Page 18 of Wrapped in You

Sophie raised her shoulders. "I don't care one way or the other."

She wanted to say,I'm here to do a job. If their director won't boost morale, it has to be me.

Cara sipped her coffee contemplatively. "He was really something a few years ago. That was back when he first hired me to be his assistant. Film production companies wrote him blank checks to make whatever he wanted. He never would have deigned to work on a Christmas movie like this. I had trouble keeping up with his career’s fast pace."

What's wrong with Christmas movies? Don't they make people happy? Aren't they essential to the Christmas spirit?Sophie wanted to demand.

"But now? You can see how frustrated he is," Cara said with a shake of her head. "He treats poor Natalie like she's supposed to be the next Nicole Kidman or something. Natalie's great, don'tget me wrong, but she's at the beginning of her career. She hasn't worked much. And Derek blames everyone else for their own happiness because he doesn't know how to be happy himself."

Sophie tilted her head. "I don't understand," she breathed. Why would anyone do that?

"It's been three years since he lost Georgia," Cara explained. "Everything's been difficult for him since then. It's been difficult for me, too."

"Georgia?" Sophie's heartbeat was rapid in her ears.

"Derek's wife," Cara explained. "But she wasn't just his wife. She was so much more. She always wrote his screenplays; they were always together. They were perfect partners, both artistically and romantically." Cara sighed. "When I first met them, I thought, I didn't know true love actually existed! And then, not long after that, Georgia was dead, and Derek quit working for a while." She raised her eyebrows. "Natalie auditioned for the film he and Georgia were working on at the time of her death. That must be why he's so disappointed in her acting. He assumed she'd be so much better because she represents this big part of his life."

Sophie's mouth was dry with alarm. Never had she imagined Derek was a wounded man. She'd considered him to be a soulless, Hollywood-elite type.

Brent made his way to the catering table. His eyes were dark and spinning. "I heard a rumor about Christmas croissants?" He said it as though his life depended on it.

Cara bowed her head. "I think they're going to save this film."

"Nothing can save us from the Grinch," Brent said with a sigh.

"Maybe a little whipped cream will help," Cara said. She then reached across the catering table to touch Sophie's shoulder. "He doesn't know how much you're helping his cast and crew. Maybehe never will. But as his assistant, I want you to know I see you and appreciate it."

Warmth flooded Sophie's arms, legs, and stomach. But before she could thank Cara, she was gone with the flip of her bob. She had to take care of her flailing, brokenhearted director. Otherwise,Silver Bellswould be doomed.

Chapter Six

It was Sophie's idea to host the party at the convention center in downtown Willow Creek. Cara agreed it was a good idea and even said she'd move around some film funds to pay for it. It meant Culinary Tastings would finally make a profit during an otherwise lackluster year.

It meant rent, groceries, and Christmas presents for Sophie's niece, nephew, mother, father, sister, and brother-in-law wouldn't be a problem this year.

Maybe it meant she could buy more Christmas decorations, too!

"But how will we convince Mr. Director a party's a good idea?" Sophie asked.

It was the end of another long day, a Wednesday in early December, and she scrubbed the catering tables with a sponge as a sharp breeze blasted through downtown Willow Creek.

Cara grimaced, adjusting her scarf around her long neck. "Let me handle that."

"You don't sound optimistic," Sophie said.

"Derek usually does what I tell him to," Cara said. "But I have to be careful about that. I can't push it too far, or he'll start rejecting every suggestion I make."

Sophie tried to laugh. "You're the true power behind the throne!"

"We'll see," Cara said.

A half hour later, as Sophie loaded the last of the big metal vats of leftover food into the van, she overheard Derek. "Two weeks of filming isn't enough to celebrate anything. Forget the party. We should really film over the entire weekend instead."

"Derek, you have to think about the crew," Cara reminded him in soft, easy tones. "We're out here twelve hours a day, five days a week. We're frozen solid. We miss California. We miss our friends and family. We need to build a familial environment out East. And the caterer says—"

"That caterer!" Derek blared. "I've had enough of her. I told you early on—I wanted that guy we used to hire out in California. Smith? Scott? The one who made the tofu burgers?"

"We made a deal with the mayor of Willow Creek to hire Willow Creek residents when we could," Cara reminded him. "And I think Sophie is great. Her food has been sensational and soul-warming. Everyone on the crew likes her."