“Elaine Hester’s sister?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve known Elaine Hester that long?”
“Yes, why?”
Jim rubbed the back of his head. “Shit. Why didn’t you ever tell me this shit?”
Jay shook his head. The problem with Jim was he was an egomaniac who heard what he wanted to hear when he wanted to hear it and the man could conveniently forget shit.
Jim dropped his head as he kept shaking it. “This shit isn’t going to turn out good for either of us.”
“What shit?”
Jim stood up tall, widened his stance, and folded his arms. “Your contract expired last week. If you had a fucking—”
“I said—”
Jim raised a hand. “Sorry.” He sighed gravely. “If you had an assistant, then we could’ve gotten this settled already.”
Jay felt another weight lift off his shoulders. “I’m not under contract?”
Jim’s expression became more pinched. “Listen, I got the fucking contracts outside in my car.”
Jay shook his head. “I’m not signing anything.”
Jim threw his hands up in defeat. “And hey, I’ll give you your fucking”—he shook his head—“shit, sorry, your damn pet project with V-Adams.”
“Give me?” Jay muttered thoughtfully. He was half asking Jim the question while coming to a realization.
Jay had been dealing with self-serving assholes like Jim all of his life. Recently Jay had learned something about the comfortable uncomfortable. It was when the brain got so used to bullshit, abuse, and all the things that made a person unhappy that their need for bad shit became second nature. Then if the opposite came along, that person would reject it even though it was good for them. Telling Jim to go stick his contracts where the sun didn’t shine felt uncomfortable, but Jay knew that was the only answer he needed to give in order to be a better advocate for himself.
“Listen, we’ll talk about it later. I’m going to go get the contract. Comb over it and get it back to me before you go to Canada.” Jim pointed at Jay in warning. “Just don’t let that bit—” He stopped himself then sighed hard. “But Elaine Hester is a bitch, dude.”
“She’s family, so don’t call her a bitch either.”
“Jay?” Sonja called from the room.
He turned toward her voice. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Come now, please?” she said.
He didn’t hesitate to leave Jim and rush to Sonja’s aid.
When he entered the room, Sonja was holding out her cell phone. “I heard your conversation and called Laney. I think you should talk to her.”
Once again, Jay knew he was hesitant because of the beast named the comfortable uncomfortable. So he got a grip and calmly took the phone from Sonja. “Hello?”
“If you sign his contract tonight, I’ll kill you,” Elaine said. “But you take it and give him reason to believe you’re going to sign it. I’ll work magic for you while you’re in Canada.”
Jay felt another hundred pounds lift from his shoulders. “Thanks, Elaine.”
“Yeah,” she muttered and hung up.
Sonja was watching him with wide, conflicted eyes when he handed the phone back to her. “Did I cross the line?” She lifted one side of her mouth squeamishly.
When she took the phone. he took her by the wrist and tugged her against him. “Does it feel like you crossed the line?”
He heaved his hard-on against the top of her pubic bone. Damn the sensations that raced through his dick.
He was ready to fuck.
“No,” she said with a sigh.
“No.” He repeated and smashed his lips against hers.
It was time to fuck.
Chapter 18
Sonja and Jay had only stepped over AMTA’s contract, which was on the floor by the door, and come out of the bedroom for one reason—it was Tuesday at ten thirty in the morning and they had a conference call with Vincent Adams. He was over the moon about the script, treatment, and outlines of the first five scripts they had written. He actually had been worried about whether or not Sonja and Dexter would make an effective writing team, since she had no professional television writing experience. However, the creative packet they had sent proved him wrong. And right there on the spot, Vincent Adams approved shooting the entire first season while they were in Canada and gave them an extra two weeks to do it. He also wanted to restructure his deal with Jay so that his company took on more of the financial burden and payoff.
“You can work out those details with Elaine,” Jay said then smiled and winked at Sonja.
