Ms. Perfect

Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Zac couldn’t sleep. He never could sleep on an airplane, no matter how exhausting the trip.

The private jet made things nice at least. Definitely nicer than coach on a commercial flight. And flying on Grace Woods’ private jet was even better. Minus Grace Woods, though. That was a bummer.

He wondered about that fact as he stretched out in one of the reclining seats in the main cabin. Worried about it was more like it. Had he done something already to offend her? Or…maybe she was pissed at someone else on the flight.

Zac dropped his head to the side and craned his neck to get a better view of some of his fellow passengers. Kendra, the DP, and the assistant director, Max, were sitting side-by-side. Rigby’s assistant was sitting next to Rigby, though Zac’s view of the producer was obstructed by the high backs of the reclining chairs. Syd and his girlfriend, Shandra, a sappy younger actress Zac knew from a previous project, were in the main bedroom. The other producer, Phoenix, had the smaller bedroom. It was still early in the morning, barely daylight, and all of them were asleep.

He let his mind wander with the possibilities of what any of them might have done to make Grace so upset she didn’t want to fly with them. He quickly concluded it was probably Syd bringing his girlfriend. He sighed. Women made things difficult.

“You up?”

A voice came from behind Zac, startling him.

Rigby’s face appeared, looming over the back of Zac’s chair, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Rigby said in a hoarse whisper.

“No problem,” Zac said. “I didn’t know anyone else was awake.”

“Want some coffee?”

Zac nodded and Rigby’s looming face disappeared. Moments later he was at Zac’s side, settling into the empty seat next to him. Moments after that a member of the staff brought them a coffee service with two cups and placed it gently on the table between them.

“Can’t sleep?” Rigby asked.

Zac nodded, shrugging it off as no big deal.

Rigby chuckled as he poured his coffee. “At your age, I don’t imagine it makes that big a difference. Me? If I don’t sleep I gotta take all kinds of stuff to get me through jet lag.” He offered to pour Zac a cup and Zac nodded. Rigby paused mid-pour and gave him a pointed look. “If you need anything…you know…to help you through jet lag…let me know.”

“I will,” Zac said. He understood what Rigby was offering, assistance in getting medication, legal or illegal, but Zac didn’t partake in pharmaceuticals. They tended to age the user, add unwanted bags under the eyes, plus wrinkles. Zac valued his looks too highly to do anything that might damage them. His looks made him a lot of money and offered him the possibility of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Not worth the risk. “I should be fine. I brought some vitamins and herbal tea,” he said.

Rigby paused and blinked a few times. Zac noticed that the older man had those dreaded bags and wrinkles. Producers didn’t have to worry so much about their appearance.

Suddenly, Rigby burst out laughing. He tried to hold it in, keep it quiet so as not to wake everyone else up, but it was definitely a belly laugh. Constraining it made the laughter come out in short, whining bursts.

Zac smiled his best camaraderie smile, as if he and Rigby were old friends and agreed on the humor in all situations. He held the smile as Rigby’s laughter continued long after Zac considered the appropriate amount of time. He kept thinking that if they were in a scene the director would have already yelled cut.

Finally, wiping his eyes, Rigby stopped laughing and sighed happily, saying, “You’re funny, kid.” Rigby eyed Zac with some newfound respect and gave his knee a meaty smack. “You get it. I can tell.” Rigby nodded with satisfaction.

Zac wasn’t sure how to respond. So he didn’t. He toned down his camaraderie smile to a contented listening expression and waited to see if Rigby would keep talking. Not surprisingly, he did.

“You know, that’s the thing that’s gonna make your career. Not everyone gets it. But you do,” Rigby pointed a thick finger at Zac and stabbed the air between them. He leaned back contentedly in his chair, still turned in Zac’s direction. Watching him. Waiting for a response.

“That means a lot coming from you,” Zac said.

Rigby’s eyes glittered with amusement and he gave his head a shake, as if conceding to Zac’s superior intellect. “You see? That’s the perfect thing to say. You always know exactly what to say.”

Zac touched his forehead as if tipping an invisible hat.

Rigby kept gazing at him. He seemed to be weighing something heavy in his mind. For one instant Zac wondered if the older man was going to hit on him, but when Rigby leaned in closer to speak again it felt more like he was about to share a secret than make a pass.

“I’ve been thinking about you and Grace,” Rigby said.

Zac raised his eyebrows. “Me and Grace?”

Rigby nodded, glancing past Zac, making sure everyone else was still asleep. “You and Grace are gonna make a great couple on screen. I really think your styles are gonna mesh, you know?”

Zac nodded. Not sure where this was going.

“The thing is, Zac, I don’t think the world,” he moved his hands around in tight circles through the air in front of them, “is ready to accept the age difference.”

Zac raised his eyebrows again. He had decided not to bring the younger man older woman thing up since he heard that Indigo was out. He wasn’t in a position to insult anyone, especially not Grace Woods.

Rigby leaned in closer, intent on getting his point across. “I was thinking that if you and she were…you know…” Rigby wiggled his eyebrows up and down, “…an item in the real world, then maybe the whole thing will play out better with the audience.” Rigby leaned back in his chair and studied Zac’s reaction.

Zac, for his part, thought he was taking the suggestion very well. He didn’t let his calm, contented expression falter. Instead, he allowed the corners of his mouth to lift ever so slightly, indicating he was secretly enthralled with the idea.

He was, in a way.

Zac had pondered that very thought himself, though he had pushed it aside as too risky. What if his attempts at engaging Grace in a real life romance failed? That might affect the filming and, worse, crumble his reputation as one of the most desirable bachelors in Hollywood. But if he had a powerful man like Rigby helping him along the way, maybe it would work.

“You think Grace and I should get together? Date?”

Rigby nodded, eyes still glittering with the possibility of it all.

Zac shifted in his chair and cleared his throat, letting the producer believe that his idea was a brand new concept.

“You like her well enough, don’t you?” Rigby asked.

Zac nodded. “Yeah, yeah, of course. She’s…well, she’s Grace Woods.”

Rigby laughed. It was almost a giggle and Zac wished he hadn’t heard it, it kind of gave him the creeps. He shook it off. Even if the delivery was less than perfect, Rigby’s idea was palatable. If he and Grace were a couple it would also solve his dilemma of giving his best performance in the film.

Zac had one more question. “Do you think she’ll go for it? I mean, do you think I really have a chance with someone like her?”

Rigby chuckled and patted Zac’s knee again reassuringly. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, kid. If you’re up to it, I will make it happen.”