Page 62 of Love: Take Two

"Uh," I sputter, trying to quickly shift into professional mode. "Do you mean what would constitute as cause?"

"Yeah," she confirms. "Like, could we get rid of him if he takes more than ten takes? Or if I say his terrible acting is literally stinking up the entire set?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose, utterly taken aback by her request.

"Get—get rid of him?" I croak before clearing my throat. "I've seen the dailies, Tabitha. You donotwant to get rid of Yong-rae. What happened?"

Her long-suffering sigh hits me as if she were sitting in my office chair.

"He's insisting I use Clara for the drowning scene, even though I already confirmed with Edward that I'd be doing it myself."

"The drowning scene?" I ask, sitting up straighter. "Uh, I'm with Yong-rae. Why wouldn't your stunt double handle a scene where bodily injury is a risk?"

"Bodily injury?" she scoffs. "Come on, Awa. I've done my own stunts plenty of times. Remember the rappelling in 'High-rise'? Or the hang gliding in 'Before the Break'? This isn't any worse than those."

I shake my head.

"Yes, I remember all of those because they were liability nightmares and took literal years off my life. I really think you should let Clara do her job this time."

"And I think you and Yong-rae should let me domyjob, which is to bring the gravitas required to a pivotal scene. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio did her own takes in 'The Abyss'; it's one of the reasons the drowning scene was so powerful."

"It's also one of the reasons there are way more protections for actors on set," I counter. "She was traumatized during filming."

"Well," she sniffs, "I won't be traumatized. And I won't give my most impactful scene to a stunt double. So either you get down here and make it happen, or I exercisemyexit clause and leave this set."

She hangs up before I can reply, but I still bang the phone down.

God dammit!I'm gone for one week and things are already off the rails again? "Forced Proximity" is starting to feel cursed.

I grab my purse, tell Elle to forward all calls to my cell, and head back to Jersey.

"Step aside," Tabitha demands as she tries to climb up the ladder into the water tank.

"I will not," Yong-rae yells back. "You should not be putting yourself in danger. It's completely unnecessary!"

"Says the guy on his first big role. What the hell would you know about what's necessary and what's not? Edward thinks it's a great idea!"

"Awa," Noah calls out from a few feet away once he sees me. "A word?"

He wears a frustrated frown in lieu of his usual smile.

"Can't you talk to her? Yong-rae is right; Clara could do the drowning part, and Tabitha can come in for the CPR and dialogue."

"It's funny that you think I'd defer toyourclient about what to do in this situation whenminehas made her opinion clear. There might be a greater risk, but when it comes to acting, Tabitha knows what she's doing."

Noah looks around, then lowers his voice so we aren't overheard.

"If this is about method acting, Kenny said submerging her in the freezing water before each take would put her body into the same state as if she'd actually done the drowning stunt."

"If he's telling you it would be the same if they submerge me, don't believe that shit!" Tabitha yells from where she stands next to the tank with her arms folded.

"Shit," Noah curses under his breath.

I know the feeling. I spent half the car ride out trying to get Tabitha to change her mind, and the other half reviewing the liability policy with Pinnacle's counsel to ensure they're covered. Tabitha's done stunts before, and all of her contracts include a clause that states they're at her discretion. It doesn't mean I don't dread whenever she uses it.

I square my shoulders, pushing down my body's reaction to his nearness.

"If you need to talk with Yong-rae, now's the time, because like it or not, Tabitha is doing the full scene."