Beck hadn't expected to get the role on Jade's show, not with their history. As confident as he was in his audition, it felt like the universe was jinxing him with his ex-girlfriend being the showrunner. What are the fucking odds of that actually working out? He expected a call from his agent letting him know that they were going in a different direction, but he had gotten a call from the casting director herself letting him know that the part was his if he wanted it.
Of course he fucking wants it.
This is it, this is his ticket. If this pilot gets picked up for a full season, and he sees no reason why it wouldn't, he'll go from being a network star to a household name. He'll go from Golden Globes to Emmy's...maybe even Oscars one day. Of course, it's not just about becoming famous. If that was his only goal...well, it would make him pretty vain. He just wants to be able to reach a bigger audience, make them feel something. He needs a big project like this to be able to do that.
He's waiting in the kitchen for Bianca when she gets home from dance rehearsal. The call about the part had come only a few hours prior, and he had wanted to tell her in person rather than over the phone. Not to mention he didn't want to interrupt her rehearsal either. She'd recently signed a contract to work with a new up and coming pop artist, Ginger Taleco, as her lead choreographer. Ginger and her dancers have a busy schedule ahead of them full of radio shows, and Bianca is in charge of making sure all of the choreography matches the songs and goes off without a hitch. Beck couldn't be more proud of his wife, knowing how hard she's worked to achieve her own dreams.
"Hey..." Bianca looks surprised when she appears in the kitchen "What's this?"
"A man can't greet his wife with a glass of wine after a long day of work?" Beck smirks
"He can..." Bianca chuckles, dropping her studio bag "But it's usually not without reason."
"Well..." Beck smirks as he slips an arm around her waist and pulls her closer to him "The casting director from that audition I went on earlier this week called me today. I got the part, Bee."
"Shut up!" Bianca gasps "Really?"
"Really!" Beck grins "I'm a leading man!"
"Oh my god, Beck!" Bianca sets her wine glass down on the island and takes his face in her hands "Holy shit! I'm so proud of you! Congratulations!"
"Thank you." Beck's lips form a smile as he kisses her "I'm sorry I didn't tell you right when I found out, I just wanted to see the look on your face."
"S'okay..." Bianca chuckles "This is so much better."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She nods, taking his hand "Because now I can take you upstairs to celebrate."
"Who says we have to go upstairs?"
"Beck Oliver, you naughty boy!" Bianca grins "Sex on the kitchen floor?"
"Wouldn't be the first time." Beck shrugs "But uh, Bee...listen. Before we do any celebrating, and trust me we will be celebrating...there's something I want to talk to you about first."
"Fuck, you're filming on location...aren't you?"
"Huh? No, not for a pilot." Beck assures her "Even if the series gets picked up, I doubt it. This is more about the people I'm going to be working with...and I don't want there to be any secrets. Jade West is the showrunner. She's the head writer, and she's going to direct the pilot and the first few episodes until we find the essence of the show and can start bringing other people in to do it."
"Jade West, your ex-girlfriend?" Bianca clarifies
"That's her, yeah." Beck nods "If you have a problem with it then I'll call the casting director back and tell her-"
"Don't you dare." Bianca stops him "This is too good of an opportunity for you to pass up, you can't back out."
"I will if you want me to."
"I don't." She tells him "I don't have any reason to worry, right?"
"Of course not." Beck agrees "Jade and I...we were teenagers when we dated. We were kids. I before my audition I hadn't spoken to her since-"
"She was at your audition?"
"She was." Beck nods "I'm sorry, I should have brought it up then. I just didn't want to make a big deal about it if-"
"Beck, stop..." Bianca laughs as she wraps her arms around his neck "It's okay. I know you and Jade have a history, but I also understand that it's basically ancient history. That was a long time ago, you're both different people now. You're both in other relationships. I completely trust you."
"You know you're the only woman I care about..." Beck reminds her, kissing her forehead "Well...and Stella, of course."
"I do, I do know that, yeah." Bianca chuckles "I'm fine with you working with Jade, I promise."
"Okay." Beck kisses her on the lips this time "Thank you...for always being so supportive and so understanding. I love you."
"I love you too." Bianca tells him "Now...let's get back to that celebration."
It takes an additional two months to complete the casting process for the pilot episode. On the morning of their first table read, Beck arrives at the studio early. He wants to make a good impression by being on time on his first day and get his bearings, but he also wants to find Jade. Their conversation on the day of his audition had been brief and awkward, and he wants to clear the air.
The studio is huge, with backlots and sound stages and office buildings and trailers...Beck isn't sure where he should start. He decides the corporate building where he had his audition might be a good place to start. Writers tend to have their offices in places like that.
"Are you supposed to be in here?" A security guard asks him
"I hope so." Beck shrugs, putting on his best facade "I'm kind of turned around. I'm supposed to be meeting with Jade West this morning? I'm one of the actors on her new show. Cloverfield Isle?"
"Third floor." The security guard tells him
"Thanks."
Hopefully she'll actually be in her office when he arrives, otherwise he's going to look like an idiot walking back out almost as quickly as he walked in. He finds the door marked with her name and knocks, thankfully a voice calls out for him to come in.
"Hi..." Beck says sheepishly as he enters the office
"Hm?" Jade looks up from her computer "Oh...hi. How did you find me?"
"Wasn't hard..." Beck shrugs "Mind if I come in for a second?"
"We're supposed to be at a table read in half an hour." Jade reminds him "Remember?"
"This will only take a minute." He assures her
"Okay."
For a moment he considers sitting down in one of the chairs or on the couch...but decides against it. He's not sure how welcome he is here yet...so he opts to stand.
"So, uh.." Beck clears his throat "Listen, I just wanted to thank you for casting me. I understand that given our...history...you might not have wanted to."
"We picked the best actor for the part." Jade shrugs "History doesn't have anything to do with it."
"Are we cool?" Beck asks her "Sorry if it seemed like I just popped up on you in the parking lot that day I auditioned. It's just...it had been a while-"
"Stop talking before you put your foot in your mouth." Jade tells him "You and I happened a very long time ago, okay? We were kids. There's no reason why we can't be professional and work together."
"You're right." Beck agrees "Maybe...never mind."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"No, go ahead."
"I was going to say...let's just start over." Beck suggests "Give it a fresh start...maybe then we'll end up friends instead of awkward exes."
"It's been a long time, Beck." Jade reminds him "People change, how do you know I'm still the kind of person you want to be friends with?"
"I don't." Beck admits "But I'll never find out unless-"
"Got it." Jade cuts him off "I guess it couldn't hurt."
"Cool." Beck extends a hand to shake her's "I'm Beck."
"Hi Beck..." Jade shakes his hand, but not before rolling her eyes "I'm Jade."
"S'nice to meet you."
"You too." Jade nods "Look, not trying to be rude but-"
"Right, sorry." Beck apologizes "You were working, I'll let you get back to it. See you at the table read."
"See you."