Ms. Perfect

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Grace stared out the window of the private jet as the rays from the rising sun created one single reflected line on the ocean below. No clouds obscured her view and the plane was banking slightly, which allowed her to take in the glimmering beauty of the great wide ocean waking up.

She was thankful she had been able to hitch a ride on Faye’s jet, leaving hers available to fly her producers and key cast and crew. As much as Grace loved making movies, sometimes the togetherness of it all got to her. Especially this movie.

The initial insult she had felt about being thought too old for the part by her producers was over and had been replaced by a sadness she couldn’t quite push away. Then there was the awkward moment she had found out Zac and Indigo Lee were romantically involved. Even though he insisted it had been casual and they were no longer an item, Grace had basically fired his girlfriend. Very uncomfortable.

Then there was Syd. In hindsight she had to admit hiring her ex-boyfriend to direct Heart of Mine may have been a little optimistic. She shifted in her seat, the uncertainty of how that decision would pan out during this shoot made her fidgety.

“I don’t know how you’re going to survive this experience,” Faye had said to her over dinner on the plane the night before. “I can’t imagine working with one of my exes.”

Grace had wanted to point out that Faye had never had anything even resembling a real job, so it would be difficult for her to imagine working with anyone, let alone an ex-boyfriend, but she held her tongue. It was no good to start a tiff with Faye while stuck on a jet flying somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.

Still, Faye’s comments had given rise to a nugget of doubt in Grace’s mind. She had made the decision to have Syd direct because of his talent and their previous success working together. She was counting on both of them to act like professionals. After all, in their world it wasn’t unheard of to end up on set or on location with former lovers or spouses. It was a common occurrence.

But…what if it went badly? That sudden thought made her stomach sink. What if Syd took revenge on her by purposely making her look bad? Grace had a lot riding on Heart of Mine. A lot of money, as always, but it was also her chance to prove that a woman didn’t have to be in her early twenties to carry a romantic movie.

She shook her head as if warding off the possibility of Syd sabotaging the film, silently scolding her overactive imagination.

Don’t be ridiculous. Maybe Syd and the DP, the extremely talented Kendra Piotto, would have to work a little harder to ‘smooth’ her out, but they were more than equipped to make her look good next to her younger leading man. Besides, it had been Syd who had broken up their romance. He had no reason to take revenge. Or at least none that she could imagine.

To take her mind off of Syd and their failed relationship, Grace allowed it to wander to Zac. A few butterflies flitted around her stomach. What a handsome young man.

“Handsome man, Grace. You don’t have to call him young,” she said softly to herself. The sound of her voice met the nearly silent hum of the jet engines and she glanced around the seating area.

She was alone. Faye was still zonked out in the jet’s master bedroom, softly snoring her little heart out. And the crew had disappeared after bringing Grace a fresh cup of coffee when she woke before dawn. Though they were most likely hovering nearby, perhaps close enough to hear her talking to herself.

She set her lips together to keep from speaking out loud again and allowed her inner voice to continue the chastising commentary. She had to stop calling Zac a young man, it took away from her ability to see him as a love interest. She had to focus on how attractive he was, how sexy and appealing.

Grace smiled to herself. What an assignment. If she could get over the needling thought that she was too old for him, it wouldn’t be at all difficult to fall a little bit in love with Zac Foster. For the good of the movie of course.

Grace leaned back and snuggled into the plush leather of her seat, allowing Zac to fill her mind. Again, she smiled. This acting life wasn’t half bad once you got past your insecurities. Maybe her and Zac’s on screen love affair was too much for stuffy old suits at big studios, but Grace thought the dynamic between them would be extremely believable. It might even be Oscar material by the time they were done.

“You’re gonna have to sell this, Gracy,” Rigby had warned her. The press release about her starring with Zac had created a flurry of media attention, most of it focusing on their age difference, and Rigby had been all wound up about it. “You’ve got their attention, you need to make sure you keep it.”

