Cover Girl

By Karah Brooks

Nick was the new guy in California, finally landing his dream job of being behind the scenes of a hit television show, but longing to be a director. Macie was an actress, always playing the chubby best friend role. They would be satisfied with just that, but fate has other plans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karah Brooks
• Release date: Apr 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370415762

Karah Brooks

Karah Brooks is an award-winning journalist who loves cats, music and anything related to television. She has been writing fiction since 1998 and pretends she lives out the life of Penny Lane in “Almost Famous.”

Book preview

Cover Girl

By

Karah Brooks

© 2012 | KH | All Rights Reserved

Cover graphic courtesy of freeimages.com

www.TheFangirlingLife.com

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

About the Author

Chapter 1

[Nick]

My life has never been easy. I was the result of a one night stand where my father got my mother pregnant in the bathroom of a 7-11 somewhere between Orlando and Tampa, Florida. My father did the noble thing and married my mother and that lasted all but six months before she found him cheating on her and ultimately went into labor with me.

That's been my story since then. I came into this world as a mistake and I've been making mistakes since. I dropped out of high school at sixteen and that was a mistake. I got a girl pregnant - not once, but twice - and started working for my father's employer, a construction company. I ended up getting my GED and going to community college.

Then I went to a specialty school in Florida where I learned about my passion - film.

Ever since I saw Alien and The Goonies, I knew I wanted to make movies. I wanted to be behind the camera and write my own movies. I got sidetracked in high school but ultimately I graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, in filmmaking after working full time and going to school full time. I didn't sleep much those five years, but I made it. At 26, I graduated college and began doing camera work for different production companies around central and south Florida.

Then one of my professors at school told me about a job opening for a camera operator in Los Angeles for Warner Brothers lot. It was my chance to make it in California and finally break into the real industry of filmmaking. I could save up enough money and make my own movie to get noticed. This was the dream and I knew it had to come true.

Then I got the call one day while sitting in the office of Hillsborough County Middle School and found out I got the job. They saw my demo reel and all of the experience I had and hired me.

Moving to Los Angeles was my dream and I knew it was going to change my life. I just didn't realize it would change my life as much as it did.

I guess, in all, it changed my life for the better.

[/Nick]

Nick Stewart stood outside of a soundstage on the Warner Brothers lot, pacing around on a hot August afternoon. He already had his new ID badge on, showing that he wasn't a weirdo or a creep and that he belonged there.

He did, he belonged there.

That's what he kept telling himself when he began questioning his move to Los Angeles.

He took all of his savings, moving himself to California to try and live out his dream. He was done with his mother, who could barely manage her restaurant. He was done with his father, who was in prison and hadn't heard from his ex-girlfriend in almost eight years so he was way done with her.

There was nothing in Florida for him anymore. His life was in California now.

At 28-years-old, he was finally starting his life.

Nick Stewart, he heard someone say as he turned around, seeing a tall, slender man before him. Ricky Roberts. I'm the set manager, he said as they shook hands. Human Resources told you what you would be doing, right?

They said I would be doing camera work for a television show, but didn't say which one, Nick said, following Ricky as he walked quickly through the soundstage. Nick looked around, trying to figure out what show he was going to be working on. Most of all, he was taking in his surroundings. This was the dream. I don't care which show it is, to be honest. I'm just thankful for the job.

You seem eager, Ricky smiled. You're going to be working on ‘Cover Girls,' you've heard of that right? Nick nodded. It has been on the air for two seasons, we're starting our third when production starts today.

I've seen a few episodes, it's a multi-camera set up, Nick said as Ricky nodded. Nick looked over as they passed a few people sitting around a table, reading scripts. It's a pretty good show. It's a comedy, right?

Right, Ricky said as Nick nodded, watching as Ricky began showing him around the sets and the backstage area. In here is hair and make-up, where the stars go before we shoot, he said as Nick peeked in, seeing two girls sitting with their backs to the door. That's Macie Blanton and Alexis Wolf, they're the two stars of the show. Great girls, but beware of Alexis. She's a little bitchy. Macie, on the other hand, is a peach.

A peach? She's from Georgia?

No, she's from Texas, but she's a sweet girl, Ricky said as he took Nick over to the control room area. Sometimes the show's director is in here but sometimes he's out here sitting behind a group of televisions with all the cameras showing up so he can see what's going on. You know what the show is about, right?

Two girls being models, Nick said as Ricky nodded.

Yes, one is your typical model, thin, beautiful. That's Alexis. The other is more of a plus-size model, a little thicker than Alexis, taller and still beautiful. That's Macie. Macie's character, Joey, is more successful at modeling than Alexis, Ricky explained as Nick nodded, remembering what the show was about. You're nervous, aren't you?

You wouldn't believe how nervous I am, Nick said as Ricky smiled.

