‘The question is why don’t you?’Stone waved his hand over the guy’s clothing, all designer labelled.Even his man bag had some designer label tag to it.‘FYI, your backpack is a knockoff.Pick it up from the street hawkers in Bali, did we?’Stone sneered at the rest of the pompous twit’s outfit, giving Julian a proper snobby dressing down.
‘No.I—’
‘I bet you’re hoping for a discount, or something off the rack for this film.Aren’t you?’
Julian dusted off some invisible fluff from his shirt.‘Of course, I wouldn’t say no.Those bags, like a Birkin, are an investment that hold their value.’
‘Are you saying that you’re going to use this film as advertising.For them?The fashion houses.For the rich people—the elites?’Romy’s face practically melted with shock.‘For a handbag?’
‘You didn’t know?’Stone asked.
She shook her head as her jaw hung slack, but her wide eyes remained on Julian.
Well, hell.Didn’t Stone just ruin their party of three.
‘I… Um… We…’ Julian nervously tugged on his collar while struggling to swallow.
‘I’m guessing you don’t do that kind of filming, Romy?’Her name was as unusual as the female staring down her director.
Romy shook her head.Still silent.Still staring down Julian.
How long before Julian cracked?
Stone started counting.One Mississippi… Two Mississippi… Three Mississippi…
‘Look…’ Stone got bored waiting.‘You two go duke it out in the pub or something.I’m outta here.I’ve got eggs to deliver.’And the clock was ticking on keeping these babies comfortable.
‘Me too.’Romy rushed after him.
Stone didn’t have the heart to say no to her.
‘Does this mean you’ll get the footage for me at that crocodile farm?’Julian’s voice was extremely high-pitched.
‘No.I quit!’ Romy hoisted her backpack over her shoulder, then flipped out some roller-wheels on her stacked cases, to drag them across the dusty car park.
‘You can’t quit.I hiredyou, remember,’ yelped out Julian.
‘I QUIT!You should have told me this film was going to be a fancy marketing tool for a fashion house.That’s not a documentary.You should look up the dictionary definition of what a documentary is.’
‘Would you have come?’
‘No.’
‘Well,you’re firedthen.’
‘You can’t fire someone who’s already quit.’Stone chuckled as he unlocked his twin-cab ute, that had seen better days.‘Here, let me take that.’He scooped up Romy’s drone cases.‘I’ll tuck them in the back seat.’
‘Thank you.’
‘But they’ll be staying in the back seat while we visit the hatchery.’Stone wasn’t going to let anyone ruin his relationship with the crocodile farmers.
‘Of course.’
He hesitated, narrowing his eyes at her.
‘Cross my heart.’She even drew a cross over her heart.‘I swear I’ll leave them in the car and not take one picture.’
‘Good.’
