Free Dazzled by Jane Harvey-Berrick Page A

two bedrooms. Thankfully they were both calm, white spaces with vast beds and polished dark wood floors. No more chandeliers. Nothing too over the top.
    “I had to take down most of the mirrors,” said Miles, apologetically. “There were eight of them! I’ve shoved them in your closet.”
    “Closet? Wardrobe, methinks. Get a grip, Miles, or you’ll turn into one of them .”
    He grinned at me. “Yeah, can’t help it. I’ve been tuning into all the different accents you hear out here – kind of research for my part, y’know.”
    I didn’t know, but I could imagine. “Whatever: just don’t go getting all mid-Atlantic on me.”
    “I’ll try. No promises. Come on, I can’t wait to show you around. Let’s hit the bars – if you’re not too tired.”

    Miles

    I didn’t know why it felt weird showing Clare my new place. She just looked so overwhelmed. Maybe that was how I looked when I first came here. I’d gotten… become used to it, I guess.
    We strolled out to Hollywood Boulevard and I pointed out all the sites: the Walk of Fame; Grauman’s Chinese Theater; Drai’s at the W hotel.
    She picked a quiet bar in a trendy area, and we sat down in a booth with a beer each. Clare ordered us nachos. I didn’t say anything but I wasn’t supposed to eat them on the special diet that had been planned for me. I knew Clare would laugh, but she wasn’t the one who was going to have to take her shirt off in front of film cameras, let alone in front of Lilia Purcell. I didn’t want to feel like I did last time. But I couldn’t say this to Clare. The thought depressed me – I used to be able to tell her everything.
    She slept late the next morning – jet lag. I was up at six to get to the gym. I didn’t mind running so much, but the reps and weights were tedious enough to make me feel like chewing my foot off just to alleviate the boredom.
    “Come on, Miles! Keep going! Push it, baby! Push it!” Hilda, the Soviet Nazi fitness fascist, was in cheerleading mode today. It was so fucking irritating .
    I almost expected her to yell, ‘Feel the burn!’ but that wasn’t part of her motivational speech, apparently.
    Sweat was pouring off me and I was red in the face, every muscle glowing with effort. But I also felt stronger and I liked the leaner, harder look that was beginning to develop. I still needed to go further. What was it they said, the camera added 20 pounds? Pity it wasn’t going to be 20 pounds of muscle.
    After another hour of encouraging, cajoling, mocking, jeering and bullying, Hilda called a halt.
    “You’re getting there, Miles. We’ll make an athlete out of you yet!”
    Yeah, right .
    “You’re gonna look great, baby. You got my gold seal promise on that.” She paused. “So, you got plans for tonight? I thought we could maybe catch a few veggie juices. Whaddya say?”
    Veggie juices?! Seriously?
    “Er, thanks, Hilda, but my friend just flew in from England and I promised I’d take her around and show her the sights.”
    “Your girlfriend?”
    “Well, she’s a girl and she’s a friend, but… no, not a girlfriend.”
    “You can ditch her for one evening.”
    It dawned on me that Hilda was making a pass at me. How the hell was I going to get out of this one without the Soviet Nazi in her having a meltdown?
    “No, sorry. I promised. Like I said.”
    “Raincheck?”
    “Sure.” I agreed, even though I had no intention of following through. I had two more weeks of pre-prod, so only two more weeks of Hilda’s nagging. If I lasted that long.
    I jogged slowly back to the apartment. Clare was still asleep so I took my time showering. I was just drying off when she banged on the bathroom door.
    “Miles! Hurry up! I need to have a pee!”
    “Okay, okay,” I grumbled. “Keep your hair on.”
    I stumbled out of the bathroom as she pushed past me and slammed the door. Charming.
    Rummaging through the closet I found some jeans and t-shirts, all clean and folded up. God, I loved this. The