Blurred Boundaries (6 page)

“Oh wow!” Tam gave the woman a delighted smile and shoved another forkful of chocolatey goodness in her mouth.

“It is one of my best sellers.”

“No wonder. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted anything quite as good as this,” Tam gushed.

“That’s only because you haven’t yet tried my carrot cake.” The woman replaced the cake in the case. She gave Tam a sympathetic look. “Tough day?”

Tam sighed. “It’s getting better.”

“I’m glad I can help.” The woman gave Tam a stern look, then teased, “Now. About that dinner. It’s going to be loaded down with veggies, right?”

Tam chuckled. “Not even close.” She made her way along the counter and marveled at the abundance of choices. “Any suggestions?”

“You in the mood for hot or cold?”

“Hot. It’s been forever since I’ve felt like I’ve had a proper meal.”

The woman tsked. “We can’t have that.” She looked Tam over. “You look like you could use some of my spicy southern fried chicken. It comes with mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and corn bread. What do you say?”

“Sold!” Tam agreed. Her cell phone buzzed. She checked the caller ID. It was Justin. She’d decided to take Evan’s advice after all and have one of the PAs assist her. Having helped her set up for the rehearsal the previous day, Justin was the only one she knew so he was it. He’d been a godsend, but for right now, she just needed a moment to decompress. Mind made up, she hit Ignore.

“You want some sweet tea to go along with it?” The woman asked when she served up a heaping plate of hot food for Tam.

“Yes, please.” Tam had traveled to the South before, but somehow she’d missed trying their legendary sweet tea. With the cake and fried chicken, she was already in for a penny. May as well be in for a pound - or three - as well.

The woman served Tam with a flourish and smile. “Eat up. Just give a holler if there’s anything else you need.”

Tam inhaled the wonderful aroma and sighed. “Thank you.” After saying a quick grace, she dug in. Without a doubt, this meal was the best thing she’d ever tasted. The chicken was juicy and had just the right amount of spicy kick that made it enjoyable, but didn’t make her break a sweat. The potatoes were creamy and had a hint of garlic. The beans were nicely seasoned with onions while the cornbread was sweet and moist. Overall, her dinner was smack your mama good.

Her phone lit up with missed texts. She was tempted to continue ignoring it until it was silent, but she had a feeling that would not happen. And what if it were something really important? She wiped her hands on the cloth napkin and swiped in her code.

Tanzi wanted to know what she’d like to do about the ADR sessions. With the new schedule, it would be near impossible for Rock to direct them. On another front, their caterer, Frederico, was throwing a fit because Tanzi had brought up the fact that they had run out of food that day. He was threatening to quit, but Tanzi advised that he was blowing over-dramatic smoke. He could afford to since he was the only caterer serving the area.

Tam narrowed her eyes. She did not like being held hostage like this. She had a feeling that if they were to up his fees, he’d calm down. But there was no way they could afford that. Besides, $800 a day was more than reasonable to feed their cast and crew.

“Charmagne!” A male voice called out from the kitchen, startling Tam out of her thoughts. The owner of the voice stormed in. He was about an inch shorter than Charmagne and stocky. “There have to be twenty pounds of carrots back there. Why are there twenty pounds of carrots? Twenty pounds, Charmagne.”

Charmagne shot an embarrassed look Tam’s way and put a calming hand on the man’s arm. “You’re scaring the customers, Edgar. Be nice.”

Edgar glanced at Tam and gave her a polite nod. “Ma’am.”

“Hello.”

Charmagne tried to guide him back toward the kitchen. “What did we say about buying bulk like that?”

Their voices faded to indecipherable tones when the kitchen door closed behind them. Tam could not imagine twenty pounds of carrots and was thankful that wasn’t her issue. Although, if they had had twenty pounds of carrots, they’d have at least had something to eat during the back half of the day.

Tam froze, a forkful of potatoes halfway to her mouth. She called Tanzi who picked up on the first ring.

“I was just about to email you the studio contract. It says all facilities are included in our initial fee so I think they’re just being assholes.”

“I’ll take a look. But question. What’s our contract like with the caterer? Is he invoicing us? Are we paying cash? Have we paid him for the week? Basically, can we hire someone else?”

“Another production burned him. We pay cash on a daily basis. He’s also burnt some productions. But he’s the only game in town.”

Tam smiled. “Maybe not.” Charmagne slipped back in the dining room. She looked mortified. “I’m working on something. Let me get back to you.” Tam hung up.

The moment she did, Charmagne bustled over to refill her sweet tea. “I’m so sorry about that. The deli is new. Edgar, my husband, is still trying to wrap his brain around some things.”

