“Yeah, I post videos and little sexy stories and do erotic audio recordings. Sex blogging and, like, product reviews…”
“I—I see.”
“They’re pretty popular, actually. Companies send me toys to review them. It’s a good lifestyle.” I drank the eggnog, setting the glass down on the sideboard by the door. Felt liberating to really burn the bridges, enjoying Miss Jameson’s sheet-white face, especially when Nan made it worse.
“Oh, that doesn’t sound half-bad,” she said. “Enterprising young woman. Entrepreneurial, too.”
“Entre… entrepreneurial,” Miss Jameson said, nodding blankly. “So you’re… you’re a… porn star,” she said, saying the last part in a sharp, hushed whisper.
“I wouldn’t really call myself that. Porn stars are generally, like, actors who go to shoots for studio-produced porn,” I said,and Miss Jameson got more and more mortified with each word. “I just make general erotic content, independently, so I preferadult content creator. No shade to porn stars, though, I’ve got plenty of friends who are, they just have totally different skillsets than I do.”
Nan elbowed Miss Jameson. “See, she’s an expert in her field, too. Really knows her stuff.”
“So Victoria’s been dating a porn star,” Miss Jameson murmured, and I put my hands on my hips.
“You weren’t even listening to me, were you?”
“How much does it make?” Nan said, and I shrugged.
“It varies a lot… but I’ve been really inspired the past few months, so I’ve been kind of raking it in recently.”
“Maybe I need to get into the field too,” she said, and Miss Jameson gave her a horrified look.
“Grandma.You’re a dignified woman. Don’t even talk like that.”
“Dignified enough to know what I want, and a little extra change in my pocket and companies sending me free sex toys sounds like it’s right up there.”
Footsteps came into the room, and I looked up at where Victoria’s great-uncle Rob came into the room, still looking as ever like all he needed was a tweed cap and a pipe to complete his ensemble, and he said, “What’s all the fuss about? I’m trying to read in here.”
“Nothing is happening,” Miss Jameson said quickly. “You don’t need to worry about it.”
I spoke up. “I was just telling Miss Jameson to make an effort with her daughter—”
“And about Bridget’s saucy little job making smut on the internet,” Nan said. “I was thinking of getting in on the field.”
“Grandma,” Miss Jameson pleaded. Uncle Rob looked briefly like he’d pass out.
“Oh, you’re… so you’re an… one of thoseactresses,” he said.
“Oh my god, no, we’ve covered this,” I said. “I’m an independent multimedia adult content creator.”
He narrowed his eyes at me. I knew the look. Man was wondering if he recognized me. I had a decent number of men who watched my stuff, but I was definitely targeted towards the girlies. I was probably safe. “Is that any different?” he said. “That’s all a bit… undignified.”
“That’s between you and Incognito Mode, Uncle Rob,” I said. He paled. Clearly thought nobody knew what went on behind closed doors, as if we weren’t assuming from the fact that he was a man over sixty.
“Listen,” Miss Jameson said, “you being aporn actressisn’t the important part—”
“Yeesh, it’s my career, so it’s at least important enough for you to get it right!”
“The important part is that you don’t know one tenth of me and Victoria, and I don’t appreciate you coming in and telling me how to run things in my own family.”
“Have it your way, Miranda,” I said, and she flinched just a little at the way I dropped her name. I turned back to the door. “I just wanted to say that and let all of this go.”
Miss Jameson fumbled trying to say something—whether it was supposed to be a witty retort or telling me to stop, I’d never know, because she didn’t finish, and I plucked my outerwear off the rack and stepped outside, breathing in the biting cold air that stung in my lungs.
Well, hard part done. Now just to avoid Victoria in my own home for another week.
Chapter 19
