Matt broke away, stepping back.
“Cut! Wow, Matt, that was spectacular. Even I felt that one.”
Cindy bristled. “That wasn’t in the script. Clem is supposed to be the one—”
“Cindy, doll,” Roger said, “we’re leaving it in. Fantastic. Matt, your instincts are spot-on. Ellie, bring me the next pages. Let’s see if we have to tweak some dialogue. Take thirty, everyone.”
Matt retreated to the green room, and Cindy followed. “What was that?”
“Sorry, I suddenly envisioned all the guys in the movie theater, arm around their girl, holding their breath, begging this square dude to kiss this crazy, beautiful vixen. So I went for it.”
“Fine, your instincts are good, but—” Cindy touched her finger to her lips. “That was a real kiss, Matt. Not for Clem. Or me. Who were you kissing?”
“It was Mitchell kissing Clem.” Matt made a plate of cheese and crackers. “I’m just that good.” Bluffing, bluffing...
“I’ve been kissed as a character by a man playing a character, and that was not what just happened in there.” She grabbed a small plate, choosing slices of apples and a couple of carrots. “Are you in love with Harlow Hayes? Did she forgive you for Letterman?”
Matt choked on his cracker, spewing Townhouse dust all over. “What? No. I mean, yes, she forgave me, but I’m not in love. We’re barely friends.”
“Then why do you talk about her every day?”
“What? You’re crazy. I think Clem’s gotten under your skin.” He never talked about Harlow. Not even when one of the crew mentioned Matt’s blabbermouth appearance on Letterman.
A few others came in for sodas and snacks. Snow popped in for some grapes. “We’re almost done with the changes. Brush your teeth and get ready for the next scene.”
“Snow,” Cindy said, “I was just telling Matt how much he talks about Harlow.”
“Which is ridiculous,” Matt added. “Back me up, Snow. Tell her. I never talk about Harlow. Ever.”
“You talk about her all the time,” Snow said. “Okay, not all the time, but at least once a day.”
“More like three, four times a day.” This from Jenny, one of the makeup artists, who pulled a cold soda from the cooler.
“You keep count?”
“Oh yeah, we have a running pool. It’s up to two hundred bucks on how many times you’ll mention her during the shoot.”
Back on set, Roger said, “Matt, the kiss actually plays perfectly into the character development. I don’t know how we missed it. Ellie has the new pages ready.”
Matt studied the changes. This particular scene is a few weeks into the relationship, with Mitch and Clem cooking together and more than the food was heating up.
“Let’s get this in one take.” Roger perched behind the camera.“Cross your fingers that the dog stays asleep. Matt, stay on script this time. Quiet! Lights. Speed. Rollingannnnnddd...” The clapper snapped, and Roger called, “Action.”
Mitchell was supposed to wrap his arms around Clem as she stirred her Italian grandmother’s tomato sauce. Instead, Mitchell-slash-Matt moved next to Clem-slash-Cindy and said, “When have I ever mentioned Harlow? Give me an example.”
“Cut!” Roger shot from behind the camera. “All right, who told him? Does he know about the Harlow pool?”
“He knows,” Cindy said. “He kissed me like he was kissing someone he loves.”
“I do not love her. We called it a day.”
“Harlow this and Harlow that.” Cindy poked Matt’s chest. “Especially when we’re going over a scene. I’m trying not to be insulted, but you act like she’s a better actress than I am. ‘When Harlow played Bryn inTalk to Me Sweetly, she was so honest and sincere.’ Or ‘Her house in Sea Blue Beach is a lot like this place—it’d make a great set. It’s a remodeled 1902 cottage.’ Now, how would I know the year Harlow’s house was built if you didn’t tell me, Matt? We also know she’s not a roller skater, but she finally got out on the Starburst floor with your granny.”
“Starlight.”
“Whatever. Am I right, everybody?” Heads bobbed. Every last one of them.
“Thank you, Matt and Cindy. Can we please shoot this scene? The sun is coming up and that dog will cost us another day of shooting. Our budget is shot.” Roger was starting to sweat. “Back to one. Brandi, touches, please.”