Tam held out her hand, inviting the woman to join her. “Please, sit a moment. I’m Tam Keller.” Charmagne grabbed and empty glass and poured herself some tea before sitting across from Tam.

“Charmagne Stowe. A pleasure.”

“Let me apologize in advance for prying, Charmagne, but how much do you clear here in a week?”

Charmagne looked taken aback by the question, but she answered. “Oh my. A week. I’m not sure. Edgar and I are waiting for our first $1500 month. If we start making that on the regular, he can quit his job and help me out around here.”

Tam gave a thoughtful nod. “For the next few days, do you think you can keep one hundred and twenty people fed?”

Charmagne’s painted on brows shot up under her brunette hair bangs. “For breakfast, lunch or dinner?”

“All three. And some snacks in between.”

“Oh. Well. That’s a mighty tall order. I’d have to close to the public.” She glanced around the otherwise empty dining area. “What a silly thing to say. Of course I’ll close to the public.”

“Wonderful. I can offer you $2000 cash to cover us for the next three days. Is that reasonable to you?”

“Oh my. Yes. I can cater…” She frowned. “What am I catering again?”

“We’re shooting a TV show at the studio down the street. I’m going to have a lot of hungry folks.”

Charmagne nodded. “I see. I’ll just have to feed them.”

Tam winked at her. “Maybe we’ll help you get rid of some of those carrots.”

Charmagne blushed. “Edgar would appreciate it.”

“Let me get your phone number.” Tam pulled up her contacts on her phone and slid it over to Charmagne to type in the digits. “I’ll have my assistant…” Holy crap, she had an assistant. “…Get back to you with the details. Most notably, we start early and finish late. In terms of logistics, I’ll send a driver with a truck to pick you up with the meals and have a serving table ready for you.”

“Whatever you need.”

Tam started gathering up her laptop bag and the budget. “I’d like a piece of carrot cake to go.” Tam pulled some cash from her wallet. “I wanna make sure I try it before you become the worst kept secret on the planet tomorrow.”

After settling her bill with Charmagne, Tam headed back to her room. She was the very definition of fat and happy after that wonderful dinner. She could only hope that everyone else would feel the same after sampling Charmagne’s cooking. Before she could start obsessing over whether or not the cast and crew would like their new caterer, she called Tanzi to let her know what was up. And more importantly, about the $400 they’d just saved. It was a drop in a bucket in terms of what they needed, but at that point, every penny counted.

Next, Tam touched base with Justin. Turned out the crises that had presented themselves during her dinner break had ironed themselves out. Mostly due to Justin’s quick thinking. She really liked the guy. He was competent and capable and if she had any real clout, she would have promoted him and given him a raise. Unfortunately, that was not an option available to her. Heck. She didn’t even really work there. But if she took a moment to think things through, she was having the time of her life. Problems and all. She was having a blast. She may never get this opportunity again so she was determined to go hard.

Tam was just stuffing her to-go containers in the room’s tiny refrigerator when there was a knock on the door. She couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on her face. That was probably Evan. Not that she had any real reason to think that he’d seek her out again tonight, but she was a sucker and it didn’t hurt to hope.

She opened the door to find Rock. He held up a couple DVD cases. “You must see these.” Without waiting for her reply, he strode into the room and made a beeline for the player that Evan had left there the night before. Rock was his customary stoic self, so she couldn’t decipher if she was about to watch something good or watch an unmitigated disaster.

“Dear Lord, don’t let it be the latter,” she silently prayed. They were too far behind the curve as it was. They couldn’t afford to have lost another day.

Rock pulled a chair over to the TV stand and operated the equipment by hand despite the fact that the remote was within his reach. Tam flipped the deadbolt latch so the door wouldn’t completely close and sat cross legged on the bed. It was silly. She hadn’t felt the need to take the same precaution with Evan. Maybe it was because she knew Rock was married and didn’t want even the hint of impropriety. With Evan, part of her wished for a little impropriety.

“This is from the morning.” Rock’s accent was decidedly heavier and she surmised it was because he was tired. Then she no longer had time to wonder, because the picture was up. The scene with Marc and Evan was beautiful. Even as a raw product, it brimmed with a lovely mix of humor and rage. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the screen. She’d written that. Holy crap! She’d
written
that.

A knock startled Tam out of burgeoning self importance. She started to get up, but the partially open door was pushed inward and Audra poked her head in. “There you are. Are you watching the dailies?”

Audra didn’t wait for an invitation. She joined them and flopped on the other bed. Tanzi, who’d been right behind her, slid in, too. She perched on the edge of the bed next to Audra.

