by Alice Raine
The door swung open and I was met by a surprisingly young-looking man who waved an arm to usher me into the office space. Hmm. A small, enclosed space containing just me and a strange man. This wasn’t exactly on my list of great situations to be in, but I tried to distract my paranoia by taking in a deep breath and skimming my eyes over his appearance. His steel-rimmed glasses and casual jeans, T-shirt, and blazer made me and my suit look positively overdressed. He had an efficient air about him, and I could only assume that the casual outfit meant that he was perhaps an executive of some sort who no longer needed to dress to impress.
‘Good morning, Miss Byrne. I’m Jason Mathers, head of recruiting. Thank you for coming today – please take a seat.’ Relief washed through me when he left the office door ajar and I immediately felt myself relax.
As I propped myself on the edge of the chair, I watched him sort through some papers on his desk. Picking up some pages that I recognised as my CV, he waved it briefly in the air.
‘I looked over the CV you emailed us last week, but I’m afraid I don’t think that you’ll be suited to the role of runner.’
Talk about getting straight to the point. Disappointment landed in my stomach, squashing all my earlier excitement like a hammer blow. The leaflet had said these positions basically involved running errands like fetching and carrying, basically the lowest of the low, so how could I not be suitable? Irritation niggled at me as I replayed his words – if he’d realised this last week, he could have emailed me then and saved us both the bother of this pointless interview.
‘Oh. OK then, well, thank you for seeing me,’ I replied, courteous to the end even if I was slightly put out.
As I went to stand he held up a hand that stopped me in my tracks. ‘Actually, Caitlin I was impressed by your credentials …’ he said, causing my heart to give a kick at his use of Caitlin, and not Cait. Jack was the only other person who had used my full name recently, and his image immediately sprung to mind. It also occurred to me that I much preferred the sound of my name falling from his tongue. Wincing, I replayed the way I had walked away from him at the gallery yesterday. I still couldn’t quite believe I’d done that, but sitting in a job interview was hardly the time to dwell on it, so I pushed thoughts of Jack away and focused my attention back on Jason.
He flicked through the copy of my CV until he got to the previous employment page. ‘I was hoping you might consider a different role with us.’ Now my heart was hammering for an altogether different reason. ‘I see that you worked at the Sydney Opera House in the props department.’
‘Yes, that’s right.’ My eyebrows rose with excitement at where this might be leading. I had loved that job, and had stayed there nearly a year before reluctantly deciding that I wanted to see more of the world. Partly, I had also left because I’d been concerned that my ex might find me if I stayed in one place for too long. I couldn’t be sure if he was actually trying to track me down or maybe just freak me out, but he occasionally sent letters to my parent’s house just to remind me of him. Whether it went beyond that I didn’t know, but to be safe I still didn’t stay in one place for long, or do any social media.
‘I actually took the liberty of emailing the contact you have listed as a reference, and they speak very highly of you. Would you be interested in working with us on the props for Dark Blood?’
‘Oh my gosh, yes’ were the first words that sprung to mind, but attempting to maintain at least some vestige of professionalism I instead nodded and smiled broadly. ‘That sounds like an amazing opportunity.’ Matching my grin, Jason leant back in his chair, observing me intently.
‘Do you know much about the show?’ he enquired, and I smiled wider, pleased that my penchant for a little television watching was finally proving useful.
‘Some; it’s set on a university campus, and follows the lives of a group of students, some of whom are secretly vampires.’
‘Great, that’s exactly it. Look, I’ll lay it on the line, Caitlin, the things you did in Sydney – especially the specialist work with silicone masks you worked on – that’s exactly what we’re going to be needing for the next season, and I want you doing it.’ He leant forwards on his desk and gave me an intense look. ‘I know you came here to apply for the temporary runner work, but for this role we’d be looking for a more permanent position, say a six month contract to start.
I see you already have the correct work visa, so we could set off with a three month probationary period and go from there? How does that sound?’ he asked, as he dug through a tray to his left and pulled out a brown envelope which he then slid across the desk toward me. ‘I have a contract drawn up in preparation, actually. Take a read.’
