Obsessed (33 page)

“Can I ask you a question?” Michael’s voice was low.

Heidi nodded, and gave him a smile. “Sure, Mi chael. What is it?”

“Why is the patio roped off? And what does that sign, Hot Set, mean?”

“It means nobody can touch it. They started shoot ing a scene on the patio, and then they broke for lunch. Everything has to stay exactly as it is, so they can pick up where they left off. It’s called continuity. If someone moves one of those glasses or rearranges a towel, the audience might notice.”

“Are they gone for lunch now?” Carla asked. “I don’t see anybody else around.”

Heidi nodded. “They’re all in the catering tent. I planned this so you’d all get here when they were on break. That way, I can show you around before they come back.”

“Can we see the rest of the sets?” Andy was cu rious. “There’s more than this one, isn’t there?”

“Yes. Daddy has five standing sets on this sound stage, and he also shoots a lot of scenes on location. When they come back, they’ll finish the patio scene, and then they’ll go to the nightclub set.”

“There’s a whole nightclub in here?” Linda looked around with awe.

“Well . . . not exactly. Daddy has four nightclub sets. One is a hallway, another’s the dressing room, a third is the catwalk above the stage, and the other’s the stage. I’ll show you the dressing room first.”

Carla followed along at Michael’s side as Heidi took them to the dressing room set. It was just a room with three walls and a ledge with a long mirror be hind it.

“But it’s open on one side!” Linda frowned. “And that door on the wall doesn’t go anywhere.”

Heidi nodded. “The wall’s open so the camera man can shoot from any angle. And we don’t have to see the other side of that door. Follow me and I’ll show you why.”

“What’s this?” Michael was puzzled as Heidi led them to a narrow space, open on one end with a door at the other.

“It’s the hallway outside the dressing room. The actor goes out the door in the dressing room, and they pick him up coming out of this door. When you see the movie, it’ll look like this hallway’s right out side the dressing room. It saves money to build two separate sets rather than one big one.”

Carla nodded. “I see. Where’s the catwalk, Heidi?”

“Right over here.” Heidi led them past a living room set and around a wall to another set. The floor of the set was painted black and there were two steps leading up to a catwalk which was built a foot above the floor.

“But you said this was over the stage!” Andy looked puzzled.

“It is . . . in the film. When the actor’s on this cat walk, you’ll never realize that it’s only a foot from the floor. That’s the magic of movies.”

During the next half hour, Heidi showed them the other sets. Carla was amazed at all the tricks that were used to give the illusion of height and width. The stage itself was very small and there were only two rows of theater seats. But when Heidi explained that the seats matched those in a real theater where the audience scenes would be shot, she could see how everything would work.

The door to the sound stage opened, just as they’d taken their seats in front of the patio set. Heidi jumped up from her chair in the front and ran to hug a handsome, older man in a black polo shirt.

“Is that Heidi’s father?” Carla leaned over to whis per to Michael.

“I think so. He looks like his pictures. Smile, Carla . . . here they come.”

“These are my friends, Daddy.” Heidi gestured to the group from Covers. “And this is my father, Ralph Robinson.”

Mr. Robinson smiled. “Glad to meet you. Did Heidi explain the rules?”

“Yes, sir.” Michael spoke up. “She told us to stay in our chairs and be quiet.”

Mr. Robinson gazed at the group and nodded. Then he turned to Heidi. “Did I mention that we’re casting for extras?”

“Yes, you did.” Heidi grinned up at him. “What do you think, Daddy? Can you use some of my friends?”

“I can use all of them. Sign them up with Denise when you leave. Good work, Heidi. Now . . . aren’t you going to introduce me to the young man you told me about?”

Heidi grabbed Michael’s hand and practically pulled him to his feet. “Daddy? This is Michael Warden. He’s the totally fantastic singer I told you about.”

“Hello, Michael.” Ralph Robinson stared at Mi chael for a moment and then he reached out to shake hands. “Heidi’s right. You have the right look for the part. How about a quick audition?”

“Oh . . . sure. Whatever you say, Mr. Robinson.” Michael nodded. “Do you want me to go out to the van and bring in my guitar?”

