Karin Kallmaker Stepping Stone

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.She pulled into the short driveway, rolled down her windowand pressed the call button.In response to the tinny voice askingher business, she said into the box, I m delivering a contract forthe Barcelona production.The gate immediately rolled open, and after she was pastit, the concrete drive turned just once and she parked in thecircular driveway, making sure there was room for other carsto get by hers.She hadn t yet gotten out of her serviceable butrusting Corolla when another car came through the gate.Sherecognized the late model Prius from the day of the audition andwas curiously flustered to know that Selena Ryan would be in thebuilding.A chic young woman in tailored slacks and a nicely fitting113sweater greeted her as she stepped through the door. I can signfor your package.She had only a moment to take in the cool terra cotta tiles,the high molded ceilings and the delicate sound of a fountainfeeding an array of greenery on the other side of a huge centralroom.She could easily forget that outside the temperature wasclimbing toward ninety and the sky was not a color anyone wouldcall blue.Refreshed with one deep breath, she said, I m not actuallya messenger.I m the actor.Is there any way I could give this toKim myself? Or put it on her desk? She went for honesty. I m ahopeless newbie and paranoid something will go wrong.The young woman rose from her chair, Welcome to a Ryanfilm, then.Let me see if Kim s free.I m Cecile, by the way.Youare& ? Gail Welles. Oh! Cecile s smile lit up her face. If she s not tied up I msure she ll pop out to get it.Dazzled that the receptionist seemed to know her name, Gailtold herself to keep her feet on the ground.It didn t help thatCecile immediately returned saying, Kim says to bring it back.Down this hallway, second door.Would you like some coffee ortea? I won t be here long enough to enjoy it, but thank you. I ll put it in a To Go cup, save a trip to Starbucks.Coffee smy specialty, she added, with just a hint of pleading. Okay, coffee.Milk and fake sugar. You got it.Two doors down, she was relieved to recognize Kim from theaudition.She wished she could wear a skirt and bright layers socomfortably, and she was flat-out envious of the hair. Gail! It was good of you to bring the contract by.Have aseat. Thanks.Truthfully, I m terribly paranoid something will gowrong.Kim s smile was easy and welcoming. I get that.When I114was given Selena s name as someone to contact for an assistantproduction job, about six years ago, I carried my letter introducingmyself by hand too.Cecile cheerfully delivered the coffee, accepted Gail s thanks,and tapped her headset to answer a call as she departed. This is a lovely office. Don t I know it.They ll have to carry me out of here in abox.I m really happy you ll be on Barcelona.It s my first projectall the way up to exalted producer status.That s in addition to anexecutive producer, an assistant producer here in L.A.and onein Spain.Gail, feeling more comfortable by the moment, grinned. You are all gods to me.You make movies. Don t let any of the rest of them hear you say that.You cansay that to me all you like.So, you ve brought me the contract? My agent had some revisions.I hope they re all standard.She said they were.If they re not, if there s something that s goingto sour this, she may not be open to negotiation but I definitelyam.I guess I shouldn t say that.Kim reached for the envelope Gail proffered. Probably not.She studied Gail for a moment, then spread the sheaf of paperson her desk. Let me look.She flipped through the pages quickly with hmm and uhhuh her only commentary.Finally, she closed the document. These are standard push-backs.We ll revise it accordingly andsend it over to your agent s office for signature.Probably getthere tomorrow morning.The wave of relief inside her was so huge she thought shemight cry like she had sitting at that bus stop, so she sipped hercoffee several times before responding. This is really tasty.Andthank you.I m very excited about this project and will do my bestnot to be a pain in the keister.Kim eased back in her chair. How did you get into acting?That s not an idle question.Sooner or later we re going to betalking about the phenomenal Gail Welles, our discovery, andthat s the kind of detail the press always wants to know.115 Allow me a moment to be boggled at the idea. Gail sippedagain, collecting her thoughts. I guess I should be better preparedfor that kind of question.I put on and take off a dozen parts aday, but they re parts.I ve never stopped to think about the roleof Gail Welles, Celebrity. There are plenty who spend a lot of time planning theirappearance on the Tonight Show or their acceptance speech atCannes. I d rather think about taking words and making them comealive.I can t remember a time when I wasn t thinking about howScout walked in Mockingbird or the way Scarlett O Hara poutedor Dustin Hoffman managed to wear a dress and look strong andfragile all at once.Sure, I d like to play Portia and Medea, buthonestly, I go to the movies and salivate over roles like MirandaRichardson in The Devil Wears Prada. In another fifteen years, Kim prompted. When I m older, please yes.But I ve always watched thecharacter actresses.I m not the& Mr.DeMille, I m ready formy close-up type.I ve been told I have interesting features, butnever beautiful ones.It s not the face that launched a thousandships.Kim shot a look over Gail s shoulder. A pretty face isn t thebe-all-and-end-all, is it, boss? No matter how I answer that, I m in trouble with somebody,so I ll take the Fifth.Gail, her pulse suddenly racing, turned to greet Selena Ryan.It was strange, truly, to see her not as a customer or a celebrity,and not yet as an equal.They were colleagues, working towardthe same goal on the same project.Collegial, she told herself,that was how she was feeling.Striving for a normal tone, sheopted for something banal. It s a pleasure to see you again.Selena set a folder on Kim s desk as she said, Likewise. Therewas hint of a question in the hooded eyes.Gail had thought themalmost black, but they were closer to dark chocolate. I admitted to Kim that I m really nervous that this is all adream, so I brought by my contract.116 Standard revisions, Kim said. I ll leave it for you, forwhen you get back tonight.Though maybe not. She gave Gaila conspiratorial glance. I don t want her taking post-studio-accountants-meeting rage out on the document.Selena s gaze narrowed and Gail could tell she was a littleannoyed at being teased in front of her, but that she truly didn tmind.She said something back, but Gail missed it, caught upin new insights.She d studied the harried, tired businesswomanwho sat in her diner.The Selena at the audition had seemedalmost withdrawn.But in this environment it was as if Selenawere coming out in colors.Her hair, not a particularly notableshade of dark brown, was certainly glossier in the natural lightfrom Kim s window.The asymmetrical simplicity of the cut,just long enough to tuck behind one ear, suited her.The terracotta floors might account for the glow in her cheeks, which hadalways seemed pale and drawn.Maybe it was just that she was inher element. You only have about twenty minutes before you need to beout of here, Kim was saying.Selena gave Gail a nod as she turned to the door. I m wearingthe Pradas again.Accountants.Though her spirit was floating on air, Gail decided it wastime to get her hinder out of Kim s chair. Thank you for takingthe time to see me [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki