Page 47 of If the World Was Ending

“You’re good with names!” Jesse smiled. “That’ll come in handy in this business. It’s also rare. I swear I’ve met Jacob Elordi six times and he still calls me Jordy.”

Hunter smiled and tried to make eye contact with the bartender over Jesse’s shoulder. “So, I just have to say, you are… we’re blown away by you. Everything we’ve seen. Every clip. You have really done something extraordinary here.”

“The writing was phenomenal. And Eugenie’s directing made it easy,” Hunter replied, and it wasn’t lip service. He meant it. “And don’t even get me started on the cast. Best experience of my life.”

“What do you have lined up after this?” Jesse asked.

“The video stuff. Viral content, and stuff.” Hunter said, watching Mikayla bounce around on the dance floor with her assistant, Kyle. “Mikayla and I are booked for a meet and greet at headquarters for the network too. Streamer? Do we call it a network? Or Streamer? Platform?”

“Network,” Jesse clarified and opened his mouth to say more but paused as the bartender finally turned to Hunter. He ordered a tequila and soda, and Jesse ordered a Crown and Coke. As the bartender turned away to make the drinks, Jesse put his elbow on the bar and leaned closer to Hunter. “I meant, what’s your next project?”

Hunter felt anxiety start to pump through his heart. “I mean, nothing yet. I figured I’d get home and start auditioning again. I landed a credit card commercial before this.”

Jesse smirked, and Hunter felt like a fool. His anxiety started to swell, tightening his chest and bringing color crawling up his throat onto his cheeks. This guy was a big-time studio exec, and Hunter was bragging about credit card commercials like a fucking moron. Ugh.

“Well, I think scripts will start falling into your lap, no auditions necessary once the movie airs.”

“That would be… beyond amazing,” Hunter said. He didn’t see that happening. Only the biggest names out there got offered stuff. He considered that the wildest dream. Surely that didn’t happen after one movie, no matter how successful.

Jesse’s eyes darted around the room before landing back on Hunter. “I’m jumping ship. My notice goes out tomorrow. I’ve accepted a job as one of the vice presidents of development with Magenta.”

“Ma… Magenta?” Hunter said the word like he had never heard it before, which was ridiculous. Magenta Pictures was one of the biggest studios out there at the moment. It was one of the oldest, too, although it had changed names a couple of times in its seventy-year history. Hunter was well aware of it because its films got Oscar noms every season, but it also did blockbuster action stuff and had rights to a huge superhero franchise. “I’m going to be dropping your name there every chance I get. I’d love to be involved in your next step.”

The bartender slid the drinks to them and walked away. Thank God for the open bar. He was going to need another one, two, or six of these to calm down. His name would be spoken at Magenta Pictures. What the actual fuck. Jesse lifted his glass up between them, and Hunter scrambled to grab his and tap it to Jesse’s because that’s what he was waiting for. “Cheers. To working together again one day. Soon.”

Jesse took a sip, and Hunter greedily gulped down a large swallow of his drink too. “I’d love that. Truly. Magenta is an incredible studio.”

“I have a meeting next week with the President, Eddard Masterson. I may accidentally show him raw footage from Platonic Planet. I mean, if it’s accidentally open on my laptop when he walks into my new office… well... oops.”

Holy fuck. This was not okay. I mean, no one should see the dailies outside of the Network that owns it, right? Hunter wasn’t exactly sure of the rules, but he wasn’t allowed to share any camera footage or set stuff on his socials. They’d had to sign a thing about it. So, was Jesse breaking the rules, and now Hunter was in a compromising situation? Should he tell Eugenie? Yes. Probably. But like also, holy fuck. The president of a massive studio was going to see his work? What if he wasn’t as impressed as Jesse? What if he thought Hunter sucked? Hunter stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Jesse because he couldn’t figure out what the fuck else he was supposed to do.

Jesse flashed him a reassuring smile. “Look, this type of shit happens all the time, so don’t freak out about the daily thing. I just wanted him to consider you for a project and, no offense, but the shit you have up on IMDB is, well, shit.”

“I haven’t done anything big until now.”

Jesse nodded. “I get it. That’s why he has to see this footage. I was one of the people in the room when you were selected, and I was for you from the get-go. I’d like to work with you again. Let’s just see where this goes, okay?”

“Yeah.” Hunter took a large gulp of his drink and put it back down on the bar because he was scared his hand would shake if he held it. “I mean… do you have my contact? If you need to reach out? I’m repped by?—”

“Margo Norton at Horizons. Yeah, and I also have your cell.” Jesse smiled and nodded.

Hunter took another sip while Jesse pulled his phone out of his blazer pocket and tapped rhythmically on the screen. Hunter felt his own phone buzz in his pocket. “That’s me giving you my number. So, you’d be down? To possibly do something with Magenta? I’m thinking something big, flashy, action-y, superhero-y?”

Hunter nodded immediately. This movie had wrapped, and he had no more obligations. He hadn’t shown this dude the footage, so he wasn’t at fault there either. “Abso-fucking-lutely, man. I would be… it would be a dream.”

“Good to hear.” Jesse sipped his drink. “Great. So do me a favor and keep your nose clean, and we can make something happen. I’m sure of it.”

“Nose clean?” Hunter echoed and wiped his hand, covered in drink condensation, on his pants.

“Yeah, look, you’re leading man material but just stay outta trouble because you’re too new to sell with like a rap sheet or a rape charge or whatever.”

Oh. Hunter almost laughed. “I’m boring as fuck, Jesse. I don’t have so much as a parking ticket, and the only fight I’ve ever been in was when I was fourteen in a hockey tournament.”

“Love it,” Jesse grinned, finished his drink, and put the empty glass back on the bar. “I’ll be in touch. And shoot me a text if you change agents. I expect that won’t be until the movie streams, but who knows. Just update me.”

“It won’t happen. Margo herself reps me, and she’s been great.”

Jesse nodded, but his smile was… condescending? In that harmless way, like he appreciated Hunter’s loyalty but also knew better than to believe it. Jesse clapped him on the shoulder. “Good chatting with you, Hunter Law. We’ll make some more magic. Just you wait.”