Page 2 of The Starlet

His voice is low, husky. “Wear something you think will impress me. I expect you ready to go in one hour. No exceptions.” I watch his eyes flick down to my lips and back up again as he licks his own.

“Perfect, that was perfect!” Joe exclaims.

I pull away from him and exhale a slow breath. I smile at the few people in the room and back to Bradley. “That was amazing,” I say to him.

I see a light tinge of color paint his cheeks. “Thanks.”

“Bradley, can you wait for us in the hallway for a moment?” Joe asks.

“Sure.” He turns his attention back to me. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope to be working with you soon.”

“Nice meeting you as well, Bradley.”Holy shit in a handbasket.That was the most intense read-through I’ve ever done. Marcus and I definitely didn’t have that chemistry.

“I think he’s perfect,” I say to everyone. The smiles on their faces and approving nods confirm it. We have our new Zach Petrov.

Chapter 2

When Elena walkedinto the room in her blue sundress and flip flops, I couldn’t breathe. My mouth was dry from the sight of her alone. Then she looked over at me, and it was like she was beckoning me to her.

Elena Conners must be a siren. She’s too beautiful to resist.

I knew she was good looking—it’s Elena Conners for fuck’s sake. Everyone knows just how beautiful she is, with her blonde hair and big doe-like hazel eyes, but in person, she is much more than that. Her presence changed the air in the room. It’s like my body understands what I need and want, more than my damn brain. It’s been a long time since a woman’s had that instant effect on me.

Then, we read the scene together. The way her body trembled next to mine—it was perfect. I felt like Zach in that moment. Everyone else in the room seemed to disappear while we were reading the lines. It was one of—if not the—most intense scenes I’ve ever done for an audition.

Now, I’m trying to keep cool as I wait outside the door for someone to come and get me, but I'm a nervous wreck. A bead of sweat has formed on my brow, and I wipe it away, rubbing my sweaty palms down my pants.

This is the most agonizing part of any audition—waiting.

I take it as a good sign that I’m still standing here. Usually, at the end of an audition, I leave, and if they want me, they call me back. I take a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

Joe opens the door and pops his head out. “Bradley, why don’t you come back in? We’ve made a decision.”

I offer up a smile and follow him back inside. Elena is standing closest to the door with a huge grin on her face and her hands clasped in front of her.I got the fucking part!I can tell by looking at her. She can’t hide her excitement. A grin takes over, and I have the urge to fist pump my hand.

“Congratulations, Bradley. We would like to offer you the part of Zach Petrov. We’ll have the contract drawn up and sent to your manager today. Please review it and get it back to us as soon as possible. Filming starts in a month in Vancouver. Do you have a passport?” Joe asks.

“Yeah. I renewed it last year.”

“Great. We’ll get those papers over soon, along with a stunt training schedule. Everyone else has been working on their routines for months, but I’m sure the stunt team can figure something out. We’re very excited to have you join the cast.”

I move around the room, shaking hands with everyone as they offer a round of congratulations.

Elena clears her throat, and I turn my head toward her. “Bradley, there’s a new club that’s opening next weekend, and several of us from the movie are going. Would you like to join us? It’s atSurrender.”

“Yeah, I’d like that a lot. Thank you.” She nods, her hazel eyes shining. There’s a brief moment of silence between us, and I speak up. “I’d like the chance to get to know you a little better—since we’ll be working together. Would you want to grab a cup of coffee or something? My treat.”

A slow smile spreads across her face, and she points her thumb over her shoulder. “Yeah, that’d be nice. I’d like that a lot. We can just run next door to the coffee shop and get something if you want.”

“Perfect. Come on.”

We take a short walk to the shop and place our orders, thanking the barista as she hands us our drinks, and we find a spot toward the back. There are a few people in the shop, most of them immersed in their laptops or phones. She slides into the booth and fixes the skirt of her dress as I sit opposite her, taking a sip of my steaming coffee.

She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table, her cup dangling from her delicate looking fingers. “So, Bradley, tell me a bit about yourself. I think I’ve seen your name on a few things, but I can’t recall.”

I’ve done some roles I’d rather forget, that’s for sure.“Yeah, I’ve done a few smaller roles in the past. I did work with your friend Caleb last year, before he became the great Antonio Donato. We text every now and again, but it’s been a while.”

“Oh yeah? He’ll be coming on Sunday to the club, too. You’ll see him there.”