...who both figured out immediately the reason why 2 of my main characters are named Emily and Christina (after Dickinson and Rosetti, respectively). I guess I'm not as mysterious as I think I am. So I promised them another excerpt from my 2nd novel. Which is not the very next chapter after what I posted last time. Sorry! But I have to leave some elements of suspense, don't I?
Enjoy!
*******
Spencer Smith is sitting right in front of me.
Audrey Whitney tried not to stare at the handsome actor sitting across her desk. She knew that the mature thing would be to pretend like A-list actors sat in her overly formal office chairs every day, and that this was not anything out of the ordinary. Like her next appointment was lunch with George Clooney or something. So she futiley attempted to forget about his piercing blue eyes, dark good looks and boyish smile. So what if he looks like he could be Clark Kent's better-looking brother she thought to herself. I am a professional woman. I will act...professionally.
While Cobble Hill was certainly no stranger to wealthy families, the glitz of Hollywood celebrity was something new. Most of their kids were part of family legacies that came from old money, which didn't exactly go hand-in-hand with the new money of former reality show stars turned legitimate actors. The New York actors typically sent their kids to city schools like The Spence School, Dalton, or even St. Anne's. Cobble Hill families were not typically featured on Page Six. And, speaking of Page Six, Audrey was an avid reader and as such was quite certain that Spencer Smith wasn't even married, let alone had a school-aged child that would be in need of a top-tier education.
Audrey was intrigued.
"Hello Mr. Smith," she said in what she hoped was a smooth, warm and yet detached tone. "What can I do for you this morning?" At the last minute she decided to add a smile, in case she had erred to far in the detached column. But then she had a fake and awkward smile on her face and just felt ridiculous so she rather abruptly stopped smiling. The end result would have been comical to anyone who happened to be watching. Thankfully, the only people in the immediate vicinity were Sookie Worthington and Emily Carlson, who judging by the look on Emily's face, were having a conversation she wanted to have no part in.
If Spencer noticed, he was gentlemanly about it. He unleashed the smile that had launched thousands of daydreams for women all over the country during the past couple of years and replied, "First of all, thank you so much for seeing me on such short notice Ms. Whitney." Audrey focused on the dimple in his right cheek to keep herself from blushing at the sound of him saying her name.
"Not a problem. My schedule was unusually light this morning," she lied, pushing the though of when she was going to go through all the applications for next year far out of her mind. Her already jampacked schedule was also impacted by her additional duties as acting Head of School while Mr. Boone took a sabaatical trekking in Nepal. There were at least 10 other things that she really should have been doing at that moment, aside from crushing on movie stars. But she decided that when Us Weekly's favorite cover boy calls your office to ask for an appointment, you push all other things aside. She was only human after all.
"Were you looking for an enrollment packet?" she began. "We've technically stopped accepting applications, as we already have 12 applicants for every incoming spot, but we can certainly consider making an exception."
Spencer laughed and shook his head. "I think you're supposed to actually have a child first...before you start enrolling them in school."
Audrey gave him a patient smile. "You would be surprised Mr. Smith. We have had parents on our school tours that haven't even conceived yet."
"Well, I haven't even thought of trying to conceive yet, so I think that means I still have some time." Spencer's voice was filled with humor, and Audrey wasn't entirely certain if he was laughing with her or at her. She decided she didn't care. Who exactly did he think he was? He may be a big deal in the outside world, but they were in her territory right now and she didn't appreciate his tone.
"Well, if you're not here to apply to our fine institution, I'm not exactly sure what else I, as the Director of Admissions, could possibly help you with," Audrey replied, her tone frosty.
Spencer was instantly contrite. "I'm sorry. I hope I wasn't coming across as impolite. From everything I've heard, this is an amazing school. I just had no idea that the world of elementary school admissions was so cutthroat. It almost sounds like a movie audition."
Audrey laughed in spite of herself. "I'm sorry too. I sometimes forget how foreign our world can seem to people who aren't immersed in it. And yes, it is quite cutthroat. I think parenting is probably the most competitive sport there is."
"Do you have children Ms Whitney?"
Audrey shook her head. "Please, call me Audrey. And no, I have no children yet and I'm not even married. I went to Cobble Hill when I was a child though, and have worked here since I graduated from college. I've been around Type-A parents and their Type-A children for pretty much my entire life."
"It must be a great school if you wanted to come back to it and work here." Spencer's voice was tinged with curiosity.