“Marc did a great job there,” Audra commented. “He should be here.” She whipped out her phone and sent a text.

Rock hit the pause button. “We will wait.” He looked at Audra. “How are you feeling?”

Tam’s heart immediately sank. Had Audra been sick and no one had told her? She studied the woman, who took a deep breath.

“Exhausted. Today was a wild ride.” She spared Tam a glance with the admission.

Rock smiled. “That is as it should be.”

Marc arrived just then. “We’re watching the dailies?” He inquired in what Tam was learning was his very shy way. He eased in the room and sat on the other half of the bed with Tam. She’d never met a person more shy than him. Watching him perform was completely misleading. Not to mention the tiny little detail that he was seriously hot. The man was truly a gifted actor.

“Wait ‘til you see how awesome you did,” Audra informed him. Rock pressed play and Audra refocused on the screen so she missed the deep blush that covered Marc’s face. But Tam saw. He glanced her way obviously knowing that she couldn’t not see it since he was between her and the TV. She gave him a kind smile. He nodded his acceptance and watched the video with everyone else.

More people trickled in to check out what they’d accomplished for the day. Between all the cast members and crew who stopped by, Tam was starting to wonder how many people would fit in her hotel room. Each time the door opened, she kept hoping that the new arrival would be Evan. Each time she was disappointed.

“Last one,” Rock called and held up the final DVD. A cheer erupted in the room.

“Oh my,” Tam involuntarily responded to their sudden enthusiasm.

Marc, who’d finally relaxed enough to lean back on an elbow to watch the videos, smiled at her. “Blooper reel.”

“Got it.”

The crowd laughed and cheered as each actor flubbed his or her lines or tripped or got tongue tied. Evan arrived in the midst of the good-natured ribbing wearing flannel pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt that clung to every well-defined muscle of his torso. It totally sucked, but Tam noted the moment he walked in. Judging by the beads of water still in his hair, he was freshly showered. He was just in time to see himself attempt to talk around his werewolf teeth.

Evan endured the teasing as he picked his way through the crowd trying to find a place to sit. Somehow, he managed to end up right next to her. He smelled delicious, confirming her suspicions that he had just bathed.

In an unexpected Twister like move, Evan lay across the bed with his head propped up on his hand. Her legs ended up in the space between his arm and torso. Every time he moved, he kind of laid right on her.

In a total sibling rivalry way, Marc tapped Evan’s hand so his head fell off its rest. In retaliation, Evan flicked Marc’s ear. Marc responded by pressing farther on the bed so his head blocked Evan’s view of the TV. Evan nudged at Marc trying to get him to move. Neither gave an inch. And Tam was right in the middle of it all. Literally. She took another moment to marvel at the surreal turn her life had taken.

Speaking of surreal, the footage got to the part where Tam had given Evan the revised. “Oh, no.” She clapped a hand over her eyes, but peeked between her fingertips. Evan turned a grin on her.

“What’s the matter?”

“I should never be in front of anyone’s camera. I thought you’d stopped rolling,” she complained.

Evan wrestled her hand away from her eyes to force her to watch. “If we have to watch ourselves be screwballs, you can, too.”

“No.” She used the other hand to cover her eyes. Marc pulled that one away.

“Yes,” Marc said. Fine time for them to team up now.

Tam decided to woman up and watch. It’s not like she’d be on screen all that long. Except it seemed like she was. And from the worst possible angle, too. Her backside. She was tempted to regret the fried chicken she’d had for dinner. Then decided against it. So, she wasn’t a twig. Anyone who didn’t like it could just get over it.

“Wait. What was that?” Audra asked.

Tam looked at the woman. “What?”

“Go back.” Rock rewound a few frames. He started up again when Tam had lifted the script to conceal her pissed off smiley face.

“There. What did you say to him?” Everyone turned to look expectantly at Tam. Now she knew what a deer in headlights felt like. She decided to play dumb and shrugged.

“I just gave him the revised line.”

The explanation clearly wasn’t enough for Audra. She turned her attention to Evan. “What did she say to you?”

“Nothing. Maybe her chin itched. I don’t know. I didn’t pay that much attention. I was trying to get the new line right.” Evan turned his attention back to the TV with such finality that there was no question that he considered the topic closed. Tam decided to follow his lead. She could still see Audra studying them from the corner of her eye. But she figured protesting too much would only raise questions, not answer them.

