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The man is Jack Mercury for God’s sake.
“So you want me to write for you?” I ask, not meaning to sound confused. “You want me to write articles for you?” I affirm. But he shakes his head, almost laughing by now.
“I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want,” he tells me.
“I want you to know you have choices, starting right now. Right this minute and they include staying here, in your new apartment, writing your own articles. Or you can join me on the set and we can go make some movies,” he adds casually.
Way too casually.
“Or?” I venture, remembering he mentioned a series of options.
“Or we can just hang out, watch old movies and eat take out in bed,” he says, shrugging again, seeming equally happy with all three of his ideas so far.
“How long would it take you to write your articles, for your other job?” he asks, glancing at his watch and looking past me out the window.
Making me wonder if he’s thinking the same as me.
The two of us in bed with nothing else to do for the rest of the day. Maybe for every other day after it as well?
“Uh. I dunno, maybe an hour or two.” I shrug, remembering how much time it actually takes to put together an article.
Not that long.
“And how long to write up a couple of your own, about the same?” he suggests, his devilish smile inviting me to join the dots.
“Uh… Yeah.” I smile back, noting his eyes moving to my laptop sat on the top of my bag as he raises his brows.
“I never took you for a movie star,” he says with finality, sounding like he’s made up his mind about a dozen things, but only leaving me with more questions than answers.
“What is all this about a movie role?” I ask him, gripping his shirt front before he kisses me, demanding an explanation.
“That whole thing we did yesterday. Hair, makeup. Having a camera up your nose in between people shouting at you to stand here and do this then that? Do you want that?” he asks, making a face.
Asking himself it feels like more than asking me.
“…For like months on end,” he adds loudly. “Not just for a whole afternoon or even a few days. Like, months on end?” he asks me again.
My head shakes quickly. I don’t even need to think about it.
It was fun, sure. Really fun to spend a day with Jack and see how things get done but no.
No way would I commit to a month of it, let alone a lifetime.
“I don’t know how you do it,” I tell him, learning more in a few moments than I ever could from trawling the gutter of Hollywood in search of a real story.
“I don’t know how I ever did it either,” he says absently. His hand searching for mine but his eyes full of hope instead of doubt now.
“So, you’ll stay?” he asks, making me feel more confused than ever for a moment.
“Just one question?” I ask, sighing. Knowing I want nothing more than to stay, but as long as it’s with Jack only.
Alone.
As long as I know I don’t have any competition apart from a movie studio or maybe even a cranky boss I haven’t quit just yet.
“Who is your agent, really? And what’s the deal between you two?” I ask firmly, trying not to sound too jealous.
“Denise?” he asks me back. Looking down for a moment before sighing.
“I may as well tell you now, you’re going to hear far worse once she gets hold of you.”
I feel my stomach drop like I’m about to get my first dose of real life Hollywood scandal. But it’s not like that at all.
I realize I’ve maybe just hung around the wrong people for too long.
“She’s my mom,” Jack says. Not ashamed, a glow of pride in his face as he tells me.
“Your mom?” I stammer back, feeling my own heart glow in reply.
How sweet. Jack Mercury’s agent is his mom. Who knew? And who’d tell anyone else?
I sure as hell don’t plan to, and now I can’t wait to meet her.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jack
I did promise to call Denise back within the hour with some answers, but I was hoping I’d have more definite answers and not just for her own ears by now.
But things are still going pretty well, considering.
I lay it out as best I can for Olivia, only leaving out the part that tells her I think I’m done with movies. That maybe I just want to settle down and have a family from now on.
Not wanting to ask if that’s what she wants right now, given today’s already been nothing but twenty questions.
Maybe our ‘family’ could just be her and me for a while?
But I also want the best for her. If she really wants to be a movie star, I’ll support her in that. Although I’d much rather we just went for my third option. My choice.
