more people in. Maybe one
of the employees from the old company has some ideas for—”
“Wait. I think we’re going to be okay. It’s just a new ranch
site that’s needed?”
“Yes. That idiot never finalized the deal, and now the property
has changed hands. We need a new ranch site with power and accessibility, but it
can’t be too modern. It’s for the opening scenes in the movie, and they take
place in the fifties.”
“That shouldn’t be hard to find.”
“It depends how difficult Madeline Beckingham will be about
what’s modern and what’s not.”
“Well, let’s try it at least.”
“Yeah?” Eve cocked her head and studied Grace. “You’re up for
that? We’re talking full-time hours. Overtime, probably.”
“Yes.” She was up for it. Surprisingly up for it. She would’ve
thought she’d hesitate after the past few months. Work had been bad enough, but
then Scott had started twisting her arm, making her go to industry functions
with him. The parties had been full of fake, grasping, ambitious liars who
swarmed like insects around producers and directors. They’d always made her skin
crawl.
But somehow this felt different. She didn’t know why. Maybe it
was the sense of independence. A feeling that they were on her territory now.
Stupid, of course. Wyoming wasn’t hers. She’d only been here a few days, and she
obviously didn’t belong.
So maybe it was just the pay. A week of working like that, and
she could actually send Scott some money. Enough to hold off his threats until
she got to Vancouver.
“It’s some kind of Western, right? They said they wanted an
isolated ranch with panoramic views for the sky shots.”
“Yeah.” Eve chewed her thumbnail and stared across the
restaurant. “It’s a big-money cowboy monster movie. I’ve got a couple of ideas.
A place I did a magazine shoot at a couple of years ago, but it’s probably a
little too modern-looking.”
“I have an idea for a place.”
“You? I thought you just got to town.”
Grace took a deep breath and told herself to ignore the
self-doubt that rose up, telling her to be quiet. “I did just get to town. I’m
sure you know of a dozen other places, but… I went for a drive yesterday. Have
you heard of a ranch called Easy Creek? It’s rustic and beautiful. A little
brutal-looking and isolated enough that you can do panoramic shots with no
interference. I know they said they could eliminate other buildings in editing,
but the isolation of this place might make things a little simpler.”
“Depends on how far away it is.”
“Not far, from what I remember.”
“You know how to get there?”
“Yes.” Probably.
Eve grabbed her purse and stood up. “Then let’s go check it
out. I need to get out of here for a few minutes anyway. You might be used to
this, but I’m not.”
“It gets easier,” Grace said.
“Really?”
“No, not really.”
Eve’s face broke into a wide smile, and her bright laugh
surprised Grace. She hadn’t realized how tense Eve was until she’d relaxed for a
moment. She looked younger and softer, and Grace found herself wondering what
her story was. Oh, well. None of her business.
“Come on. Let’s save Madeline Beckingham’s ass.”
* * *
T HREE HOURS LATER , Grace left the Easy Creek Ranch in shock.
They’d done it. They’d really done it. Because of her.
She’d never experienced anything like that before. She’d come
up with an idea, put it out there and everything had just fallen into place.
Well, it had taken a little more work than that.
Somehow, she’d managed to direct Eve back to the Easy Creek
Ranch with only two false turns. And as they’d driven down the long ranch road,
Grace had realized she’d been right. The place was perfect. Exactly the location
that had been described in the location list. Low hills obscured any views of
civilization, but didn’t rise high enough to block out the Tetons. The
buildings, clustered in a loose circle at the end
of the employees from the old company has some ideas for—”
“Wait. I think we’re going to be okay. It’s just a new ranch
site that’s needed?”
“Yes. That idiot never finalized the deal, and now the property
has changed hands. We need a new ranch site with power and accessibility, but it
can’t be too modern. It’s for the opening scenes in the movie, and they take
place in the fifties.”
“That shouldn’t be hard to find.”
“It depends how difficult Madeline Beckingham will be about
what’s modern and what’s not.”
“Well, let’s try it at least.”
“Yeah?” Eve cocked her head and studied Grace. “You’re up for
that? We’re talking full-time hours. Overtime, probably.”
“Yes.” She was up for it. Surprisingly up for it. She would’ve
thought she’d hesitate after the past few months. Work had been bad enough, but
then Scott had started twisting her arm, making her go to industry functions
with him. The parties had been full of fake, grasping, ambitious liars who
swarmed like insects around producers and directors. They’d always made her skin
crawl.
But somehow this felt different. She didn’t know why. Maybe it
was the sense of independence. A feeling that they were on her territory now.
Stupid, of course. Wyoming wasn’t hers. She’d only been here a few days, and she
obviously didn’t belong.
So maybe it was just the pay. A week of working like that, and
she could actually send Scott some money. Enough to hold off his threats until
she got to Vancouver.
“It’s some kind of Western, right? They said they wanted an
isolated ranch with panoramic views for the sky shots.”
“Yeah.” Eve chewed her thumbnail and stared across the
restaurant. “It’s a big-money cowboy monster movie. I’ve got a couple of ideas.
A place I did a magazine shoot at a couple of years ago, but it’s probably a
little too modern-looking.”
“I have an idea for a place.”
“You? I thought you just got to town.”
Grace took a deep breath and told herself to ignore the
self-doubt that rose up, telling her to be quiet. “I did just get to town. I’m
sure you know of a dozen other places, but… I went for a drive yesterday. Have
you heard of a ranch called Easy Creek? It’s rustic and beautiful. A little
brutal-looking and isolated enough that you can do panoramic shots with no
interference. I know they said they could eliminate other buildings in editing,
but the isolation of this place might make things a little simpler.”
“Depends on how far away it is.”
“Not far, from what I remember.”
“You know how to get there?”
“Yes.” Probably.
Eve grabbed her purse and stood up. “Then let’s go check it
out. I need to get out of here for a few minutes anyway. You might be used to
this, but I’m not.”
“It gets easier,” Grace said.
“Really?”
“No, not really.”
Eve’s face broke into a wide smile, and her bright laugh
surprised Grace. She hadn’t realized how tense Eve was until she’d relaxed for a
moment. She looked younger and softer, and Grace found herself wondering what
her story was. Oh, well. None of her business.
“Come on. Let’s save Madeline Beckingham’s ass.”
* * *
T HREE HOURS LATER , Grace left the Easy Creek Ranch in shock.
They’d done it. They’d really done it. Because of her.
She’d never experienced anything like that before. She’d come
up with an idea, put it out there and everything had just fallen into place.
Well, it had taken a little more work than that.
Somehow, she’d managed to direct Eve back to the Easy Creek
Ranch with only two false turns. And as they’d driven down the long ranch road,
Grace had realized she’d been right. The place was perfect. Exactly the location
that had been described in the location list. Low hills obscured any views of
civilization, but didn’t rise high enough to block out the Tetons. The
buildings, clustered in a loose circle at the end
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