The Jaguar Star (Tales of the Were: Jaguar Island Book 4) by Bianca D'Arc (the first e reader .TXT) 📕

hat a few times in the past couple of weeks. She’d been chosen for this job. She’d been given the role. Sonia had to have seen something in Katrina that made her take a chance and cast an unknown as Maid Marian.

Katrina had to trust that Sonia knew what she was doing. She also had to hope that Ren would be as nice as he’d been this evening after dinner. She realized, now that she was less woozy and more sober, that he’d been incredibly patient with her tipsy self. He’d been both chivalrous and kind, which she hadn’t really expected. Surely, that boded well for how he’d be with her when they were working together on set?

Well, whatever happened, she was committed now. She’d find out soon enough how it was going to be.

Katrina fell asleep and dreamed of big spotted cats. Again.

Chapter Seven

Filming started the next day. By some miracle and good planning, Katrina had counteracted the effects of the alcohol with all that water she’d had the night before. She woke feeling only a little wretched, yawning as she stopped in the lobby on her way to the makeup room to snag a strong cup of coffee.

She was so glad she’d laid out her clothes and the other things she would need the night before. All she’d had to do was shower and dress, which didn’t take that long, and head out.

They had set aside one of the larger hotel rooms to act as the makeup base camp, as well as the prop storage area. There were boxes of props stacked haphazardly on the far side of the king-sized bed, and all sorts of bits and bobs scattered all around every surface. Only the corner nearest the entrance was clear of the debris.

Instead of the mess, that corner sported a small desk and a very large mirror on the wall, surrounded by bright lights. There were rolling carts placed around it, with all kinds of makeup, including stuff that looked like it might be used for special effects.

Franny had claimed her corner of the room and guarded it jealously from the props people who had spread their plethora of stuff all around the rest of the space. The bed was like an island in the middle of a sea of chaos. From its unrumpled state, it was clear nobody was sleeping there. This room was only in use during filming, when cast and crew needed what was stored and organized here. Otherwise, the bed was just in the way, though the costumers had used it to lay out some of the garments until they’d gotten their own space at the filming location.

“Normally, we’d set up a makeup trailer on-site,” Franny was saying as she swept powder onto Katrina’s face with a big, soft brush. “But the nature of this location and the shots Sonia wants of the trees and surroundings means that we don’t have a lot of space in which to park trailers and support equipment. I’m going to set up in a corner of the costume trailer, which will be behind the picnic pavilion. You’ll see all the vehicles parked out in that direction. The pavilion is the only area of the grounds that Sonia can’t use, so that’s what we’re limited to,” Franny went on. “We’re going to do the base coat of makeup here, then hustle over to the site, where you’ll get into costume, and I’ll be standing by to fix anything that needs fixing as you work. Sound good?”

“Whatever works,” Katrina said, happy to let others figure out the logistics.

“Luckily, the makeup for this is relatively simple. Sonia wants bare faces where possible, for authenticity. Or, at least, what look like bare faces. A bit of powder and some shading in spots is all I really need to worry about for anyone but the principles, so it makes my job easy,” Franny told her as she continued working. “Guermo will be doing your hair on-site. He’s got a corner in the costume trailer, he told me. I guess we’ll see what he’s done when we get there. Most of the hair in this will be simple, as well, except for yours, of course. Maid Marian was a lady. She would’ve had a servant of some kind to do her hair.”

“Just tell me where to be and when, and I’m there,” Katrina told Franny, happy to give her fate—makeup and hair-wise, at least—over to others.

The plan worked, as far as Katrina was concerned. Franny stayed with her as they were shuttled from the hotel to the location. Franny went with her to the costume trailer, which had been parked next to the picnic pavilion, on the side away from the old church. There was already a crowd in the pavilion eating breakfast, but the air around the place was higher energy today than it had been yesterday. Clearly, things were heating up.

Sonia came in while Katrina was being kitted out in her first gown. The costumers had worked off her measurements, and they did some last-minute tucks here and there, on-the-spot, that didn’t take long at all. Katrina was enchanted with the dress that made her feel regal.

Sonia made her spin around and move a bit, then pronounced the dress perfect. They would be filming some of her interior scenes this morning and the director wanted to make sure she looked just right.

After costuming, came hair. Katrina sat in the chair while Guermo fussed over her hair, brushing and twisting and combing and even making little braids in strategic places. She had met him once before, in New York, when she had met him at a hair studio so he could get a feel for the color and behavior of her natural hair. Sonia had been adamant about leaving her hair as natural as possible, which meant no coloring was required. However, Guermo had told her they would make strategic use of hair pieces that matched her natural color for certain