Victoria grinned and held up her glass of champagne. “You’re a brave woman, Sloan Hill. But you’re going to make it big. Here’s to your new adventure! Let’s hope your leading man is absolutely gorgeous.”
Chapter Five
Brady
When Harold had first told me about the film crew coming in a month, I wasn’t sure I really believed it was going to happen. Why would a big movie production choose us out of all the ranches in the country? I was sure that they were going to call to say that they had changed their mind. Every time I saw Harold, I thought he’d tell me that it was canceled, but each time he just seemed to get more excited about the whole thing. Last week was the first time that I’d allowed myself to fully realize that it was really going to happen.
I woke up this particular morning with a sense of dread weighing heavily on me. I drank two cups of coffee just to make myself feel a little bit better about everything, but even that didn’t help. On my way out, I saw Grant and walked over to him.
“Good morning,” he said cheerfully. He took one look at me and cocked his head to the side. “What’s wrong? Doesn’t look like you’re having a very good morning.”
I sighed. “The film crew are arriving this morning.”
“What? Already? Damn, that month went by quickly. I thought you still had at least another week to go.”
“Tell me about it. I wish I still had another week. Well, I better go. I’m hoping I can just keep my head down and work. I hope I don’t have to get involved.”
“Hey, maybe you’ll get a role in the movie! That would be so cool.”
I groaned. “Oh, I hope not. Thanks for putting that idea in my head now. There’s no way I want to be in a movie. I don’t even want the ranch to be in a movie, let alone myself.”
Grant laughed. “Well, good luck, man. Here’s hoping the month goes by fast.”
“Thanks, man.”
I walked off wearily to my car and made my way over to the ranch. The moment I got there, I saw Harold talking to someone in a suit. I felt immediately annoyed at the sight. Suits did not belong on the ranch. Was he really going to walk around like that all day? I parked the car and wondered if I should go and say hello or if I should try to keep a low profile for as long as I could. I’d already decided on the low profile angle when Harold saw me and waved me over. I took a deep breath and plastered on a smile, even though I knew it probably looked completely fake.
“Brady! Glad you’re here. I want you to meet Roger. He’s heading this whole operation.”
“Part director, part executive, part everything right now,” Roger said and laughed.
“You sound just like me. It’s good to get involved in everything. Roger, this is the man I was telling you about. The hardest worker you’ll ever meet.”
I smiled and stuck out my hand to shake Roger’s. His handshake was a little limp, and his hands were so soft I wondered if he’d ever worked outdoors in his life. And if I wasn’t mistaken, he looked like he was wearing makeup. I tried not to groan out loud.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”
“Brady, I’ve heard such wonderful things about you from Harold. You’re exactly the sort of man we want to portray in the movie. Hardworking, serious, handsome. Any chance you’re also an actor?”
I thought of what Grant had told me that morning and felt fear run through me. Please don’t make me get in front of the camera! My smile wobbled slightly. “Oh no, I’m a man of simple needs. I’m definitely not meant for the camera. I like being out on the field doing my work.”
“It’s true,” Harold said. “Brady here likes to keep to himself. Which is probably what makes him such a good worker,” he said and patted me on the back. I could tell that Harold was trying a bit too hard, but Roger didn’t seem to notice. I assumed he was used to people being overly nice to him.
“And I hear you’re into the rodeo side of things too. Are you any good?”
“I’m okay,” I said modestly.
“He’s fantastic,” Harold said.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. But I do enjoy it.”
“That’s good to hear. I can’t say it appeals to me, but then again, I’m a city boy. As you can see,” he said and pointed to his suit. “But we’re definitely going to need your assistance with some of the rodeo stunts. I mean, our actors know nothing about this world that you live in. It’s very different from what they are used to. I hope you don’t mind all the questions that are going to be coming your way.”
“Nonsense!” Harold boomed. “That’s what Brady is here for. He’ll answer all your questions. Isn’t that right?”
I forced a smile on my face. “Of course. Ask away,” I said and hoped that I at least sounded genuine. The last thing I wanted was to spend a month at the mercy of other people’s stupid questions, but I knew that I didn’t have a choice.
“Brady is the man to go to,” Harold said again. I wished I could tell him to stop bringing me into this. He was the one that had agreed to this production, not me. But how could I say no to Harold after everything that he had done for me over the years? I’d just have to grin and bear it and hope that the month would go by quickly.
“So, do you want a tour of the place?” Harold said.
“That would be wonderful. Then I can show you what we will need and where we will be shooting certain scenes. You can tell me whether you think the scenes will work or not. The most important thing for me is that I want the film to feel believable. I don’t want the viewers to think that these are actors. I want them to lose themselves in the story and to believe that they are real cowboys and cowgirls.”
“You’ve chosen the right place,” Harold beamed. “Come on, let’s give you a tour. Brady and I would be happy to show you around.”
We walked around the farm with Roger, showing him all the different things that we did and pointing out various location points. Roger spoke nonstop, to the point where I felt annoyed, and he came up with the most ridiculous ideas. I didn’t say much at first, but after a while, I decided to give him my thoughts. I told him what would work and what wouldn’t work, and how some of his ideas were too outrageous. I saw Harold give me the eye and I quickly mumbled an apology. But Roger seemed very pleased with me.
