Chapter 2

After a week of non-stop workdays, Valerie was getting used to the pace of Hollywood. Everything needed to be quick, precise, and clean. Get in costume, film a scene in as few takes as possible, wrap up. They were almost done with the first episode of season three, and Valerie wasn't sure if they were going too fast, slow, or if they were right on schedule. 

They had a large group scene to film with most of the main cast, whom she got better acquainted with in the last few days. Maria Slater was sitting next to her, talking her ear off about the latest procedure she was planning on getting while they waited for the crew to finish setting up the next shots they were taking. 

Valerie didn't want to be rude, she knew she had to focus on what Maria was saying, but she couldn't get her eyes off Celeste, who was talking with Jason. 

She held herself with her usual poise and grace, dressed in a maroon button up and black slacks. She looked gorgeous. She wondered absentmindedly if she could convince wardrobe to put her in pants more often. She swallowed. 

"What do you think?" She heard Maria ask. 

"Huh?" Valerie turned to her, finally out of her reverie. 

"Should I get veneers?" Maria smiled at her toothily. Her teeth were practically perfect, bright against her rich black hair and golden brown skin. 

"What? No. Definitely not. Hell, if you need veneers, what does that leave for the rest of us?" 

Maria laughed and hit her arm playfully and Valerie smiled. As chatty as Maria was, she was glad to have a friendly face in the cast. 

"Okay, everyone, let's run it again!" Jason called out. 

After a few takes, the director was getting frustrated. 

"This isn't working. Something isn't working. Nora, help me out here." He turned to his assistant director, and they chatted quietly, leaving the cast paused mid-scene. 

"Okay, yeah, you're right. Everyone, let's run it again, slower this time. And Owen stop leaning on the table like that, you look like a faggot." 

He said that so nonchalantly, Valerie almost missed it. Her jaw fell wide open. 

She knew that slurs were still used slyly among people, she's seen memes on Facebook after all, but this was her first time experiencing it in a workplace. 

Should she say something? Was it her place? Would they even take the newbie seriously? Her co-stars didn't bat an eye, apparently used to such language being thrown around by the director. Owen straightened up without a word. 

"What did you just say?" 

Valerie closed her mouth and turned to the voice.

Celeste. 

Jason had the audacity to look sheepish. "Sorry, Celeste. Slipped out." 

"You realize you can't say that anymore, right? That is completely unprofessional." The actress was actually angry. 

Jason groaned. "I got it. We can't joke about anything anymore." He gestured wildly with his hands.

"You can't say that word because it's a slur, Jason, and this is a workplace. Apologize to Owen now, please." She crossed her arms. 

Owen flinched, clearly not wanting to get involved. "Celeste, it's fine, I'm not offended," 

"This is a matter of principle, Owen." 

Jason rolled his eyes. "Fine, okay. I'm sorry, Owen. Can we reshoot the scene now? Pick it up from 'I don't see why her presence is necessary.'" Celeste nodded, but didn't seem satisfied with his answer. 

Valerie was speechless. She was impressed by Celeste. Granted, she was an executive producer on Scent of Winter and had some power around here, but she appreciated her standing up for her co-star. She now had a newfound disdain for Jason Lawson. And a newfound respect for Celeste Brentford. 

He called "Action!" and Celeste kicked them off. 

Her character, Rose Hannigan, was the cunning, ruthless neighborhood association president in Hillsborough, California. She and her husband, Jack (played by Owen Ballard), control the affluent town. When a series of break-ins terrorize the town's residents, Valerie's character, private investigator Eleanor Bateson, is brought in by the mayor to advise on the neighborhood association, to Rose's dismay. Their characters often butted heads. 

"Harlow, I don't see why her presence is necessary. Can't the sheriff just assist us in this? That's what we always do. Hell, the sheriff's office managed to solve the murder by themselves last year." Rose crossed her arms, glaring at the woman in front of her. She didn't want outsiders on her turf, messing up the town's dynamic, and poking around in her business. 

"Yeah, we'll figure it out on our own." Piped up Cassandra Collins, the vice president of the neighborhood association. 

"I don't think I need to tell you what these break-ins mean for the residents of this town, Rose. This is incredibly high profile and if it gets out, the housing market in Hillsborough is doomed." Mayor Harlow was seated behind his desk, cool and composed. "I usually agree with you, but Eleanor's good. And we need good, right now." 

