Her father was right. This wasn’t a job for any ordinary PA. And this way she could restore her father’s faith in her too. Wedding or not, she’d do whatever she could to help. Even lose her independence. Even face Christian Taylor again.
She wouldn’t only be doing it for her father, or out of friendship for Fredrik, but out of love for her nation. This was her home, her security, and she loved Westerwald more than she’d ever loved any man.
“I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to keep this strictly between us. Fredrik has asked me to keep this from Max until we have real evidence.” Her father slid a file across the desk to her. “Read this before you leave. The address is inside. You’re expected there in an hour.”
“How did you persuade them to hire me?”
He smiled. “I didn’t. Kenzie did.”
The film’s production office was in the warehouse district on the outskirts of town. Though it was another balmy day, unseasonably so for January, and the sky an enticing blue, Tessa kept the top firmly closed as she drove. She wasn’t taking any more chances.
A security guard signed her in and she circled the enormous car park looking for an empty space. Half the car park was filled with trucks and motor homes. People scurried between buildings and vehicles with an almost frenetic sense of urgency.
She sat in the car for a long moment, hands gripping the steering wheel. She wasn’t sure which was worse. Having to face Christian Taylor again, or having to make nice with Fredrik’s new girlfriend. No, not girlfriend. Fiancée.
Sucking in a deep breath, she climbed out of the car.
The offices were above a voluminous warehouse space, where a construction team hammered and sawed and raised voices echoed. Up a narrow flight of stairs she found the reception and was shown to a waiting room with faux-leather sofas, a water cooler and a pile of outdated magazines. Beyond the door she heard voices, phones ringing, laughter.
Suppressing the urge to pace, she sat with her ankles crossed and her hands clasped in her lap. And tried very, very hard not to imagine how abjectly she’d have to apologise to Christian for her behaviour last night before he’d even give her the time of day.
She would do or say whatever it took. Though for someone who always knew all the right words, who wasn’t fazed in any company, the sudden attack of butterflies in her stomach was disconcerting.
“Would you follow me, please?”
Tessa followed the young receptionist down a long hall lined with offices and into a nondescript glass box identical to all the others. The redhead behind the desk rose with a ready smile and waved the receptionist away. “Thanks for coming, Teresa.”
Fredrik couldn’t have chosen two women more different if he’d tried. Where Tessa was tall and fair, Kenzie was petite and freckle-faced, her face as open as any book – not an accusation anyone would ever make of Tessa.
People usually described Teresa as competent. Kenzie was more “damsel in distress”, fragile and delicate. Tessa could understand what Fredrik saw in her.
Kenzie came around the desk, and as she moved, her hand caught the sunlight from the bare windows. Tessa rubbed the empty spot where her own ring should have been. She still hadn’t managed to get to the jeweller’s to collect it, and without it she felt naked. Unprotected.
Kenzie wrapped her in a hug and Tessa stiffened. She wasn’t a hugging type of person. Especially with a woman she’d only met once in her life.
“Try to look as if we’re old friends,” Kenzie whispered. Then she moved to close the door and waved Tessa to sit. “No one here knows who you are. I’ve told them you’re a friend of mine and you’re looking for a job.”
“I didn’t know you worked in the movies.” Tessa hadn’t made much effort to find out anything about Fredrik’s new woman. About her replacement.
And yes, she was perfectly aware this was a case of pots and kettles. Just because she was now engaged to Stefan and would soon be married herself didn’t mean she wasn’t hurt Fredrik had moved on so quickly too.
“They’re calling me the location liaison, but really it’s just a fancy title they’ve given me because the mayor of Los Pajaros refuses to deal with anyone else. Rik and I are headed back tomorrow. The production team there have hit a few snags.” Kenzie bit her lip. “In fact I’ve never known so much to go wrong on a shoot before.”
Which explained why Kenzie wasn’t the one doing the snooping. “No one’s wondering why I’m being given the job over someone more experienced?”
Kenzie laughed. “That’s the thing. Westerwald doesn’t have much of a film industry, certainly nothing like the scale of this movie. There are no film-experienced PAs here.” She dropped her voice. “And the work permit application to bring in someone from London has been held up by red tape.”
Highly unlikely. Westerwald’s bureaucracy functioned like clockwork. But Tessa had a very good idea who had held up the application. “So what do I need to do?”
“It’s very simple. You’ll be the main contact person between Christian and this office. Every day you’ll be issued a call sheet for the next shooting day. You let Christian know what time he needs to be on set, then in the mornings you check that the driver is ready and waiting on time. If there are any delays, you let the second AD know, and if there are any changes to the schedule, you let Christian know.”
Tessa raised an eyebrow. It sounded like a lot of hand-holding. Most grown men she knew were quite capable of setting their own watches without their PA’s help. Stefan certainly was.
No wonder celebrities turned into such arrogant monsters if they didn’t even have to take responsibility for getting themselves to work on time.
And Christian was definitely a monster. What rational person would slam the car door on her and stalk off just because she hadn’t fawned all over him?
Kenzie handed her a folder. “This is from Christian’s publicist back in LA. He has a few promotional commitments you’ll need to manage: you’ll need to coordinate the arrangements for a premiere in Paris after filming here in Westerwald is done, and there are a few press interviews, a photo op or two… that sort of thing.”
Like the charity banquet he hadn’t attended last night.
“Anything else?”
“You might be expected to make dinner reservations, perhaps do a little personal shopping… ” Kenzie looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, Teresa. I know this is a terrible imposition, and I’m so sorry to ask it of you, especially since you have your wedding coming up.”
Tessa gave a cool smile. “It’s no problem. And my friends call me Tessa.”
Relief blazed in Kenzie’s face. “We can’t thank you enough. With everything that’s going on back in Los Pajaros I just don’t have time to look into this, but Rik is very concerned. He’s very grateful for your help.”
But not enough to pick up the phone and talk to her himself.
Kenzie escorted her along the corridor, introducing her to a dozen people along the way, the casting director, the production people, the assistant directors.
She still had to pass an interview with Gerry, the unit production manager. While she’d never had to interview for a job in her life before, this one was a walk in the park compared to the grillings her father subjected her to.
“Christian’s easier than most,” Gerry said, leaning his elbows on the desk between them. “He’s not one of those stand-offish stars with an entourage around them who won’t look you in the eye or who’ll treat you like his skivvy. He’s very approachable and easy-going.”
Which didn’t gel with the first impressions she’d got. He’d exuded so much