She smiled back. Her sister was certainly the perpetual pain in the ass, but she always had his and her best interests at heart, along with those of anyone she’d made a commitment to.
After wrapping up their phone call, Sonja and Dexter celebrated with a glass of champagne. Keeping his commitment to sobriety, Jay drank sparkling water. Since Cam had the day and the next three months off, since Jay was off to Canada, he made a hearty brunch for them.
Sonja learned more about Dexter as they sat around the patio table, eating. He had two daughters and an ex-wife. His girls were lucky enough to have two parents who were devoted to living in peace not only for their sakes but also for their own. Dexter had dated plenty of women since his divorce and had fallen in love with one unavailable woman, but that was it.
“Are you still in love with this woman?” Sonja asked.
“I love her as a friend, but nothing more.”
She narrowed an eye suspiciously. “Okay, but what if this woman divorced her husband tomorrow? Would you go after her?” Sonja felt as though she was guarding her cousin’s heart. Dexter was slated to attend her going away dinner later that night and it was evident that he was interested in Robin and vice versa.
Dexter shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not in love with anyone else. I probably would try to figure out if she and I are seriously compatible. But I don’t have to consider a real answer to that question because her husband is never going to leave her and she certainly isn’t going to leave him.”
“Her husband is Jack Lord,” Jay announced. “Your grandmother has to know him.”
Sonja shook her head. “She may. I’ve always tried to stay out of my grandmother’s business.”
“Yeah,” Jay said with a sigh. “Real estate is definitely not your thing.”
She smirked seductively. “And what’s my thing?” She batted her eyelashes.
Dexter threw up both hands. “Hey, you guys, give it break already. Single guy at the table here.”
Sonja and Jay chuckled.
“But not for long,” she sang.
Dexter’s brows furrowed as he leaned in Sonja’s direction. “Do you really think Robin’s into me?”
“I’m positive.”
“Because she showed me no signs of it.”
“That’s because her nickname is Wednesday, you know, the daughter in the Addams Family,” Sonja said with a chuckle.
Dexter maintained his curious frown. “Why is she that way?”
Sonja knew why, but she didn’t think it was her place to tell him. “I guess if you’re interested in her, then you’re going to have to take the time to discover the answer to your question.”
Jay knocked on the table a few times. “I can tell you this, Dexter, Robin isn’t a praying mantis. She’s just one of those people who are too deep for their own good.” He looked at Sonja. “Is she still an artist?”
“Yep. Her work is at galleries all over LA and New York. She sells a lot of her pieces and they’re not cheap, but she rarely spends the money. And…” She was about to say more about her cousin but decided to stop there.
“And what?” Dexter said.
Sonja shook her head. “Like I said, Robin’s interesting, but she’s for you to get to know.”
Dexter rocked back and forth as he nodded. His slight smile had revealed his thoughts. “Damn, I’m more intrigued than I was last night.”
Sonja took the final bite of the delicious potato soufflé Jay had made. “Well…” She wiped her mouth after swallowing. “I have to get going, but I’ll see you both tonight at seven. Elaine’s house is in the Palisades, and for the love of everyone’s sanity, please don’t be late. Theresa, Gran, and Elaine will be there, and they’re the trifecta when it comes to shaming people about being late.”
Jay took her hand. “How about I go back to the room with you?”
She let go of his hand. “No, because I have to leave now. And get dressed.” Sonja still had on a pair of his pajamas, which were way too big for her.
“Just one more time,” he said.
“No. Tonight after dinner, okay?” She kissed his forehead.
Dexter looked away bashfully, so Sonja didn’t let Jay take their kiss too far.
“Later,” she said after their lips parted, and she traipsed off, waving at both men still seated at the table.
Once Sonja got home, the first thing she did was pack for three months away from home. Her present and future felt less surreal as she filled her suitcase with clothes suitable for Vancouver’s weather. She brought lots of jeans, comfortable vintage T-shirts, and red, black, and gray Chucks. She made sure she had at least thirty pairs of panties so she wouldn’t run out quickly, and she packed feminine products for four cycles. Sonja didn’t neglect packing for possible nights out.