Rose rolled her eyes, thinking of ways to get rid of the woman seated in the chair in front of the mayor's desk. Eleanor hasn't spoken yet. She just sat, studying her. 

"I won't be in your hair, Mrs. Hannigan. I'm here to help." Eleanor tried to smile at the woman, but she wasn't having it. 

"Yeah? Who sent you? The FBI?" Jack, who was leaning against the far wall, asked.

"I'm… not a government employee, Mr. Hannigan. I'm a private investigator. I don't have an agenda here." 

"She's good, Rose. Trust me." Harlow clasped his hands. Eleanor stood up, walked over to Rose and sized her up. She smirked. Her audacity astonished Rose. She just waltzed into town in her dark wash jeans and worn leather jacket like she belonged. Like she was God's gift to them. 

"We can work together, can't we? I want to catch these guys as badly as you do." 

Rose glared at her, infuriated that she was on eye level. She was usually the tallest one in the room. She pursed her lips and stepped up to her, closer. 

Valerie paused, frozen. They hadn't rehearsed that. She wasn't prepared to have Celeste in her personal space like this. Her perfume made itself known in her nose. Spicy and woody, maybe a hint of sandalwood. Not what she expected her to wear, but it was intoxicating. 

"I highly doubt it, Miss Bateson." There was a glint in her eye, almost playful. 

Valerie swallowed thickly, trying desperately to remain in character. She wondered if Celeste could hear her heartbeat accelerate. 

"I guess we'll have to see." 

"Cut!"

They called for a 15 minute break. She watched as Celeste practically ran off the soundstage, presumably back to her trailer to catch a breather. Valerie couldn't blame her, the air was still tense from their standoff earlier. And from her and Celeste's proximity during the scene. She hoped her makeup covered up the blush that she felt.

"Yeesh, you could cut the tension with a knife in here." Maria, who plays Cassandra, commented, patting her arm as she passed by her. Valerie followed her to the craft table. "Has this happened before?" 

Maria thought for a second, munching on a mini croissant. "Not really. Jason always has this… cavalier attitude. And a potty mouth. So you could say I'm not surprised." She grabbed for a piece of cheese. Valerie couldn't stomach food. She sipped on a bottle of water, sitting on the information. 

"I'm honestly kind of impressed with Celeste. I didn't know she was an ally." She hoped she wasn't showing her hand, with a gossip like Maria, she knew she had to keep her cards close. 

"Oh, I don't know about that, but she's the only one who gets to stand up to Jason and the other figureheads. She's nothing if not a professional. God knows what kind of circus they'd be running here if it weren't for her keeping them in check." 

Valerie could sense that the executive team on the show was a total boy's club when they cast her. "You know, I never asked you about Celeste. What do you think of her?" 

Maria smirked at her. "We've worked together for like, two years now? I've never hung out with her socially, outside of work events. She's extremely closed off and introverted, but I respect it. The media is kind of all over her personal life all the time." Valerie nodded, remembering the Page Six article she read the week before. 

"Ladies." A gruff voice approached her side, long arm reaching for the coffee pot in front of her. 

"Oh, sorry." Valerie muttered, moving. 

"No sweat." Darius, who plays Mayor Harlow, smiled at her, pouring himself a cup. Maria raised her eyebrow at their co-star. "You sure you want to refill on coffee during shooting, Darius? Remember what happened last time?" 

Darius chuckled, raising his paper cup to take a sip. "Let me worry about my bowel movements, Maria. Thanks." Valerie scrunched up her nose. 

Darius made a move to walk away, his daunting height practically hovering over her. "Valerie was just asking me about Celeste. Care to share your thoughts?" 

Had she just opened Pandora's box?

Darius hummed innocuously, pensive. He brushed a tawny finger against his thick, well-groomed beard. 

"She's," he paused, "complicated." 

"How so?" Valerie asked, her intrigue spiking. The mystery of Celeste Brentford was one she desperately wanted to solve. 

"She's good at her job. Always shows up on time, always knows her lines. She's powerful but not pompous, which is rare in this industry. She's distant and a little cold, but she means well." 

"That's an apt assessment. I figured as much. You don't really see that in the interviews." 

