“Is she the one who messed up the interview time? Can’t you handle all my publicity?”
I shake my head. “Maybe you’d keep a publicist for longer than six months if you stopped being so chaotic with the media. You purposely say outrageous things just to amuse yourself.”
“This is all Sam’s fault. I still don’t understand why he had to retire.”
“Perhaps because he was seventy and you aged him by ten years every time you did a press junket.”
Sebastian had adored Sam, his longtime publicist. He’d had the steady perspective and wisdom of decades in the business.
“Moving on. I added the cover shoot forModern Manto your schedule. It’s going to take a full day, so I had to move things around to clear up next Friday. Also, your agency sent over new scripts to look at. I put them in your office with the rest,” I say while typing notes into my laptop.
“Read all my scripts to weed them out. You know what I want.” He waves his hand. “They’ve been sending me bullshit action roles lately.”
My stomach sinks, thinking of the floor-to-ceiling stack in his office. Getting through the pile will take me every weekend this month. And Ihatereading them. Spreadsheets, schedules, and anything organizational are my favorite parts of the job. Not reading scripts. Or fetching dry cleaning.
Before I can respond, he moves on, throwing out a list of ten other tasks that need to be done yesterday. “Also, I’m fine with wearing Raphael to the premiere,” he says, “as long as they don’t pull the same weird shit they did for the Oscars after-party last year.”
At that, I bite back a wicked smile. He has a five-year deal with the storied fashion house, but they’ve been trying to attract a younger audience with an edgier look, much to Sebastian’s annoyance. “I thought the cutouts on your abs were an inspired choice.”
“Tell them to save it for their runway. I’m going classic. Think James Bond. Coordinate with Jordan.”
Jordan is Sebastian’s new stylist. I adored his last one, but she left a few months ago on maternity leave. Darn her and her virile husband.
I try to control my expression.
He looks at me sharply. “You don’t like Jordan?”
Oh, how shall I count the ways?
“Nothing. It’s no big deal. I’m just not a fan.”
He frowns. “Explain.”
“He can be… dismissive,” I say.
The truth is, Jordan kisses Sebastian’s ass but treats me like the dirt beneath his well-polished shoes. I must be having an off day because I normally don’t complain about stuff like this.
“Forget I said anything. I’ll deal with it myself,” I say with a wave of my hand, hoping he drops it.
“I’ll have a little talk with him.”
My breath catches at the look in his flashing eyes.
I laugh. “Oh, Sebastian, you sweet summer child,” I taunt, though not unkindly. “What are you going to do, have a talk with everyone who mistreats me? I’m your assistant. People are rude.”
“No one should make your job harder.”
Except for you,I think.
But he pays me damn good money for it, I remind myself. My job is to make Sebastian’s life easier. It’s not to get him involved in fighting my fights. I handle assholes all day long. It’s basically in the job description. Though what I do goes beyond what’s typical.
He lets out a breath. “And no one should be rude to you,” he continues.
I raise an eyebrow, thinking of Allegra.
“I can handle anyone,” I insist with finality. “I also wanted to let you know that I’m taking another side job. Brett Danners has asked me to assist him in organizing his schedule and office next month while his normal assistant is on vacation. It won’t impact my work for you.” I don’t technically have to notify him of the side jobs I do since I squeeze them into what little time off I have. But Sebastian usually knows the actors I moonlight with. I started taking on extra projects when his best friends, Chase, Ronan, and Ryder, were between assistants and needed help over the years. And it took on a life of its own.
I’m grateful he hasn’t had any problems with these jobs. Sebastian’s very generous salary, combined with the extra income I’ve earned with these side gigs, has gotten my sister, Sadie, through college without mounting debt. If she had chosen a normal university, it wouldn’t have been such a stretch. But Sadie went to Brandford, one of the best and most expensive colleges in the country. And I helped out my dad with medical bills a few years ago, which decimated my emergency fund. Now that Sadie has almost graduated, I’m working toward paying my final bills and building back up my savings. So I still need the extra work.