“You see? This is what I want! I need authenticity. So, if ever you think that something is not going to work, I want you to tell me. I want this movie to feel real. Harold, you were right about this man. Brady, I love your no-nonsense approach to everything, and I definitely appreciate your honesty.”
We continued to walk, and Harold beamed at me. I breathed a sigh of relief that Roger had taken kindly to my observations. At least I could rest assured that my big mouth wasn’t going to get me fired. If there was anything that was going to get me into trouble throughout the upcoming month, it would be my inability to keep quiet when something annoyed me.
“So, do you actually live here?” Roger asked. The whole idea of living in Wyoming seemed foreign to him.
“Not on the farm itself,” Harold said. “But we both live pretty close by. Brady is just down there, though. You can actually see his house from here. It’s handy to live close to work. Although, then again, everything is pretty close when you live in this town. It’s how we like it. We’re a small community, and we all know one another. It’s a good thing to be a part of.”
“A very different life indeed. Well, thank you for letting us be a part of your world for a month.”
“My pleasure. If there’s anything you need, you just let us know.”
“So, I’m sure you’re dying to know who the actors are going to be,” Roger said. “They should be arriving soon, and I’ll be glad to introduce you to everyone. They’re going to love it here!” he said and looked around the ranch.
Roger rattled off a few names of the male cast, and I pretended to know who he was talking about. Then he paused for dramatic effect and leaned toward us.
“And Sloan Hill is our leading actress!”
I wasn’t sure what to do with that bit of information. I had no idea who Sloan Hill was. I was grateful when Harold clapped his hands in delight.
“Oh, I know that name,” he said and mentioned some big blockbuster that apparently everyone was raving about.
“That’s the one. Although, she was not the main girl. She was the sister in the movie. The blonde one.”
“Oh, she’s absolutely beautiful. Wow, I didn’t realize the cast would be so impressive,” Harold said. “And to think, it’s all happening on my farm. Amazing.”
“Yes, we were so happy when she agreed to the role. I think she’s going to be just great in this. She knows absolutely nothing about this kind of lifestyle, though, which is why we wanted to spend the month really getting to know what ranch and rodeo life was like.”
I had no idea who Sloan was, but I already decided that I wasn’t going to like her. I couldn’t imagine a New Yorker ever fitting into this lifestyle. She was going to hate it here. I just hoped she wasn’t going to make my life miserable the entire month.
“Speaking of, here they come. Come on, let’s go and meet everyone.”
As we walked off, Harold looked at me and sighed happily. “This is the most exciting day, don’t you think?”
“Uh-huh,” I said and forced myself to smile.
Roger began the introductions. Everyone had arrived wearing clothes that were completely unsuited for farm life. Surely they knew that they were going to be working on a ranch. Why on earth were they all in tailored suits and fancy shoes? The whole thing was just ridiculous. They’d realize within a matter of days that they would need to change their way of thinking—and the way they dressed. I couldn’t wait to see them in something a bit more comfortable. It was going to be hard to deal with them dressed like that.
“Oh, and there’s Sloan,” Roger said as a car door opened up.
I turned around and tried not to gasp at the woman getting out of the car. This actress, Sloan or whatever her name was, was absolutely breathtaking. She was wearing a powder blue dress that inched up ever so slightly as she was getting out of the car. It was just tight enough to show off her body, and it was clear she was a woman who liked to work out. I felt slightly annoyed that I found her so attractive. For a second, I thought that working with her was going to be okay. Until I looked down and saw her shoes. She was wearing silver heels that looked like they would be uncomfortable to walk in on smooth pavement. How she was going to walk around on the farm with those on, I had no idea. I almost burst out laughing at the sight of her. Ridiculous. No matter how beautiful she was, her lack of common sense was completely off-putting.
“Come on, let’s go and say hello. I’d like to introduce you to her,” Roger said.
I looked at Harold, and it was obvious that he was already completely smitten. Let’s just get this over with, I thought as we made our way toward the car.
Chapter Six
Sloan
I got out of the car and groaned as a gust of wind blew dust all around me. I’d been telling myself that I was going to experience a glorious month of sunshine and fresh air. I’d forgotten all about the dust. And the dirt. I looked down at my pale blue dress and my beautiful shoes that Victoria had insisted I buy and realized what a mistake I’d made with my outfit. I peered out at the rest of the cast members and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that they were dressed pretty similarly. Clearly, we had no idea what we were in for.
I looked around for the producer and smiled when I saw him walking toward me. He had two men trailing behind him. One was a white-haired man with a very wide girth who was grinning at me with unabashed excitement, and the other was a younger, handsome man with a scowl on his face. I assumed they were both coming over to get my autograph. I didn’t mind signing autographs; I knew that it was part and parcel of being an actress. But I had just arrived, and I really wasn’t in the mood for it.