"Yeah, well, she has those award nominations for a reason. Girl can act off any recent Academy winner and I'd put money on that." Darius sipped his coffee. 

"Oh, I know! She was totally snubbed for The Conductor three years ago. I was really rooting for her." Valerie watched that movie in theaters at least three times. Celeste, dressed in a conductor's tuxedo, swaying methodically to the music. She was magnificent. She watched the Oscars that year just for her. 

"And Lover's Quarrel. She should've gotten nominated for that one. These things are rigged." Maria chewed on a pastry. 

"Don't we know it?" Darius sighed.

"So she doesn't have any friends on set?" 

"Not really. The only person she's ever pictured with publicly is Samuel, her boyfriend."

Valerie hummed. Her chances of befriending this woman were not looking good. She wasn't sure why she felt such a pull to Celeste. There was just this sadness about her Valerie wanted to know. Wanted to dig into and discover and write archeological records about. She wanted to pitch a tent in her brain and never leave. Platonically. 

"Who's directing the next episode?" She hadn't received the script yet. They had a table read scheduled next week. 

"Lanie Dominguez. She's a sweetheart so hopefully things will go smoother." Maria smiled at her. Valerie was glad there was at least someone looking out for her on this set. 

She heard the door open suddenly and turned to see Celeste, looking… significantly less put together than she usually did. Her blouse wasn't tucked in properly, and her hair and makeup needed serious touch ups. Valerie looked at her curiously, wondering what happened there. Celeste quietly walked to her chair on set, the set hair and makeup team rushing to her side to fix her up. 

"Excuse me." Valerie left the craft table, bottle still clenched in her hands. She walked up slowly to Celeste's chair. They hadn't had a conversation since that night outside her trailer, only exchanging polite hi's and hello's everyday. Valerie generally preferred to stay out of her hair. 

Celeste looked up at her, brown eyes locking with green. "Hi." Valerie said shyly. 

"Hello." Celeste looked up at her from her seat, curious. Valerie shook her head before she could get distracted by the gorgeous woman in front of her.

"I didn't know you were an ally." She blurted out. Celeste's eyes widened and she sat back, indignant. 

"Of course I am. I don't make a show of it because I don't like patting myself on the back for doing the bare minimum, but I do my part." She raised an eyebrow at her co-star. "I didn't realize I seemed like a heartless bitch." 

Valerie just stared, unable to form words. She hadn't heard her saying a single curse word until now. She cleared her throat. "That's… not what I meant, I'm sorry." 

"You apologize too much." 

Valerie found it hard to talk with all those people surrounding Celeste, and she was getting increasingly embarrassed. "I guess I do." She rubbed the back of her neck. She noticed her co-star fidgeting nervously with her hands. She was playing with her golden cross necklace. 

"Nice work earlier, on the scene." 

A compliment from Celeste Brentford. Valerie might just faint. "Th-thank you." She felt her blush returning. "You too." They had been filming for a week, but today's scene was their characters' first meeting.

"What the fuck?!" She heard before she saw Jason marching over to them. She quickly stepped back before she was caught in his crosshairs. Celeste didn't seem surprised at his outburst. 

"Jason." 

"You…!" His face was almost comical. His assistant was trailing behind him, anxious look on his face. The makeup team had backed off. 

"Cat got your tongue?" 

"A Title IX complaint? Really? I said I'm sorry!" He held out his phone to her, screen opened on an email Valerie couldn't really see.

"Oh wow, HR works fast." Celeste faked nonchalance, the expression on her face infuriatingly neutral. 

"You–"

"Careful, Jason. Three strikes, you're out. Remember?" Celeste got up, straightening to be at eye level with him. "This is just to make this never happens again, alright?" She put on her sickeningly sweet voice, and Jason looked like he was about to pop from how red he was. 

He glared at her and walked away before he said something he might regret, storming out of the studio. His assistant scurried after him. 

"Okay, everyone, we'll finish this without Jason, please be ready in two." Nora said, clearly exasperated by her director. 

Valerie heard Maria walk up behind her. "Celeste sure isn't afraid to make enemies." Valerie looked at her and nodded. She was endlessly impressed. And turned on. 

Celeste sat back down and let her team finish touching her up, as if this stand off never happened. 

Valerie just stared. Who are you?