“See? Just like I said.Slacking.”
“I can at least position myself to enjoy all thismanliness.”
I checked out the guys’ hot bodies. Even if they weren’t the guys Jace hit the gym with, they sure got their own time in whenever they didgo.
Damn.
Quincy called, “Okay, can I get Mac in for a couple of shots?” And then he turned to a PA who was giving Mac all the belly rubs he could have possiblydesired.
After we wrapped at the station, we hit Fever Pitch, where they’d closed shop for the afternoon to accommodate the shoot. I headed to chat with Elliott while the crew worked to light Jace and his buddies. They’d started up a game of cards with a pack Jace had retrieved from the billiards room. Despite how unfazed he seemed by everything that was going on around him, his occasional glance around, wide-eyed and grinning ear to ear, proved he was enjoying himself nearly as much as hisbuddies.
It was the more appealing part of the gig, I knew that much. It was all fun and games when it was just a production. When the spotlight was on you and you didn’t have to deal with it affecting yourlife.
I slid into a booth with Elliott and Carter. Elliott was scrolling on his phone while Carter keyed away at hisiPad.
“I moved my Nashville flight to tomorrow,” Elliott said. “Figure while I’m close, I can go see MargotJennings.”
Jennings was a country music artist who’d recently signed with us, looking to make her transition into pop, and Elliott was still hammering out the details with her people. Though Elliott and I shared several accounts, like Hacksmore, each of us also took jobs we pulled commissions fromseparately.
“Trying to bail out of Fever Falls sofast?”
He laughed, glancing up from his phone briefly. “Not fast enough is more likeit.”
“Oh, come on. It’s a nice place. And it’s not like it’s some small town. There’s a lot going onhere.”
“Up-and-coming,” Carter offered before giggling. Despite being on his iPad the whole time since I’d sat down, as befitted Carter, he was obviously paying more attention than he was lettingon.
“I think you’re more than capable of handling all this,” Elliottsaid.
“I’m always more than capable of handling anything. But since we have a night, wanna grab some dinner later? Play catch-up?”
“I’d love to, but I already scheduled to meet up with AshCarmichael.”
It was a fair reason for him to be busy, considering Ash was one of his most popularclients.
“I’d invite you, but it’s gonna be at his partner’s mother’s place, and I don’t know if they’re going to haveroom.”
“No, no. It’s fine. Carter, did you want to grab abite?”
“I actually already have adate.”
“Are we using the worddatelooselyhere?”
“Nothing loose over here,” Carter quipped, which got Elliott and me laughing. “This little PA can get action anytime he needs it, don’t you worry aboutme.”
“Trust us,” Elliott said, “you are the last guy in the world we’re worried about getting some action…so long as you play safe and keep gettingtested.”
Elliott winked, and Carter added, “Please. I think I’m tested about as much as a monkey at theCDC.”
We all enjoyed a laugh, then tended to some other business obligations before my phone buzzed on the table as a call camein.
“I see Serena’s name,” Elliott said, his eyes getting wide, like he knew what I was about toendure.
“Calling for her weekly checkup?” Carterasked.
I sent the call to voice mail, replying, “And here I thought you understood my mother by now, Carter. We don’t do weekly checkups. We have weeklymeetings.”
“How did she like that yoga retreat she was on?” Elliott asked. “I was thinking Steve and I might want to go to something likethat.”
