Unleash Me, Vol. 1 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (23 page)

“
Just
past seven.
 
We have time for a
martini if you
’
d
like.
 
It will help to calm your
nerves before you meet with that son of a bitch Boss.
”

“
Do
you know how to make a martini?
”

“
My
dear
—
please.
”

“
Let
’
s all have one.
 
Bernie, are you game?
”

“
I
’
ve always been a
Gibson Girl,
”
he
said.

“
How
about being a Belvedere Bombshell?
”

“
I
can work that part.
”

“
I
suspected as much.
 
If you two
wouldn
’
t
mind making them, I
’
m
going to make a quick phone call to Tank before they take off.
 
Is that OK?
”

“
Get
some Tank time in while you can,
”
Blackwell
said.
 
“
Bernie and I will take
care of the drinks.
”

*
 
*
 
*

When they left the conference room
that doubled as our makeup room and went into Blackwell
’
s office to make the
drinks, I reached for my phone on the table in front of me and called
Tank.
 
He answered on the second
ring.

“
I
was wondering if you
’
d
have time to call,
”
he
said.
 
“
I hear you
’
ve had a pretty crazy
day.
”

“
As
if I wouldn
’
t
find time to call.
 
I
’
m so glad to hear your
voice.
 
Are you on the plane?
”

“
Just
got on it.
”

“
Then
I got to you in time.
”

“
You
did.
 
I assume that Bernie and
Blackwell have you all dressed up?
”

“
They
do.
”

“
I
wish I could see you right now.
”

“
You
can.
 
It
’
s called
technology.
 
I can totally take a
selfie in the dressing mirror and send it to you.
”

“
If
you did that, I
’
d
be a very happy man.
”

“
Let
me get off the phone, and I
’
ll
take the photo and text it to you.
 
Then I
’
ll
call you right back.
”

“
Got
it.
”

I hung up, went over to the tall
mirror to my right, chose the camera icon,
 
and took several photos of myself at various angles.
 
When I found the one I liked best, I
texted it to him, waited five minutes so he could look at it, and then called
him back.

“
What
do you think?
”
I
asked.

“
I
think I
’
m
going to be a very lonely man for the next two weeks.
”

God, I loved him.

“
Do
you think it works?
”

“
Oh,
it works.
 
In fact, it really
works.
 
Boss better not get any
ideas when he sees you looking like that.
”

“
I
still can
’
t
believe that I have to attend a party with that creep, but it is what it is, I
suppose.
”

“
You
’
ll be fine.
 
In fact, from what I just saw, you
’
re about to steal the
show.
 
This is completely different
from how most of New York saw you today.
 
Blackwell really knows what she
’
s doing, doesn
’
t she?
”

“
She
and Bernie do.
 
They
’
re a team.
”

“
So
are we,
”
he
said.
 
“
I
’
ll miss you, Lisa.
”

“
I
’
ll miss you more.
 
Call me when you can
—
I
’
ll always have my
phone with me.
 
And know that I
’
ll be thinking of you
every minute.
”

“
I
love you,
”
he
said.

“
Are
you signing off?
”

“
I
think I have to.
 
Lot
’
s to do before
takeoff.
”

“
OK.
 
I love you, and I can
’
t wait to hear from
you soon.
 
After tonight, I have a
feeling that I
’
ll
have lots to share with you.
”

“
If
Boss gets out of line, punch him in the face for me.
”

“
Here
’
s what you don
’
t know about us Maine
girls, Tank
—
we
have one hell of a right hook.
 
Just
ask Jennifer.
 
Now, go and be
safe.
 
When you arrive in L.A., call
me.
 
The party will be over by
then.
 
I
’
ll have my phone at my
bedside.
 
Don
’
t worry about waking
me.
”

“
Sleep
tight,
”
he
said.

“
I
’
ll try if you try.
 
But please call if you can.
”

“
I
’
ll call,
”
he
said.
 
“
Promise.
”

And then he was gone.

*
 
*
 
*

When our martinis were history,
Blackwell alerted me of the time.
 
“
Five minutes to eight,
”
she
said.
 
“
Boss is either here
now, or he
’
ll
be here soon.
 
Bernie, would you
like another look at her?
”

“
I
would.
”

I sat down in front of the makeup
mirror.
 
Bernie applied a fresh coat
of lipstick to me, studied my face, added a touch of powder to my forehead and
cheeks, and then took a step back.
 

“
She
’
s perfect,
”
he
said.

I got up from my chair and turned to
face Blackwell, who was pulling off the rack a black, museum-quality 1960
’
s black cape coat with
ostrich feather trim.
 
“
It
’
s fully lined in silk,
”
she
said.
 
“
Hand-stitched
throughout.
 
Oscar de la Renta.
 
Don
’
t you dare ask how I got my hands on it
—
I
’
ll never tell.
”

“
It
’
s amazing.
”

“
It
nearly cost me a limb.
”

“
I
’
m happy to see that
you
’
ve
kept them all.
”

“
I
have, but the psychological scars are somehow worse.
 
They
’
re deeper.
”

“
Goodness.
”

She winked at me.
 
“
Think of this as just another statement, my dear.
 
All of those snobs you
’
re going to meet
tonight will have no choice but to bow down to you.
 
The literary set will think you
’
ve gone too far, but
who gives a damn about them?
 
This
is Julian West
’
s
birthday party, not some meager book signing with mid-list authors trying to
shuck their books.
 
Tonight,
Hollywood will trump the literary crowd, and the former is whom we
’
re targeting because
of Julian
’
s
interest in your book.
 
They
’
ll go belly up over
this.
 
Now, here,
”
she
said.
 
“
Turn around.
 
That
’
s right.
 
Let me
place it over your shoulders
—
you
’
ll wear it just like
this.
 
When you arrive at the party,
expect the paparazzi to be there.
 
Do not
—
and
I mean this
—
do
not take this coat off until photos of you have been taken.
 
Only when you feel that the paps are
losing interest do I want you to remove it.
 
Then, they
’
ll see your dress.
 
And when they do, I can guarantee you that another round of photos will
begin.
 
Bernie and I are working to
make you the new
‘
it
’
girl.
 
I think we
’
ve succeeded.
”

“
Marco
is so not going to be into any of that.
”

“
Then
let him walk on.
 
He
’
s a nobody.
 
What we need to do is to counter how
people first viewed you today with a totally different look.
 
This will do it.
 
This will create a slew of comparisons
in the press.
 
We just need the
media to do their jobs and get their photos out there.
 
And they will.
 
You
’
ll see.
 
I want
you on Page Six.
”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

I said goodbye to Blackwell, got into
the elevator, and descended to the lobby.
 
I had to admit that I was nervous.
 

Tonight was make-or-break for
me.
 
Landing a movie deal was next
to impossible for a new writer.
 
My
hopes weren
’
t
high for that, but I did hope that Julian
’
s feedback about my book would make Marco Boss second-guess
his new synopsis.

But if West agreed with the book
’
s new direction, I was
screwed.
 
I would have three weeks
to completely rewrite my novel.
 
If
I shut out the world, I could do it.
 
Obviously, the lingering question was whether Boss would accept the
edits.
 
At some point, I knew he
’
d have to
—
the
book had been advertised with a sell date
—
March 30th.
 
So even if he didn
’
t agree with the lot
of it, he at least had to go forward with it if he was going to meet the
publication date.