STUDS AND STILETTOS (Romantic Mystery) by Bev Pettersen Read Free Book Online Page B

board. “That entire scene will be shot outside, depending on the weather. But I want a female groom. And use background, not union. We have to stay in budget.”
    “Better make her young too,” the AD suggested. “The public knows about Thomas Hamilton and his womanizing. Big boobs would be good.”
    Dan glanced at the casting director who now looked slightly concerned. They needed a new face. Three of their special skills background could handle Bruno, but two were males and the third groom wasn’t young. Dan certainly couldn’t remember the size of her boobs.
    Fortunately they had a cattle call scheduled that afternoon. He could only remember one of the applicants though—Emily, the pretty blonde with great legs, mischievous smile and a penchant for director’s coffee.
    She was certainly attractive enough for the role. However, after fifteen years on movie sets, he’d grown immune to the lure of beautiful women. It had been her body language that intrigued him, bold but oddly wary, as if she was more inclined to fight than flee but with a hint of vulnerability. He’d never seen a background performer plucky enough to wrangle a coffee from the director’s table. He’d always been drawn to courage. Time would tell if she could handle a horse.
    He checked his phone messages, more impatient now with the meeting. It was almost four and the special effects details were always tedious. They had to find a new groom and Bruno needed a tune-up. Even the casting director was twitching.
    “That’s it for now,” Anthony said, correctly reading the mood in the room. “We’ll go over footage later after I finalize tomorrow’s schedule. It’s been another good day. Thanks, everyone.”
    Dan rose and stepped from the trailer, not surprised to see his top wrangler lingering outside. Lizzie was super efficient and had a sixth sense about when the meetings would end.
    “We put Bruno and Ice in the end stalls,” she said, hurrying to his side. “The eight for the track scene tomorrow have been exercised and are ready to go. Not sure who you want for the interior shoot but that last Reckless lookalike is dead lame. I stuck him in the stud barn by the caretaker’s cottage. Looks like a tendon or ligament.”
    “Front left?”
    “Yeah.”
    Dan grimaced but kept walking. The new gelding had looked a little sore when they led him off the trailer. Damn shame too, since he was a movie pro and a dead ringer for Reckless, right down to the blaze and two white socks. Now they’d have to paint some markings on another horse.
    “Call the stock contractor,” he said. “See what else they have. I’ll look at the leg later. And put another horse in the barn for company. Use the quiet chestnut that came on the trailer with him.”
    “Okay,” Lizzie said. “Want to grab a coffee? Go over the rest of my notes?”
    “Not now. I have to look for some special skills.”
    Lizzie’s head tilted in confusion. “I thought the track scenes were on for tomorrow.”
    “Anthony’s made some adjustments,” Dan said, as they rounded the corner of the building. “We’re shooting out of sequence.” He scanned the group of hopefuls gathered in front of the main barn. About fourteen performers had shown up. With a little luck, one of them would fit.
    Scene changes always created challenges, and the casting director had made some questionable choices. An actress who refused to get close to a horse? Stunt doubles were working overtime. But to keep costs down, they urgently needed more extras who could handle a horse…a rambunctious horse like Bruno.
    His gaze settled on Emily, the girl who’d braved the dragon lady for a cup of coffee. She’d swapped her skimpy dress for boots and jeans but the set of her shoulders remained the same, hinting at a steely determination. He hadn’t even been sure she’d show up. She must be a local since extras didn’t stay at the nearby hotel, or even on site like the wranglers.
    He altered his course,