AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Well, no, because I’m not a mind reader, am I? You didn’t share anything with me, that’s part of the problem here.’
God, I was on a roll. If I’d felt any sense of loyalty before, it had all but disappeared now. I just wanted to get this done and get on with the rest of my life.
‘Who is this mysterious agent you’ll be signing with, then? Some two-bit agency working out of their conservatory in Kent, is it?’ he sneered.
He really was a twat. ‘It’s Alistair Kemp from Hargreaves & Kemp.’
That shut him up. It was a good agency. They got excellent work for their boutique list of clients. There wasn’t really anything negative Chad could say, although he was probably desperately trying to think of something.
‘Right,’ said Chad. ‘Well, if you want to risk leaving one of the world’s top talent agencies, that’s on you.’
‘Exactly. It’s my choice. I don’t want an agent that I can’t communicate with, Chad. I appreciate you taking me on and everything you’ve done for me over the last ten years, but it’s just not working out for me.’
I wasn’t going to stoop to Chad’s level and start hurling insults. My years at Star Management hadn’t been all bad.
‘Please put this in writing, Jack. And do remember that any money you make from work I found for you must continue to come through our books.’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘Alistair is aware and will be in touch.’
It was only fair. Besides, the play was hardly going to make me anything, was it? Any ticket sales would go towards covering expenses first; the venue itself probably cost a fortune.
‘I sincerely hope you don’t live to regret this, Jack,’ said Chad, cutting off the call abruptly.
I won’t, I thought to myself, already feeling as if this was the best decision I’d ever made.
I put my phone in my pocket and headed for the tube. This was the beginning of a new era. My career wasn’t over yet; in fact, I had the feeling that it might just be properly beginning.
It was nearly 7.30 by the time I got home. In my hand was a carrier bag containing an M&S chicken tikka masala and their cheapest bottle of red. My dad would have a fit if he could see me now – he’d drummed it into me that I should never buy a bottle of wine that cost less than a tenner, but then again, my dad had never been skint, had he?
I bounded up the stairs, still high on everything that had happened. So much had changed in the space of a few hours. I’d dump my things in the flat and then I’d give Rebecca a knock. She’d be pleased for me, I knew she would be. Just because she was back with the American, it didn’t mean we couldn’t be friends. While I was looking for my keys, I somehow managed to drop the bag with the wine in it. I winced as it landed with an ominous smash. Red liquid seeped out from under the plastic bag, the burgundy pool growing bigger with each passing second. I swore several times before opening my door and stomping inside to get a towel. When I came back out, Rebecca was at her door looking worried.
‘Is everything OK?’ she asked, staring at the mess on the floor.
‘I dropped a bottle of wine,’ I said, crouching down to dab at it with an old towel. Stupidly, I’d chosen a white one.
She disappeared inside her flat, reappearing with a dustpan and brush, then she knelt down next to me, sweeping broken glass into the pan.
‘I really fancied a glass of this as well,’ I sighed, wondering whether I could stretch to another bottle. I probably couldn’t. As it was, because of rehearsals for the play, I wouldn’t be able to take on any extra shifts at the pub for the next few weeks. My money situation was looking more dire than ever.
‘Bad day?’ she asked.
‘Actually, no. It was an exceptionally good day.’
She looked up, raising her eyebrows. ‘What happened?’
I heard the front door downstairs open and then slam; voices floated up from the ground floor, a child and a woman.
‘I signed with that new agent. And he’s great. He’s got so many ideas for me and he seems genuinely excited to represent me.’
‘So he should be,’ she said, smiling. ‘What did Chad say?’
I rolled my eyes. ‘He was an arsehole about it, of course. Which only proved to me that I’ve done the right thing.’
‘I’m pleased for you,’ she replied, standing up, brushing dust off her knees. ‘I’m a bit on edge myself, actually. I had that interview for the charity job on Tuesday.’
‘When will you hear?’
‘They said by the end of the week, but it’s Thursday now, so …’
