Read Online Heartthrob by Suzanne Brockmann - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Suzanne Brockmann
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you’ll lose the job.”
Kate flipped another page, scared to death he was going to call her bluff and scared to death he wasn’t. “Point five, you’ll have two separate trailers on the set. One for sleeping, the other for your use while waiting between shots. According to this agreement, your sleeping trailer will be kept absolutely free and clear of any belongings.”
“So I can’t smuggle drugs in, inside the cutout pages of a book and use ’em at night when the warden is sleeping, right?” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “This is outrageous.”
She glanced up from the document, praying he couldn’t tell she was way over her head. “You can keep personal items in the other trailer, but that trailer will be searched twice daily—more often if deemed necessary. Oh, and your sleeping trailer will be kept locked at night. Your supervisor will have a key, you will not.”
“Locked,” Jericho echoed, his movie star charm gone. “What you’re saying is that I’ll be
locked in
at night?”
Kate knew that if she could get him to sign this agreement, her movie would get made with the least possiblerisks. But it wouldn’t be without a price. Jericho Beaumont wasn’t going to be her best friend after this, that was certain. She felt the teeniest twinge of regret and quickly quashed it. “Points six and seven deal with the specifics of the percentages deal—the legal working specifying which of your actions would result in what we’d consider a breach of contract.”
“Locked in.” He couldn’t get past point five. “Sweet Jesus, what you’re telling me is that I have to agree to be treated like a prisoner in jail for two and a half goddamned months?”
She didn’t blink. “I guess you’ve got to decide how badly you want this part.” She stood up, crossing the room and opening her office door as if ready to show him out. “You’re welcome to turn it down, of course.”
Jed knew what she was doing. She was trying to push him away. She wanted him to walk from this deal. She didn’t want him in her movie—she’d said that from the first. He took a deep breath, and somehow his voice was steady and calm. “Okay. All right. I’ll agree to the daily drug tests and the AA meetings, but the 24/7 supervision and the locked trailer is completely unacceptable.”
“This agreement is not negotiable, Mr. Beaumont. It’s all or nothing. I’ve already spoken to your agent about it. I’ve faxed him a copy, and he understands that we’re willing to take the risk and cast you—but only under the terms and conditions that I’ve just listed.”
Jed sat there. His fingers tingled and his legs felt odd, almost numb. It was as if he were having an out-of-body experience. It was like some kind of bad dream. He could play the part he’d been waiting his entire life to play—provided he subjected himself to this outlined humiliation.
Anger churned through him, and he fought to push it down. “May I …” He cleared his throat. “May I please use your phone?”
Kate came back to her desk and slid her telephone within his reach. “Would you like some privacy?”
Jed laughed. “You’re kidding, right?” He tossed the legal agreement down onto her desk. “You’ve worked your ass off to draw up this contract addendum that makes sure I have absolutely no privacy. Why start thinking about things like that now?”
He picked up the phone, but his hands were shaking. For a minute he sat there blankly, unable to remember his agent’s name, let alone his phone number. He took a deep breath, and then another. Ron Stapleton. And his number … He punched it in.
It was a direct line, and Ron scooped it up after only one ring. “Stapleton.”
“It’s Jericho Beaumont.” His voice sounded harsh, hoarse. “Mary Kate O’Laughlin tells me she faxed you a copy of a contract addendum and—”
“Jeez, I’m sorry, Jericho. I tried to negotiate it down, but the entire thing is a deal
Kate flipped another page, scared to death he was going to call her bluff and scared to death he wasn’t. “Point five, you’ll have two separate trailers on the set. One for sleeping, the other for your use while waiting between shots. According to this agreement, your sleeping trailer will be kept absolutely free and clear of any belongings.”
“So I can’t smuggle drugs in, inside the cutout pages of a book and use ’em at night when the warden is sleeping, right?” He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “This is outrageous.”
She glanced up from the document, praying he couldn’t tell she was way over her head. “You can keep personal items in the other trailer, but that trailer will be searched twice daily—more often if deemed necessary. Oh, and your sleeping trailer will be kept locked at night. Your supervisor will have a key, you will not.”
“Locked,” Jericho echoed, his movie star charm gone. “What you’re saying is that I’ll be
locked in
at night?”
Kate knew that if she could get him to sign this agreement, her movie would get made with the least possiblerisks. But it wouldn’t be without a price. Jericho Beaumont wasn’t going to be her best friend after this, that was certain. She felt the teeniest twinge of regret and quickly quashed it. “Points six and seven deal with the specifics of the percentages deal—the legal working specifying which of your actions would result in what we’d consider a breach of contract.”
“Locked in.” He couldn’t get past point five. “Sweet Jesus, what you’re telling me is that I have to agree to be treated like a prisoner in jail for two and a half goddamned months?”
She didn’t blink. “I guess you’ve got to decide how badly you want this part.” She stood up, crossing the room and opening her office door as if ready to show him out. “You’re welcome to turn it down, of course.”
Jed knew what she was doing. She was trying to push him away. She wanted him to walk from this deal. She didn’t want him in her movie—she’d said that from the first. He took a deep breath, and somehow his voice was steady and calm. “Okay. All right. I’ll agree to the daily drug tests and the AA meetings, but the 24/7 supervision and the locked trailer is completely unacceptable.”
“This agreement is not negotiable, Mr. Beaumont. It’s all or nothing. I’ve already spoken to your agent about it. I’ve faxed him a copy, and he understands that we’re willing to take the risk and cast you—but only under the terms and conditions that I’ve just listed.”
Jed sat there. His fingers tingled and his legs felt odd, almost numb. It was as if he were having an out-of-body experience. It was like some kind of bad dream. He could play the part he’d been waiting his entire life to play—provided he subjected himself to this outlined humiliation.
Anger churned through him, and he fought to push it down. “May I …” He cleared his throat. “May I please use your phone?”
Kate came back to her desk and slid her telephone within his reach. “Would you like some privacy?”
Jed laughed. “You’re kidding, right?” He tossed the legal agreement down onto her desk. “You’ve worked your ass off to draw up this contract addendum that makes sure I have absolutely no privacy. Why start thinking about things like that now?”
He picked up the phone, but his hands were shaking. For a minute he sat there blankly, unable to remember his agent’s name, let alone his phone number. He took a deep breath, and then another. Ron Stapleton. And his number … He punched it in.
It was a direct line, and Ron scooped it up after only one ring. “Stapleton.”
“It’s Jericho Beaumont.” His voice sounded harsh, hoarse. “Mary Kate O’Laughlin tells me she faxed you a copy of a contract addendum and—”
“Jeez, I’m sorry, Jericho. I tried to negotiate it down, but the entire thing is a deal
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