Hot Set

by Ivy Blake

  Simon gave me a once-over, then looked down at his clipboard. “Likewise. We need a few things added to the cast trailers. The actors are already complaining. Shocker,” he said as he pulled the paper off his clipboard and handed it to me. “Make sure you get that done. The trailers are back there,” he said, pointing in no particular direction, “and you’ll find supplies in the warehouse on the back of the lot. So, please, get to work.” He handed me a cell phone. “Oh, and before I forget, take that and keep it on and charged at all times. Whenever I need you, I will text you and it is in your best interest to answer promptly. You are on a short leash here, so don’t disappoint.”

  Simon walked away as the three of us looked at each other with awkward smiles. Margo shook her head. “I guess I could’ve warned you that he is kind of… high-maintenance. But he is an amazing director, one of the best honestly, so the studios put up with crap.”

  I kept my eyes on him as he walked further away. “Well, I guess I have to start at the bottom, so here I am.”

  “Don’t let it get to you. You’ll do fine if you learn how to ignore his blatant disrespect.”

  “Thank you, Margo.”

  With that, she left me to get to work. Jade let me know that she was about to leave and that I would have to get a ride home later because she would be tied up. Jade had snagged a producer’s assistant job on the studio lot. I gave her a hug, and after she left, I got to work. I looked forward to the task in front of me, and no matter what, I was going to give it all I had.

  Chapter 10

  Hudson

  When I walked onto the set, Keith was standing in the parking lot, tapping his watch. “You’re killing us, man. Killing us! You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago!”

  “Traffic, Keith! This is LA. I couldn’t do anything about it!”

  “The hell you couldn’t. Leave earlier, Hudson! I am telling you, you can’t fuck this shit up. I worked too hard to get you that audition and to get you in a position where you could succeed. I need you to come in here and impress, not show up late and throw the damn day away.”

  I brushed past him because I knew I didn’t want to get into a dumb argument on my first day. He walked behind me, step-for-step, going over what I needed to do today.

  “The first thing you need to do is talk with the director, Simon. But you already met him in the audition, so that shouldn’t be a problem.”

  I thought back on Simon from the audition and went over what I already knew about him based on his reputation. He was going to be difficult to win over, but it was the only way I was going to make it on this set. If he didn’t like me, I was done, and I wasn’t going to screw up right off the bat. I would prove myself any way I had to.

  “Secondly, you’ve got to meet your co-star. Now, listen…” We breezed by some of the camera crew. They were separated from the other workers by their uniformity. I smiled and waved as we crossed paths.

  Keith continued, “I told you that this woman was a piece of work, and I mean that. She is a lot more seasoned than you and if anybody gets cut from the movie, between you and her? It would be you. So, make sure you understand that you are walking on egg shells with her. If she hates the way you shake her hand, then cut your fucking hand off. If she hates the smell of your cologne, you find out what her favorite scent is and buy a crate of it. If she…”

  “Damn it, Keith, I get it! I get it. She can be a bitch. I’ve dealt with women like that before. Do I need to remind you of Monica?”

  He shook his head. “Dear God, no. I completely forgot about that train wreck. Hell, you lasted a few years with her, so you should be able to at least last the length of this movie shoot with Mona. You’ve been primed for this moment.”

  I looked around at everyone. Most people barely recognized me and the ones who did immediately referenced a cheesy line from one of the many commercials I’d shot in times past.

  “Well, Mr. Andrews, I am glad you finally made it on set.”

  I turned around and saw Simon standing with a notebook in his hand. He smiled like a snake as people moved around us, scurrying to their places.

  “Yeah, I ran into a little bit of traffic on the way in.”

  “Uh-huh,” he muttered, barely even looking at me. “I understand. But, please, for future reference, we need you here on time. We normally start right at 8 am, but today being the first day, we’ve had a few things that we needed to take care of. If promptness will be a problem moving forward, I can send a car for you though…”

  “It won’t happen again,” Keith interjected.

