and if it’s something you’d consider doing, then we’d appreciate your input.”
“You . . . want my input?” he asked, surprise obvious in his voice.
“We don’t always write with a person in mind,” Breck said. “However, Cassie was sold on you from the beginning.”
Wynn turned to her. “We just met the other night, Cassie.”
Rhett chuckled and threaded his fingers through hers. “My wife is a terrific judge of character and talent. If she thinks you can do it, believe you can, Wynn.” He looked at her. “Cassie believed in me when no one else did.”
Scarlett had to look away. She adored how affectionate her brother and sister-in-law were with one another but tonight it saddened her. It made the emptiness inside her seem even vaster than ever before.
“You need to know I’m locked into two more superhero films for Rylon Pictures,” Wynn said. “It would be two years before I could even think about doing this.”
Cassie shrugged. “We can wait. Breck and I knock out a good three screenplays a year, sometimes more. First, we’d need to finish this one. I have two others I’m working on solo and we have another we’ve toyed with.”
“What’s your process?” Wynn asked. “I’m curious how writers collaborate.”
Breck laughed. “Our process. Let’s see . . . how do I explain it?”
“We always outline together,” Cassie said. “I insist on that so we know the direction of the story.”
“We’ve done it every which way after that,” Breck continued. “Cassie’s written a first draft. I went in and rewrote it. Then she went at it again. Other times, she’s written the entire first half while I worked on the back part and we switch up. What’s worked for us lately is every other scene. She writes the first and emails it to me. I read it, make some quick corrections, and give her notes before I send it back. Then I write the next scene while she polishes the first. We go through the same process, alternating scenes, until the script is done. For some reason, that’s been the pattern we’re settling into. We’ll meet in person sometimes to hash out things, too.”
Cassie giggled. “Usually, we meet when Breck says he can’t face changing another dirty diaper. We like to do a read-through, just the two of us, testing our dialogue aloud to see if it flows.”
Wynn nodded. “Both of you also write separate screenplays.”
“We’re still partners in that endeavor,” Cassie revealed. “I show Breck my outline and we brainstorm through it, adding and deleting things. I write my draft and then send the entire thing to him to read through. He returns it with his notes and I take another crack at it based upon his suggestions.”
“I do the same,” Breck confirmed. “Cassie reads everything I write. I add her spit and polish it up. In the end, our so-called solo efforts only have one name on them but we have each other’s six.” He paused. “So, have at it, Wynn. Talk to us. Let us get to know you.”
Scarlett saw Wynn looked uncomfortable with all of the attention suddenly upon him. “Why don’t you tell us a little about your family and your background?” she suggested.
He seemed to relax with having a direction to go. “Okay. I grew up in a small college town in Georgia. My dad was the chairman of Winter College’s history department, specializing in the American Revolution and World War II. Mom taught calculus and physics at the local high school.”
“Opposites attracting,” Dash said. “The right-brain and left-brain parents. Do you have brothers or sisters?”
“I do,” Wynn said. “Dad named all of us after American historical figures he admired. My older brother, Del? He’s Franklin Delano Youngblood. My younger brother, Payne, was Thomas Payne Youngblood. Mom refused to spell it like Thomas Paine, the author of Common Sense, though. She replaced the ‘’' with a ‘y’.” He chuckled. “Del and I still teased Payne that he was a pain in the ass. Even when he wasn’t.”
Wynn grew quiet a moment. “Payne was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. He died when he was twenty-two.”
Scarlett sensed the tension in Wynn and wanted to reach out and take his hand. It took willpower to refrain from doing so.
“I suppose that’s why you’ve been such a big supporter of my cancer foundation,” Rhett said. “I’m sorry you lost Payne.”
Wynn cleared his throat. “I also have a sister, Cady. Elizabeth Cady Youngblood. She’s the baby of the family and ten years younger