“Cutting right to the chase,” he teased.“Nice.Just a sec.”He muffled the phone against his chest, his conversation on the other end a low rumble and a laugh.When he came back he sighed.“I have to go soon—Hightower’s throwing a dinner party at this little Michelin starred place near the castle we’ve been filming in.I think he’s got his eye on one of the servers or something because he’s gone there three times this week.”
I winced at his jaw-cracking yawn and waited for him to finish before speaking again.“Are you sure Hightower saidTubbspaid up?He’s been dead since at least Thursday night.”
“He saidthat bastardbut since Tubbs had been the one he’d been on about owing him money...”Max trailed off.I could practically hear the shrug.“I figured it was his estate or something.”
“I’m not a lawyer but I live with one who just happens to do contract law, which includes wills and probates.If I’ve learned nothing else from that, it’s the fact that estates take forever to process stuff. Whoever paid Hightower wasn’t Tubbs.”
Max made an uncomfortable, uneasy sound in his throat.“Are you sure he’s dead?”he asked finally.
“Super dead.Hey, do you think you could do me a favor?”
“Oh god, is it another video?Because I’ll do it since I love you but it’ssuperawkward.”
“It’s not that bad.Just ask Hightower in a roundabout way how Tubbs was able to pay him if he’s dead.”
Max was quiet for a long time.I could hear the background noise of his trailer—the hum of the tiny a/c unit going full blast, the shuffle of fabric as he moved on the sofa, the distant call of his PA’s voice reminding him he had to call Kathleen.Finally, when he spoke, it was on a ragged sigh.“I don’t even begin to know how to go about that, Damien.And even if I did, I don’t know how it would affect my career.You might not have to worry about that right now but—” His teeth clicked audibly over the connection as he bit down on the rest of that sentence.
“Wow.”I barely recognized my own voice, it was so raspy and thin even on just one small word.“Okay then.You’re right.I shouldn’t endanger your career.”
“Damien, that came out wrong.I just mean that right now, you’re not really doing anything and you’re kind of low key...”He hissed another annoyed breath.“Shit.Listen—”
“No, it didn’t come out wrong.It really didn’t.It’s fine.Look, you’re busy.I don’t want to keep you from work.So I’ll just give you a call tomorrow or something, okay?”
“I’m sorry,” he said in a small voice.“Damien...”
“I love you but I’m really hurt right now.You’re not wrong, but my pride is pricked and that’s a me problem.Not you.Tomorrow, okay?I love you.”
Max sighed softly.“Okay.Love you too.”
After we hung up, I sat on the sofa, one shoe off and one still in Neverland with Muffin.Alone.
And wallowing in self-pity which, historically for me, usually led to some pretty bad choices.Dying my hair platinum blond, the weeklong eyebrow piercing, accepting a date with Rory’s friend Lorne who had more ear hair than should be legal.
Signing on to that reality show that got canned after one episode due to the producer snorting all of our paychecks.
“I should go take a nap,” I murmured to Charlemagne, who padded over to the sofa and jumped up beside me to glare.“Answer Rory’s messages.Make my social media post.I was thinking this time do one about the beach glass or something, you know?Something light and fun and makes it look like I’m having a good time.”
Right on cue, my phone buzzed with incoming notifications.I knew, if I looked, most of them would be about the pap pics or the announcement of Tubbs’ death and my ‘connection.’Maybe a few would be weirdly parasocial, some would ask about Max.And I just didn’t want to deal with any of it at the moment.
Maybe Max was right and I did need a PA again.
“I could take out the trash and recycling,” I sighed.“Get stuff done.Act like an adult.”
I sank back against the cushions and closed my eyes.Then opened them again, sitting up so suddenly Charlemagnemrow’d at me.“Recycling!Yes!”
#
CLARENCE WAS STILLbehind the desk when I got back to the library, cast itching like crazy thanks to the sweat dripping down my arms and back from my run through town."Hey," he said, eyes wide and expression arrested somewhere between excitement and concern."Um, did you forget something?Or are you just really desperate for a library card?"
"Forgot," I panted."Okay, kind of just...an idea."
"Take a breath before Nessie hears you and comes running," he hissed, motioning for me to follow him."She's already wondering what you were up to earlier.She thinks you’re weird.”
"That's going to make this next part awkward," I chuckled weakly."Have you emptied out the recycling bin from the copiers since Tubbs was here?"
He shook his head slowly, brow furrowing."No?Recycling isn't picked up till Thursdays so we usually wait till Wednesday night to take it all out to the green cart but it was Melinda’s turn this week and she forgot.Why?"
"The papers you were doing for Tubbs, you said you had to bin two pages of it."
