Chapter 1
Luna had been working for other people on other people’s projects for almost ten years before she was able to take the reins. She spent that time learning from the mistakes she saw others make and observing how to make a movie under budget with the least amount of drama. When she finally got the greenlight to direct a western she and her friend Eugene had been writing, she was pretty sure she was prepared for anything.
“We are doing this and we’re doing it right,” she told Eugene as they met for a production meeting. “I don’t want to blow this chance.”
“Luna, you’re already ahead of the game, you neurotic freak,” Eugene joked but they both knew he appreciated her drive and focus.
They offered the head of wardrobe position to their colleague Julie with whom they had both worked on productions. Luna liked Julie because she was direct and efficient in a mechanical way. Eugene liked Julie because she had a great eye and was unabashedly good at what she did. Eugene was a fan of women who knew their worth, which was why he and Luna always worked well together. In a notoriously harsh industry where people are often cut down in petty power plays, surrounding oneself with colleagues who didn’t mistake insecurity and false modesty for humility was priceless.
When all three of them sat down to work out some details, Julie already had a binder of photos for cowboy outfits and hoop skirts. Luna, who was already starting to get anxious about the whole thing, relaxed a little.
“I’m glad I’ve buffered myself with good people,” she said as she flipped through the binder. “The things that you two are in charge of don’t even cross my mind.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Julie said, sipping what was most likely her third cup of coffee that day. “I’m happiest when I’m working for someone who doesn’t second guess me.”
“What’s the next step on your end?” Eugene asked Luna. She was too engrossed in the photos of costumes and whatever was running through her mind on the treadmill of anxiety to hear him. He snapped his fingers; her head shot up. “Already, Luna? You’re so tense and we’re not even on set.”
“Sorry, I heard you. I just...casting. Casting is next. A few of the roles are set. Hannah Remart from that WB show wants to be in it. I guess she’s trying to get a more adult image so her agent’s been asking a lot of questions about how many serious scenes she’ll have. The other one that’s cast is…”
She sighed, swallowed down some coffee, made a face. She drank coffee for the caffeine but she never really liked it unless it had so much sugar and milk in it that it tasted like ice cream. For the time being, she thought it best she stayed away from a ton of unnecessary sugar so she was drinking it black.
“Oh that’s right,” Julie jumped in. “You’ve got an actual A-list celebrity for this one. I had heard that but wasn’t sure if it was true.”
“Who’d you get?” Eugene asked.
“Greg Culvers,” Luna answered with an exhalation that bordered on frustrated. “I don’t really want him but whatever. He’s doing it at a fraction of what he actually costs because he likes the script and is looking for more serious work.”
“Everyone’s using your movie to change their image, I guess,” Eugene said in a tone both women knew to read as half sarcastic quip.
“I guess.” Another sip of coffee, another puckered face. “So there’s a few female roles to be filled. One big one, the rest tertiary. There’s Greg’s role, two more male roles that we can get regular people for, and one that’s not a big part but requires stunts.”
“You’re not getting a stunt rider?” Julie asked.
“Well, I am but I would like to find a stunt rider who can act instead of finding an actor and then a stunt rider. I mean, it’s not a huge part. How hard can it be for some rodeo dude to act like a cowboy?”
“I guess,” Eugene said.
Luna inhaled deeply as she tried to calm her nerves. She had thought her plan a smart one but both Julie and Eugene seemed wary. It wasn’t until she got a call from the casting director that she knew she had been right.
“I found someone for you,” the casting director said, her voice breathless. “I’m telling you: he’s perfect.”
The next day, they rode out to the central valley where a rodeo was stationed for the next few months. There the casting director pointed out a tall, broad shouldered young man with dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Luna felt her jaw drop at the sight of him then composed herself. It was too late though. The casting director had seen the reaction and was doubled over with laughter.
“I knew you’d like him!” she exclaimed.
“I admit, he’s very good looking,” Luna said, trying to maintain her air of self control. “I’d like to see him ride but more importantly, I’d like to see if he can act.”
