“You are not interested in selling the movie rights?”
“I didn’t say that. Actually, I did some research and I believe in some cases authors can act as a consultant. Would that be an option for me? Will I have any say in the making of the movie?”
“Olive, trust me, all authors feel the same way as you do at first, but when the project goes forward and the production starts, everything changes. The screenplay isn’t written yet, so we can’t really comment on any changes, but I’ll definitely make sure that you are included in the process.”
Thankfully, I was smart enough to know that having a say in the screenplay and being ‘included in the process’ were nowhere the same thing.
“Let’s talk about the casting,” he said while I was still trying to decide how to answer.
“Isn’t it a little early for that?” I asked, fidgeting in my seat.
“That’s one of the first things we focus on because securing the right actor for the role will change everything. We already have a few names we think would be a perfect fit for Isaac and Genevieve.” He checked the notes in front of him. “For Isaac, your main character, we have one specific actor we are trying to get in touch with, but for Genevieve we have a pool of names we are going through. Do you have any ideas, maybe suggestions for the casting?”
“Well, when I picture them in my mind, I don’t see them as other people.”
Lie, Olive. Lie through your teeth.
“I would love to hear the names you’re considering though,” I added.
Right at the end of my sentence, the door to our left opened and Bobby walked back into the room with another man right beside him. Keith’s gaze shifted toward them too, and before I knew what was happening, Jason walked in behind them, playing with the phone in his hand.
As in Jason fucking Thorn.
My mouth dropped open.
Shit!
My Jason.
Double, triple shit!
No, not my, my Jason.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
In shock and stuck in my seat, my mouth was still hanging wide open when Bobby chuckled, drawing my attention. I’m sure I was a sight to see.
“Olive, I want—” Bobby’s mouth was moving, but none of it was getting through to me.
Remember the peaceful waterfall Lucy tried to trick me into believing I was?
It was gone. All dried up. It was a disaster, really.
I was an avalanche—the mother of all avalanches to be precise.
Jumping up from my seat in a rush, I turned my back to them before Jason could notice me. Maybe I was acting crazy, but there weren’t that many Olives in the world. What if he remembered me? Remembered my name?
Damn it!
What if he saw my last name on the book cover that was sitting so prettily in the middle of the table?
Searching for a quick exit, I found none. Surely it would hurt a bit too much if I tried to break the window and jump out. Noticing the bar cart next to the window, I shakily made my way toward it.
Damn that Keith guy, why did he keep calling my name?
Reaching for the pitcher of water that had floating lemon and lime slices in it, I grabbed a glass and started pouring. Since my hands were shaking, some of it didn’t land in the glass, but who cared. As soon as it was half full, I chugged it down and poured another one.
Alcohol would’ve worked much better, but water was doing the trick.
Someone touched my arm, and I was ashamed to say I almost lost my grip on the pitcher, making an even bigger fool of myself.
“Olive, are you okay?”
Noticing it was just Keith, I slowly lowered the pitcher down and clung to my glass.
“Ah, sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” I tried to smile, but to him it probably looked more like a grimace.
Keith chuckled. “It’s not every day you see a movie star this close. I understand your excitement.”
He understood nothing. Why was he talking about Jason as if he was an animal in a zoo?
“Let’s take our seats again so we can introduce you two. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
Actually I’d hate that, thank you very much.
There went my hopes that maybe Keith would be nice enough to smuggle me out of there.
“Sure,” I mumbled, using the glass of water as a shield in front of my face.
When I glanced at the table, I saw that Harry was gone and Bobby had taken his seat. Next to him sat the man who had walked in next to Bobby.
And then, there was Jason…
I tried not to look at him at all.
Dear God, please help me breathe.
Still using the glass as my shield as I kept sipping water, I sat down right across from the unknown guy—who had an amused expression on his face—and then I jumped a little and sloshed water on myself when Keith pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down.
Jesus…get a grip, Olive.
I was ready to jump out of my skin and run away to find Lucy so I could kill her. Surely this was all happening because she hadn’t come with me.
Keith started the introductions. “This is Jason’s agent, Tom Symond, and this is the author I mentioned to you, Tom, Olive T—”
“So very nice to meet you,” I said in a louder voice than Keith’s, interrupting him before he could say my last name.
Tom Symond chuckled, rose up, and reached for my hand.
Then I had to get up, too. Don’t you just hate being civil sometimes? As we were shaking hands, I slipped and glanced at Jason since he was being so quiet. When I noticed he was looking at me with a frown on his face, I quickly looked away, sat down, and reached for my beloved water glass.
“Jason Thorn is who we want for the role of Isaac. We think he’ll be perfect,” Keith started up again.
Damn, but the guy talked too much.
“We still have a lot of things to talk about, Keith, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” said Tom.
I nodded enthusiastically. What kind of hell was I in that they had brought in the ONE actor that I would be—
“Olive Taylor?”
Oh, god…
Death could be so peaceful. My own heaven. Didn’t that sound nice? Breathing was so overrated anyway.
“Olive?” Jason asked again in a surprised voice. There was complete silence in the room.
My stomach grumbled.
Anyone up there? Kill me.
Kill me now.
“Nice to meet you…Mr. Jason Thorn,” I said miserably when nobody else spoke for several seconds, silently shaving off years of my life.
Of all the things I could’ve said at that moment, of all the things I could’ve been doing instead of sitting there shaking like a leaf…
“Little one,” he said once he got up from his seat. There was affection in his voice. Definitely surprise, too, but mostly affection.
All the hairs on my body stood up.
Jason was already rounding the table coming toward me. No escape now.
Defeated, I let go of my water glass and pushed my chair back to face Jason.
Once he reached me, only two steps separated us. Two short steps after not seeing him for so many years.
“Olive,” he said, his lips cracking into a big grin. His eyes took in every inch of my body, causing me to blush.
Then he was in my space, his hands cradling my already flushed face. Involuntarily, I took a step back, my ass almost sitting on the table. He just came with me.