Seeing my shocked face, he smirked. ‘Time waits for no man, Caitlin. I always like to be prepared.’
Wow. He was certainly keen, and I couldn’t deny that his enthusiasm was very complimentary.
Pausing, I read the contract twice through and tried to weigh it up. This was all rather flattering, and six months was doable. With Greg’s occasional letters still landing on my mum’s doormat I certainly wasn’t in a rush to go back to the UK, that was for sure, and I was enjoying my time in LA so far – it was warm and friendly and I could happily see myself living here for a while. And now Allie was here, it seemed even more perfect.
If I could get a job I really loved again it would be utterly amazing. ‘I don’t see that would be a problem. I’d probably need to find somewhere to live, because I’m in temporary accommodation at the moment,’ I added, thinking out loud more than asking.
Jason looked exceptionally pleased by my response, nodding happily. Pausing for a second he looked thoughtful and then pursed his lips, as if something had just occurred to him. ‘There are some cheap apartments that Dynamic rent out to employees for a percentage of your wage. They’re pretty small and basic, but they’re just across from the studio site in a private compound, so they’re very safe, and convenient for work. I could see if any are free if that might help persuade you to accept the contract?’ Jason offered, looking hopeful.
Gosh, this was all moving incredibly quickly … but I was excited, more so than I could remember being for a long time, and couldn’t really see any reason not to take this job.
‘Wow. OK, um … that could be really good.’ With my reply, Jason grinned, and not wasting a second he pulled a spiral phone book towards him and flicked through the cards. Picking up the phone on the desk he made a brief call, nodding several times as he listened and then hung up, looking smug.
‘You’re in luck. They have a small two-bed available. What do you say, Caitlin? Can I add you to the Dynamic’s payroll?’ He waved the contract papers at me, his eyes twinkling hopefully.
‘Um …’ I paused briefly, but then decided to grab the opportunity I’d been presented with. ‘Yes. I’d love to. Thank you.’
‘Great! People with your specialism don’t come along every day.’ Handing me a pen, Jason flicked the contract to the signature page where I squiggled my name, and then handed it back to him.
Standing up, Jason suddenly seemed full of energy as he filed my contract and practically bounced on the spot. ‘I tell you what, I have a few minutes free. Why don’t I show you around the facilities? I think you’ll be impressed.’
‘OK, great. Thank you, this is all very exciting.’
Jason led me back down the corridor to the reception and then out into the bright morning sun. ‘When you start I’ll sort you out with a site map – this studio complex is spread over more than fifty acres.’
Fifty? Holy crap, I’d thought it was big, but not that big. I had a dreadful sense of direction, so I’d definitely be in need of a map.
‘In general, the Dark Blood set is based in stage number five, right at the far western side, but they also use some of the back lot locations when filming outdoor scenes. They film on location in the city too, Dynamic have a deal with the University of California to use their campus.’
Nodding, I r
emembered particular scenes on the campus. It had some seriously impressive buildings within the grounds. Jason led me to another golf cart, and upon seeing my smile, he grinned. ‘Get used to these, Caitlin, it’s the best way to get around the site.’
Arriving at stage five we entered the huge warehouse and then moved into a smaller, windowless room containing the set. Grinning like an idiot, I looked around as I followed Jason closely. ‘Like I said, we don’t start the next shoot for two weeks, but there’s still rehearsals going on. It’s always busy in here, night and day.’ He was right about that – even at this relatively early hour it was buzzing with noise and movement as crew members busily dashed around with cameras, prop trolleys, and carts loaded with sound equipment.
Immediately I felt excitement start to sizzle in my veins. Right in front of me was a set-up of one of the most common scenes in the show – the university dorm room. Ironically, one of the few sets not shot on campus. Wow, I’d seen it on TV so often that it was strange to see that the walls were just chipboard.
Opening a door to a side room, we stepped into some sort of TARDIS as I stood and gawked at the rows and rows of clothing that I could see disappearing into the distance. My God, it was huge in here. ‘We keep specific costumes for the show on the rails, and the props are all boxed on the racks down this side. If there’s something we need but don’t have, we can request it from Dynamic’s main costume department.’ With a room this size crammed this full, I couldn’t see that there would ever be anything they would not have, but I kept my mouth shut and followed Jason as he led me back outside again.
