore.”
Sierra stood, gripping the chair.
“Please don’t take this personally.”
“How can I not?” A tear settled on Sierra’s top lip. “Hollywood keeps telling me I’m nothing. I guess it’s time to face it.”
“You are not nothing. You are one of the best actresses of this generation. Better than many twice your age even.”
“What good is that if no one wants you?” She stared at the floral throw rug. “I can’t get myself roles. My dad can’t get me roles. Hugh can’t get me roles. Not even you can get me roles.” She held her breath. “I can’t move on, Madeline. I don’t know how to do anything else.”
“You’re a multimillionaire with a strong head on your shoulders. There’s plenty of opportunities for you beyond acting. I think you should reinvent yourself and find something else that interests you. Work behind the camera. Try your hand at directing.”
“I’m an actress.”
Madeline’s eyes appeared heavy with sorrow. “I wish you well in whatever you decide.”
“You can kiss my ass.” Sierra slammed the chair against the desk. “After all the money and prestige I brought to this goddamn agency, you treat me like this?”
“I’ve done the best I can.”
“Then your best stinks.” As Sierra turned to leave, she glanced out the window.
A city bus plastered with an Iris International poster featuring Gabrielle looking flawless waited at the red light.
“Typical.” Sierra shook her head as she left the office.
****
After her Iris International representative updated her on the upcoming photo shoot and commercial, Gabrielle left his office, Hugh not entering her mind until she got to the central hallway.
Hugh sat by the doorway of th
e lobby underneath the orange and red sign that represented Iris International’s logo.
“I don’t believe this.” She attempted to walk past, but he stood, bumping into the fake palm tree beside him. “You have the nerve to show your face here?”
“I’m sorry about earlier.” He grasped her arm. “Please, hear me out.”
“Get your hands off me, Hugh.”
A female worker flew past them, glancing at the scene.
He let go. “We need to talk.”
“About what? That crap you were saying in your office? Save it because I don’t care.” She made a right.
“Gabby, please.” Hugh followed. “Let me explain.”
“There’s nothing to explain.” Her purse swung on her arm as she marched.
“Listen damn it.”
They got to the hallway filled with photos of past Iris International spokesmodels. Otherwise known as “The Hall of Fame”.
“Gabby?” Hugh grabbed her before she reached the elevator. “Why won’t you listen?”
“Because I don’t give a shit what you have to say. I’m done with you. I was a fool to think you’d respect me. You don’t respect any woman.”
“That’s not true.” He laid his hand against the wall. “I care about you more than I have a woman in a long time.”
“Yet, you talk about me behind my back like I’m a piece of meat? That takes the cake.”
“It was a stupid thing to do, and I regret it.”
She wrapped her fingers around her purse strap. “It hurt.”
“Are you still coming by my place tonight?”
“I’m not coming back to your place, tonight or any other night.”
“Please. Gabby—”
“Hugh.” She surveyed him, frowning. “Stop begging. That’s so unattractive.”
He regained his composure, huffing.
“I thought I saw something different in you last night, Hugh. That I’d misjudged you. I was hoping I’d seen that because I wanted an excuse to get closer to you. How could I be such an idiot?”
“You’re not an idiot, I am.” His pupils dilated. “I wish I could take it back.”
“Because it was wrong to do or because I found out about it? Is that the reason you’re sorry?”
“It was wrong. I didn’t mean to disrespect you.”
“You didn’t mean for me to hear it.”
“Think about how I treat you when we’re together.” He touched her hand, igniting the arousal she felt last night. “Not how I act when we’re apart.”
“I don’t want to be with a man who acts one way with me then another way without me. That’s fake, and I’m not a fake person.”
“Be with?” He took two steps closer.
She sighed, cursing herself for making such a slip.
“You wanna be with me.” He radiated. “You said it so you can’t deny it.”
“I said that by mistake.”
“No. You want me as much as I want you.”
“No.”
“Gabby.”
“Stop it,” she yelled. “Stop manipulating the situation because you won’t catch me off guard this time.”
“If you didn’t have genuine feelings for me, then you wouldn’t be hurt about what I said in my office. Stop running from this.”
“Stop wasting your time.” She reached for the button on the side of the elevator, but he blocked her. “Get out of my way. You blew any chance you had, and I don’t want to see you again until we start filming the movie.”
“We won’t be able to stay away from each other that long.”
“Move.” She tried to walk past but he didn’t budge. “I missed lunch and I’m hungry, so move.”
“Let me buy you lunch.”
“I don’t want shit from you but to get out the way so I can leave.”
His phone rang and he snatched it, observing the screen. He groaned and put the phone back in his pocket.
“Hope you didn’t do that on my account because I’m done with this conversation.”
“It was just Sierra. She can wait.”
“Wow.” Gabrielle chuckled, stabbing her jaw with her tongue. “What a sensitive man.”
“You coming to Ian’s birthday party or not? It would be a great time to announce that you’re taking the role.”
