by Julia Bright
“Cam, Andrew, thank you for coming by. Listen, the actress we want for the part just showed up and we’d like to see how Cam looks with her.”
The calm he’d been able to achieve fled. He wasn’t only doing a cold read, he was going to do a cold read with the actress they’d already signed. If she hated him, he would be out.
“You up for that, Cam?” Steven asked.
He shot Steven a killer grin and nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m more than ready to read for this part.” It was a lie, but he wasn’t going to let a little stress kill his possibility of getting this role.
They left the lounge with Karla at their side. Somewhere she’d grabbed a folder and handed it to him when they entered a room with a huge conference table full of people and a small area set at the front of the room that would act as their stage. Someone had set up a camera on a tripod, and they looked ready to film.
Cam’s heart thudded as he stared at the people in the room. This was the big leagues and he wasn’t ready. He had no idea who he was working with until the door opened and Mia Forsythe stepped in. She was one of the biggest actresses in Hollywood, and she would be the movie’s draw. Could he pull this off? He wasn’t sure. His stomach twisted and he wanted to throw up. But he had to hold it together if he wanted to outgrow the movies he’d been working on and step up his game.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cam thought about Rose and how he wanted to be with her. If he screwed this up, maybe he would have another chance at another movie, but Rose wouldn’t put up with the crap he would deal with onset of a college sex movie. She wouldn’t think it was funny if he was photographed with young naked women.
He squared his shoulders as determination filled him. Being afraid wouldn’t get him this role, so he took the initiative and moved to Mia, holding out his hand.
“Hi, Mia, it’s nice to meet you. I believe they want us to read together.”
She gave him a smile and studied his face. “You’re not what I expected.”
“I know my reputation precedes me. I promise I’m not what the tabloids say I am.”
She laughed and slapped him on the arm. “I’m not either. What are you drinking?”
“Water, would you like me to get you something?”
“Wow, I’ve never had a male costar ask if they could get me a drink.” Mia turned and faced the crowd of men and women in suits. “Steven, please hire him.”
The suits laughed and his cheeks heated. Mia turned back to him and placed her hand on his arm.
Her voice was low when she spoke. “I saw that you had to drop your brother at rehab. How is he doing?”
Cam shuddered and shook his head. The question had taken him by surprise and he let his true feeling show. “He’s out of control.”
Mia nodded. “He is.”
He drew in a slow breath, trying to calm. “I hope rehab helps.”
“It didn’t with my sister. She died six years ago, before I got famous. Few people know about it, and the gossip magazines don’t ever write about her. I guess she’s just too sad of a story for them.”
“Zach scared the crap out of me the other night. I couldn’t ignore him any longer.”
A man stood and stepped around to the front of the table. “I’m Joshua, the director.”
Cam moved to him and stuck out his hand to shake. “It’s nice to meet you, Joshua.”
Joshua smiled and nodded once. “We have high hopes for you, Mr. Harris.”
Cam’s body went a little hot as he stepped back to stand next to Mia. His nerves were riding even higher, and he knew he was going to do something stupid. Karla came over and set up Mia and him with their water and a napkin. She winked at him before stepping away.
“Turn to page twenty and begin reading,” Joshua said as he made his way to his seat.
“Wow, they aren’t giving us any time to get into character,” Cam whispered to Mia.
She laughed and leaned in. “I’ve had the script for six weeks. You’ll be a good fit. Just be real and you’ll do well.”
Cam had never felt more out of his depth. The script was totally new to him and Mia already knew it. He opened the folder Karla had given him and looked at page twenty. He was a rancher, down on his luck, about to lose everything, even his girl, but he had one shot at making it big and he couldn’t step away.
Cam took off his tie and rolled his shirt sleeves up. He ran his fingers through his hair and then faced Mia, stepping close to her while holding the script behind her shoulder so he could read it as he delivered the line.
“Listen here, Lilly, I’m not giving up on us.” Cam cupped Mia’s cheek and caressed it with his thumb. “I’m not. We’ve got something good going on and I need you to stand firm. This is a chance I can’t ignore. Don’t you get it? This could set us up for the rest of our lives.”
Mia stepped away and walked about four steps before turning back to him. “So I’m supposed to put my life on hold while you go off and conquer the world.”
He took one step closer to her and squared his shoulders. “I’m not conquering the world. It’s one job, one month away. I’ll be gone for thirty days and then I’m home.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Cam drew in a quick breath and stepped back. The words were shocking, and he coughed and sucked in air, trying to catch his breath. He still had to read for the part, but he couldn’t help but think the studio had chosen this section of the script because of what was going on in his life.
“Lilly, it’s only thirty days.” Cam stood tall and moved in close to stand only about one foot away from her. He reached up and cupped the back of her neck, holding her in place, and he leaned in and brushed a sweet kiss over her lips. They parted and he swore the room was quiet enough you could hear a pin drop.
“But what if it’s more.” Mia drew the sentence out, her emotions high.