The casting director approached the side of the pen and waved her hand in the air like she was hailing a rescue plane from a sinking ship. The cowboy waved back, kicked the horse he was on in the side, and trotted over.
“Ty, I’d like you to meet Luna. She’s directing that movie I was talking to you about.”
“Oh, it’s real nice to meet ya.” Ty extended a hand down. “I’ve done some stunt work for movies before. Especially lately.”
“Yes, westerns are making a comeback,” Luna said in an authoritative voice. “The eighties didn’t have many westerns thanks to one called Heaven’s Gate that came out in 1979 but since the success of Young Guns, the nineties promises a few good ones.”
Ty and the casting director were both nodding politely but Luna could tell that neither of them cared. She cleared her throat.
“So you’ve done some acting?” she asked.
“Not really,” Ty answered. “I’ve done a lot of stunt work and I’ve done some for movies but I’ve never delivered any lines or nothing like that. I’d like to though. I think I could.”
“He read for me last time we met,” the casting director told her. “He’s good. Especially for the role in this. It’s not a hard part. Might be a good way for him to get his foot in the door.”
“Well, that’s fine but I don’t want a weak link in the casting just so someone can get his foot in the door.” She paused and glanced up at him. “No offense, Ty. You might be wonderful. I’d still just need to see for myself.”
“No big deal.” Ty dismounted and stepped out of the pen. “I’d be more than happy to read for you too.”
The casting director handed him the sides for the character as Luna took a seat on a nearby railing. Ty took a long moment to read through what he was given then handed it back and did the scene with the casting director almost perfectly.
“You’ve got a good memory,” Luna said when he was done. “That’s can be more important than being a good actor.”
“Did I mess somethin’ up? I can do it again.”
The casting director muffled a laugh. She knew Luna’s terrible habit of being two steps ahead of everyone else in a conversation. Luna had already decided his acting was fine and had moved on to the logistics of hiring him. Both she and Luna knew he was hired but from the outside, one couldn’t help but be mildly insulted.
“Mess something up?” Luna shook her head. “No, why would you think that? That was fine. It’s not a big role anyway. More than anything I need someone who can learn their part fast and not freeze up when I call action. Especially once they’re up on a horse and about to do a stunt.”
“What Luna’s trying to say, though not very clearly,” the casting director jumped in, “is that this character is stunts first, acting second. Basically, if you were able to deliver a believable line and photograph well then you had the role.”
“Easier to teach a stuntman to act than an actor to do stunts, they keep telling me,” Luna agreed as she hopped down from the fence. “Well, Ty, I look forward to working with you. My casting director will handle all the details as far as getting your contract together.”
“Great!”
Ty extended a large, well-shaped hand. Luna was surprised by how long and graceful the fingers were but felt the rough calluses on his palms when they shook. Being closer, Luna found herself breathing oddly at the sight of his clear, blue eyes. Ty was still smiling an open, polite smile, unaware of how tongue-tied Luna had become.
“Luna?” the casting director asked, noticing the strange, sudden silence.
“Uh, oh...nothing. I’m…” Luna cleared her throat. “You have good eyes, Ty. I was just thinking that they’re going to look very nice on film.”
Ty laughed hesitantly then glanced over at the casting director who had an expression almost as surprised as he felt.
“Ms. Luna, are ya tellin’ me I’ve got pretty eyes?”
“Well, yes. I suppose so. As a director, I need to be paying attention to every detail that’s going to be up on screen.”
It was then that Luna realized she was still holding onto Ty’s hand. She released it in an abrupt motion as if she was tossing it away from her. Ty brought the freed hand up to his face and rubbed his mouth thoughtfully.
“I look forward to workin’ with you too,” Ty said. He tipped his hat as the two women walked away, and Luna wondered if he was doing the old-fashioned gesture in earnest. She had trouble telling if he had a twinkle of knowing mischief in his eyes or if they were just that beautiful.
