Page 11 of Love Unscripted
“I heard about that,” Anne chimed in. “Apparently he hasn’t gotten over his wife’s death.”
“I don’t doubt that. I haven’t even seen him bat a lash at another woman,” Camille added.
“Not even you?” Vera teased.
“Not even me,” Camille admitted with a faintly forlorn look. She didn’t think that his reaction to her attempt at seduction during the filming of their scene together counted. All it proved was that the man was flesh and blood.
“Crazy,” Anne said in genuine surprise. Both women were well aware of Camille’s effect on men. Even here, in the secluded exclusivity of the spa, she had already drawn a few appreciative looks from male guests and staffers alike.
“I know, right?” Camille said, laughing at herself. The other two joined in.
“Anyway,” Vera continued, settling back against the warm tiled wall, “Jack told me he really liked the guy. The shoot was about famous father and son movie stars. From what I hear,GQhad to bribe him to participate. Something about them featuringEsther.”
Camille looked skeptical. “I don’t think I would wantGQto featureEsther. There’s something… icky about that.”
Anne shook her head. “I don’t think so. You never know—it could make the non-Christian world take notice.”
Camille let the matter drop, though she still had doubts. “So what else did Jack say about him?” she asked Vera.
“He found him easygoing and humble. That surprised him, since Aaron comes from three generations of actors. He thought he might be a spoiled Hollywood actor, but none of that was there. He thinks he’s one of the sincerest Christians he’s ever met.”
Camille found herself beaming, though she wasn’t sure why she should feel proud of a man who, technically, was nothing more than a work colleague. “That’s true. He is. I really respect him… although there are times he annoys me.”
“Annoys you how?” Anne asked.
“He keeps me on a tight leash on set. It’s like he’s afraid I’m going to turn Esther into Cleopatra or something.”
“Why would he think that? Doesn’t he know how long you’ve been at your craft?” Vera said.
“Yeah, I’ve been working since—”
“—You were four. We know,” the two women interrupted simultaneously, dissolving into laughter when Camille shot them both a look.
“But seriously,” Vera said, sobering. “You’re a professional, Camille. He needs to show you some respect.”
“Do you think this has to do with your decision to leaveShadow Peak?” Anne asked.
“Why would that have anything to do with it?” Camille said.
“Maybe he thinks you’re irresponsible, so he’s treating you like a child.”
“I’m not a child,” Camille said, a little louder than intended.
“Shh!” Vera glanced around, though the nearest occupants were several benches away. “We know that. Maybe he just doesn’t understand who you are yet. You should show him.”
Camille shook her head. “I’m treading lightly. I don’t want to rock the boat. I’m glad they accepted me for this movie. Everything is going smoothly on set. I want to keep it that way.”
“At what cost, though?” Vera asked gently. “You don’t want to feel powerless, like you didn’t give your best performance. Ultimately, what audiences see reflects you primarily, the director secondarily.”
Camille fell quiet, pondering the thought as steam curled around them.
~*~*~*~
A few nights later, Camille was at a cocktail party when she ran into Simon Halden.
She was threading her way toward the bar, half-listening to a producer beside her, when she nearly walked straight into him.
She stopped and for a fraction of a second, neither of them moved.