“As if you want me there because of the movie.”
“I want you there or anywhere as long as I can see you again.” He caressed her arm. “I’ll make up what I did to you. I promise.”
“Don’t bother because I’m no longer interested.” She shoved him and pushed the elevator button. “I’m going to the party.”
His mouth spread into an eager smile.
“But, you’d better respect my date.”
He grinned. “I’ll respect Warner, I promise.”
“I’m not going with Warner.” She smiled. “I have a real date.”
Hugh’s nostrils wiggled. “With who?”
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened.
“Felix Craft. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“Felix...Felix Craft?” His face turned red, bottom lip shaking. “The movie journalist who’s done nothing but try to make my life miserable?”
Gabrielle stepped into the elevator. “The very one.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
“Hugh.” Sierra leapt from the couch in Hugh’s office when he made it back to the studio.
“Sierra, what the—”
“Where the hell have you been?” She sobbed, balling a tissue into her hand. “I’ve been waiting an hour for you.”
“I had an errand to run—”
“How come you didn’t answer your phone? Oh, Hugh it’s horrible.” She stomped around the office. “My life is ruined.”
“What the hell happened?” He shut the door.
She stood by his desk, waving the tissue. “What’s wrong is that my boyfriend isn’t ever there when I need him.” She snorted. “You wouldn’t answer your phone then when I called again it was off.”
“I’m sorry.” He approached the desk, hands in pockets. “I had to take care of something, and I lost track of time.”
“I’m sick of this, Hugh.” She stuck her lips out. “You’re never around. I feel like a burden.”
“You’re not a burden, Sierra.” He sat in the wobbly chair. “What happened? Are you all right?”
“Do I look all right?” She sniffed. “Madeline dumped me. The old cow. After all the money and opportunities, her and that stupid agency got from me. Now what the hell do I do?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I’m trying to make up for my mistakes but no one will let me. Then on top of that Daddy didn’t even invite me to his party.”
“I bet the invitation got lost in the mail.”
“He didn’t invite me.” She raised the tissue. “He hates me, Hugh.”
“Your dad does not hate you.”
“What do you call the way he treats me then?” She stood at the window and laid her head on the glass. “Acting was all I had and now that’s gone.”
“You’re a beautiful, intelligent woman. One hell of a woman, Sierra. Acting was just one dimension. You gotta find something else you’re interested in.”
“There is nothing else. If I can’t act I’d rather be dead.”
“Please, don’t say that.” He held his hands out. “You’ll get through this.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” She walked to the front of the desk. “You have opportunities. Your world isn’t the one falling apart.”
“If they don’t want you, then fuck Hollywood. You’re better than those assholes.”
“I want a drink.” She touched her hip. “The bottle still likes me even if no one else don’t.”
“Come here.” He stood, guiding her into a hug. “You’ve worked too hard to fight that demon. Don’t let this take away your strength, Sierra.”
“I’m so tired of this industry, Hugh.”
&n
bsp; “I know.” He moved her hair out her face. “You have so much to live for and so much to give.” He gave her an innocent peck on the lips. “Things will get better. I promise you.”
“Can you believe Dad didn’t invite me to his birthday party?”
“I’m inviting you.”
“He doesn’t want me there.”
“Yes he does.” He cradled her face in his palms. “He’s just stubborn like you and doesn’t want to admit it. You’re going and you’re gonna be the most beautiful woman there.”
Second to Gabrielle.
“I’ll do better,” he said. “Be there for you when you need me. The last thing I want you to feel is alone.”
“I need you, Hugh.” She tugged on his waist.
“How about you let your boyfriend make it up to you by buying you lunch? I was about to get something.”
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Come on.” He put his arm around her waist, escorting her to the door. “I know what will cheer you up. I’ll get you some curly fries.”
She giggled. “With extra ketchup?”
“With extra ketchup.”
Jamal swaggered inside. “Hey, Sierra. I didn’t know you were here.”
She displayed a faint smile. “Jamal.”
“Hugh, did you want us to send Gabrielle Montane the script or were you gonna deliver it?”
Hugh exhaled, glaring at Jamal.
“Script?” Sierra looked back and forth at them. “Why would you send Gabrielle Montane a script?”
“So she can become familiar with it,” Jamal said. “She can’t star in Fatal Honor if she can’t study the script.”
Hugh’s heart dropped.
“Wait, a minute.” Sierra closed her eyes, shaking her head. “Gabrielle Montane is starring in Fatal Honor? Is this a joke?”
“Eh-oh,” Jamal said. “You didn’t know.”
“Jamal.” Hugh gripped Jamal’s wide shoulder. “I’m gonna get you a muzzle.”
“Gabrielle Montane is starring in your film?” Sierra shouted. “That’s just fuckin’ great.”
Jamal hurried out the office with Hugh wishing he’d taken him with him.
“How could you disrespect me by putting Gabrielle in the movie?” She got her purse from the couch and stomped to the door. “You can shove those curly fries up your ass.”