Cam gave his head a short shake, trying to look like he was pushing emotions away. His lips trembled before he spoke. “I’ll always love you. Nothing could keep me from coming back to you. Thirty days, and we’ll be together with this debt paid off. We’ll have each other, I swear. Can you give me thirty days?”
“Cut. And that’s enough,” Steve called out.
Mia sighed. He sighed. And it sounded like everyone else in the room sighed. His heart was pounding, and he felt like he’d just opened his whole life up and exposed everything to the people in the room, but no one was looking at him funny. Instead, four people were standing around Steven DeContose, their words low but fast.
Steven gave a quick nod then clapped one woman on the shoulder before he walked out of the room. Cam felt like a total failure. He must have messed up terribly. The woman moved to Andrew and began talking to him. Mia stood beside Cam and placed her hand on his arm.
“I knew this was the part to have you read from.”
Shock pulsed through him. “You chose the piece?”
“Yeah. It was a bold move, but if you couldn’t get this part right, we knew you wouldn’t get the rest.”
Cam felt like he’d been sucker-punched. His life was flashing before his eyes, and he wasn’t sure if he could stay in the room with everyone there. He’d failed miserably enough that Mia had to tell him he couldn’t hack it.
“Are you okay?” Mia asked.
“I’m just…”
“You know, this part will be different than what you’re used to. You had a name before, but this movie is going to launch you into stardom.”
He turned to face her and his eyes narrowed. “You think I got the part?”
She laughed and patted his shoulder. “I know you have it.”
He shook his head, wonder filling him. “How do you know?”
“If Steven had hated you, or if I hated you, first off, I wouldn’t still be standing here talking to you, and second, you would have already been escorted out of the room. Karla wasn’t just here to usher you around, she was here to make sure you didn’t stick around longer than you were welcome.
”
“So you think I actually got the part?” The thought ping-ponged around his brain, making his head hurt.
Mia smiled and nodded. “Yes, Cam. You got the part.”
His heart triple timed and his hands started shaking. “Oh my God, that is amazing.”
“You read really well.”
“Hey, Cam,” Andrew called from across the room. He turned and searched out Andrew, seeing that his agent was waving him over. Cam turned back to Mia and grasped her hand.
“Wow, thank you.” He couldn’t help the goofy grin on his face. This was the best day ever, or at least close to it.
She smiled and pulled him in for a hug. “No problem. I’m glad you’re happy.”
After separating from Mia, he made his way over to Andrew and tried hard not to act like a kid in a candy store.
“Cam, this is Macy, she’s the assistant director. She is going to set up a few meetings with you to get you familiarized with the script. We have a meeting set tomorrow, and then you’ll begin filming next week.”
“Next week?” Cam looked from Andrew to Macy.
“Just a few bits. We want to jump on this.” Macy cleared her throat and glanced away. “We’d thought our lead actor was set and production was already scheduled. Finding you was a major coup.”
“I’m glad you found me.” Cam was beginning to feel as though he were operating in the Twilight Zone. He only had a week to learn the script and get prepared. Most of the people at the table had slipped out while he’d been talking to Macy, and he was surprised to see Karla by his side.
“Cam, Andrew, I think the meeting is winding down. Here is the compensation package. I’ll be around for some of your meetings. I won’t be traveling to remote locations with you. I wish I were, but other people get to travel.”
“Thank you, Karla. I’m happy that you’ll be around,” Cam said.
Karla gave him a genuine smile before she led them out of the room and they were downstairs and out of the door in minutes. The studio was very proficient at moving people along and he understood the need to move quickly as a car stopped and George Clooney stepped out and was rushed inside by Karla.
“Was that?” Cam turned to stare at Andrew.
Andrew nodded and shot him a smile. “Yes, it was.”
“Shit, what just happened?” He hadn’t had time to process what was going on, but he was excited. His head was still buzzing, and when reality set in, he wouldn’t be able to contain his enthusiasm.
“Let’s head back to the office and we can discuss everything.”
Cam nodded and dropped into the car, surprised that getting the part had been that easy. They were a few miles from the studio when he turned to Andrew.
“Did that really just happen?”
Andrew cut him a wide grin. “It did.”
“Okay.”
They rode in silence the rest of the way. When they arrived at Andrew’s office, Cam followed Andrew up, trying like crazy to keep his emotions under control. The last thing he needed was a photo of him acting crazy plastered all over the internet.
Melissa shot them both a huge grin when they stepped off the elevator. “Hello, Andrew and Mr. Harris. You both are smiling. Looks like good news?”
“I’ll brief you on it later. Cam, my office.”
He followed Andrew, wondering if Rose was still there. The door shut, and he leaned against the solid surface, not sure if he could keep standing.
“How was getting the part that easy?”
“Well, they threw a couple of curve balls. First off, the part we thought you were going for wasn’t what you read today.”
Cam straightened and moved closer to Andrew. “What?”
“It’s better.”
“I need to sit.” Cam dropped into the chair he’d occupied during lunch. “What happened?”
“So I got a call yesterday about a movie role, and this one was something we had to strike on. I know you’re trying to change the direction you’ve been going, so I said yes without talking to you. I know, it was a risky move, but really you’ll thank me later.”
