After countless weather delays, Andrew had finally landed at LAX early the next morning. He immediately drove to the office, arriving just in time for his nine o’clock meeting with one of his clients.
The meeting didn’t go as planned, though. Hours of going back and forth with his fifty-five-year-old client about why he shouldn’t audition for the role of a twenty-five-year-old hip-hop artist had worsened his mood.
“That was crazy,” Vonda said, plopping down on a chair after the client left. “I don’t get it. Why would he even think this was plausible?”
Andrew sat down at his desk and typed a few notes to himself for his next meeting. “Some people are just not ready to play someone’s daddy or grandfather on screen.”
“But some people need a reality check,” she said with a shrug.
“That’s our job.”
He glanced at his phone and noticed he’d missed several calls from Paige. They hadn’t talked much since yesterday morning, before his mother went to the hospital. They’d exchanged a few texts, but nothing substantive. He hadn’t even told Paige about his mother’s latest injury, because he didn’t want her to worry while she was on set filming most of the day. Every time he meant to call her or text her, something had happened to distract him.
As much as his mother tried to convince them that she was okay, it was clear that she wasn’t. It had been hard to leave her, but true to his mother’s word, she’d yelled at him until he reluctantly agreed to rebook a later flight. Mom had called it “Operation: Grandchild.”
Andrew sent Paige a quick text: In a meeting. I’ll see you at the studio.
Forcing his attention back on his assistant, he said. “Give me an update. Anything hot right now?”
Vonda shook her head. “Not at the moment.”
“Good news.” Andrew leaned forward, clasping his hands together. “As you know, my responsibilities at the agency have shifted.”
Nodding, she crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap. “Yes. Will you have to move to Atlanta?”
The thought had never crossed Andrew’s mind. Moving to Atlanta wasn’t something he wanted to do.Maybe a conversation with X about logistics is long overdue. “No,” he answered. “I plan to stay in Los Angeles.”
Vonda sighed. “Woo, that’s good. I didn’t particularly want to move to Atlanta. And I don’t want to work for another agent.”
“Which leads me to my next act.”
Shifting in her seat, Vonda asked, “Is everything okay? I thought I was doing a good job as a junior agent.”
Andrew held up a hand. “Whoa, calm down. You’re doing an excellent job. Not many agents can handle the things that I’ve given you. I’m pleased by your progress. I’ve spoken with X and he agreed with me that it’s time to promote you.”
Vonda flinched. With wide eyes, she leaned forward. “You’re promoting me?”
“If you want the job,” he said.
“If I want the job!” She smiled widely. “Of course I want the job.” She stood and did a little dance, then she held up a hand. He high-fived her. “I can’t believe it.”
“You’ve worked hard. You deserve it.”
He spent a few minutes giving her an overview of the promotion process. “I’d like you to start next week. Does that work for you?”
“Yes.”
“Put something on my calendar. We can discuss clientele. You’ve been working with several of my clients. All of them have expressed their gratitude for you. Some of them are willing to let you handle everything for them.”
“Oh my God. This is a dream come true,” she said, a wistful look in her eyes. “Thank you for believing in me. Can you tell me which clients?”
Andrew rattled off a few names. “I’m sure there are more. But we can talk about that later.”
“Does that include Paige?” Vonda asked. Representing Paige would no doubt get more and more complicated with each passing day. Andrew was a successful agent because he’d mastered the art of compartmentalizing. He knew how to keep his business and his personal life separate. Yet Paige had always been an outlier for him, she’d always been different from everyone else.
Xavier had called him on it a while ago, but he’d balked at his friend’s observation. It was true, though. Andrewwasdifferent with Paige. She had always blurred his professional and personal lines. Every deal he’d negotiated for her was personal. He didn’t justwanther to succeed, heneededher to succeed. Because her happiness meant something to him. And he couldn’t let her go as a client. Not now.
Even though it would probably be best if Vonda represented Paige going forward, he answered, “No.”
