Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 478(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
He sighs and picks up a comm unit. “Take this to the west side of the building. We’ve managed to get the city to let us shut down the side street so we can film the horse-drawn carriages delivering the future queen to her king.” He gags a little. “Pass this off to Joe’s assistant. Her comm wasn’t working earlier. And then you can help the cleanup crew.”
One of the other men snorts.
“Cleanup?” It feels like a trap.
He gives me an asshole smirk. “Yeah, can’t have the horse crap showing up in the shot, can we? Good luck with that, new girl.”
I’m back to hating him, but I can’t exactly walk out in protest. I take the comm. At least I’ll get to meet the woman closest to Helms on set. She’s been his assistant for years, and it will be good for me to get close to her. “Will do, boss.”
I start to turn.
“New girl,” he says, causing me to stop.
I turn, waiting for some more of his vitriol.
Instead he frowns, and his tone is softer. “I didn’t mean to call you a whore. I apologize. My boyfriend and I broke up a couple of weeks ago and I’m still cranky about it. If you think the horse poop is punishment, it’s not. I had you on horse detail long before you annoyed me. You’re the low man for now, and you’ll get the crappiest assignments. Literally. Do your job and we’ll get along.”
I nod. “All right.”
“The lockers are two doors down. Drop your stuff off and get that comm to the set. They’re about to start,” he says.
I hustle out because it looks like this job is just beginning.
The “studio” is a maze of rooms, and it takes me a while to figure out how to maneuver my way to the other side of the building where I can get to the set. Everyone is buzzing with energy, and I hear them talking about the live shoot.
Most of them think the idea is risky. Some of them are excited to work live.
Everyone thinks Helms is a genius who’s slumming.
“I have no idea what he’s going to do now,” a woman with a headset on says as she walks through the door. “That woman is insane. The king is gorgeous. I would give up a job to have a shot at that hunk of a man.”
I step through the door as she heads for the elevator.
“Yes, the director lost his shit when he found out,” she says as the door closes behind me, and I find myself in a romantic paradise.
Okay, I know it’s cheesy, but I’m a hearts and flowers girlie. I like the romantic crap, and they’ve done a fabulous job. They’ve brought in thousands of flowers. They decorated the street and the buildings. There’s a red carpet that leads from where the carriage stops to where the king will greet the contestants. The sun is setting and the lights are about to come on, and the whole place feels magical to me. Sometimes I think I can’t see the flaws, the falseness of a set. All I see is a different world, a place we made as a space for the story we want to tell.
This is something of a story, I think. Surely there’s a story somewhere in here that will entertain…whoever happens to watch a show like this.
They’ve closed the narrow side street down at both ends, and I can see we’ve got help keeping crowds away. There’s an NYPD cruiser at either end and two elaborate carriages fit for a future queen. I step down and the horses are right there with two trainers and two men who are dressed like they’re picking up a Bridgerton for a ball.
I can already smell the horse poop, so fantasy over.
“Is that my comm?” a woman asks. She’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt that shows off her toned body. She’s stunningly gorgeous, and she gives me a smile as I hand over the comm.
“Yes. Patrick told me to bring it to the director’s assistant, who I assume is you,” I reply. “I’m going to be on set tonight working with the horses. If there’s anything you need, let me know.”
She settles the unit over her head, adjusting the microphone so it’s away from her mouth. “I’m Christy, and yes, I’m Joe’s assistant.” She looks me over. “If you hadn’t been holding that comm, I would have thought you were wayward talent. You’re a pretty girl.”
That got weird fast. “Uh, thanks.”
She snorts. “I’m not hitting on you. I have a problem, and you might be the solution. Come with me. You’re off poop duty.” She touches the comm. “Yeah, Joe, I found someone who’ll work. She’s a PA, but she’ll fit right in. You wanted a shortie, so maybe this works out.” She starts to walk inside the studio, looking back at me, an expectant expression on her face. “Are you coming or not?”