Cam nodded. “I trust you, Andrew.”
“And I never want to break that trust. And that is why I didn’t tell you what role you were auditioning for.”
His hands were shaking and he sat forward. “Oh God, how big is it?”
“Well, it is Mia,” Andrew said.
“So she’d been signed on for a while. What is she doing? I’ve not even been keeping up.”
Andrew laughed and started to sit then moved away from the chairs and began pacing. “Okay, so Mia wanted you for this part, but you were a loose cannon. They couldn’t trust you. Anyway, the positive press has helped. Mia and the director both agreed to have you read for the part. Plus, you’re kind of their last hope.”
His excitement deflated a little. “I’m not sure I feel good being called the last hope.”
Andrew turned to face him and gave a huge smile. “They could have gone with someone else, but it would have cost them a lot more and Mia really wanted you in the part. You have the right look and you’re the right age.”
Anticipation was killing him. “Andrew, you’re freaking me out. How much am I costing them and what is the movie?”
Andrew slapped his hands together. “You’re not going to believe this.”
“Tell me straight.”
Andrew grabbed the folder Karla had given them and tapped the top of it. “So I was guessing thirty to fifty, maybe sixty, but that was for the other movie.”
“Yes?” Cam’s voice was whisper quiet. His stomach flopped, and he was glad he hadn’t eaten anything other than the salad.
“You’ll be getting two fifty up front.”
Blood roared in Cam’s ears. He shook his head and blinked, trying not to lose it. “Two fifty? Are you sure?”
“Yes, two hundred fifty thousand dollars up front.”
Cam’s whole body was vibrating. “Oh my God. Are you for real?”
Andrew nodded, his smile stretching wide. “Yes, it’s for real. I figured you wouldn’t be unhappy about that.”
“Andrew, that’s more than I’ve ever made in a year.”
“I know. So, you have that money, but you’ll be getting three percent on the box draw. Then if the movie hits certain goals, you’ll get a bonus. You also get money for public appearances for premieres. There are also bonuses associated with foreign box offices.”
Cam couldn’t speak. He was amazed that he’d been tagged for a role that big. “What is the movie?”
“Remember a week ago when Clay Jackson got drunk and crashed his jeep?”
“Yeah, wasn’t he in some big—Oh my God. Are you kidding me? I’m the replacement?”
Andrew looked like he was about to burst his smile was so wide. “Yes. You, Cam Harris, will be headlining with Mia Forsythe in Juniper.”
“No way!” Cam jumped up and walked to the window then spun around. “Are you kidding me?”
“I’m not joking. This is real.”
“Andrew, how did I get this part?”
Andrew stepped close and tapped his chest. “You signed me on as your agent. That, Cam Harris, was the best thing you’ve done since arriving in Hollywood.”
Cam stared at Andrew and nodded. “It really was the best thing I ever did. Thank you.” He pulled Andrew into a hug, slapping his back as tears filled his eyes. When he let go of his agent, he saw tears in Andrew’s eyes.
“In a few weeks, we can come up with some story about Rose losing the baby and you can move on. You’ll be in the middle of filming so that will quickly take precedence over the baby. By the time the movie comes out, no one will remember this little incident. Rose will have her life and you’ll have yours.” Andrew slapped him on the shoulder then moved to his desk. “I’ll have Melissa work up the papers you need to sign. She’ll messenger them over to you either late this evening or in the morning. Karla will send you a text with your schedule. Be prompt and be ready
to have some fun.”
Cam nodded, thinking about saying something about Rose, but he didn’t want to have to explain everything to Andrew. What he and Rose had shared was private, and maybe Rose thought it had been a one-night thing and not something special. He would ruin it if he attached more importance to their night of passion than she did.
Before he left, he stopped and turned to face Andrew. This agent had changed everything for him. He only hoped he could show the guy how much he appreciated him.
“Thanks, Andrew. Really, you’ve gone above and beyond what you had to do.”
“I did what was right. And tell your brother I said hi.”
“I will. Bye, see you later.”
Melissa stopped him on the way out and made sure he received a text from Karla. His first meeting at the studio was set for eight thirty the next morning. Before he’d made it to his car, Andrew was on the phone with him.
“Hey, Cam, I’ll be at the studio a little before eight thirty to go over some papers with you. So don’t stop by here first.”
“Okay. Thank you. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Andrew spoke before he hung up. “And, Cam, celebrate, but don’t go out. They want you to keep your nose clean.”
“I will.”
Random thoughts filled his drive home and then he realized he was going to the wrong home. He turned around and headed to the house he and Rose now lived in together. When he saw her car in the driveway, his excitement almost bubbled over. He dashed up the porch steps and into the house.
Rose stepped out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. “I went shopping today.”
“I got the part.”
Rose blinked at him as he moved closer. “What?”
“I got it.”
“Oh my God, you got it. That’s great.”
He picked her up and spun her around. After he set her down, he started moving around, wiggling as he danced around the room. “I can’t believe it. I got the part.” He stopped moving and grasped on to Rose’s hands. “What do you want for dinner?”
