At first all the attention had been exciting, and she had learned from Jerry and stretched her own talent to see what she could do. Plus she’d basked in his praise. But as she got into the higher ranges of her profession, he had become more demanding—and more critical. Now she was thinking about leaving him, but that would mean walking away from several lucrative contracts that he had negotiated. If she did that, everybody would know. Would that mean no other top agent would take her on? And if they did, could she make sure the terms were more in her favor? She’d blindly signed the contract Jerry had offered her. Now she knew she’d take any new contract to a lawyer. And she’d negotiate terms.
“I’ve been busy,” Olivia told him.
“When are you planning to come back?”
“I told you I needed some time off,” she said, hedging. She hadn’t shared anything with him about Angela’s murder or her determination to find out who did it. And for that matter, she hadn’t said anything about the fake engagement. He’d go ballistic if he heard about that. But how would he, unless someone at the meeting tonight blabbed?
“I need you back here.”
“I can’t come right now.”
“Yeah, well, Million Dollar Babe moved up the schedule. They want to start shooting the week after next.” He was referring to a chain of boutiques that was spreading across the country, establishing itself in suburban malls. They came out with a catalog of new fashions every quarter, and Olivia was one of the women who had been invited to model for the winter season. They weren’t using her in the full set of shots. This would be a test to see how she worked out. When she’d gotten the offer, she’d been sure she was going to be added to their go-to list. Now she was jeopardizing that status.
“Jerry…”
“Now you’re saying you won’t come back for an important job?”
“Yes.”
“Are you crazy?” Jerry’s voice rose. “This is a crucial career move.”
“I’ve been running on fumes for a long time.”
He went on as though she hadn’t spoken. “They want to have you try on some of the outfits before the actual shooting. If you can’t do it, they’ll get somebody else.”
“If that’s what they feel they have to do,” she heard herself say, marveling that the words had come out of her mouth.
There was a short pause while Jerry grappled with the unheard-of thought that his top client wasn’t doing exactly what she was told to do. “You’re kidding,” he said.
“I’ve come to the conclusion I have to take care of myself,” she answered. And she wasn’t saying that just for effect. Angela’s death had made her realize that life was short. If you spent all your time chasing the brass ring, you could very well wake up one day and find that things hadn’t turned out the way you’d expected. And in Angela’s case, that was devastatingly true. She knew her friend had been looking forward to a long and successful career as a prominent Ellicott City businesswoman. Angela had been thriving, but her life had been cut short.
“Maybe you’re focused on the wrong priorities,” Jerry snapped. “A lot of people depend on you.”
The last part hurt, because she knew it was true. Before she could come up with an answer, he clicked off, leaving her listening to dead air.
When she looked up, Max was watching her with chilling intensity. In the midst of the tense conversation, she’d forgotten about him. Now she realized she’d given him an unwitting insight into her private life. When she’d hired Rockfort Security, she’d been thinking in terms of the murder investigation. She hadn’t realized that she’d be laying herself bare.
“Trouble?” he asked.
She sighed, wishing she didn’t have to explain the call. Actually, she didn’t, but it was awkward to ignore the conversation now. “My agent is angry that I’m not rushing back to New York because an important client wants to start earlier than they initially said.” As she explained the problem, she watched Max, anxious to see his reaction.
“Does that guy run your life?” he asked.
She pushed back the thick wave of hair that had fallen across one eye. “I sort of let him do that for a while.”
“And now?”
“Now I have to think about what comes next. And I’m not ready to discuss it with anyone,” Olivia added, wondering why she had put it in those terms. Had she already made a decision she couldn’t admit? Had being back home shifted her priorities? Or had her attraction to Max reminded her she should think about her personal life? That was an interesting thought. They’d only been together for a few days, and they’d be saying good-bye when this job was finished for him. At least that had been her original thinking.