“Darling,” cooed Roger as he took my hand. “You look gorgeous. I’m glad to see you got here safely. All good?”
“Everything is great,” I lied. “It’s good to see you. I’m looking forward to this.”
He beamed. “So are we. So are we. Now, there are two gentlemen that I’d like you to meet. This is Harold; he’s the owner of the ranch, and this is one of his best workers, Brady.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Harold beamed. He leaned in and kissed my hand. I smiled politely but felt desperate to pull my hand away. Thankfully, I was saved by his phone ringing. He apologized profusely and ran off to answer it.
“Actually, I’m sorry to do this to you, my dear,” Roger said. “I’m being called. But you’re in good hands. Brady here knows the lay of the land and I’ve told him what we’ll be doing and where we will be shooting. He’ll show you around quickly so that you have an idea. Afterward, I’ll gather all the cast together so that we know what to do. We won’t do much today, but I just want you to get an idea of the place. Is that okay with you, Brady?”
I looked at Brady, who was standing stiff with his hands in his pocket. He was obviously very nervous to be around me. I couldn’t imagine that they got many celebrities in his neck of the woods.
He shuffled his feet and nodded. “Of course. I don’t mind at all.”
“Wonderful! See you all soon,” Roger said and rushed off.
“Well, uh, thanks for showing me around. I’m Sloan,” I said and stuck out my hand.
Brady shook my hand, and I was surprised at how rough his skin felt against mine. He was a very good-looking man, even better-looking up close, but he didn’t seem prone to smiling. Also, he was looking at me in a way that was making me feel uncomfortable. I thought about what Victoria had said about all the hillbillies in the area and shivered.
“Sloan. Interesting name. I’m Brady.”
He didn’t move from his spot even though he was supposed to show me around, and I suddenly realized that he was probably looking for an autograph. As much as I didn’t want to give him one, I also wanted to get this encounter over with as soon as possible.
“Uh, where can I sign for you?” I asked.
“What?”
“Where can I sign for you?” I asked, speaking slowly this time. He probably wasn’t the smartest person around.
“Sign what?”
“Uh, my autograph,” I said. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“Why would I want your autograph?” he said and shook his head.
I felt my face go warm and I quickly tried to laugh it off. “Just kidding. Uh, should we get going, then?”
“Sure,” he said and started to walk.
As we walked, Brady showed me around the ranch and told me what they did on the farm and where Roger was hoping to shoot. He kept the conversation to a bare minimum and didn’t seem interested in talking about anything other than what he was supposed to tell me. In fact, I’d go as far as saying he didn’t want me there at all.
“Do you mind walking a bit slower?” I asked. He kept charging off in front of me, and I was already breaking out into a sweat. And breaking out into a sweat was not something I was accustomed to doing when I wasn’t at the gym. I remembered hearing once about someone who had gotten their sweat glands removed. I’d thought it was an awful idea, but now I wasn’t so sure. I hated the thought that someone was going to see me sweating.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have worn those shoes,” he said as he turned around.
“What?” I asked in surprise. I had expected him to apologize and to slow down, not to stand there and insult me. “What have my shoes got to do with you charging off?”
“Trust me, if you want to enjoy your time on the farm, you’ll be better off getting something a bit more comfortable. And if you were wearing better shoes, you’d probably be walking right beside me instead of trailing behind me. I’m not walking fast here. You’re the one that is walking too slow. Did you not realize that you’d be out on a farm?”
Was this man for real? What an asshole.
“Do you even have any idea who I am?” I asked him.
“Sloan Hill, or something like that?” he answered.
“Well, yes. That’s my name. But do you know who I am?” I said again.
“You’re an actress from New York? You’re shooting a film here at the ranch? Am I wrong?”
I shook my head in annoyance. “No, you’re not wrong. That’s right. But you shouldn’t talk to me like that. I mean, I’m an actress. I’m well-known.”
“Hey, you’re the one that’s on my farm. And I’ve been perfectly nice to you. I’ve taken time out of my day to show you around. Actress or not.”
“You honestly don’t have to do that, you know. I think I’d rather walk around by myself than walk with you. I mean, what can you honestly teach me that I don’t already know? I went to Yale. Do you know that?”
“No, I didn’t know that. And while that’s very impressive, I honestly don’t think Yale gave you the skills you need to succeed out here. I think that concludes our tour, wouldn’t you say? I think maybe it’s best for both of us if we just end it here for today. But Miss Sloan,” he said, “if you need anything at all, just call me. I’ll be here.”
I looked at him in exasperation as he walked away. Who the hell did he think he was? If you need anything at all, just call me! That was the most insincere message that had come out of his mouth. Victoria was right. This was going to be an absolute nightmare.
I walked slowly back to the rest of the actors. The heel of my shoe kept slipping into the dirt, and it was making the walk very difficult. But I refused to take them off. I knew Brady was somewhere nearby and I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. So I walked, albeit slowly, and kept my shoes on. I couldn’t imagine what the shoes must look like with all that mud on them. Victoria was going to have a heart attack when she discovered what I’d done with them. She treated her shoes better than she treated most people.
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