He frowned. “You’re gone so soon?”
“Yup. This was the last scene Gerry needed me for. I won’t be back unless he needs to do any reshoots.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“You too. Say hi to Marcie and the kids.”
“Will do.” With that Gus hurried off.
“You want to get a bite to eat or something?” Stan was still standing off to the side waiting. He was a great guy. Tall, good-looking in a blond, surfer-dude way, when he wasn’t covered in blood and makeup, that is. She wished she felt something more than friendship, but there was no spark there.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll just head home. It’s been a long night.”
“Rain check?”
“You bet.” She gave him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before heading off to the wardrobe trailer to change.
Once inside, Kellsie dragged off the sticky shirt and stained jeans, handing them to the head of the wardrobe department, before squeezing herself into the tiny shower. She didn’t linger, but washed quickly, cleaning away the fake blood, dirt and makeup. When she was done, she toweled off and dressed in her own clothing. Jeans and a T-shirt. Only, this time, she wore a bra beneath her shirt. She was top heavy and liked to keep the girls in line. The director had wanted a little more bounce in her character’s step so Kellsie hadn’t worn one in shot. Wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. She didn’t bother with mascara or lipstick. She was going home and falling into bed.
She glanced at her watch. It was just after four in the morning. The sun would soon be coming up. It had been a long three days of shooting. But she needed the work and long days were better than the alternative.
She stepped out of the bathroom, grabbed her duffle bag off the floor and slung it over her shoulder. “See you.”
The head of the wardrobe department was talking on the phone but held up her hand and waved as Kellsie left the trailer. There were still plenty of folks milling around planning for today’s shooting. She wished she were a part of it. She loved making movies, but she was afraid she was nearing the end of her career.
Washed up at thirty. Almost thirty, she reminded herself. Her birthday wasn’t for another two weeks. Several people called out their goodbyes as she made her way to the makeshift parking lot near the end of the lake. It really was a beautiful location.
Kellsie loved the outdoors, but most of her work kept her in or near Los Angeles. A few days at a lake were a treat, even if she had been working eighteen-hour days, screaming her lungs out and getting killed at the end of it. She’d gotten to bunk at the gorgeous house they were using for the shoot. The director had actually had the cameraman take some shots of her while she was sleeping and waking up. Creepy, but realistic.
She smiled as she tossed her duffle bag onto the passenger seat of her trusty Honda, Betsy. Some of her friends thought it was weird that she’d named her car, but Betsy had been in her life longer than anyone but her agent. Kellsie figured for that alone the car deserved a name.
Betsy was ten years old, purchased with money from her biggest role ever. The one she’d hoped would be the breakout role of her career. The Slasher on Cemetery Road was a cult classic and she still got recognized as the character, Jessica Moore, when she went places. It had been the pinnacle of her acting career to date.
Unfortunately, it hadn’t landed her any bigger roles in more serious or box-office-heavy movies. But it had cemented her as one of horror movies’ greatest actresses and had landed her more than a few guest spots on some television shows. Kellsie was simply happy to be working at something she loved.
She turned the key in the ignition and the engine turned over on the first try. She patted the dashboard. “That’s my girl.”
Kellsie rolled her head, trying to release some of the kinks in her neck. She was stiff from being tossed around by Stan for the past two days. The first day had been the easiest, mostly shots of her arriving at the lake house and exploring it. The other days had been extremely physical.
Which reminded her she had to make it to the gym later today. She couldn’t afford to miss a workout. She needed to stay strong and in shape if she wanted to keep the roles coming.
Stifling a yawn, she pulled out of the parking lot and started the long drive home. Three hours, maybe four depending on traffic, and she’d be able to crawl into her bed in her miniscule efficiency apartment and sleep for eight straight hours. Heaven.
She turned on the radio and flicked around the stations, turning it off again when she didn’t find anything that appealed to her. That left her with nothing to do but think. “Great,” she muttered.
She didn’t want to think about her career and where it was headed. But she’d always been a realist. Growing up as a cog in the wheel of the foster-care system did that to a person. Unless she was able to get some bit parts in some blockbuster movies, her career would be over soon. Kellsie figured she had two years left, three tops.
Tapping her fingers against the steering wheel, she watched the sun rising over the horizon, spreading its orange and yellow glow across the land. She loved living in California, but it was expensive. When her career ended, she’d have to move, maybe to somewhere in the Midwest where the cost of living was cheaper.
She hadn’t fallen victim to the Hollywood lifestyle, unless you counted those two unfortunate years with her ex, Jonathan Braun, which she didn’t. She excused herself for being young and stupid and needy at eighteen. By the time she’d hit twenty, Jonathan was history, but he’d left her heart in pieces and her bank account emptied. Thankfully, he hadn’t known about her secret savings account. She’d always kept that private, which should have been her first warning that she didn’t trust Jonathan.
“Ancient history,” she reminded herself aloud. He’d used her and her contacts to further his career. When it had started to takeoff, he’d dumped her for the daughter of a movie executive. Upgrading, they called it in Hollywood. Out with the old model and in with the new and improved one.
He’d eventually dumped the new girlfriend as well. Last she’d heard he’d married a Hollywood A-lister. Not that she kept track of him or anything, but it was hard to miss him with his picture constantly plastered over the front of the tabloids. Jon did like the limelight.
Kellsie knew she had a decent amount of money saved, but a couple more good years would give her enough to buy a home and live comfortably while she figured out what it was she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She’d even toyed with writing a book. She could see the title now, Nightmare on My Street: Memories of a Scream Queen. Or maybe, Nightmare on Cemetery Road: Memories of a Scream Queen. Yeah, that was better as it paid homage to her best-known role.
Kellsie grinned. That’s what she was and what she was known best for. No one could scream like she could. She’d been told it could raise the short hairs on the back of a person’s neck and make their blood grow cold. What a talent. Not that she was complaining. That obscure ability was what had landed her the very first movie role she’d ever had.
She also had a lot of knowledge and anecdotes about the movie business, specifically the horror business. She should talk to her agent about it. Maury Fitz had been with her since the beginning of her career, taking her on when she was a painfully young actress wannabe waiting tables for a living. He was always trying to find new ways for both of them to make money. She couldn’t fault him for that. He’d kept her working for more than ten years.
Maybe she should start making some notes. She’d always enjoyed English class in high school. That and drama class had been the only two things she’d excelled at. The rest she’d barely managed a pass, but she’d finished and had a high school diploma to prove it.