“Yeah.”
Ian fell into step behind Max. The actor tugged on the narrow door and gestured for Ian to enter first. After climbing the three metal steps, Ian entered the cool trailer and nodded a greeting to the makeup artist.
Max closed the door behind him and exchanged pleasantries with the young lady. Ian took a seat on the small sofa across from the workstation and waited until the two finished their discussion of the day’s events.
“You’re working out in the stables and field today?” Ian asked. “I saw the script. Looked like the scene with you and Lily when the first horses were brought onto the estate after the wedding.”
Max nodded as the makeup artist swiped over his face with a sponge full of foundation. “Yeah. It’s a short scene. This afternoon and evening we’ll be shooting some of the wedding scenes at the small church in town.”
Ian settled deeper into the sofa, resting an arm across the back of the cushion. “Everything going okay so far?”
“Great,” Max told him. “Raine is planning on joining me in a few days. She was excited I was shooting on the East Coast.”
Ian knew Max and Raine had been through hell after years apart before finally finding their way back to each other in Max’s hometown of Lenox, Massachusetts. Ian couldn’t imagine trying to juggle a family while working in this crazy industry, let alone from across the country. Speaking of crazy, Ian never thought Hollywood heartthrob Max Ford would settle down, much less on some goat and chicken farm in New England, but to each his own and all that. Love apparently made you do some strange things.
“You talking to Lily soon?” Max asked.
Max had been one of Ian’s first clients. They’d both taken a chance on each other, the risk had paid off and here they were, at the top of their games. They had no secrets and oftentimes their relationship was more like friends than business associates.
“Yeah. Hoping to get a few more minutes with her today.”
The makeup artist reached for a brush and started stroking a shadow across Max’s lids. Yeah, Ian would much rather stay on this side of the industry...the side where his face stayed makeup-free.
“I’ll keep you posted,” Ian said, not wanting to get too detailed since there were other ears in the room. “I plan on being on set for the next several weeks, so hopefully something will come from that.”
Something positive. There was no way Ian wanted his ex-partner to get his clutches on Lily. Not to mention Ian was selfish and now that Lily was between agents, he wanted her because she was one of the top Hollywood leading ladies.
Added to that, she was the rare celebrity who hadn’t been jaded or swayed by the limelight. Lily was the real deal who made a point to keep her nose out of trouble.
Any agent’s dream client.
“I’ve discussed some things with her,” Max stated. “She’s interested in hearing your terms and ideas, so hopefully she makes the right decision.”
Ian was counting on it. Lily was smart enough to know the industry. After all, she’d just left her agent, who’d been a bit shady with her career. She’d put a stop to that immediately.
Ian could only hope she saw the hands-on way he worked and how invested he was as an agent. Visiting movie sets was his favorite job perk. Getting out of a stuffy office and being on location was always the highlight. Plus he wanted to make sure his clients were comfortable and there were no glitches.
“I’ll be around if you need me.” Ian came to his feet and moved toward the trailer door, pulling his phone from his pocket to check his emails. “I plan on being at both scenes today.”
“Sounds good. I assume you’ve met all the Barringtons?” Max asked as the makeup artist ran the powder brush over his neck.
Ian swallowed. “Yeah. I’ve met them.”
Met them, slept with one and still felt the stirrings from the continuous play of memories.
“They’re one impressive family,” Max went on, oblivious to the turmoil within Ian. “Damon is an amazing man with all of his accomplishments, but I swear, Cassie and Tessa are a force to be reckoned with.”
Ian bit the inside of his cheek to avoid commenting on one of those “forces.” The image of her in that body-hugging dress still made his knees weak, his heart quicken.
“That’s why this movie is going to kick ass,” Ian said, circling back to work, where his mind needed to stay. “Everyone loves a story like this, and having it on the big screen with two of Hollywood’s top stars will only make it pull in that much more at the box office.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Ian was confident this movie would be one of the biggest for both Max and Lily. Hollywood’s heartthrob and sweetheart playing a married couple in a true story? It was a guaranteed slam dunk for everybody.
Which reminded him, he needed to check his emails and hopefully line up another client’s role.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” Ian said as he exited the trailer.