How the hell had the tabloids gotten a hold of the pictures?From the angle of the pictures, several people must have had their cell phones out the moment she nose-dived into the water.No one was talking about the nice pictures of the party in theL.A.Times.Yet three days later, everyone was still jabbering on about the ones in the tabloids: the fight, her drowned-rat look, the gloriously radiant Margo glaring at her.
“That’s perfect,” Chris said, coming to stand beside her.
“Thank you, Rossi,” Jillian said to the artist, staring at her reflection and seeing Margo’s face.Clown makeup.She giggled, remembering Lex’s words.Her eyes met Chris’, and the smile disappeared from her face.
Now that it was just the two of them, he studied her makeup, lifted her chin, and frowned.“You okay?”
Jillian nodded.She hated the tension between them.She’d told him the truth about her contract with Lex, and he didn’t approve.She was tempted to tell him about her father and the money he owed, but it wasn’t her secret to share.Her family didn’t even know that she knew.Besides, the bulk of the money had nothing to do with her family.She couldn’t help thinking he was judging her.Still, he’d thawed a little after he’d seen Sunday’s headlines.He was the one who’d called and warned her.
“Go,” he said, nodding toward the middle of the set where the director was talking to Keith.They were about to start filming a fight scene.
Jillian hesitated.
“Don’t let them get to you,” Chris added firmly, his voice low.“You’re bigger and better than this.”
She couldn’t help wondering if he meant the friction between her and Margo or the contract with Lex.“Thanks.”
“Not that you need me to tell you that,” Chris added and left.
Sighing, Jillian stared after him.As the stunt coordinator, he choreographed and worked closely with the director on the stunt sequences.Maybe this wasn’t about her.Maybe he’d heard the stupid rumors Margo had started about him and Keith.As if Chris would ever cheat on Greg.
Jillian stood, rolled her neck and shoulders, and left the makeup area.They’d been filming at a set for the last three days.Next week, they would be in Vancouver.
Keith saw her and grinned, one eye closing in a wink.If he’d heard the rumor about him and Chris, he wasn’t letting it affect him.However, his attitude toward her had changed since the party.She wasn’t sure whether he’d bought the rumor about her seducing Lex or not, but he’d been giving her strange looks.
Jillian listened as the director and Chris rehashed the fight.Then she took her cue, and faced Keith.He smirked as they circled each other.A bit irritated, she attacked a second too soon and connected with his ribs.The smile left his face as he took on the persona of his character.
The choreography was simple and straightforward.As the director and camera crew followed them, they chased each other, fought, ran some more, and then she finally face him and executed a roundhouse kick to his head.He ducked, swept his foot, and caught her by her anchoring leg.
Jillian lost her balance and landed on her back.The blue mat cushioned her fall, but the impact was still jarring.Keith pinned her down with his hips, trapped her hands, and pushed them above her head.His head lowered as though he was about to kiss her.
“Stop,” the director yelled.“Chris?”The two conferred, then they did it again and again.Jillian was more than relieved when they said it was a wrap.
Instead of standing, Keith continued to pin her down and whispered, “I wish you were the lead actress.”
“No, you don’t,” Jillian said, pushing him with her hips.“The scene is done, Keith.”Margo would take her place and continue the scene with a kiss.
“You and I have better chemistry, and she knows it,” he whispered.“Barbs noticed and mentioned it a couple of weeks ago.That’s why Margo started that rumor.Don’t let her get to you.No one believes her.”
Margo’s friends did, but it was nice to know he didn’t.“Thank you.Now, can you get off me?”
Keith jumped to his feet and offered her a hand.They headed to the trailer for a wardrobe change.They had two more action scenes to go.Then she’d be done for the day.
Keith put an arm around her shoulder and whispered, “Have dinner with me, Jill.”
She frowned.“I can’t.I’m seeing someone.”
He stopped, a strange look crossing his face.“The guy financing the movie?”
Jillian wondered if he was thinking Margo could be right.“Yes.”
“Is that why his mother is here?”
Jillian followed the direction of Keith’s eyes and saw Estelle Fitzgerald talking to Barbs.She hadn’t realized Lex’s mother was around.They hadn’t gotten a chance to speak since the night of the party.Lex was on a business trip and called every evening.She was starting to look forward to his calls and his return on Friday.At least with him, she knew exactly where she stood.
“I’m sure her presence here has nothing to do with me,” Jillian said.“She’s friends with Barbs.”
They entered the building, where an artist was retouching Margo’s makeup.The actress glared at them, but Jillian refused to let her get to her.It wasn’t easy.She had people loyal to her on the set.Jillian wouldn’t be surprised if she’d staged the entire pool scene and had her friends take pictures.
