cushy sofas and chairs, eating the amazing food, which for Nikki meant sans roo. To her pleasant surprise the director, Nathan Cooley, took a seat across from them, along with Kane Ferriss, the producer. To her dismay Lucy Swanson and Hannah Hahndorf also joined the group.
“Hey, have you guys met Nikki Sands?” Lucy said, almost immediately upon sitting down.
What was it with this girl? Why didn’t she just wave a sign over Nikki that said: “over-the-hill actress right here.”
Both men turned to Nikki and said, “No,” then introduced themselves to her and Derek.
Lucy piped in again, “Did you guys ever see that show where she played Detective Martini? She was awesome.”
Nikki couldn’t tell if Lucy meant it or if she was just trying to get her goat.
Thankfully, both men said they hadn’t. Also, Derek was sensing Nikki’s discomfort and cut in. “So, Kane, you’re producing the movie, right?”
Kane nodded, his mouth full of roo. He took a sip of his wine, and Nikki took a gulp. This felt surreal. “Yeah. I’m the producer. We’re real excited about this flick. We’ve got such an awesome cast. Can’t go wrong with Shawn Keefer, you know.”
Nikki caught Lucy roll her eyes at Hannah, who giggled. “Dude is such a jerk,” Lucy said. She whispered something to Hannah.
“Lucy,” Nathan warned.
She shrugged. “Well, he is. Look at him over there all buddy-buddy with that stupid snake tamer. Can’t stand him either.” Nikki felt Derek tense. “And who is that other lame ass he’s hanging with? Guy looks all gaga over him.”
“That’s my brother,” Derek said.
“Oh, sorry.”
Kane turned his attention back to Nikki. “So, you did some acting?”
Oh God, why couldn’t anyone just drop it? She waved a hand. “A while back, you know, silly show. It wasn’t really my thing.”
He nodded. “You definitely have to be passionate about it. It’s like anything: you really got to love this business to stay in it. It sure as hell isn’t easy.”
Kane Ferriss looked to be the opposite of Nathan Cooley. He had clipped short light brown hair, blue eyes, wore an argyle patterned sweater with khakis. He reminded Nikki of the quintessential Ivy League frat boy.
“That’s true,” Nathan said. “I’m still working my way up to Spielberg status.”
“Oh my God, I love your stuff,” Nikki said.
Derek eyed her. Wait. Was she gushing? She was gushing, but not because Nathan Cooley was some hot property. He wasn’t attractive to her at all and he didn’t seem to care much about his appearance. He wore a faded yellow sweatshirt and jeans with holes. Despite his looks, he was brilliant. Back in the day, Nikki would have died to be in one of his movies. She tried to tone down her excitement. “I mean really, you do put out great films. I’m a fan.”
“Thank you very much, Nikki. I may have to check out your old show. Who knows, if you change your mind—ever want back into acting—maybe we could work together someday.”
Nikki felt her face flush. She shook her head. “Oh no, you don’t want to see my old show.”
Derek interrupted. “She works with me. I own a winery in Napa Valley.”
“Oh great, here goes Andy Burrow and his show,” Hannah interrupted.
Andy walked to the edge of the river and turned around. Lucy and Hannah stood. The actress said, “We’ll see you later.”
Hannah nodded and seemed to scan the group. Maybe she was looking for her folks, but the way the two of them slithered out, Nikki was pretty sure that Hannah Hahndorf was not supposed to be hanging with Lucy Swanson. It really was none of her business. Derek had reminded her time and again that her curious nature could cause her harm, and she knew he was right. A part of her still felt compelled to rat on Hannah to her parents, because she was pretty sure that the girls were up to no good. Her suspicions had to be dead-on, because a minute later she witnessed the young guy with the Sex Pistols
“Hey, have you guys met Nikki Sands?” Lucy said, almost immediately upon sitting down.
What was it with this girl? Why didn’t she just wave a sign over Nikki that said: “over-the-hill actress right here.”
Both men turned to Nikki and said, “No,” then introduced themselves to her and Derek.
Lucy piped in again, “Did you guys ever see that show where she played Detective Martini? She was awesome.”
Nikki couldn’t tell if Lucy meant it or if she was just trying to get her goat.
Thankfully, both men said they hadn’t. Also, Derek was sensing Nikki’s discomfort and cut in. “So, Kane, you’re producing the movie, right?”
Kane nodded, his mouth full of roo. He took a sip of his wine, and Nikki took a gulp. This felt surreal. “Yeah. I’m the producer. We’re real excited about this flick. We’ve got such an awesome cast. Can’t go wrong with Shawn Keefer, you know.”
Nikki caught Lucy roll her eyes at Hannah, who giggled. “Dude is such a jerk,” Lucy said. She whispered something to Hannah.
“Lucy,” Nathan warned.
She shrugged. “Well, he is. Look at him over there all buddy-buddy with that stupid snake tamer. Can’t stand him either.” Nikki felt Derek tense. “And who is that other lame ass he’s hanging with? Guy looks all gaga over him.”
“That’s my brother,” Derek said.
“Oh, sorry.”
Kane turned his attention back to Nikki. “So, you did some acting?”
Oh God, why couldn’t anyone just drop it? She waved a hand. “A while back, you know, silly show. It wasn’t really my thing.”
He nodded. “You definitely have to be passionate about it. It’s like anything: you really got to love this business to stay in it. It sure as hell isn’t easy.”
Kane Ferriss looked to be the opposite of Nathan Cooley. He had clipped short light brown hair, blue eyes, wore an argyle patterned sweater with khakis. He reminded Nikki of the quintessential Ivy League frat boy.
“That’s true,” Nathan said. “I’m still working my way up to Spielberg status.”
“Oh my God, I love your stuff,” Nikki said.
Derek eyed her. Wait. Was she gushing? She was gushing, but not because Nathan Cooley was some hot property. He wasn’t attractive to her at all and he didn’t seem to care much about his appearance. He wore a faded yellow sweatshirt and jeans with holes. Despite his looks, he was brilliant. Back in the day, Nikki would have died to be in one of his movies. She tried to tone down her excitement. “I mean really, you do put out great films. I’m a fan.”
“Thank you very much, Nikki. I may have to check out your old show. Who knows, if you change your mind—ever want back into acting—maybe we could work together someday.”
Nikki felt her face flush. She shook her head. “Oh no, you don’t want to see my old show.”
Derek interrupted. “She works with me. I own a winery in Napa Valley.”
“Oh great, here goes Andy Burrow and his show,” Hannah interrupted.
Andy walked to the edge of the river and turned around. Lucy and Hannah stood. The actress said, “We’ll see you later.”
Hannah nodded and seemed to scan the group. Maybe she was looking for her folks, but the way the two of them slithered out, Nikki was pretty sure that Hannah Hahndorf was not supposed to be hanging with Lucy Swanson. It really was none of her business. Derek had reminded her time and again that her curious nature could cause her harm, and she knew he was right. A part of her still felt compelled to rat on Hannah to her parents, because she was pretty sure that the girls were up to no good. Her suspicions had to be dead-on, because a minute later she witnessed the young guy with the Sex Pistols
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