Hollywood Flirt - Alexa Aston Page 0,59
to waste time on her.”
They watched Two and then Three. Then Two again. And Three once more.
“I still say Three,” Regina said emphatically.
“Three has the chops,” Cassie admitted. “If for any reason she’s not available, my money’s on Two.”
Sydney knew Three wouldn’t let anything get in the way of taking this role. Not even her own mother’s funeral.
“Do you want Dash’s opinion, Regina?” Sydney asked.
“Not really. I’ve already made my mind up. But let’s hear what he has to say.”
◆◆◆
Not Marlyn November. Anyone but Marlyn.
Dash strode down the hall, fully himself now, all vestiges of Paul Hannigan left behind. No Regrets would put him on the map as more than an action star. With Marlyn November as his acting partner?
Production would be a nightmare.
He found himself in the kitchen. Diamond, who was unloading the dishwasher, gave him a look that he couldn’t quite interpret. The housekeeper had been fairly nice to him after Sydney introduced Dash as her boyfriend to Diamond.
“What do you need, Mr. Dash? You look upset.”
“A hole to crawl in.” He sighed. “A bottled water will do.”
“Sit,” she ordered as she went to the refrigerator and picked out his drink. She handed it to him and took a seat at the table beside him.
“What’s troubling you, honey?” she asked, her voice kind.
“An actress I slept with is about to get the part of Rachel in my movie, Diamond. She’ll be nothing but trouble.”
“How long were you lovers?”
“Four days. Which was about three days too long.” He unscrewed the cap and downed half the bottle. “I’d just signed for my first lead role and celebrated by taking my brother camping in Colorado. I brought him home and still had a few days before wardrobe fittings started so I went to kick up my heels in Vegas.”
“Uh-huh. Vegas. Nothin’ good happens there.” Diamond’s judgmental look didn’t lift his spirits any.
“I met Marlyn in an elevator,” he continued. “Somehow, we wound up back in my room. The next day, her luggage showed up. We didn’t leave the room for the next three days. By the end, I was calling her SVP in my head. Sensual. Volatile. Poison.”
“I see.”
“I’ve made plenty of mistakes, Diamond, but I’ve matured. I’m a thousand percent in love with Sydney. Marlyn’s like a bad penny, though. Having her around is going to cause trouble, whether it’s on the set or between Sydney and me.”
Diamond said, “First, you tell Miss Sydney up front that you slept with this tramp.”
Dash nodded, bringing a hand to his mouth to cover a smile.
“Next, if they ask, you be frank and tell them this Marlyn bitch is trouble. She could mess with the production. Mr. Monty runs a smooth set.”
“And what if Regina still wants Marlyn for the part?”
Diamond’s eyes held his. “Then you walk the straight and narrow path, Mr. Dash. You don’t give Miss Sydney any reason to think you’re unfaithful. Period. You show up. You know your lines. You do your piece. You go home. You keep Miss Sydney happy. You got that?”
“Loud and clear.”
“Hey, Dash.” Jayla stood in the doorway. “Regina wants to talk with you.”
He stood and finished the rest of the bottle and handed the empty to Diamond. “Good advice, Diamond. I’ll follow it to the letter.”
“You better.”
He entered the audition room. His eyes sought Sydney. Her face was a mask, void of emotion. That told him right away that Marlyn already had the role. He grabbed a folding chair against the wall and brought it over.
“Any preferences?” Regina asked.
“I liked the one in the middle.”
“Keely Kennedy,” Cassie supplied. “She did an excellent audition.”
“I agree,” Dash said. “She’s talented. Inexperienced. Still, Monty’s great at bringing out the best in unproven actors.”
“What about Three?” Regina asked.
“She’s got the chops. Physically, she’s nothing like what Cassie created even though makeup and wigs can remedy that. Acting-wise, she’s very talented but she’s too confident. I don’t see the unguarded, insecure side of Rachel in her. She’s a little too brittle.” He paused. “Also, I know her. She’s got a volatile personality and wouldn’t think twice about causing trouble on the set.”
Regina snorted. “That’s for Monty to deal with. He’s a master at manipulating actors without them even realizing what he’s doing. I did like Two but we’re going with Three. I want you to watch your scene together and you’ll see why.”
Regina cued up the scene. As Dash watched, he could see the electricity between their characters. Marlyn looked better on film than in person.
The casting director hit