“That’s not necessary. We’ve got a guitar around here someplace . . . Denise?”

“Yes, Mr. Robinson.” A pretty dark-haired woman in her early thirties rushed over, clipboard in hand.

“Find me a guitar. And get me two copies of that love scene on the beach. We’re doing a screen test.”

“Yes, Mr. Robinson. Shall I find someone to read the girl’s lines?”

Ralph Robinson surveyed the group from Covers for a moment, and then he shook his head. “Don’t bother, Denise. We can use one of Heidi’s friends.”

Carla began to smile. This was wonderful! Some one from Covers would be in the screen test with Michael. Michael would be more relaxed, sharing the stage with someone he knew. And it would be a mar velous opportunity for one of the girls.

Mr. Robinson turned to Heidi. “How about it, Heidi? You know all these girls. Who should we use?”

“I’m not sure.”

Carla held her breath as Heidi surveyed the group. She hoped that Heidi would choose Linda. Linda had dreams of breaking into show business, and she was very pretty. Tammy wouldn’t be a bad choice, either. She’d done some acting in the drama club at school. And Nicole had starred in their last high school play. Almost all of the girls from Covers were very tal ented, and any one of them would love the chance to play a scene with Michael.

“I know, Daddy.” Heidi gave a mean little smile and pointed to Carla. “How about . . . her?”

Eight

Carla could barely believe her ears. Surely Heidi couldn’t be talking about her! She’d never done any acting, and she was all wrong for the part of Mi chael’s girlfriend. Carla turned to look behind her. Heidi must be talking about someone else. But there was no one else in sight. Then Carla got it, and she blushed bright red. Heidi was making fun of her by suggesting that she play Michael’s girlfriend.

But Ralph Robinson didn’t laugh, as Heidi had clearly expected. He just smiled, and nodded. “You’ve got a good eye, Heidi. She’s perfect.”

Carla swallowed hard, and forced herself to ask. “Excuse me, Mr. Robinson. Are you talking about . . . uh . . . me?”

“That’s right, young lady. Are you willing to help us out?”

“Uh . . . of course. If you want me to.” Carla prac tically gulped out the words. “But are you sure you really want me?”

“Absolutely.” Ralph Robinson turned to his assis tant. “Listen carefully, Denise. Take . . . uh . . . what’s your name, honey?”

Carla swallowed hard. “It’s Carla Fields. But Mr. Robinson . . . I’m not an actress.”

“That’s a point in your favor.” Mr. Robinson laughed, and turned to his assistant again. “Take Carla to make-up, and tell Mavis I want glamor plus. She should coordinate with Jessie on the costume. Something blue and sexy would be good. And I want Frank to do Carla’s hair. I need something loose and kind of wild. He’ll know what to do. We’ll shoot the screen test right after we finish the patio scene.”

Carla felt as if she were in a dream as Denise took her by the hand and led her toward the door. Was Heidi’s father kidding? She couldn’t act, and even worse, she was the totally wrong person to do a love scene with Michael.

“Come on, Carla.” Denise tugged her along. “We don’t have much time.”

Carla felt like bursting into hysterical laughter. Even if they had all the time in the world, she’d never wind up looking like Michael’s girlfriend. This had to be some kind of joke.

“Denise?” Carla hung back as they reached the door. “Is Mr. Robinson really serious?”

“Of course. Hurry up, Carla. It’ll take them at least an hour to get you ready, and then you have to rehearse your lines.”

Carla blinked as Denise opened the door, and they stepped out into the strong sunlight. “Excuse me, Denise. I suppose I shouldn’t say this, but Mr. Robinson is making a horrible mistake. There’s no way I can look glamorous.”

“If Mr. Robinson says you can, then you can.” Denise pointed to a Winnebago motor home that was parked in back of the sound stage. “Make-up’s right over there.”

“But, Denise . . . I’m not even pretty!”

Denise laughed, and propelled Carla toward the motor home. “Don’t worry about it. Mavis is the best in the biz, and so are Jessie and Frank. By the time they get through with you, you won’t even know yourself.”

