Senior Year Box Set

“At the airport. We haven’t collected our luggage yet.”

“We have a shoot that just went south with the male talent. Adrienne says to get your butt over here and help us out.”

“You do realize I’m now a big award-winning actor. I’ll send you a list of everything I need for my dressing room. I’m thinking I want M&Ms, and I don’t want any of the red ones. Have someone pick them all out. Oh, and I want the peanut kind,” I teased.

I heard her repeat what I said to Adrienne. Adrienne took the phone from her business partner and lover.

“Listen closely, Big Shot. I’m in a bind, and I’m calling in a favor,” Adrienne said, sounding frazzled.

“Sorry, but I’m confused. I’m not sure I owe you any favors,” I said, giving her a hard time.

“Who found you prom dresses?” Adrienne shot back.

I sighed.

“Go get in a cab and be here as quick as you can,” she ordered and hung up on me.

I told my travel-mates that I had to go to work. Paul wanted to come and do his job, but I told him that if he could get me into a cab out front, I would be fine. There were always paparazzi lurking at airports. Depending on their numbers and if they needed a story, I wanted Paul to act as a human shield.

I checked my messages as we made our way towards the exit. Jill and her mom had already arrived and checked in at their hotel, which was on the way to where I needed to be. I sent Jill a text to meet me outside in a bit, and I would take them to see an actual photo shoot. It would also give her a chance to see Tyler and Adrienne in action.

◊◊◊

On the way to the cab, the barrage of questions reminded me that there remained some residual fallout from the Princess Erika drama. I countered it by informing the stalkerazzi that Adrienne had begged me to come see her, so I’d gotten over the princess. I might have to clue Frank in to my off-the-cuff remarks.

Paul got me safely into a cab. It had been touch-and-go because I’d stirred the pot. On the cab ride to pick up Jill and her mom, I concocted a plan for what I would tell Adrienne. Frank, the spinmeister, must have been rubbing off on me because I felt pleased with myself for what I’d come up with. The question was, would Adrienne agree with me?

When we pulled up at the hotel, Jill and her mom were waiting outside. I waved to get their attention, and they hurried to get in.

“Welcome to New York,” I said once they were settled.

“What are you doing?” Jill asked.

“When I landed, I contacted Tyler to let her know I’d arrived. I thought we were all getting together tonight, so I wanted to confirm the plans. She told me they had an issue at a shoot and asked me to fill in. I figured this would give you a chance to see what it’s like, so I invited you,” I explained.

“What’s it for?” Mrs. Lacier asked.

Well, there I’d done it again. I had no idea. If my mother were here, I’d be getting an earful.

“I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t know. I mean, how bad could it be for their model to walk off the set?” I asked unconcernedly.

“Ignore him, Mom. David thinks he’s a comedian. You should see how he teases poor Phil,” Jill said.

“Hey! I finally got a little brother to torment. I have years of missed harassment to make up for,” I said and then gave Mrs. Lacier my best smile. “It’s all in good fun.”

She rolled her eyes. After all, she had three kids and knew how they would get onto each other. She was experienced enough not to fall for my routine.

I played tour guide the rest of the ride since this was the first time either of them had been to New York.

◊◊◊

I’d sent a text to Tyler to warn her I had Jill and her mother with me. Tyler was waiting in front of a converted warehouse in the garment district.

“You must be Jill and Mrs. Lacier. I’m Tyler, one of the owners of AT Modeling.”

I left them to get acquainted and hurried up the stairs to where Tyler said the shoot was happening.

“If he isn’t here shortly, I’m pulling the plug on this, and you’ll never work for us again,” an angry male voice said.

“I’ve had just about …” Adrienne started and then stopped her rebuttal when she saw me. “The talent has arrived.”

The guy who looked unhappy turned around and glared at me. It took him a second to recognize me, and then his whole demeanor changed in an instant.

“You didn’t tell me you’d gotten David A. Dawson.”

He looked like a young professional, maybe in his early thirties. In New York, many men looked similar. To be honest, he would never stand out in the crowd.

“You never gave me a chance,” Adrienne fired back, obviously still mad. “We provide the talent you can’t get anywhere else.”

She’d added the last part just to drive the knife deeper, making me wonder what I was walking into. Then she turned to me.

“Go back and get changed. We need to wrap this up.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She gave me a hooded-eye look that worried me a little. I decided I probably shouldn’t give her a hard time right now. I immediately scratched my idea of telling her what I’d done with the stalkerazzi to provide her with some press.