Page 26 of The Fake Script
My chest warms at his words. Auston has always been thoughtful. A real gentleman, always holding doors for girls, being polite, helping teachers with their books. Which is why it hit me so hard when he left, just like that. Even if I struggled back then, I understand it was for his career. But it was so out of character for him to leave out of the blue. And then, to top it off, he never called. One could argue that I didn’t either, but I was a wreck, and he was starting a new life. I couldn’t bring myself to hear about his fantastic adventures in Hollywood.
“Are you okay?” he asks, snapping me back to reality. “Like I said, you don’t have to—”
“I’ll come. I agreed to be your fake girlfriend, and we have to make it seem believable, right?”
He nods, looking relieved. “Yes, okay. But you’ll need a dress. I would take you shopping, but you know my schedule,” he says with a lopsided smile. “I was thinking Robyn could go with you. Or you could just take my credit card.”
“I can pay for it myself. Don’t worry about it.”
He grimaces. “Emma, those dresses cost thousands of dollars. Let me cover it.”
I gulp.Thousands?Permission granted. “Fine. I can go with Robyn.” If I went alone, I wouldn’t even know where to start. The stores I shop at barely go into the hundreds.
“Great. I’ll text her now, and you can go together this afternoon if that works for you.”
I finish my last sip of coffee.“Sure. Now, let’s get to work.”
He shakes his head, but I can tell he’s repressing a smile. “Always so bossy. I guess we know who’s wearing the pants in this fake relationship.”
“Absolutely.” I nod. But the truth is, in just two short days, Auston Buckley has coerced me into not one but two things I would have never agreed to if he were anyone else.
And all he had to do was ask.
11
Cowboy Romance Era
Emma
After working on his character for over an hour, it’s time for Auston to put what we rehearsed into practice. Today, they’re shooting the first scene that takes place inside the store, and I’d be lying if I said I’m not excited. This is our space, and it’s going to be on the big screen.
Auston and I, flanked by Robyn and Cillian, follow a production assistant to the set. Auston greets everyone we cross, just like he did yesterday. He knows everyone’s names, and they all seem to genuinely like him. Not that I’m surprised.
Madison is already inside when we arrive, alongside Clarence, who’s sitting in his director’s chair. The prickly actress throws me a dirty look when our eyes meet, but if she thinks she can intimidate me, she’s got another thing coming.
It’s a little cramped inside the bookstore with all the equipment and crew. They actually had to empty half of the shop to make everyone fit. But since they’ll only be filming at a particular angle, none of that will show on the screen. We kept an eye on the crew last week as they were moving everything around, and I’m happy to report that no books were harmed in the making of this movie. They did almost paint over the quote Maxime hand-painted last year above the register, but we caught them just in time. Instead, they covered it with a frame showcasing the New York skyline.
I find a spot where the YA section used to be, trying to make myself small. The makeup artists touch up Madison and Auston, and everyone gets into position.
“And action,” Clarence shouts.
As they begin the scene, Madison really does strike me as a natural Sarah, which surprises me now that I know her real personality. Auston is also doing a much better job at convincing me he’s Diego Loma.With the changes we made to his manner of speech and his posture, he could really fool me. I hope fans of the book appreciate the sacrifices I’ve made for this movie.
“Meow,” Mr. Darcy announces loudly. He just crawled out of his sleeping nook, his green eyes set on me like two marbles. Then, he saunters toward me, passing right next to Madison, smack in the middle of the action.
Crap.
Clarence stands up, red blotches all over his face. “Cut! Whose cat is this? What is it doing here?”
I pick Mr. Darcy up, and as always, he starts purring. Although, it might be a bit louder than usual. We tried to temporarily move him upstairs, but he wouldn’t stay put. He’s never lived anywhere other than the bookstore, and a movie set wasn’t going to change that. Unfortunately, he might not have any other choice now. “I’m sorry.” I wince. “He’s ours. Well, the bookstore’s, technically.”
Auston looks amused from where he stands behind him, and a few crew members seem swayed by the cat, but not Clarence. “Well, get him out of here. This is a work environment.”
“Of course.” I stride toward the front door, whispering into our cat’s furry ear. “Sorry, Mr. Darcy. You can’t stay here; I already told you that. I’ll grab your things later, but for now, you’re going to have to stay upstairs.”
I unlock the front door and carry him up to our apartment. He lets out a disapproving meow when I set him down, but I have no other choice.
Just when I’m thinking of going back downstairs, I realize they’ve probably started shooting again. Which means I would once again be disrupting the shoot if I went back in.