After filling two suitcases, she stood in the middle of her room, racking her brain as she tried to remember if she had forgotten something. At the moment, nothing came to mind. She was able to take a deep breath and finally focus on the monumental task ahead of her. She was to meet her grandmother for a drink at Elaine’s place an hour before dinner started. Sonja wasn’t sure if the conversation was only going to be between Gran and herself or if others would join them. She had decided to leave the decision in Gran’s hands.
So now that she was packed and ready to go, she showered, put on a black satin spaghetti-strapped midi-dress, fresh makeup, her favorite perfume, and a pair of strappy sandals. She also packed a bag for the night because she was spending the night at Jay’s place. They would return to her apartment a few hours before her flight to get her things. He had insisted, even after she had assured him that she could carry her luggage to her car, stuff it in the back seat, and drive over to his house after the party.
“No way. Give me this, babe. Let me make it easier for you,” he’d said.
When Jay called her babe, it felt as though he had been calling her that forever. It also felt as if they had been a couple for way longer than a few days. Sonja grinned as she locked the door to her apartment. She liked the fact that Jay seemed so familiar to her. She liked it a lot.
Then Sonja so happened to look down in the courtyard. Ms. Jenkins was sitting on the wrought-iron bench, and their eyes met. Sonja’s heart raced and her feet remained glued to the floor. Ms. Jenkins called her favorite way-too-fluffy white cat onto her lap, picked up the creature, and calmly walked back to her apartment. Sonja remembered to breathe once the woman was gone.
She thanked her lucky stars that she would be gone for a while, and when she returned from Canada, Sonja knew she would have to move. She walked quickly to her car, hoping that Ms. Jenkins wouldn’t decide to ambush her. The woman had done it many times before, pretending that she was going inside her apartment only to sneak up on Sonja before she managed to escape. Her heels beat the ground feverishly as she rushed to her car, got in, and left without a hitch.
Chapter 19
It took her an hour and a half to drive fourteen miles across town to the Pacific Palisades. There was nothing worse than LA traffic. She hated it.
Thanks to Elaine, she had seventy thousand dollars in the bank and would soon receive an even bigger check for knocking out the pilot episode. The rest of the season would bring in even better checks. Holy hell, she had hit it big, and working with Dexter made her job so easy. So on one hand, being richer and more successful made traffic more tolerable, but on the other, she realized she was no longer beholden to that city. She could leave and drive in only when absolutely necessary.
Elaine had a three-acre property with a Spanish-style mansion in the mountains. Her sister liked it that way. She could afford to live right off the water, but she didn’t want to oversell herself as an independent woman. Elaine was waiting for the right man to marry her before she moved to a house that cost way too much money—but not in the Palisades. She had her sights set on Malibu. Image meant everything to Elaine.
Sonja parked in the guest lot at Elaine’s house. Her grandmother’s Bentley was already there, but she didn’t see Theresa or Robin’s cars. That was a relief.
Sonja had a key to Elaine’s house, just like Elaine had one to her apartment. However, she did ring the bell four times before entering just to signal she had arrived. As usual, Maria Lopez, one of Elaine’s house managers, met Sonja in the foyer.
“Buenos tardes, mija,” Maria said.
They hugged.
“Buenos tardes.”
“Your grandmother is on the patio,” she said.
Sonja thanked her then took one of the longest walks of her life. She stopped under the veranda to watch her grandmother sitting at a rectangular wrought iron table, gazing out the picturesque Pacific Ocean, unobstructed by power lines or other homes.
“Hi, Gran,” Sonja said.
Her grandmother turned around to watch her with a tight smile that said she wasn’t angry or happy with her. “How are you, darling?”