  We both turned our eyes to him, and a moment later, Simon continued as if Keith wasn’t even there.

  “I told the my assistant to fill your trailer with everything that you needed. She should have that taken care of by the time you get there, and if she doesn’t, please let me know and I will handle it promptly. I trust that you have your lines memorized for the day?”

  “Yes. I’ve been rehearsing them all weekend to make sure everything was crisp and tight.”

  “Very well,” Simon said, waving over a producer. “I won’t hold you up. Go ahead and introduce yourself to the rest of the cast if you haven’t already. They should be gathered near the craft services table just down this pathway here.” He pointed to the side. The long corridor looked like a tunnel with lights on top of the ceiling, lining the middle like a pathway.

  “Ok, Simon. Thank you,” I said quickly, trying to sound as amiable and helpful as possible.

  Simon walked off without another word, leaving Keith and me alone.

  Keith shook his head. “Well… at least he wasn’t a total jerk. He seemed to be a little more professional than I expected. I’ve heard stories about him treating the male actors like crap and favoring the cute female actors. Just… try and stay on his good side, okay?”

  I watched Simon walk away and noticed that he stopped to talk to a group of women at the end of the hall. His demeanor was much friendlier; maybe Keith was right. After he disappeared around the corner, Keith and I went down the corridor to meet the other actors and actresses. As soon as we got to the end of it, I spotted Mona. She looked exactly the same as she did in her movies.

  There was a small crowd of people around her as she entertained them. Some looked mesmerized by her while others stood by, fighting for her attention.

  “There she is, the queen bee,” Keith said as we both peered at her from a distance. “Like I said, Hudson, keep your cool at all times. Ok?”

  I glared at him for a few seconds and after that, I left him alone and darted straight for Mona. I wasn’t going to allow her to intimidate me. I earned my role and there was absolutely no way I was going to act like I didn’t deserve to be there too.

  “Mona?” I said with a smile as I parted the small crowd and extended my hand towards her.

  She peered at it like it was infectious and let it hang in the air while her top lip curled up.

  “And you are?” she asked with one eyebrow raised.

  “I am Hudson Andrews. I’ll be co-starring with you in this film.”

  Her eyes perused my body as she looked at me as if I was lower than her. I pulled my hand down once I realized that she wasn’t going to shake it. “So, I haven’t seen you in any movies before. Do you have any filmography to speak of?”

  “Um. I’ve done a few things. Well, mostly commercials, but there were a couple short films that I starred in. I was…”

  “I’m sorry, did you say commercials? You’ve done commercials?”

  “Yes...”

  She looked at me like I was a cockroach. A literal cockroach that she couldn’t wait to crush under thousand-dollar shoes. She shook her head and exhaled, then put her hand on top of her forehead while she shoved a drink into the chest of one of the men who stood beside her.

  “Dear Lord, they’ve given me a damned commercial actor? My goodness. Alex!” she shouted, looking at the man she shoved the coffee at.

  He wiped his shirt as he
responded, “Yes, Mona?”

  “Why did you not tell me that my co-star was nothing more than a commercial actor?”

  “Mona, I told you his name a few weeks ago. I mentioned that…”

  “You mentioned? You did no such thing because I would’ve remembered at that moment to tell you that he needs to be forewarned that I will NOT be embarrassed by a co-star who has no idea what he is doing.” She faced me. “Anders?”

  “Hudson.”

  “It doesn’t matter. You better be on your A-game, do you understand? And the first time I get any hint that you can’t hold your own, I will call for your replacement. You are on thin ice, do you understand?”

  I wanted to tell her exactly what I thought of her and was on the verge of doing so, but Keith put his hand on my shoulder and spoke up.

  “He understands, Mona. He completely understands, and trust me, he is exceptional. After this project, you will become a believer.”

  Her top lip curled like a dog about to strike. “And you are?”

  “Keith. I am his manager.”