Audrey reflected briefly on his words. The relative merits of Cobble Hill had precious little to do with her lifetime of service to the institution. But Admissions Director 101 demanded that she not let her personal dissatisfaction shine though in any way. "It's a top-notch school, with excellent arts and foreign language programs. Our goal is for each of our kindergarteners to become fluent in latin by the end of year, so they can then move on to formal study in the romance languages. Once they've mastered those by 3rd grade, we move on into intensive study of Mandarin." Audrey had parrotted these same sentiments so many times over the past few years that she barely had to listen to herself anymore.
Spencer looked at her with a bemused expression. "You can't be serious. Mandarin? Why would anyone chose that over Japanese?"
Audrey looked at him indignantly. "Our future leaders will need to be able to speak fluent Mandarin in order to compete in a 21st century world. Japanese has become far less relevant over the past two decades..."
"I was kidding," Spencer interrupted with a glint in his eye. "Honestly, all of that sounds very impressive. I only took a couple years of high school Spanish, and I think the only thing I remember is how to ask someone for directions to the library."
Audrey blushed. "So sorry. I really do have a sense of humor, I promise. I'm just not used to talking with other people who have one too."
Spencer let out a low chuckle and gestured at the sterile office environment around them. "I bet if they bothered to do a study they would discover that exposure to large amounts of mahogany and dark paneled walls directly correlates to the supression of the humor portion of the brain."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Audrey replied. "I used to be a fun person." She paused. "At least, relative to most of the people you find around here. Now, since we have established what you are not here to do, maybe it would be fruitful to discuss what you are here to do?"
"You mean, aside from enjoy the pleasure of your company?" Spencer asked.
"Yes, aside from that," Audrey replied wryly.
"Well, I am about to start shooting a new movie. Kind of a Dead Poet's Society meets Transformers. It's called Carpe Robot."
All Audrey could think was that sounded like the worst idea for a movie that she had ever heard of. "Hmm. Interesting concept," she lied.
Spencer smiled. "You can be honest. It's crap, and you can't believe millions of dollars are going to be spent making this stinking pile of shit arrive on the big screen."
Audrey laughed. "I wouldn't go that far. Let's just say it's not my cup of tea. I'm more of your 'stories about a true love that can never be' kinda girl."
"Of course you are. And I'm more of a sci-fi, graphic novel thinkpiece kinda guy myself. Luckily for me though, crap movies keep being made, or else I'd never be hired."
"I'm sure that's not true," Audrey protested.
"Oh it is true. Believe me. Actors in Hollywood are put into certain categories. I'm supposed to consider myself lucky that I made the jump from reality television in the first place. Once 20 million people watch you eat like cockroaches, it's hard for them to think of you reciting Shakespeare."
Audrey shuddered at the thought of eating bugs. She had never seen that particular episode, and was happy now that she hadn't. It definitely would have affected how much she wanted to kiss him at the very moment.
"So anyway," Spencer continued. "I'm in this movie, and I'm playing a teacher at a fancy east coast private school. Hence the Dead Poets Society reference. And I had this idea that it would be fun to do some research for the role."
"Research?"
"Yes. I want to come teach at Cobble Hill." Spencer looked at her expectantly.
"Teach? Here?" Audrey asked with surprise.
"Yes. The best way to learn about something is to actually do it. I did a google search and Cobble Hill was one of the first names that came up. For some reason I was just drawn to the place. Maybe because I grew up in the Cobble Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn. I don't know. I just thought I would contact you and see if you were interested in having me. I called the school, and they said that you were the person in charge of faculty hiring, as well as admissions, so I made an appointment. And here I am."
"But, and please excuse me if I am being impolite, but do you actually know how to teach? Our teachers all have graduate degrees. Many have taught at the college level prior to coming to Cobble Hill. What are your credentials?"
"To be perfectly honest, I don't really have any," Spencer looked sheepish. "But there are all kinds of things I know how to do. And real world experience is oftentimes far more valuable than anything you can get in a book."
Audrey considered his proposition. He really wasn't Cobble Hill faculty material, of that there was no doubt. At least from the academic standpoint. But the Admissions Director part of her brain knew that there would be a certain cache to having someone has well-known as Spencer Smith on staff, at least for one year. The recruting mileage they would get out of that would last for years to come. And the fact that he was famous and gorgeous were also no small considerations. She smiled.
"So tell me, what do you know about teaching drama Mr. Smith?"
