Read Online Matt & Brooklyn: A Standalone in the "Again for the First Time" Family Saga (AFTFT Book 2) by Raven St. Pierre - Free Book Online
Authors: Raven St. Pierre
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fine if one of the two wasn’t currently on a quick downslide that none of us could seem to slow no matter how hard we tried. I couldn’t do that to Nick, couldn’t exploit him during such a low point. There was no way I’d even be able to ask his permission to film his life in shambles like it was. I hadn’t filled Cliff in on any of the details of Nick’s life, so he’d have no way of knowing what a bad idea this was.
“It’ll be great!” he went on. “We could get some footage of the family together on holidays, maybe plan to film off and on over the next year or so, which would mean a lot of travel back and forth for you with all the stuff you have going on here, too, but you’re young, so—”
“I can’t do it.” The words fell from my mouth and the weight of them stilled the room.
Cliff cocked his head to the side. “I’m sorry? Did you just say you can’t do this?” When I nodded he went on. “Uh… maybe you misheard me, but—”
“I heard you,” I clarified, taking a deep breath while I tried to put the words together. “Now just isn’t a great time to film everyone. Certain members of my family have… personal stuff to deal with.”
He was still confused.
I’d have to give him more information, although I really didn’t want to. Nick’s circumstances were bad. The fewer people who knew what a wreck he was, the better.
“One of my brothers, Nick… he and his wife are going through a divorce. He’s just not in a good place and—”
“Say no more,” Cliff cut in. We both sat in silence; me watching as his eyes roamed over the surface of his desk in thought. “What about the other brother, uh…” Cliff snapped his fingers several times trying to recall his name. “Luke! What about him and his wife? Things good on the home-front there?”
I nodded; I’d never seen Luke happier.
“Good. That’s a start. Give me some time to fill Glastenburg in on the circumstances, maybe set up a meeting between you two, and we’ll see what we can do.”
I think he saw the solemn look on my face because the next thing he said was, “Don’t worry about it, Matty. We’ll work something out.”
And I believed he’d try, but I didn’t believe Glastenburg would bite. He was looking for the same magic that bled through my footage with the first film. I got that it’d be hard to recreate that with a whole half of the film’s stars missing. Still, though, Cliff said he’d try and I knew he’d give it his all.
A dry, “Thank you,” was all I said in return. With that, I braced my hands on the arms of the chair, but just before hoisting myself up, he stopped me.
“Wait, wait, wait… We discussed the great, but I never got to the good.” He smiled, pointing at my seat, his way of telling me to stay put. “So a little birdy told me Pete Nelson is putting together a film crew for a new project and he still needs a production manager. And this same little birdy told me he’s got his eyes set on you to do the job.”
My stomach flipped, nerves kicking in at the thought of working with someone of Pete’s caliber. And for him to be willing to take a chance on me? A rookie? Unbelievable. Cliff hadn’t tried to take any credit here, but I had a feeling he’d put his feelers out on this one, put a bug in someone’s ear. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I’m as confident in myself as the next guy, but I never would’ve thought to go after something this big on my own. Leave it to Cliff, though.
I smiled big, so I’m pretty sure he knew what I was thinking before the words even came. “I don’t know how you did it, but thank you!”
He nodded, still being modest and tight-lipped. “And the schedule won’t clash with what we discussed earlier, a continuation of your documentary. Pete will actually be filming pretty close to your hometown—just an hour-long flight; already checked into it. So, assuming we find an angle for you to shoot footage of your family that you’re
“It’ll be great!” he went on. “We could get some footage of the family together on holidays, maybe plan to film off and on over the next year or so, which would mean a lot of travel back and forth for you with all the stuff you have going on here, too, but you’re young, so—”
“I can’t do it.” The words fell from my mouth and the weight of them stilled the room.
Cliff cocked his head to the side. “I’m sorry? Did you just say you can’t do this?” When I nodded he went on. “Uh… maybe you misheard me, but—”
“I heard you,” I clarified, taking a deep breath while I tried to put the words together. “Now just isn’t a great time to film everyone. Certain members of my family have… personal stuff to deal with.”
He was still confused.
I’d have to give him more information, although I really didn’t want to. Nick’s circumstances were bad. The fewer people who knew what a wreck he was, the better.
“One of my brothers, Nick… he and his wife are going through a divorce. He’s just not in a good place and—”
“Say no more,” Cliff cut in. We both sat in silence; me watching as his eyes roamed over the surface of his desk in thought. “What about the other brother, uh…” Cliff snapped his fingers several times trying to recall his name. “Luke! What about him and his wife? Things good on the home-front there?”
I nodded; I’d never seen Luke happier.
“Good. That’s a start. Give me some time to fill Glastenburg in on the circumstances, maybe set up a meeting between you two, and we’ll see what we can do.”
I think he saw the solemn look on my face because the next thing he said was, “Don’t worry about it, Matty. We’ll work something out.”
And I believed he’d try, but I didn’t believe Glastenburg would bite. He was looking for the same magic that bled through my footage with the first film. I got that it’d be hard to recreate that with a whole half of the film’s stars missing. Still, though, Cliff said he’d try and I knew he’d give it his all.
A dry, “Thank you,” was all I said in return. With that, I braced my hands on the arms of the chair, but just before hoisting myself up, he stopped me.
“Wait, wait, wait… We discussed the great, but I never got to the good.” He smiled, pointing at my seat, his way of telling me to stay put. “So a little birdy told me Pete Nelson is putting together a film crew for a new project and he still needs a production manager. And this same little birdy told me he’s got his eyes set on you to do the job.”
My stomach flipped, nerves kicking in at the thought of working with someone of Pete’s caliber. And for him to be willing to take a chance on me? A rookie? Unbelievable. Cliff hadn’t tried to take any credit here, but I had a feeling he’d put his feelers out on this one, put a bug in someone’s ear. I mean, don’t get me wrong; I’m as confident in myself as the next guy, but I never would’ve thought to go after something this big on my own. Leave it to Cliff, though.
I smiled big, so I’m pretty sure he knew what I was thinking before the words even came. “I don’t know how you did it, but thank you!”
He nodded, still being modest and tight-lipped. “And the schedule won’t clash with what we discussed earlier, a continuation of your documentary. Pete will actually be filming pretty close to your hometown—just an hour-long flight; already checked into it. So, assuming we find an angle for you to shoot footage of your family that you’re
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