  She rolled her eyes, then walked away, mumbling something incoherent. Alex quickly followed behind her as Keith spoke up again. “You see, what did I tell you? Absolute bitch, but you have to work her so that you don’t piss her off. Show up and kill the scenes every single time.” I glared at her as she walked away from us like we were plotting to attack her.

  I looked at him silently for a few seconds before I left his side and headed for my trailer. I wasn’t going to let Mona ruin my first day.

  As soon as I opened the door, my mouth dropped open. It looked like a miniature apartment and it was just for me. My name was on the front door. A small couch was against the wall and a proper bed was on the other side with a 30-inch television right in front of it.

  A wet bar was near the back of the trailer, and when Keith walked in, he was clearly happy with what he saw.

  “Geez, welcome to the big leagues,” he said as he wandered around. “This is much different from the piece of shit trailers that you had to share with other people during those shorts you shot.”

  “Yeah. This is a major step up.”

  Just then, there was a knock on the door. “Come in.”

  The door slowly swung open and I couldn’t believe who I saw walking into my trailer. Chloe’s beautiful face lit up the room as she stepped inside, carrying a few items in her hand. Her eyes went wide. “Hudson? What are you doing here?”

  “I am… this is my movie. This is the movie I’m starring in.”

  Holy shit, is this really happening?

  Chapter 11

  Chloe

  The glass slipped out of my hand and smashed onto the floor as I looked at Hudson. The crashing sound of glass snapped me back to reality and I knelt down quickly to clean up the mess.

  “Jesus Christ, what the hell is wrong with you?” Hudson’s friend said, looking directly at me.

  “Um, I am sorry. I just, umm…”

  Hudson moved towards me and helped me pick the large pieces of glass up from the floor. “Chloe?” he said as if he was trying to make sure it was me. “Is this really the job you were telling me about?”

  I nervously gathered the pieces, disregarding the fact that one wrong grab could have glass slicing open my flesh.

  “Yes?” I wasn’t answering properly, mostly worried about the mess I made. I knew that Simon would probably get rid of me because of my mistake, but I didn’t expect to see Hudson standing right in front of me. “I’m sorry for making a mess. I’ll go and get you another glass.”

  He grabbed my hand and kept it steady, then slowly smiled, silently telling me that everything would be alright. Just beyond him, I saw that guy that he was at Pierre’s with. It was the annoying person that came to our table and nearly ruined Hudson’s chances with me. He narrowed his eyes, and suddenly, a smile stretched across his face.

  “Hey, that’s the chick from Pierre’s, right?” he said as if he had just solved a decade’s long mystery. “Yeah, you sure are! I remember!”

  “Chloe,” Hudson said as he rolled his eyes, “her name is Chloe.”

  I forced a smile and gathered the other shards of glass together as Hudson grabbed the small trash can, so I could dump them inside. “Yeah, Chloe,” his friend said, “I didn’t catch your name, but I surely do remember a pretty face. What are you doing here?”

  I crawled to my feet. “I am the director’s assistant for this film.”

  “No shit?” Hudson said, smiling. “I don’t know why I didn’t think to ask you which film you were working on. It never crossed my mind that we could possibly be working on the same one.”

  “Me either,” I said before a few moments of silence floated between us. Hudson looked amazing. His short-sleeved shirt squeezed his biceps and accentuated the shape of his chest. I tried not to stare, but I found myself having to force my eyes to the floor. “I guess I should get out of here and get you another cup,” I said, looking at the trash. “I don’t want Simon to throw a fit and fire me on my first day.”

  “Goddamn it,” Keith said as he looked at his phone. “Shooting is on hold for another forty-five minutes. Apparently, there is something going on with the crew.” He huffed, then shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Sit tight here, Hudson. I’ll figure this out and get right back to you. They won’t start shooting until this is resolved and I need to see what’s going on.” He smiled at me. “Chloe, again, it is good to see you.”

  Keith walked out of the trailer and left the two of us alone, still in shock that we were both working on the same movie. “Wow,” Hudson said, chuckling. “Here we are again. I thought I wasn’t going to be able to see you much, but now you’re working on the same set. Obviously, some mystical force wants to make sure we stay in touch.”