She wasn’t sure why she’d hopped on the secrecy train with such ease. Mostly likely it was because she enjoyed having an inside joke with someone on the show. It made her feel like she actually fit in for a change. Although, that her inside joke happened to be with Evan, a man who was too hot for his own safety, was just icing on the cake.

Tam refocused on the TV just as the screen went black. Rock sat back in his chair with a smile. He looked genuinely pleased with how things were going.

“What is call time tomorrow?” He asked.

Kyle spoke up from the corner of the room. “Four
a.m.
Same as today.”

Rock checked his watch and stretched. “We have come far, but there is far to go. Get good rest tonight.”

With that pronouncement, people began to head for the door. Tanzi stood and held up a clipboard. “I want to thank all of you who’ve helped us out by taking on a roommate. I know it’s not ideal, but the network changes to the script didn’t come with any additional budget.”

“Does the budget cover food for tomorrow?” A woman spoke up from near the door. Tam struggled to remember her name, but all she remembered was that she did makeup.

“Yes.” As Tam spoke, all eyes swung toward her. She nudged Evan to get him to move so she could stand. “Sorry about today. That was unacceptable and I take full responsibility for it. However, arrangements have been made to keep you all well fed for the rest of the shoot.”

A cheer erupted in the room. Tanzi gave her an approving nod. Tam prayed Charmagne would not let her down. When the group quieted, Tanzi continued her announcements.

“If you are moving to a new room, make sure you’re packed up before heading to set. We have PAs who’ll deliver your bags for you. If any of you have changed your mind and would like a roommate, I have the master list. Come talk to me.”

With that final pronouncement, people began trickling from the room. Evan popped up from the bed to talk with Rock. Tam reclaimed her seat on the bed to wait for everyone to clear her space. Talk about awkward. No one knew her well enough to strike up a conversation and vice versa. Just when she’d thought of something to talk with Tanzi about, Marc spoke up quietly, “We’re in danger of being canceled, aren’t we?”

She turned her attention to him. She hadn’t even paid him enough attention to note that he hadn’t moved from his spot on the bed. She gave him a kind smile and wondered how much she should tell him. “Honestly? I have no idea.” She brought him up to speed on the shake up at the network, but was less candid about shooting the wrong the script. There were too many ears about. She didn’t need to put a bug in the wrong one. She didn’t mention Gavin at all.

When she finished, Marc silently nodded. “Okay. I get it. Whatever money is left has to go on the screen.”

“The only thing in our control is to turn in an episode that’s amazing.”

Marc pushed up from the bed. He held out a fist for her to dap. “See you bright and early in the morning.”

“G’night.” Tam watched him shake hands with Rock and Evan before heading out. While they’d been talking, the room had cleared. Tam tuned in to Rock and Evan’s conversation. Evan had snagged the remote again and was skipping through the footage. She tuned back out when she heard the technical nature of their discussion. If she didn’t know better, she’d see a “directed by” credit next to Evan’s name someday.

Tam checked the time. The impromptu viewing party had set her back more hours than she wanted to think about. While waiting for her laptop to boot up, she used her phone to peruse the studio contract Tanzi had emailed her and completely ignored Rock and Evan. When she finished, she decided to call Tanzi. Not wanting to have competing conversations in the small space, Tam headed into the bathroom and closed the door. She sat on the counter before dialing Tanzi’s number.

Turned out both of them had arrived at the same conclusion independently. The savings from craft services was the exact amount they needed to cover the additional fee for the ADR session if they couldn’t get them to honor the original terms. Tam smiled. She loved being on the same wavelength with folk. Tanzi took it a step farther when she told Tam that she’d already asked Kyle to work out the schedule. He was pretty confident that they’d be able to double up the time and nearly get back on the original timetable.

Tam sighed her relief and was just about to hang up when she remembered the other thing she’d meant to ask the woman.

“Who is my roommate? Am I going to her or is she coming to me?” Tam was conflicted about sharing a room. On the one hand, they needed to save the money. On the other, doubling up meant that she would have no more impromptu slumber parties with Evan. Beyond that, she didn’t dare ask that he be her official roommate.

“Actually, you’re staying put with no roommate. We had an odd number of volunteers. And judging by how late you work, I figured it was best for you to keep your current arrangement.” Tanzi’s reasoning made perfect sense, but Tam couldn’t help feeling a bit left out. She shook off the crazy thought and accepted the arrangement as Tanzi had meant it.

“Good thinking. I guess I do kinda burn the midnight oil.”

“Midnight, 3
a.m.
Who’s counting?” Tanzi teased.

“Who indeed?” Tam slid off the counter and craned her neck to see if she could still hear Evan and Rock in the other room. Silence greeted her.