Page 7 of Love Unscripted
“Upstairs with Mom. They’re doing some alphabet thing. I heard singing earlier.”
Aaron smiled. “Dad?”
“Entertainment room. He’s got a couple of the old guys over. Pool table’s been loud for an hour.”
Aaron shook his head and headed down the hall.
The entertainment room smelled faintly of cigar smoke and whiskey. Laughter erupted just as he entered.
Robert stood at the pool table, cue in hand. Still classically handsome and commanding even in his sixties.
Corey Elsom and two other longtime friends, Matt Feldman and Brian Brooks lounged nearby.
“Well, look who it is,” Corey called. “Our biblical hero.”
Aaron grinned. “Evening, gentlemen.”
Robert’s eyes softened when he saw him. “Long day?”
Today’s shoot had featured Esther and the chief Eunuch, Hegai, so Robert had the day off.
“Productive day.”
Corey leaned back. “So how does it feel playing Ahasuerus? Heard somebody say he looks suspiciously like Mordecai. What’s the backstory there? Secret Persian family scandal?”
The room burst into laughter.
Aaron shook his head. “Makeup department earned their paychecks. The resemblance isn’t that dramatic on screen.” In fact, Robert had been fitted with a prosthetic nose so that he would look less like a classically handsome Roman and more like a Jewish statesman.
“Mm-hmm,” Corey said. “And how’s it going directing your own father?”
Robert smirked and answered before Aaron did. “He’s ruthless.”
“That’s not true,” Aaron protested mildly.
“You made me redo that gate scene six times,” Robert countered.
“Because you kept lifting your eyebrow,” Aaron said. “Mordecai doesn’t lift eyebrows.”
More laughter.
Then the tone shifted slightly.
“So,” Brian said casually, chalking a cue stick. “How’s it going with Camille Carlucci?”
Aaron felt it immediately. That tightening in his chest.
“She’s a good actress,” he replied evenly. “No problems. She knows the script. I’ve kept things… structured.”
“Interesting,” Corey murmured. “Word around town is she ran theShadow Peakset.”
Aaron’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “That won’t be happening here.”
Robert watched him carefully but said nothing.
“Good for you,” Matt nodded. “the director’s chair isn’t a democracy.”
Aaron forced a light chuckle. “We’re staying on schedule. That’s what matters.”