Tell you what, just take a look around and I'm going to go check on how long we have before we start doing a test room and we can get you accustomed to the camera equipment, Ricky said as Nick nodded, watching Ricky as he walked away.

Nick took his cell phone out of his pocket, staring at the photo on his background. It didn't matter if this was some girly show about two models, he had a job at Warner Brothers. He had a job in Los Angeles, in Hollywood of all places.

He looked up, watching as the two actresses made their way over to the set, talking with a short, brown haired guy. He remembered Alexis from some B-Rated Horror movie she had made the year before, but he couldn't remember where he knew Macie from. He knew he had seen her in something besides Cover Girls, but couldn't remember.

He smiled, making sure his phone was on silent and put it back in his pocket. This was the beginning of his new life. He didn't need any random phone calls ruining his new career.

That would just end up being another mistake in the life of Nick Stewart.

Nick stood behind the camera three days later, holding it steady as he followed one of the stars, Alexis Wolf, your typical blonde model type, around on the set. He was afraid at first he wasn't going to like the job, but throughout the run-through the day before, he had fun. The scripts were funny, the cast was pretty funny and the crew seemed pretty cool.

Plus, there was all the free food he could eat.

Granted, he had been trying to cut back and was trying to watch what he was eating since he was in California now. He had always had weight problems and was constantly up and down depending on what was going on in his life. But since graduating college, he had gained some of his weight back.

Chunky might be cute in Tampa, but not in Hollywood.

Then again, he was working on a show with, what he was told was a ‘plus size actress,' although Macie Blanton didn't look all that big to him. And from what he saw, she didn't bother watching what she ate either. Of course, he tried not to look but he was still a little star struck when he was around the cast.

The only celebrity he had ever met was Dale Earnhart, Jr. by chance in the infield at Daytona one July.

Nick, Macie's going to be moving to your area of the set, so in the next scene, keep your camera on her, a close-up, he heard the director say.

Yes, sir, Nick said, looking away from the camera to see Macie walking to the left side of the set. He looked back at the small screen on the camera, watching Macie in a close-up as she talked with the script supervisor.

He knew he shouldn't be thinking anybody was cute, much less someone that was way out of his league and that he kind of worked with. He felt his cell phone vibrate and winched, taking it out of his pocket

Party 2nite at my place. Come over when u get off work.

Nick sighed, knowing he should have never given his new neighbors his cell phone number. Sure, they seemed like a cool couple, but he wasn't in California to make friend and party.

Won't leave work until 9 or so. Will try, but I have things to do at home.

Nick put his cell phone back in his pocket, putting both of his hands on the grips and watched as Macie began running her hand through her long, brown hair, tosseling it a little.

Hey Nick, Nick heard over his shoulder, seeing the director, Joey standing there. He took his headset off, resting it on one of the camera controllers and sighed. Can you take over Macie's shots from now on?

Sure, why? Nick asked, crossing his arms over his chest. I mean, if I can ask why. Was it something I was doing? He didn't want to make the short, southern man mad by asking something that was none of his business.

No, Joey laughed, shaking his head. Joe over there is a pervert and keeps getting close-ups of her cleavage. I'm going to have another talk with him. You're doing a good job, so don't worry.

Now you're going to have me looking at her boobs, Nick said, realizing what he said. I didn't mean that, I just...

Look at her boobs all you want, just not while we're shooting, Joey laughed as he began walking back to the control room.

Nick sighed, putting his headset back on and felt his phone vibrate again. He took it out, seeing it was from his neighbor.

Really really dude show up for a few anyway introduce u 2 some peeps

Nick sighed, putting the phone back in his pocket. Maybe stopping by for a few wouldn't be such a bad thing. His neighbor's girlfriend was a make-up artist and the more people he met in the industry, the better his chances were of making his dreams come true.

After 11 p.m. on a Friday night, Nick walked out of his apartment, making sure the door was locked behind him. He knew he couldn't be gone too long, but he didn't want to get off to a bad start with his neighbors. He damn sure didn't plan on changing apartment buildings anytime soon after having such a hard time trying to find a decent one.

He walked up to the door, making sure the front of his polo shirt was tucked into the front of his jeans and knocked. He could already hear music inside and wondered how he didn't hear it in his apartment.

Nick! he heard someone yell as he looked up, seeing a shirtless tattooed guy standing in front of him with a beer in his hand. It was his new neighbor DJ, a tattoo artist who owned his own tattoo parlor not far from their apartment building. Glad you could come, man, DJ said as he and Nick shook hands.

I probably shouldn't stay long but I didn't want to not come, Nick said, walking in to see people standing around the apartment that was decked out in various styles of leopard print. DJ definitely had his own style, that was for sure.

How's the unpacking going? Still going good? DJ asked, reaching over to hand Nick a bottled beer. Nick nodded, watching DJ as he used a bottle opener to open Nick's beer.

"Thanks, yeah, it's