Hate the Player: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy(42)

Thankfully, a sex scene with my costar is not on the agenda today, and I will have a little more time to fully wrap my mind around the concept of compartmentalization.

Hallelujah!

Once we finished filming Scene 32, I was led into one of the hair and makeup trailers to get the fake rain dried out of my hair and my makeup reapplied. The next order of business will be a scene revolving around Arizona and her band.

“Oh my God, Cara,” Tawny Rose mutters on a heavy sigh as she looks up from the screen of her phone and into the vanity mirror. She assesses her reflection with scrutinizing eyes and a sour mouth. “Are you trying to make me look horrible today? This eye makeup is not going to cut it.”

Cara, Tawny’s designated hair and makeup stylist, offers a neutral smile. “I’ve been given strict instructions to make Delilah’s makeup look over the top. It’s part of her character.”

“Well, it looks like total shit,” Tawny hisses. “It’s embarrassing, to be honest. No way I’m going to get in front of the cameras looking like this.”

Sheesh. Diva, much?

While Cara works on Tawny’s hair and makeup, Maureen continues to work on mine, and I don’t miss the discreet looks they give each other over Tawny’s little temper tantrum.

Frankly, I don’t really understand what she’s so pissed about. Her lips look full and luscious, her eyes are smoky and catlike, and the contouring Cara worked on for a good fifteen minutes has only made the beautiful actress more stunning.

“This is exactly what Howie wants, Tawny.”

“Well, then maybe you should call his ass in here so I can tell him he’s fucking wrong,” she scolds, venom dripping from her lips.

“I think you look really pretty,” I offer, trying to smooth out the tension, but it’s apparently useless.

“If you think this looks pretty, then you’re fucking clueless,” Tawny snaps back, her eyes never leaving the screen of her phone.

Oh boy. This woman is my costar, the one who is playing my best friend in the movie. I hope to God she’s just having a bad day and isn’t like this all the freaking time. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure our working relationship will prove to be quite the challenge.

“Someone better fix this right fucking now,” she adds. “Or else I’m going to lose it.”

Pretty sure you might already be losing it, sweetie…

Cara looks up toward the ceiling and inhales a deep breath before setting down the brush in her hand on the vanity counter and grabbing her phone. “I’ll try to get Howie in here.”

“You better do more than try,” Tawny calls out as Cara walks away from the vanity stand and out of the trailer.

Okay, so maybe she’s having a really, really bad day?

Maureen grabs a hair-dryer and starts carefully drying my long blond locks, and even with the loud whooshing sounds of air being pushed out near my ears, I can still hear the moment Tawny starts her current phone call.

“Lydia, where the hell are you?” she snaps into the receiver. “I’m sitting here with a woman who shouldn’t be allowed to do hair and makeup making me look like shit, and you’re nowhere to be found… Yeah… So?… Well, forget about the fucking coffee and get in here and fix this!”

Yeah, I’m starting to think this is just her norm—a pretentious diva with a huge, privileged stick up her ass.

Thankfully, my phone buzzes in my lap, and I look down to find a text in my group chat with Rocky and Billie. Hell yes. A distraction.



Billie: How is your first official day on set going????



Rocky: Yes! Tell us all the things!!!



I smile and type out a response.



Me: Well, my first scene included kissing my jerk costar and him being his usual asshole self. And now, I’m currently in the hair and makeup trailer watching a very popular Hollywood actress have a meltdown about her hair and makeup. Which, by the way, looks really good.



Rocky: Welcome to Hollywood. LOL. And who is the actress?



Me: Tawny Rose.



Billie: Jesus, she’s a real peach. And by real peach, I mean total bitch.



Billie calling someone a bitch is like Buddha calling someone an asshole. It simply doesn’t happen.



Me: So, I take it you’ve had some run-ins with her?



Billie: One of my very first PA jobs revolved around dealing with that awful woman. She’s never happy about anything or anyone. Always complaining. Like, literally, ALWAYS complaining.



Rocky: I worked with her on a movie once, and she was BANANAS.



I grin down at their messages.



Me: So, I guess my first impression of her being a huge diva wasn’t off base, then?



Billie: NOPE. She’s such a diva, she gives actual divas a bad name.



Me: LOL.



Rocky: Are you going to have scenes with her?



Me: A few. She’s my character’s best friend.



Rocky: Oh snap. That’s some bullshit right there.



Me: Tell me about it.



Billie: If it makes you feel any better, Howie is already aware she’s a problem. I’m sure he’ll have your back if she gets out of hand on set.