Seth wrenches his eyes off Amy and ignores my question. “I need a small favor from you, Colin.”
“Oh.”
Amy pops up. “I’ll let you two talk shop!”
“You don’t need to go, sweetheart,” Seth says. “This little favor isn’t confidential.”
Sweetheart?
“No, no,” Amy says, turning beet-red. “I’ll leave you two actors to chat. Margaret asked me to help her with something when I had the chance, anyway. Bye now!” She flashes me a beaming smile that makes my heart skip a beat. And I know, without a doubt, Amy has no idea she was just hit on, in earnest, by the top-paid actor in Hollywood, but instead thinks it’s a thrilling thing for me that Seth has plopped himself down at our table to ask me for a favor.
“Text me if you need anything, boss!” Amy calls out as she turns to go. “Bye, Mr. Rockford—Seth!” And off she goes, practically tripping over her feet as she skitters away.
“She’s cute,” Seth says, watching Amy careen away.
“Yeah, I’ve known her for a long time. She’s very special to me.” He’s still watching Amy running away. I clear my throat. “So, what’s this favor, Seth?”
Seth peels his gaze off Amy’s departing frame and flashes me his best movie-star smile. “My fifteen-year-old son is a huge 22 Goats fan, and it’s his birthday next month.”
Here we go. Despite what I’d heard about Seth being an extremely “transactional” kind of person, I was pleasantly surprised at how welcoming he was to me at the table read the week before last. He was so warm and welcoming toward me, in fact, I thought perhaps the gossip I’d heard about him was sour grapes or exaggeration.
But now, in a flash, I know it was all true—that Seth was grooming me last week to pave the way for this request, whatever it’s going to be. Surely, a guy with an ego the size of Seth Rockford’s won’t be satisfied to get the usual VIP treatment—backstage passes and front row seats to a show. No, my gut tells me he’s going to ask for something much bigger than that.
“My son just started playing drums,” Seth continues. “I was hoping you’d come by my house in the next few weeks, before the production moves to Hawaii, and give him a private lesson.”
I cringe. It’s an even bigger ask than I was anticipating. Why do rich, powerful people always think they can have anything or anyone they want because of who they are? I’ve met quite a few people like Seth the last few years, and I’m constantly amazed at how incapable they are of forging genuine friendships—the kind I have with Dax and Fish and all of Dax’s siblings. With Logan, too. When Logan asked me for that favor for Amy a year ago, the first-ever favor he’d asked me for, he sounded sick to his stomach. Even after I’d said it was nothing, no problem at all, Logan apologized profusely.
But Seth Rockford? Ha! He expects me to come to his house to give a newbie drummer a private lesson, just because he asked. If the situation were reversed, if I had a son who was a fan of Seth Rockford movies, and my kid was enrolled in freshman drama class at school, would Seth happily come to my house and give my son acting lessons, as a favor to me? Of course, he wouldn’t! Because it’d be the height of narcissism for me to even ask one of the top-paid actors in the world to humble himself that way! But how could I possibly say no to the Seth Rockford, who’s not only the star of our movie, but also credited as a co-producer?
“Sure thing, Seth,” I reply, even though I want to tell him that’s not a “small” favor.
“Don’t worry, I’ll pay you back,” Seth says. “I overheard you telling Margaret your little redhead is looking for a permanent PA position after your scenes are in the can. I’ll make sure your friend gets hired and assigned to me, personally, once we get to Hawaii.” He winks.
Hell to the fucking no. Every fiber of my body is recoiling at the thought of Seth coming anywhere near Amy. But what if my gut is wrong and this mega-movie star is genuinely willing to help Amy get a plumb assignment—and in Hawaii, no less—with zero expectation that sucking his dick would be one of her job duties?
Nope. I can’t deny what my gut feeling is telling me. The man can’t be trusted.
“I wouldn’t talk to Margaret about Amy yet,” I reply. “Thanks for the offer, but I think she’s got a few irons in the fire.”
Seth makes a face like my comment is pure lunacy. “Don’t be silly. You’re doing a favor for me, so I’ll do one for you. That’s what friends do for each other.” Seth smiles broadly, but the skin around his eyes doesn’t crinkle. True, that could be because of the copious amounts of Botox in his face. But I’m inclined to think it’s because of his good old-fashioned insincerity.
Amy appears, out of nowhere. She’s breathless. Adorable. Trying to act like this is totally normal for her. But her excitement is wafting off her. “Hi! Sorry to bother you, gentleman. Hello. Sorry. Margaret told me to fetch you two and tell you to go to hair and makeup now, please.” She throws up her arms like she’s yelling surprise at a birthday party. “They’re setting up for this afternoon’s exciting scene!”
Twenty-Three
Colin
“Quiet on the set,” the assistant director says.
We’re in the barracks set, built for us by the movie’s design team. Cameras are set up and ready to go. All actors in this scene, including Seth and me and Rob, the actor who plays Private Hawkings, are on our marks. All necessary crew members are now in position, while all unnecessary ones, including Amy, have found an unobtrusive place to observe. We’re only waiting on Gary, our director, who’s apparently framing his shots in the monitors tent.
While waiting, I decide to use the time to think about Private Sherman’s emotions and headspace.
In this scene, after frantically looking for my lucky penny to no avail, I conclude my best friend, Private Hawkings, must have swiped it, since he’s the one who razzed me about my superstitions during the poker party. And that conclusion sets me off. Not because of the missing penny, itself. But because I’m scared shitless to die in combat and the penny is my irrational way of coping with that fear. Thinking my best friend took it from me, when he knows I believe it’s the one thing standing between me and certain death, feels like a mammoth betrayal to me. So, what do I do? I lose control and rant about the stupid penny.
In preparing for this scene, my coach told me to think about a time when I’ve felt rejected or betrayed by someone I cared deeply about. So, of course, I thought about Kiera. But even with such a perfect person to think about while practicing the scene, I’ve never felt in rehearsals like I’ve reached my fullest potential.
I’ve been hoping when the time came, when I was in costume and in front of cameras, and I could feed off the other actors’ energy, I’d rise to the occasion. Fingers crossed I’m right about that, or the jig will finally be up. If I crash and burn during this scene today, I think it’s likely Gary will finally realize he messed up by casting a drummer, instead of an actor, to play Private Sherman.
“Okay, everyone,” the assistant director says. “Gary’s ready. Ready, Colin?”