“Okay, hon. You can look now.” Mavis Parker swiveled Carla’s chair around to face the mirror. “Get ready for a big surprise.”

Carla opened her eyes, and blinked. Another per son was in the mirror, a gorgeous, mahogany-haired beauty who was wearing a low-cut silk blouse and mini-skirt. “That’s . . . uh . . . that’s me?”

“That’s you, all right.” Mavis patted Carla on the shoulder. “And it wasn’t all that hard, either. You’ve got all the right stuff in all the right places. You just don’t know what to do with it.”

Carla’s mouth opened and closed. She was gaping like a fish out of water. “Are you sure? I mean . . . I never knew I could look like this!”

“Very nice.” Jessie Coleman, the wardrobe mis tress, poked her head in the doorway. “Stand up, hon. I want to see if that skirt wrinkles.”

Carla stood up and smoothed the skirt down. “How could it wrinkle? It’s so tight, it feels like my skin.”

“When Mr. Robinson says glamorous, he means glamorous.” Jessie nodded sagely. “You’ve got lots of great outfits to wear. Maybe you didn’t know this . . . but you get to keep all the clothes when we’re through shooting.”

Carla’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “I do?”

“You bet! That’s one of the perks on Mr. Robin son’s films.” Jessie grinned and reached out to straighten Carla’s neckline. “You look prefect for the part, hon. Go out there and knock ’em dead.”

“But how about my shoes? I don’t know how to walk in high heels!”

“You don’t have to.” Denise came in, just in time to hear Carla’s comment. “It’s a beach scene, and you’re carrying your shoes. You’re walking barefoot through the sand. Do you know your lines?”

Carla nodded. “I memorized them while they were blow-drying my hair. But really, Denise . . . I can’t possibly . . .”

“Sure you can.” Denise interrupted her. “Follow me. They’re almost ready on the beach set.”

Carla’s heart was beating a million miles an hour as they walked through the sound stage and ap proached the beach set. She could hear Michael sing ing, and he sounded wonderful. That made her feel like turning around and running. She couldn’t play Michael’s girlfriend. There was no way. She’d spoil his
screen test, and ruin his whole career!

“I knew it!” Mr. Robinson looked up with a smile as Denise led Carla onto the set. “What do you think, Heidi? Isn’t she perfect for Cheryl’s part?”

Heidi turned to look at Carla, and she did a classic doubletake. Her face turned white, and she gulped. “Carla! Is that . . . you?”

“I think so.” Carla smiled at Heidi, a sweet, inno cent smile. Perhaps she could act, after all. “Thank you, Heidi. It was really nice of you to recommend me.”

Mr. Robinson looked as if he were going to burst into laughter, but he cleared his throat, instead. “We’ll be ready in a few minutes, Carla. Just have a seat in the front row.”

Heidi looked desperately unhappy as Carla left the set.

“Look, Daddy . . . maybe I made a mistake. I re ally don’t think that . . .”

“It’s too late to worry about it.” Ralph Robinson interrupted his daughter. “And I think you were ab solutely right when you chose Carla. Let’s shoot the test and see.”

Carla watched as Denise brought in the group from Covers and seated them in a row of chairs. Ev eryone was staring at her. Winona’s mouth was gap ing open, and Tammy’s eyes were wide with shock. Even Linda looked totally amazed, but she recovered enough to give Carla a friendly smile.

Carla smiled back. She felt fantastic, but she was still modest. “Don’t look so shocked, everyone. It’s just a new skirt and blouse, and new make-up, and a new hairstyle. I’m still me.”

“But I never knew you had such beautiful eyes.” Andy sighed deeply. “And I never dreamed you’d look like that in a mini-skirt.”

Carla was embarrassed. Andy seemed completely bowled over by the change in her appearance, but before she had time to respond to his compliment, Denise was motioning for her to take her place on the set.

“Carla? We need you up here for a lighting check.” Carla felt like a princess as she took her place on the set. The floor was covered with smooth white sand dotted with deck chairs and umbrellas. Carla would have been puzzled by the blank screen in the back ground, but Denise had already explained it to her. They’d taken actual footage of the ocean, and they would be
using rear-screen projection to run that footage during Michael’s audition.