“I’m grateful. I’m being grateful all over the place. But I’m going to regain that weight I think. My food service don’t deliver out here.”
I made a mental note to check in with Mrs. Murphy, the maternal, middle-aged personal assistant that Mike had acquired after I moved out of his house. Between the two of us, we should be able to find another diet food program that would be willing to FedEx him healthier food.
“Other than weight gain, what else is going on?” I asked.
“I’m going to the New York premiere of that new LaTrell Green movie this weekend.”
Mike was the second person to say something about that new movie by hot playwright-turned-writer-director LaTrell Green. Tammy had mentioned in passing that Farrell Men had bought product placement in the film, and that all the male characters would be using Farrell products prominently at various points in the movie.
An idea popped into my head. “Really? New York, you say. Do you have a date?”
“Not yet. But I’m working on a few things. There’s a cute little PA who’s still wearing mini-skirts, even though it’s arctic-level cold out. I think she’s trying to impress me. And it’s working.”
“She sounds very classy, Mike, but would you mind taking Erica London if I paid for her hotel and air?”
“Erica London? Really?” I could almost see Mike frowning on the other side of the line. “Is this another atonement project?”
“Yeah. She hasn’t exactly been open to me trying to make things up to her.”
That was actually an understatement. Not only had she hung up on me every time I tried to get her on the phone, but when I showed up at her apartment, she had called me a “creepy-ass freak” and threatened to file a restraining order if I ever came near her again.
But like I said, I am a very patient girl, and I had known that if I just laid low long enough, an opportunity for atonement would present itself. Maybe being seen with Mike would give her star a much-needed boost. Plus I knew that James would definitely be at the premiere, too.
“Sure, I can do that for you,” Mike said. “Call Mrs. Murphy, she’ll set it up. And don’t worry about the hotel and whatever. I got it.”
Now that Mike had kicked his hundred-grand-a-month gambling habit, he could afford to be generous.
Still, I gave him a bunch of thanks for his help before getting off the phone. Erica might be able to ignore me, but it was pretty much physically impossible for a D-list actress to turn down an invitation from an A-list actor. There was no way she’d refuse to go out to New York for the premiere, even if she knew I was involved.
I pulled out the MacBook Air laptop that I had purchased a couple of months ago to drag around with me on my home stays. Then I typed the following letter:
Dear Erica,
I know that what I did was unforgivable, but I hope this trip starts to make up for it. As you’ve probably figured out by now, giving up James was a huge mistake on your part. I hope with age that you’ve come to see that his love is worth more than a TV series. In fact, I’m sure that you see that now.
I’ve arranged for you to attend a movie premiere with Mike Barker. James will also be attending this premiere, and I hope that you take this next piece of advice as far as dealing with him goes. DO NOT PLAY GAMES. Do not wait for him to come to you. Seek him out and say this: “James, I am very sorry about breaking off our engagement. It was a terrible thing to do, and I will never ever lie to you again.”
And then from that moment forward, be honest with him in everything you do.
Per your stated wish, this is the last that you will ever hear from me. Good luck.
Respectfully,
Davie Jones