Falling into Forever (Falling into You) - By Lauren Abrams Page 0,63

I shake my head in response instead. I need to tread lightly? What the hell, Marcus?

I turn to him to ask my question again, but he’s already released my fingers. He turns to the group, and I know that he’s quickly morphing back into the dynamic, public version of Marcus. I’m impatiently tapping his hand under the table, but he merely bats it away.

“Let’s speed up the introductions, shall we? These two here are Eva and Hallie. They want to make sure that this movie makes as little money as possible. They see it as a thought piece, a reflection of modern society and its imminent downfall. Everyone else around this table is in the movie business, and we’re trying to make money. These two purposes are at odds with each other, so we’ll bitch and moan, and we’re all going to have to make concessions. Ultimately, we’re going to make a fucking great film.”

A number of people around the table raise their glasses and toast his words, but it’s only seconds before people are rapidly firing questions and numbers and names across the table. It’s a faintly familiar scene, but it’s been a long time since I’ve played this particular game and I have other things on my mind. My head starts to spin.

“So, what would you say if I said we could make this movie in Vancouver for half the cost of a Chicago shoot?”

“If we make these tweaks…”

“We need a female star with some kind of name, but we don’t need to spend a fortune…”

“That’s the casting department, and we need someone to head it up…”

“Are you planning to be on set?”

“What exactly is the producer role here?”

Marcus gives me one last annoyed glance before moving to the other side of the table, and while I want to demand the answers I seek from him, I know I can’t just scream at him in front of all of these people. So, I try to listen to all the ways in which they’re planning to cut up and remix and rewrite Ben’s work. I can’t muster any more than weak enthusiasm and nonsensical arguments. I think I actually told someone that the movie should be shot in Chicago and not Vancouver because Vancouver doesn’t have enough snow. Now, everyone thinks I’ve totally lost my marbles. Great. Thankfully, Eva is living up to her bulldog nickname, going toe-to-toe with anyone and everyone and taking particular pleasure in making Marcus squirm.

After he concedes a particularly contentious debate about the ending of the movie, I see him give Eva an appreciative stare, which she responds to with a swift kick to his shin under the table. Those two will be fine without me.

Finally, I find a slight break in the action and I reach for my bag and start to stand up. Whether I’m getting information from Marcus or not, I need to find Chris.

“Thank you all for inviting me,” I say. “It’s been a pleasure. I have to admit that this is all a bit overwhelming for me.”

I hear a few surprised murmurs, but I’m already up from the table and in the throes of my best innocent girl act. I’m getting too old for it, but I can’t think of another way to make a graceful exit.

“All this talk of numbers and back-end has my head spinning a bit. I promise, I’ll be more helpful with the rewrites. I’m definitely better with a computer screen in front of me. But it was so nice to meet you guys. Let’s do this again soon.”

I leave the room before anyone else can offer their opinions about the screenplay. I’m out the door of the restaurant before Marcus catches me.

“He’ll be…”

“On the roof,” I finish. We stare at each other.

“Hallie…”

“Yes, Marcus?”

“It really is good to see you. Even if you brought the devil herself along for the ride.”

“Eva is good people. And I think you might be good people, too.”

That’s my little thank you, for telling me about Chris, for protecting him, for being a friend to me a million years ago. The air is thick with things unsaid and unseen, and I try to lighten it.

“You can add that to the list of things I never thought I would say in my life.”

“Hallie?”

“What?”

“I’m sorry. About Ben. About Chris. About all of it.”

“That’s kind of you.” I mean it, and I squeeze his arm. “I’ll see you soon, okay? You’re not going to get the nice Midwest Hallie Caldwell, either. I promise,