‘So, that’s about it for today. I’ll get the props manager to do you a full tour of her department when you start, as she’s not in today. I’ll be in touch with an official start date and a copy of the contract.’ Jason loaded me back into the golf buggy and drove me to the building where we’d started, and once we were both out, he extended his arm out for a handshake. Panic briefly gripped my chest as I stared at his hand, frozen to the spot. Swallowing hard, I gave myself a stern talking to – Jason had been nothing but professional, making me feel quite at ease, so a simple handshake would be fine. I would be fine. Drawing in a breath, I held the air in my lungs and accepted his palm, keeping it as brief as possible before pulling my hand back and letting out my breath in a low hiss. That wasn’t so bad. Maybe I was getting better.
‘I’m going to have to get back and help out with the other interviews, but it was great to meet you, Caitlin, I just know you’re going to fit in here.’
‘Yeah, me too. Thank you again, I can’t wait to start.’ Jason disappeared, leaving me standing in the sun with a huge smile plastered on my face. The prospect of this job was really exciting, right up my street, and in the world-famous, massively acclaimed Dynamic Studios, of all places. It could lead to some seriously good links for my future and I couldn’t help the grin that was now glued to my lips.
Gazing around, I took in the sights of the large warehouses around me and smiled. This was my new workplace. How amazing was that? The buildings all looked so plain and boring from the outside, and yet inside all sorts of magic was taking place.
My stomach was tumbling with excitement, and there was a huge, goofy grin on my face as I wandered along not properly looking where I was going. Suddenly a door to my left swung open, only just missing me and I stepped back with a gasp as a tall, broad, grey-haired man strode through, followed closely by a group of harassed-looking crew members.
The scowling man shot a glare in my direction then began to bark orders to the people with him. As I watched the group rushing to catch up with him, my eyes landed on the last person exiting the building and my mouth fell open.
Jack Felton. My eyes rolled in my head as I drew in a stuttering sigh. This guy was like a bloody bad penny, always popping up when I least expected him. Actually, scratch that – he was just always popping up. I didn’t seem to be able to put my foot down anywhere in this flipping city without bumping into him.
Glancing my way, Jack caught my eye and I saw him register brief surprise before smiling at me cautiously. At least it looked cautious. Perhaps he was still smarting from the way I’d rudely dismissed him last night.
As I blinked rapidly and tried to process seeing him again, my brain suddenly slowed as one horrifying conclusion began to formulate … did he work here? At these studios? Wouldn’t that be just marvellous? My emotions were already screwed up where that man was concerned – the last thing I needed was to see him daily.
Daily. Oh my God. And I’d signed the contract, so there was no going back on it now. I was suddenly hyperventilating, my breath tight and wheezing from my lungs like a sixty a day smoker. Seeing as LA was chock full of film companies it had never even occurred to me that Jack might film at this one …
Drawing in a breath, I forced my face to remain neutral as I tried to calm the panic threatening to overpower me. My traitorous body wanted to smile back, but if I were to be working here then this weird connection couldn’t carry on between us any more. It was ridiculous, and definitely bad for my heart’s health, so as much as I could, I schooled my features to a bland mask and merely gave a small nod of my head before turning and continuing towards the exit.
What was that man doing to me? I’d never been so rude to anyone in my entire life. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy too, and I’d practically blanked him. Again. I couldn’t believe I’d done it, but I knew perfectly well why I had – I was scared. Scared of how he made me feel, and scared that I wasn’t in control of myself when he was around.
Grimacing as I walked on, I felt an overwhelming urge to look back at him gnawing at my stomach until at last I gave in and turned with a small, apologetic smile on my face. As I met his gaze all I saw was a deep frown creasing his brows. Even as our eyes met, he didn’t smile, merely blinked, shook his head in apparent resignation, and then turned back to the men he was with.
