Guillaume, Her French Husband

“Not really, Zoe. This is supposed to be the last day of production and honestly I hate it when stuff is dragged out too much. And without cause of course.”

“Without cause?” Zoe asked. “Is that what you really think?”

“Listen here Zoe,” he started as he looked at her. “You better get in there and finish the damn scene.”

A smile played on her lips as she leaned forward.

“Oh yeah? Or what?” she asked.

Guillaume took a long deep breath and stood up.

“Or we replace you, Zoe. That’s what.”

He watched as her eyes grew wide when he said that. It was like she was slowly processing the news. Really, really slowly.

“Replace me?” she asked in a low voice. “Do you have any idea who I am?”

He nodded.

“I am Zoe freaking Matheson. I am fu*king irreplaceable.”

Guillaume smiled and shook his head.

“No one is irreplaceable honey. Unless I say so.”

He was about to head towards the door when she rushed over to where he was and grabbed his hands. He turned around and looked at her. He could see the desperation in her eyes.

“You said you wanted a star for this production and you got me. You cannot just tell me that I am replaceable now,” she said and he pulled his hand away.

“I can. And I have…don’t you ever wonder why the film industry invests so much in look alikes?” he asked and she parted her lips to answer him. But he was not about to give her a chance to get another word out. “So I am giving you five minutes to get to that set and do that final scene. If you don’t I will get one of the look alikes to do my bidding and then I will make sure every single tabloid has the footage of you acting a fool on set and I promise you that will be the last time the name Zoe Matheson will ever mean anything in the film industry.”

As he stood there talking to her, he could see the color drain from her face. He could tell that she had never been talked to the way he had just talked to her. Everyone always treated her like some kind of god. Always walking on egg shells when they were around her while people were really supposed to actually just have fun in a production. He shook his head. It was people like her that gave the industry a bad name. He could tell that he had put the fear of God in her just by the words he had spoken. And the look he had in his eyes was not helping the situation either.

“You wouldn’t,” she said when she finally found her voice as he opened the trailer door.

“Don’t let the accent fool you, honey. I do not let anything or anyone get in the way of my business especially not with petty threats so I can do it and I most definitely will,” he said in a soft voice. “Five minutes. I’ll get the crew ready.”

“Guillaume, what about us?” she asked as she looked at him.

He shook his head.

“What about us?” he asked.

“We have been together all through this production. And now you are threatening to cut me?” she asked and he took a long deep breath.

This was possibly the reason why people always told him that he shouldn’t get too close to the talent. And he had broken that golden rule yet again. There was no telling why the hell he kept on doing this over and over. And especially now since he had been doing so well until he met Zoe. She was like having your dealer’s number while you were trying to get clean. There was just something about her that really got to him. Perhaps it was how sexy she was. Granted, she was not what he would usually go for. Definitely not but he was in the States, alone and she was practically throwing herself at him. And it is not like he had anything to lose…yet.

“We have not been together, Zoe,” he said in a soft voice making her eyes grow wide

“Really?” she asked. “You would say that?”

“Yes I would because it is true.”

“It’s not and we both know it.” She was practically screaming.

“Actually, we’ve been sleeping together, Zoe. That’s the only thing that has been happening between us,” he said in a soft voice. “Now get yourself out to the set right now.”

He walked out of the trailer just as his phone rang in his pocket. He reached for it, careful not to drop his plate.

“Tammy,” he said in a soft voice when he answered the call. “Talk to me.”

“Mr. Laurent. I just wanted to know what you are looking for in the upcoming audition.”

He bit his lower lip and sighed loudly. There was no right answer to that question. Mostly because he knew exactly what he was looking for and he was probably in a better position to show what he was thinking than speak it.

“Tammy…I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t really have a preference or anything. Just make sure I get as many girls at that audition as possible. I will know who I want when I see her.”

“What about the…um…race?” she asked and Guillaume shrugged.

“Bring them all. Caucasians, African American, Asian, Latin-American…I don’t care. I am just looking for the artsy side of the artist. Whatever color she is.”

He heard Tammy sigh on the other side.

“Did you get all that?” he asked.

“It’s going to be a long list.”

“I know but I am willing to go through whatever to find the right girl in this film. I told you I am trying to make the next best romantic story…so if it takes the longest time to find the right character, then that is exactly what I am going to do.”

“Mr. Laurent, I hate to remind you but it took almost nine weeks to get the ‘right’ man,” Tammy pointed out and Guillaume nodded.

“I remember and given a chance, I wouldn’t do anything any differently,” he said. “Now get it done. I’m almost done out here.”

“Whatever you say, Mr. Laurent,” Tammy said before she hang up.

He made his way back to the set where Mark was waiting.

“Well? Are we postponing shooting the last scene or what?” he asked and Guillaume shook his head.

“Oh she is coming alright. And if she doesn’t we are going to use a body double.”

“What about the close up shots?” Mark asked and Guillaume shrugged.