Sonja kissed her then sat in the closest chair to her. As though her buttocks hitting the seat cushion alerted Maria that they were ready for a drink, she rolled out a cart of wine selections. Both ladies had the cabernet franc.
When they were alone again, Gran kept her narrowed eyes directed toward the view of the water. “I never liked the beach.”
“Oh,” Sonja said as though what her grandmother had said truly shocked her. The truth was, it was an exaggerated reaction to a declaration she cared very little about.
“Malibu, Palisades, Brentwood, Bel Aire, Trousdale Estates, they’re all designer neighborhoods. But Hancock, Beverly Hills, that’s where it all started.” Gran took a sip of wine. “When I came to this city, I was a young girl with a lot of cash and a broken spirit.”
Finally Gran turned to look at her and Sonja gulped nervously. She knew her grandmother well enough to understand that the big talk had already started.
“Gran, I’m sorry,” she said.
Gran brought her glass to her lips. “The past can be brutal, can’t it?” She took a sip.
Sonja adjusted in her seat. “I guess. But we’ve changed the story completely.” She took the draft she had printed that morning out of her oversized brown leather purse and handed it to Gran. “I made a copy for you.”
Gran looked at the pages as though she was being forced to take bad luck. “I don’t need to read it. I trust you’ve changed your story to my satisfaction.” She took a deep breath through her nose and released it slowly. At least she was smiling. Sonja took that as a good sign. “One day, when you were a little girl, I opened a cabinet and there were spiders everywhere. I jumped and screamed and scrambled, looking for insecticide. But you said, ‘Don’t worry, Gran, I’ll get them for you.’” Her smile broadened and her eyes softened as her gaze drew in Sonja’s face. “And my heart stopped as I watched in horror as you rustled up spiders with your hands and ran them through the kitchen and the front door to set them free. I remember thinking, look how brave she is, and look how she protects me.”
Sonja felt her heart swell and tears rush to her eyes as her grandmother caressed her hand. She couldn’t remember that moment exactly, but she recalled the emotions she must’ve felt.
“Years later”—Gran tilted her head and smiled—“when I finally saw a therapist, I told her that story about you and the spiders. And she explained how because of my problems, I had inadvertently taught you to be brave and overprotectiv
e of not only me but of your safety. You see, darling, I was your safety and you were sheltering me. I didn’t know what shelter meant until I met Roy, your grandfather.”
Sonja gulped as the energy soaring through her body made her sit up straight. All her grandmother had ever said, other than he was a great lawyer, was he’d died way too young and she’d loved him way too much.
Gran looked off at the ocean with a nostalgic grin. “He was the first man who showed me that men were not put on earth to scar our souls. He was smart, empathetic, kind, and compassionate. He used those traits to acquire and conquer. He was God’s perfect human being, and that’s why he was taken from this corruptible Earth so soon.”
Sonja sat very still as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. She would’ve wiped them away, but one shift in her position and she feared her grandmother would stop talking, and Sonja didn’t want her to. She wanted to hear it all.
“Did you know he had spent almost every waking hour fighting for fair housing for those who didn’t know how to do it for themselves?”
Sonja nodded. Her grandmother had told her that many times before.
“You have his heart. You’ve sensed my pain, my torture, and you have spent your young and beautiful life fighting for me.” Tears streamed from Gran’s eyes, so Sonja jumped up. Before she could frantically grab the nearest napkin, her grandmother lifted one off the table. “As you can see, I’ve found this myself.”
Sonja’s mouth fell open as her mind connected that moment to the things her grandmother had just said and to a lot of incidences in the past.
Gran patted her eyes and cheeks, sniffed, and set her napkin on the table beside her glass of wine. “I assume you’ve discovered the truth about Harlan Duke?”
Sonja swallowed. “Yes.”
“I’m sorry for lying to you.” She smiled slightly. “I’m afraid you’ve gotten your creative talents from me.”
Once Friends Page 14