Barbara felt that the more high profile each actor in the film was, the better Bridge and Tunnel’s chances at the box office.
After some more discussion, Hunter stepped in. “I’m really a big fan of what Jennifer Willis did today. I just thought she had charisma. She has something special.”
“We don’t want her showing up Eliza,” Bryson said.
“Nobody’s going to show up Eliza,” Hunter responded.
“Just the same, I feel more comfortable going with someone else.”
Things quieted down as the tension in the room suddenly increased. It felt, Scarlett thought, as though Bryson was directly challenging Hunter for some reason.
Scarlett looked at him and realized he was furious with Hunter. Absolutely furious.
And at that moment, Hunter asked Scarlett what she thought. “Scarlett?” he said.
“Maybe you can shed some light on this dilemma. Did you have a preference?”
Bryson sighed.
Scarlett stuttered a non-answer. “I mean, they were all so good—“
“She doesn’t have an opinion,” Bryson said. “So let’s get down to brass tacks.”
Scarlett glared at him. “Excuse me, I do have an opinion. I think Jennifer Willis is hands down the best choice. I honestly can’t believe we’re even having to discuss it.
She blew everyone else away.”
Bryson sat back and folded his arms. “Okay, well—Scarlett’s made her decision, so…fine.” He got up. “Hunter can call Jennifer and tell her she got the part.”
“Bryson,” Hunter said.
“I’m tired and I have rewrites, as you so kindly keep reminding me.” Bryson left the room without another word to anybody.
Hunter turned and looked at Kallie and Barbara. “Is it me? Did I do something wrong?”
Kallie just shook her head sadly.
“Someone needs to talk some sense to that guy,” Hunter muttered.
Scarlett got up. “I’m going to go talk to him.”
She got outside just in time to see him about to turn the corner and disappear from view. “Bryson, wait a second!” she shouted.
He stopped and turned around. “What do you want, Scarlett?”
“I want to talk to you.”
“I really don’t feel like talking right now. Especially not to you.”
“What does that mean?”
He looked at her and his eyes were full of…she couldn’t say exactly what.
Normally, when a man looked at her the way Bryson was staring at her, it meant he wanted her. But there was anger in his eyes, also.
“You never mentioned to me that you dated Hunter Reardon.”
“There’s a lot about me you don’t know, Bryson. And I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know about you.”
He shook his head. “And you took his side over mine.”
“Took his side? Are you talking about how I said I liked Jennifer Willis?”
“That guy busted my balls all day long and the last thing I need is you piling on, Scarlett.”
“You’ve been rude to me all day, so I don’t see how you can blame me for any of this. I’m out here trying to talk to you. I’m trying. I’m trying and you’re just beating me down.”
“I didn’t ask you to come after me. Just—just leave me alone, okay? I can’t take care of your feelings right now. I have rewrites. I have pressure, Scarlett. Everyone on this film thinks I’m going to go down in flames. So just don’t put this added pressure on me of trying to figure out what you need. All right?”
“You know what?” she said. “Forget this.” She turned away from him, finally seeing that she was only repeating her same old patterns by crawling after him and trying to beg his forgiveness for something she hadn’t even done wrong. This was all about him and it had nothing to do with her. And she was glad for it.
“Scarlett, wait. I’m sorry,” he said.
But she was already walking away from him and it felt good. It felt really good.
***
The rest of that day, Scarlett did things for herself.
She got her hair styled at a nice salon and then she went and got a manicure and pedicure. It felt nice to pamper herself
After some more discussion, Hunter stepped in. “I’m really a big fan of what Jennifer Willis did today. I just thought she had charisma. She has something special.”
“We don’t want her showing up Eliza,” Bryson said.
“Nobody’s going to show up Eliza,” Hunter responded.
“Just the same, I feel more comfortable going with someone else.”
Things quieted down as the tension in the room suddenly increased. It felt, Scarlett thought, as though Bryson was directly challenging Hunter for some reason.
Scarlett looked at him and realized he was furious with Hunter. Absolutely furious.
And at that moment, Hunter asked Scarlett what she thought. “Scarlett?” he said.
“Maybe you can shed some light on this dilemma. Did you have a preference?”
Bryson sighed.
Scarlett stuttered a non-answer. “I mean, they were all so good—“
“She doesn’t have an opinion,” Bryson said. “So let’s get down to brass tacks.”
Scarlett glared at him. “Excuse me, I do have an opinion. I think Jennifer Willis is hands down the best choice. I honestly can’t believe we’re even having to discuss it.
She blew everyone else away.”
Bryson sat back and folded his arms. “Okay, well—Scarlett’s made her decision, so…fine.” He got up. “Hunter can call Jennifer and tell her she got the part.”
“Bryson,” Hunter said.
“I’m tired and I have rewrites, as you so kindly keep reminding me.” Bryson left the room without another word to anybody.
Hunter turned and looked at Kallie and Barbara. “Is it me? Did I do something wrong?”
Kallie just shook her head sadly.
“Someone needs to talk some sense to that guy,” Hunter muttered.
Scarlett got up. “I’m going to go talk to him.”
She got outside just in time to see him about to turn the corner and disappear from view. “Bryson, wait a second!” she shouted.
He stopped and turned around. “What do you want, Scarlett?”
“I want to talk to you.”
“I really don’t feel like talking right now. Especially not to you.”
“What does that mean?”
He looked at her and his eyes were full of…she couldn’t say exactly what.
Normally, when a man looked at her the way Bryson was staring at her, it meant he wanted her. But there was anger in his eyes, also.
“You never mentioned to me that you dated Hunter Reardon.”
“There’s a lot about me you don’t know, Bryson. And I’m sure there’s a lot I don’t know about you.”
He shook his head. “And you took his side over mine.”
“Took his side? Are you talking about how I said I liked Jennifer Willis?”
“That guy busted my balls all day long and the last thing I need is you piling on, Scarlett.”
“You’ve been rude to me all day, so I don’t see how you can blame me for any of this. I’m out here trying to talk to you. I’m trying. I’m trying and you’re just beating me down.”
“I didn’t ask you to come after me. Just—just leave me alone, okay? I can’t take care of your feelings right now. I have rewrites. I have pressure, Scarlett. Everyone on this film thinks I’m going to go down in flames. So just don’t put this added pressure on me of trying to figure out what you need. All right?”
“You know what?” she said. “Forget this.” She turned away from him, finally seeing that she was only repeating her same old patterns by crawling after him and trying to beg his forgiveness for something she hadn’t even done wrong. This was all about him and it had nothing to do with her. And she was glad for it.
“Scarlett, wait. I’m sorry,” he said.
But she was already walking away from him and it felt good. It felt really good.
***
The rest of that day, Scarlett did things for herself.
She got her hair styled at a nice salon and then she went and got a manicure and pedicure. It felt nice to pamper herself
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