Grace had shooed his concerns away with the wave of her hand. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know,” she answered, trying to appease his worrying spirit. Still, the wrinkle of concern remained on his forehead. Sometimes Rigby appeared to be in a continual state of wincing, especially when they were embarking on a new project. Grace had to laugh. “Try not to worry so much. It’s all in place. We have Zac, we have a beautiful location, Syd will do a great job, and the script is brilliant. Really brilliant. Everything will be wonderful.”

The jet straightened, forcing her view away from the reflections of the sunrise on the water below to the sunrise itself. Pink and orange and utterly gorgeous, Grace took it as a good omen. Everything would be wonderful indeed.

“Did I miss it?” Faye asked, her voice still thick with sleep. She came out of the master bedroom wearing a sweeping silk dressing gown that reminded Grace of a black and white 1940’s movie. Though sleekly dressed, Faye was unsteady on her feet.

“What are you doing up so early?” Grace asked, trying to think of the last time she had seen her friend rise before 10:00am.

Faye plopped down in the leather seat opposite Grace so she, too, could look out the window. “I want to see the swirly water,” she answered with a yawn. A brisk crew member brought hot coffee, cream, and croissants to them without Faye uttering a request. “I didn’t miss it, did I?”

“No, I don’t think we can see anything yet,” Grace said.

Faye harrumphed and let her head fall back against the seat. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a loose knot and she didn’t have a speck of makeup on. “I told them to be sure to fly over it before we land. It’s so pretty.”

Grace had seen pictures of the famous hill inlet at Whitehaven Beach that swept turquoise water in wide undulating swirls over pure white sand, creating an incredible sight, especially from the air. She had never seen it in person, however.

“Have you been to Whitehaven Beach often?” she asked Faye as she tore one of the croissants in half. Days before she was scheduled to be in front of the camera Grace didn’t want to overeat, but the croissants were warm and smelled delicious.

“Oh, a gazillion times,” Faye answered, taking a sip of her coffee.

Grace grinned. Sleepy morning Faye reminded her of teenage Faye, making this trip feel like something between a girl’s night out and a sleepover.

“I hope it’s as magical as they say it is,” Grace said.

Faye nodded. “You’ll love it. And your movie will be gorgeous because of it…and because of you, darling.” Faye took another sip of coffee and, obviously waking up, added, “And because of that Zac person. I understand he is unbelievably attractive in person?” Faye’s eyes twinkled mischievously over her coffee cup.

“That he is,” Grace said, trying to appear nonchalant.

“Tell me, since you and Syd are old news do you think you might end up involved with Mr. Tall Blonde and Handsome?”

Grace deflected the question by shrugging noncommittally and looking out the window again. Her tendency to become involved with the men she made films with was a well known fact, but she didn’t want to give Faye too much fodder for her imagination. Relationships on set could be delicate, she didn’t need Faye, or anyone else, spreading rumors and causing problems.

Daylight grew stronger by the minute, revealing bright blue waters beneath them. So blue they didn’t seem real.

A crewman appeared suddenly beside them and announced, “The Captain wants you to know we’ll be flying over the inlet in just a few minutes.”

Faye nodded and waved at their empty coffee cups indicating they needed refills. “Good, good, I didn’t miss it.” Faye was almost fully awake and delighted.

Within a few minutes, both of them sipped fresh hot coffee and peered out of the window as their pilot skillfully maneuvered the plane so they were at the best angle to see the inlet below. The view was truly magical. It looked to Grace like an angel had spilled paint of the deepest turquoise and purest white then swirled them slowly, lazily together from one side of the inlet to the other.

Except it wasn’t paint, it was water and sand, a completely natural phenomenon that seemed like something created in heaven instead of on earth.

A flicker of excitement moved through Grace. Then another.

No matter how many times she started working on a film the thrill of the creative process gave her a tingling sensation. The magnificent view below them added that special intangible element she always found especially inspiring. Definitely a good omen of what was to come.

“My goodness,” was all she could think to say while Faye, for once, remained silent.