  “Yeah. I saw your name on the call sheet, but assumed it had to be someone else… Pretty stupid when I think about it now.”

  He laughed. “Yeah, I was just as surprised as you were.” He stepped closer to me. “But now we can see a lot more of each other.” He put his hand on the small of my back and kissed me gently, but I pushed him away.

  “Hudson, are you crazy!? Not here! What if somebody came in and found us making out? I could lose my job.”

  “Hey, hey, calm down, alright?” He walked to the door and shifted the latch to a locked position. “Nobody will know what is going on inside here unless I let them in. You have to remember…” He stepped closer to me until I could feel his breath on the edge of my nose. “…I am the star of this movie.” He kissed me softly. “…and I have a lot more pull than I would normally have.” His hand slid to my backside.

  “Hudson, stop!” I said in a hushed voice, but he didn’t listen, and before long, I couldn’t resist him. I dropped the folder I was holding onto the ground and wrapped my arms around the back of his neck. “Five minutes at the most,” I said, staring directly into his eyes. “Five minutes, and that is it, otherwise I know Simon will come looking for me. He’s had me running around like a headless chicken since I’ve been here.”

  “Five minutes?” He kissed me again. “I’ll make the most of it then.”

  He grabbed me and pulled me closer to him and pressed his lips against mine. I melted in his arms, my mind dizzy with the insanity of what was transpiring between us. He backed me into the small wet bar against the wall, and the movement caused a few of the glasses to shift. My eyes widened as I reached for one of them to keep it from falling on the ground. I laughed. His lips moved to my neck as I settled the glass back onto the table.

  “Five minutes,” I whispered, and he didn’t waste any time. He grabbed at my waist and started to unbutton my jeans with a look in his eyes as if he was going to devour me. But before anything else could happen, the phone in my pocket began to vibrate, and my eyes shot open.

  “It’s Simon! Oh my God, I need to get out of here! He is probably looking for me! How much time has gone by!?”

  “Not that long… Jus
t a few…”

  “Screw it! I need to go! I need to go, now!” I buttoned my pants back up and headed for the door, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Hudson, I…”

  He pushed his lips against mine again, and for that moment, every fear I had disappeared in an instant. After the kiss, he winked at me, then opened the door and peeked outside to see if there was anyone around. “Ok, now you can go. The coast is clear.”

  I didn’t know how much I’d be able to get away with as long as Simon was always on my back, but the fact that Hudson was literally a stone’s throw away made things a little easier for me. I could only hope that we wouldn’t get in trouble for our relationship. The best thing, at least for now, was to keep it quiet.

  Chapter 12

  Hudson

  I glanced out the window and watched Chloe walk away from my trailer. With her around, shooting the movie was going to be that much easier because I wasn’t going to have to juggle the time I spent on set with the time I gave to her. I only hoped we’d have of time to sneak away because I could become addicted to that girl.

  Once I was alone, I walked to the mirror to make sure I didn’t look disheveled. I was just finished getting my hair back in order when I heard a knock at my door. I figured it was Keith coming to tell me that everything was straightened out. I swung the door open, but to my surprise, Simon stood there, looking serious but also, somehow deeply annoyed.

  “So,” he said, inviting himself in without asking, “how do you like the trailer?”

  I watched him walk by me and further into the room. Oh, yeah, sure. No problem. Come right on in, I thought as he walked past me. I closed the door as he stood in front of the wet bar and took the liberty to pour himself some Scotch, despite the fact it was barely 10am.

  “That’s the good stuff…” I said as I watched him fill his glass 1/4 of the way, not really sure why I was saying anything at all.

  Simon placed the bottle of liquor back underneath the cabinet, then took the shot. “Good. I am glad you like it. This is the big leagues now, Hudson, so any needs you have, we can accommodate them.” I saw him look throughout the room. “So, Hudson. I saw our director’s assistant come in here. Chloe, I think her name is. Do you know her well? She was in here for a while.”