My stomach plummeted so quickly that I felt a little sick. God, talk about getting slighted. Mind you, after the way I’d walked away from him on multiple occasions, I’d be a complete hypocrite to complain. Swallowing hard, I tried to ignore the churning emotions burning in my stomach. If I felt this guilty and this rejected by a mere frown then I already liked him way more than I should, so this could only be for the best. That’s what I needed to convince myself of, anyway.
Distance. A normal, Jack-free life was what I had wanted. Needed. I needed distance from him. That way I could return to my usual withdrawn, but calm, life. I would be in charge, which meant I would be safe.
Good. That was that settled then.
As I carried on walking, I digested the fact that the moment didn’t feel half as victorious as I’d thought it would. In fact, I felt distinctly like I’d just made a huge mistake, and that was cutting me to the core and leaving me more confused than ever.
Chapter Thirty-one
Allie
The feeling of something tickling my jawline woke me up. Grumbling my complaint I tried to itch it away, only to discover it was actually Sean’s head as he lightly rubbed his stubble-covered chin repeatedly back and forth across my cheek.
‘Good morning, my gorgeous girl,’ he murmured, a smile clear in his tone.
A matching smile pulled at my own lips as I stretched and opened my eyes to find him perched on top of me, looking handsome as sin, but disappointingly fully clothed. Mmm … from the smell of my shower gel on his skin and the dampness of his hair, he was freshly showered too. Scrummy. Clean, fresh Sean in my bed. Perfect. Mind you, I didn’t mind him when he was dirty in my bed, either.
‘You off to work?’ I mumbled, sleepily remembering that he’d mentioned he needed to go to the studio today.
‘Yeah. Sorry to wake you, but I wanted to check we’re definitely OK after last night.’
Last night. The art gallery. Savannah.
Images of her pawing over Sean flooded my brain and I felt instantly more awake as my body tensed below his. The unpl
easant thoughts didn’t last long though, as I replayed my arrival back at the bungalow and the angry, delicious make-up sex we had shared. Blinking slowly, I felt my cheeks heat at memories of Sean’s intensity. He’d been like a man possessed. Not that I had complained in the slightest.
Pulling in a long breath, I smiled and nodded. ‘We are.’
His shoulders relaxed before he lowered his head and nuzzled into my neck. ‘OK, good. I’ll leave you to sleep. Don’t eat, I’ll pick us up some breakfast on my way back.’
Sliding my hand into his damp hair, I pulled him down for a quick kiss and my smile transformed into a grin at the thought that he would be at the studio this morning smelling like my shower gel. Mine. He might like to get possessive, but it went both ways. This man was mine. After one chaste kiss he was gone, leaving me feeling sleepy, content, and brimming with happiness.
Sean really was a gem. He’d stuck to his word like glue, only being gone for a single hour this morning before arriving back with warm chocolate croissants, fruit salad, coffee, and the promise that he was now free to spend the rest of the day with me.
It was a pretty fantastic start to the day. The energy was palpable as the bungalow transformed from just being a luxurious suite into our own little bubble of happiness. Our spirits were understandably high: me thrilled by the prospect of some time with Sean, and him seemingly buoyant because of my good mood.
We lounged by the bungalow’s private pool, enjoying the heat of the noon sun, chatting, reading, and appreciating the fact that he had a rare day off. We’d breakfasted out here, not wanting to miss a minute of the warmth, and the remnants of our earlier meal were still beside us – empty coffee cups and a few missed flakes of croissant – but both of us were feeling too lazy to move.
Sighing contentedly, I reached the end of a chapter, put my book down, and glanced across at Sean. My breath hitched a little in my throat and a small smile curled the corners of my lips at the sight beside me – he was just gorgeous. He didn’t have any swimming trunks at the bungalow, so he was lying there in just his tight boxers – Calvin Kleins, which seemed to be his preference – which wasn’t a sight I minded in the slightest. This particular pair was quite small, and an incredibly good fit, making them, rather, er … well packed, shall we say. And not leaving a great deal to the imagination. Not that I needed imagination to know what was under the cotton – I had Sean’s body committed to memory.
