Buzz had decided to film the argument scene between Jamie and Constance from the tops of their heads, using a monopod and a boom pole. The bird’s-eye-view shot might’ve made sense if the characters were lying on their backs, gazing up at the stars, but the scene takes place while they’re standing in Jamie’s kitchen.
Austin had been arguing with Buzz over this absurd angle when Finn, the runner, tripped over a cable and knocked down a studio light, smashing it to pieces. Honestly, that kid could throw himself at the ground and still miss.
Austin and Evie are now back on set, and Buzz is mercifully trying out a different camera angle, so I have a chance to quietly flip through the magazine. Irritatingly, there’s no mention of Austin and Evie on the front page. When I find the article about halfway through, my eyes narrow at the headline.
‘Austin Reynolds in Love! But Who’s the Lucky Lady? (Or Lad?)’
‘Or lad?’ I hiss.
Louis, the boom operator, who almost put me to sleep yesterday by telling me a longwinded story about his mother’s spice rack, has the gall to ‘shush’ me. I repress the urge to prise the boom pole from his hands and shove it down his windpipe.
My pulse begins to race as I scan the article.
Australian heartthrob Austin Reynolds, the leading star of the Tate Hunter film franchise, was spotted in Sydney this week with a special someone on his arm, who sources claim is his new co-star—the beautiful unknown actress Evie Scott. Reynolds and Scott are playing love interests in the upcoming dance filmMoving,which is currently filming at Village Pictures studios and is being directed by Brian Winter (yes, he’s Harold Winter’s nephew!).
While the co-stars make a cute couple, we can’t help but notice another special someone who’s been seen with Reynolds on multiple occasions since he arrived back in his home city. Rumour has it that the handsome mystery man is also sharing a beachside apartment with Reynolds.So, we’re left with one question: Is Evie Scott a cover for the real romance blossoming here?
‘Holy fucking hell.’
With my heart pushing against my ribs, I scan the rest of the glossy page. Beneath a large image of Austin and Evie in the grocery store carpark are two smaller, grainier photographs. One is of Austin and me walking through the Village Pictures carpark after the script read-through, when that woman with the baby took pictures of us. The second photo shows the two of us strolling along the beachfront boulevard near our apartment. We’re clutching matching green smoothies, and Austin’s face is tilted to mine, his smile stretched into a dopey grin.Jesus. Fuck.
At least Evie’s father isn’t mentioned in this joke of an article. Where did this journalist learn how to do their job—from a YouTube tutorial?
After finding my way through the studio’s rabbit warren of corridors and getting out onto the noisy street, I pull out my phone and call Jenna, my contact at the PR agency.
‘Don’t worry, we’ll fix it,’ are the first words out of her mouth.
‘You know that I’m hismanager.This article is completely inaccurate.’
‘It’s a tabloid,’ Jenna sighs. ‘Of course it’s inaccurate. But they were the only rag we could get for this first plant. I have to say, their reporter is a crafty one.That was a pretty left-of-field call…’ She pauses, and I can hear the wheels turning in her head. ‘You know, if we can get this story to build, maybe the newspapers will come on board in a massive—’
‘No. Not a chance. The only story here is that Austin is dating his co-star, and the “mystery man” is his personal manager, Kye Evans.’
‘Yes, okay. We’ll get it corrected, but some new photos would help because these carpark ones are officially old news. Something with Austin and Evie looking even more coupley would be gold.’
‘Coupley?’
‘We need them kissing. And not a peck—I’m talking about some full-blown face-sucking. Set something up and text me the time and place?’ Jenna pauses before adding, ‘And the sooner, the better, Kye. If you want this other story to go away.’
I gulp back the rock wedged in my throat. ‘Consider it done.’
CHAPTER 11
Kye
‘We already got it, Buzz,’ Austin complains. ‘That last one was it.’ He glowers at the director, who’s hunched over one of the monitors, replaying the latest take of Constance and Jamie’s first kiss.
‘We’re almost there,’ Buzz says, and the crew members scattered around the soundstage groan under their breaths. ‘Listen, I know what I’m doing,’ Buzz argues. ‘My name isn’t Winter for nothing.’
A weighty sigh leaves my lungs. It’s Saturday morning, and none of us is meant to be on set, butMovingis now dangerously behind schedule thanks to Buzz’s need to shoot everything over and over until we, and probably generations of our descendants, grow old and die. I’ve had to watch Austin kiss Evie not once buttwenty-fourtimes so far on this weekend morning. Why doesn’t Buzz just stab me in the eyes with a blunt stick? In fact, thispassage of dialogue jumping off the script in my hand is making me want to do it to myself.
JAMIE
Why would I want to gaze at the stars when I can look at you? Why would I wake up early to see a sunrise when I can wake up next to you? Why would I go outside and inhale the flowers when I can stay inside and smell you?
I’m too horrified to even speak.
‘I still think we need to change the line before the kiss,’ Jakob pipes up from the shadows. ‘Instead of saying “Your lips are made to be kissed”, I think Jamie should say “Your lips areaskingto be kissed”.’
