“Cut!” Finn called and frowned at them with his hands on his hips. “I don’t think that scene is going to work.”
“Sorry,” Joy said. “I can try to sex it up if you want.”
He jerked back as if he’d been smacked. “God, no. We don’t need to see that again.”
“It truly was horrifying, wasn’t it?” Prissy said as she appeared from behind the cameras. “You can’t really blame Quinn though. I’m sure it’s hard to get into character when you’re supposed to be sexing a mom-type.” She gave Joy a sickeningly sweet smile and passed her a muffin from the craft table. “I thought you could use a pick me up after embarrassing yourself like that.”
Joy scowled at her but said nothing as she put the muffin down on the sawhorse and wrapped herself in her robe. She turned to the director. “Are we done for the day?”
“You and Quinn are. We’ll rework the seduction scene to something less… cringeworthy.” He nodded at Prissy. “Are you and Carly ready for the beach scene?”
“I am. Carly is probably still in the makeup tent. You know how it always takes them a little longer to get her ready. It happens when actresses start to age.”
Joy wanted to smack her upside the head. The woman was just so bitchy for no reason at all, other than her own insecurities.
“Oh, Joy,” Prissy called over her shoulder as she walked off with the director.
Joy raised an eyebrow at her in question.
“Tell Troy I really enjoyed seeing him at my party and that I can’t wait to take him up on that offer for private photos.” She waved her fingers and bounced away with Finn.
A low growl came from deep in Joy’s throat, causing Quinn to let out a chuckle. She glared at him. “Got something to say?”
He held his hands up in a stop motion. “Nope. Nothing other than wow, Prissy has balls. I would think twice about crossing you if I were her.”
“You would?” she asked, confused. Joy was fierce in her convictions, but it wasn’t as if she was going to throw down with a costar.
“Yep. Because if she pushes you too far, I’m willing to bet you’ll find a way to take her down, and it won’t be with petty comments.”
Joy shook her head. “I have no interest in feuding with her. I just want to make this film and move on.”
He pulled a robe on and then picked up the muffin she’d left on the horse. “That’s big of you.” Holding up the muffin, he asked, “Were you going to eat this?”
She shook her head. “It’s all yours.”
“Thanks. And by the way, you were great in this scene.”
Joy groaned. “You’re delusional. I was awkward and completely out of my comfort zone,” she said.
“You were supposed to be. That was the scene, and you played it brilliantly.” He took a bite of the muffin and then continued, “The scene didn’t work because that’s not your character. It was a bad rewrite. Don’t worry about it. The next one will go better.”
“That was… thank you, Quinn. That makes me feel better.” She turned to leave, ready to be anywhere other than on the set. But she paused and turned around when she heard what she thought was gagging.
Quinn was bent over a trash bucket, vomiting. Joy’s stomach rolled with sympathy, and she had to take a step back just so she wouldn’t be joining him over the trash. When he straightened, his face was white and there was a sheen of sweat on his forehead.
“Oh my god, Quinn. Are you all right?”
He pressed a hand to his stomach and shook his head slightly. “I think it was the muffin.”
They both turned and stared at the half-eaten muffin that was back on the sawhorse.
The muffin that Prissy had brought her.
“Quinn?” she asked.
“Yeah?” He was clutching a bottle of water that had been on the small craft service table.
“Has Prissy ever brought you food or coffee before?”
“No.” His body jerked as if he was going to vomit again.
“Hmm. Interesting.” Images of Prissy bringing Joy coffee, the muffin, and even the pink drink at the party flashed through her mind. After each one, she’d suffered some minor malady. Well, Quinn reaped the consequences of the muffin, but Joy had experienced a breakout and a mysterious sore throat. Was it possible her costar was sabotaging her? Yes, yes it was. And it was time Joy put a stop to it.
Chapter Nineteen
After Joy changed out of her dominatrix outfit and into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, she hightailed it back to the trailer she was now sharing with Prissy. Because Prissy was filming down at the beach, Joy had the place to herself and quickly started rummaging through all the drawers and cabinets, looking for anything incriminating that would help to prove Prissy was hexing Joy with childish ailments.
When Joy didn’t find anything in the main room, she moved to the dressing room area and grimaced at the mess Prissy had made. Clothes were strewn all over, with dirty underwear hanging out on the floor. “Classy,” Joy muttered and stepped over the offending garment. After rummaging through several of the drawers, she opened the one closest to the floor and grimaced. There was a pile of condoms, lube, and what appeared to be edible underwear. Joy was just about to shut the drawer when a tin with a pentagram drawn on top caught her eye.
She reached in gingerly and pulled it out. The tin was black with a skull and crossbones on it that said, Get Out of Work Free Spells. The fine print read: Need an excuse to call in sick? Don’t let needing a doctor’s note stop you. Just take a GOWFS pill and wait for your illness to appear. Lasts for up to 32 hours.
“Gotcha!” Joy cried. She shoved the tin into the front pocket of her sweatshirt and hurried back into the main section of the trailer. She pulled the front door open and stared right into the face of her arch nemesis.
“Got what?” Prissy asked, eyeing her with suspicion. “If you stole the blunt in the cookie jar, things are going to get ugly.”
“Blunt? What?” Joy asked.
“Oh, for the love of the goddess," she groused. “Just how uncool are you?”
“Very,” Joy confirmed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”
“Whatever.” Prissy waved a hand and flopped into one of the chairs.
Joy knew she should’ve just left, but she couldn’t help asking, “Why are you here? Aren’t you supposed to be filming?”
“Carly needed some time,” she said with a shrug. “Whatever. I could use a nap.” Her eyes narrowed as she studied Joy. “How are you feeling? You look a little green around the edges.”
“Do I?” Joy asked. She shrugged. “Must be the lighting. I feel fine.”
“Did you… um, eat today?”
“Yep,” she lied. “Great muffin. Thanks.”
“Huh. Okay. Well, see you tomorrow.” She studied her nails as if her manicure was the most interesting thing on the planet, but she kept casting suspicious glances at Joy.
“Later.” Joy bounded out of the trailer and ran straight into Detective Coolidge. “Oomph.”
The detective reached out and caught Joy by the arms, keeping her from stumbling sideways. “Careful.”