Page 4 of Get A Fix

“Why is that?”

“It’s because we were hired by our client’s agent, Mr. Klein, and he didn’t have all the details to give me, just that it’s Tuesday through Saturday.”

This was getting better and better. “Who is our client?”

“Ashford Lennox, the actor. Levi Klein, who hired us, is his agent. Have you heard of Lennox or seen him in anything?”

Only my boss would ask if I’d heard of one of the biggest actors in Hollywood. What was impressive about Lennox was that seven years ago, he was not yet a household name, even after a very successful series on HBO and many big-budget Hollywood blockbusters. What changed things for him and put him on everyone’s radar was first a turn as the intrepid Jack Ryan, and then playing a gay doctor dealing with an opioid addiction after he and several others had been attacked in the hospital where they worked. I’d seen that same scenario played out in other movies and on TV, but somehow, Ashford Lennox breathed new life into that trope. When he received his Oscar for best actor, he officially came out, though he hadn’t been hiding the truth before.

Like most people, I thought he’d do a lot of indie films after that, maybe more TV, and perhaps end up playing the best friend, dependable sidekick, and voice of reason to the big, muscle-bound hero. But lo and behold, that wasn’t the case. Women loved him, gay men loved him, and straight men were good with him too. I had a feeling it was because he looked like a guy you could count on to have your back in a fight, and at the same time, you never had to worry he’d make a move on your wife or girlfriend. He was the perfect wingman. Somehow, someway, Ashford Lennox was openly gay and his career just kept building with no downside in sight.

“Yes, sir, I’ve heard of him,” I said without groaning, which I was proud of. I would have needed to be living under a rock not to know who Ashford Lennox was.

“Apparently, Mr. Lennox had a regular bodyguard, but he is no longer with Mr. Lennox.”

“What happened there?”

“Mr. Klein either didn’t know or didn’t want to tell me.”

“What does your gut say?”

“From all the hedging, I’m guessing the bodyguard hit on Lennox, but Lennox left it open if the man wanted to return.”

“His bodyguard hit on him and he’s giving the guy another chance?”

“That’s what it sounds like to me, but as Mr. Klein pointed out, he didn’t need to know what went on, and neither do we. What we do need to know is only that he needs a new person.”

“Why doesn’t Klein just hire Lennox one?”

“He has a whole team for events, but for simply the day-to-day, Lennox only has one person with him, and he’s always hired that person himself.”

“Okay…”

“So since he can’t at the moment, as there’s no time, he asked his agent to find him a suitable replacement.”

“I’m surprised he had his agent do that and not his manager.”

“I was told there is no manager, only an agent.”

This was sounding worse and worse. If I needed something, how was I supposed to get in touch with a busy agent?

“And as he’s going to his niece’s wedding, you won’t be going as a bodyguard, but as his plus-one.”

I couldn’t have heard him correctly.

“Keep an open mind.”

“Sir—”

“It’ll be easy.”

Had he just said that? Easy? Did he even listen to himself? He’d just given me the kiss of death right there.

“It’s a simple protection detail where you will be undercover as his boyfriend.”

“Why? I can just go as his bodyguard since that’s what I’ll be.”

“I guess—and it makes sense, he’s a very handsome man—that if he goes anywhere without someone on his arm, he becomes the focus of attention.”