CHAPTER TWO – RACHEL DEAN
You can make this place Rachel. You know this stuff better than anyone you know.
I raked my hands through my hair and rested my head against my palm, as I looked over the list. I’d been adding to it all morning long and now I had a clear vision in my head of what the stage needed to look like. Later that day, I’d get the preliminary sketches to the producer, but first I needed to make sure I had everything to pull it off.
I glanced up at Jeffery. “What about the funhouse mirrors?” We contacted a prop company that had the ones we wanted, and I was hoping that they’d be available.
“We got them, and the spinning wheel too, but I’m still not sold on the color. It looks too much like a child’s princess party, and I think we should stay darker.”
“It’s pink?” I began to panic. I hadn’t even noticed. Pink would not work at all. This was supposed to be a circus freak show theme, not my pretty princess.
Jeffery nodded his head. “I told you it was pink with glitter. I even showed you a photograph. Do you want me to cancel the spinner?”
“Oh, the spinner is pink?” I breathed a sigh of relief. “I thought you meant the mirrors. Yes, scratch that spinner, and we’ll look for something else. I’d like a few touches of black and white in the madness of color, and that spinner might have to be a custom in black and white if we can’t find something else.”
“Okay, scratch the pink glitter nightmare. I’ll look for something in black and white. The mirrors, which are candy apple red, are a go. You’ve had three calls today do you still want me to monitor your phone?”
“Only if it’s my father or that creep from last week.” I got the chills just thinking about that guy. He’d make the perfect prop for this new job.
“You’re dating?” Jeffery’s perfect brows lifted.
“No, and you’re slipping. Greg, that man from the last job. I could use him as a prop. The weird part is he’s trying to ask me out and there’s no way in hell. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had duct tape, garbage bags, and a saw in his trunk.”
“That’s only the characters he writes about. I’m sure his is a real kitchen.” He flashed me a wink.
“If that’s true, then he’s more your type than mine.” I gave him a sweet smile. Jeffrey was not only my assistant, but also one of my best friends.
Jeffery let out a howling laugh. “Bitch.” Jeffery was so low under most people’s gaydar, but he definitely preferred men. He’d actually had better luck with them than me.
I quickly changed the subject. “Oh, and I was thinking last night that I want the same artist we used on the last set for our detailed panels. She’s amazing, so see if you can get her again. I know she’s busy.” Jeffery nodded and took down the information.
I went back to making notes and pouring over the ones the producer had passed along from Star Summers, whose video I’d be working on. I found a few inconsistencies with the script that we had to make right. About thirty minutes had passed before my phone buzzed and Jeffery held it under my nose.
“You’ll want to take this one. It’s Shauna.” Jeffery met my best friend a couple of times over lunch and knew how special she was to me. I quickly answered the phone and leaned back in my chair to give my eyes a rest from the paperwork.
“Shauna? How’s life?
“It’s wonderful. How’s yours?”
“Perfect.” I rubbed my temples and breathed a cleansing breath.
“You sound tired. I hope you’re not working too hard.” She was one to talk. Shauna stayed just as busy as I did, if not busier. Before I could reply, she started again. “Oh, I sent your thanks along to Harris, and he said to think nothing of it, anything for a friend of mine. He’s sure he’ll be able to keep you in work for a while. Oh, and you can expect security on the set daily. Harris said it’s quite customary for his company. You never know when there’s some nut roaming around.”
“I have a feeling I’m working for the nut.”
“Now be nice, I’m sure he’s changed since college and besides, the fact that he knew us both was what landed you this gig. Don’t blow it by telling him off.”
“I’ll be good and try to remember that he’s Harris’s friend.”
“God no, he’s not really his friend, just an acquaintance in the business, but you should still be nice. Brock Reed is a spoiled brat, but he’s not that bad.”
I thought about the last man I’d worked for and she was right, there were worse people in the world. Take creepy Greg for example.
“Anyway, I’m glad it’s all working out, and I appreciate Harris and you helping me out. Things are taking off full speed now.” My business had been growing by leaps and bounds, and I’d gotten to make some nice connections with wonderful clients who’d wanted me to do sets for them, even personal ones.
“No problem. How’s your father doing? Has he changed his mind about your career path now that you’re a big Hollywood set designer?” Shauna asked.
“He’s dealing with it, but barely letting me breathe. He’s got a house here now, down in Temecula. Speaking of family. How’s your brother doing?”
“I talked to him yesterday. He’s good. Still single.” Her voice lifted a pitch on the end of her sentence as if she meant it as a suggestion.
“That ship sailed away with him a long time ago. Literally.” He’d left me to go into the Navy, and even though I’d vowed to wait on him, he’d left without so much as a goodbye. My heart had been crushed and stomped on by that man. The last memory I had of him as a short text.
“Yet, you still ask about him.” A soft laugh sounded through the phone.
I’m just being polite. You ask about my father and yet, you’ve never tried to date him.” I gave Jeffery a wink when he gave me a wary look.
“How come you haven’t moved on then? Unless you’re dating someone that you haven’t told me about?”
I cringed thinking about creepy Greg. He was the only person I’d been to any sort of meal with aside from her or Jeffery and my father and that hadn’t been business-related. In the first years after high school, I’d tried to go out, but all of the dates had gone badly. Most of the men had tried to sleep with me even though they hadn’t taken the time to know me. I finally decided to focus on my career and follow my dreams despite my father’s pressure to follow his footsteps. Dating hadn’t been that important to me, and I could never seem to get past that awkwardness of a first date.
“No, I haven’t seen anyone else. I don’t have time for men.” I glanced up to see Jeffery giving me the lifted brow stare again. I wasn’t about to go into things and have him overhear about my virginity, though Shauna knew damned well I’d never slept with anyone. She often remarked that I was the oldest virgin in the world, when she wanted to pressure me into going out with someone.
“Well, anyway, I wanted to say hi and see how you’re doing. I’m sure we’ll talk soon.”
There was something in her voice that made me feel like she was up to something but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it could be. Was there something about this job or perhaps the producer that she wasn’t warning me about? I decided to let it go, especially since Jeffery was still giving me the eye.
“Talk soon, friend. Take care.” I hung up the phone and passed it back to Jeffery who took it and put it in the pocket of his loose pants.
“Why don’t you date? I think you need a man and I don’t believe I’m the only one making that suggestion,” he said, tapping my phone in his pocket.
“I had my heart broken once, and I’m not ready to move on yet.” I lifted a shoulder casually and then glanced back down to the paper before me.
“How long ago was that? Because if memory serves me, you haven’t been with anyone in the two years I’ve known you.” He straightened the cuff of his sleeve and then tapped his pen.
“So, what? I haven’t dated anyone in years, and you’ve been with more men than I have, it’s not the end of the world.” I let out a long breath and decided not to give him a specific answer. He didn’t need one. “I’ve got to get through this list and have everything ready for Brock.”
“Mm, Brock. Speaking of dating, I think our sexy-ass producer has a crush on you.” Jeffery smiled but never took his eyes off his own work.
“Mind your own business and get back to work.” I tried to act tough but the corners of my mouth played upward and once he peeked he let out loose a soft giggle.
I loved my friends for caring.
But my dating life or lack thereof, was my own damn business.