Page 2 of Under New Management

"Whatever man, I don't need this. I'm going to be a star. There are like hundreds of you around this town who want to be with me."

"Thus the venereal disease." Mr. Payne doesn't even crack a smile as he says it loud enough for the people around us to hear. Color stains Winston’s, Wilburt's cheeks and he backs away from me like I'm the one with a disease of some kind. When I turn to explain to Margaux that this really isn’t my fault, she's nowhere to be found and I am left with a tux wearing Vin Payne.

"Thank you for helping me with Margaux."

"She's just jealous ‘cause I wouldn't fuck her," he tilts his head a little and looks at me and I think I can guess what he's going to say before he says it, "Venereal disease."

Yep, I was right.

"You can't fuck everything walking, crawling, swimming, or breathing and not think your luck won't run out some point. Not to slut-shame or kink blame, to each their own. Right, sweet tits."

Even though I don't think he is actually asking for me to back him up on this I give him a smile and nod like my opinion is worth something to him. For the rest of the night, Vin introduces me to people and during the show we sit next to Mason and Cora - two people I am completely certain don't want to have sex with me.

So, yeah, last night was pretty magical. I got to stay at the parties later than I usually do. Mason took Cora home after hitting one for just an hour but Vin insisted that I make the rounds to at least three parties. By the end of the night my feet hurt, my eyes were drooping and I had never felt happier. It was like I could be free and didn't have to worry about other people because Vin was really good at keeping all the dicks away. For the first time since I left home, I felt safe. Which is a real shock because Vin calls me sweet tits all the time and I wonder if I should be upset or as turned on as I am when he says it.

The doorbell pulls me out of my glow of reliving last night. I glance over at the clock and see its afternoon. Vin mentioned signing contracts today. Shit. This is not the way I want to meet my new agent. Last night I was so tired when I got home that I took my dress off and fell into bed wearing what I had on, the string. So this morning, err, afternoon all I have on is the string.

Still, I can't keep them waiting at my door. I jump up and grab my robe out of the floor and rush to the door. Standing on my porch looking like a million dollars in a suit and tie is none other than Vin Payne himself. Everyone knows Vin only works for Mason ever since Mason hit it big, so I just assumed he would send someone over to get me straightened out. I didn't think in a million years that he would come himself.

He runs his eyes up and down my robe. I do not mind if he's creeping a little. I have nowhere near the disgust level for him that I did for Watermelon. Wylie? Winnie? Whatever.

"What the hell are you doing answering your door yourself? Where are your security people?" he stomps in leaving me to close the door behind him.

"Um, I don't have security people. I mean I've had them before when I’ve done premiers or something but..." I shrug my shoulders at him. Everyday bodyguards? They would be kind of wasted on guarding someone like me.

"As soon as you sign I'll rectify that. Haven't you ever watched Dateline or 20/20 before? Hell, even if you weren't in movies I wouldn't let you answer the door, especially not in that."

I look down at myself. It's not a short robe; it covers everything right down to my ankles. Maybe he's talking about how bad I look. I reach a hand up to touch my hair. If I'm not on a set I don't realize I have hair until someone says something about it.

"My robe covers everything and if this is your way of saying I need to lose weight you can turn around and walk. I don't need the contract bad enough to give up eating."

"Did someone tell you to lose weight?" he's in front of me in a heartbeat.

"The...Margaux told me all the time how if I could be ten or fifteen pounds thinner I would have more roles. Some of the catering people would laugh at how much food I'd eat."

"Give me a list of names. You won't be working with those people again." His frown goes a long way to soothe my ego. I'm more than a little touchy about it. "Don't lose a pound or you'll have to answer to me. You look good." I think he says something else but he turns away from me and I can't be sure, especially since it sounded like he was saying something about me looking good enough to eat. So I probably didn't and am imagining things that I want to be true. I walk him to my living room and sit down on the couch.

"The robe is fine as long as I'm the only person seeing it, sweet tits."

I still don't understand what is wrong with my robe but I drop it and let it go."Did you bring papers for me to sign?"

I can't wait to call Cora. She text me last night to find out if I got home okay. I can't even believe that she would do that and her pregnant with Mason Pierce's baby. But she did and it's sweet that she did. It makes me feel cared for by someone if that's not too pathetic to say.

"Of course sweet tits. I want your name on them today so I can have them filed and start on you as soon as possible."

Well doesn't that just sound dirty as fuck? And I would totally like for him to start on me but that's certain death in my profession. No nookie with the agent. Vin Payne has always been a beautiful man. I noticed him the first time I saw him bustling backstage of a show. He, of course, didn't notice me at all; I had only been in one commercial when I went. I might have let the Mason rumor go so far because I wanted Vin to come after me and make me stop. I'm such a brat.

He pulls paperwork out of a briefcase I didn't even see him bring in with him. He starts going through the terms and conditions of the contract and I realize I would listen to him read from the phone book and go all tingly because of it.

"This is the part you might find troublesome just because of Margaux trying to use the same clause against you. So read it carefully and afterwards we'll talk about it."

I read and reread the paper in my hands but my brain still doesn't comprehend what is written on the page.

No dating.

No sex scenes; alluded to or not.

No sex(what the hell even)unless I run it by Vin first(which is not going to happen)

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