“Okay, go hop in Grindr or something and find some good London cock. I need to reread a few things and start planning out the details for my pitch of how the rest of this campaign is going to go down. There are events to be scheduled, deadlines tomake…”
“Yeah, and surely I don’t need to know about any of thesethings?”
I rolled my eyes. “Go be butthurt somewhereelse.”
He laughed. “Alright, powertop. I’m outtahere.”
After he left, I checked my phone and noticed Serena hadcalled.
Threetimes.
She was on a yoga retreat in India, so I figured I needed to call her while she wasavailable.
Serena answered the phone with, “Does my busy son finally have a moment for hismother?”
“I’ve been swamped. I told you we have Jace Kruse coming in, and are you even supposed to be on your phone? I thought they took those away from you forthis?”
“I just brought two and gave them the one that doesn’twork.”
“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of this little ‘Zengetaway’?”
“Antianxiety meds give me all the Zen I need. I’m only here because Melanieasked.”
I already knewthat.
Like my mother, Melanie Harley had been a TV icon in the ’90s. After falling into obscurity in the early 2000s, Melanie spent her free time working on a self-discovery quest that took her across the globe, my mother in tow all too frequently. Their adventures suited me just fine, since Melanie had never been into the drug scene, and she kept my mom clean. We were going on a five-year anniversary on that front, but there was always a lingering fear in the back of my mind because I knew how Serena could get, and one slipup required years of recovery. Although, truly, my mom was always in recovery. It was a lifelong journey. And as much as we’ve had our differences in the past, that was something I empathizedwith.
“You should come and do one of these retreats sometime,” she went on. “I think it’d be good for you. You’d have a chance to relax. You’re always sounding so stressed out these days. Even now, you sound like your nerves arewracked.”
“That’s because I’m talking toyou.”
She enjoyed a laugh before saying, “Don’t be so snippy, Dax. Something must be working on your nerves rightnow.”
“This is a major endorsement deal I’m working on at themoment.”
“Yes, even Melanie was talking about it. Evidently, you’re a big deal in a behind-the-scenesway.”
“Where I prefer to be.” She was always discussing my career as though, because I didn’t live my life in front of the camera, I was somehow missing out on what life was reallyabout.
“You say that, but Melanie was talking to her agent, and they’re casting for this new action series. Looking for a sexy, studlyguy—”
“Serena, what have I told you about doingthis?”
“You would be so perfect for the role, though! You’ve always been such a fabulous combination of my charm and your father’seyes.”
I never understood why she mentioned the bastard who’d wanted nothing to do with either of us, and certainly never anything to do with me. She must’ve been able to tell by how I quieted down that I was annoyed, because she quickly followed with, “What did I say? Oh, I’m sorry that I want my son to besuccessful.”
“I am successful. In my own industry, thank you very much. I don’t need to have yourdream.”
“Okay, okay. I won’t push, especially while you’re on edge over thisdeal.”
“Right now, I’m on edge because of you, but that’sfine.”
I heard someone talking near Serena, and she added, “It’s one of the yoga instructors. I’m not sure what he’s saying, but looks like he wants me to get off thephone.”
“Have fun in Zen hell,” I toldher.
“Send good vibes and a cake with a file. Loveyou.”
