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“Then they’ll have to wait, like, years or something,” Glen told her with typical brotherly boredom. He’d eaten his sister’s chicken sandwich and french fries, along with his own, and was probably wondering what came after the hors d’oeuvres. He was an insatiable eating machine...called a teenager.
Twisting around, Tiffany stuck out her tongue at him.
“Yeah, nice look,” he told her. “That’s the face they want on a magazine.”
Deciding not to intervene in the minor dispute, Cassie pulled into the talent agency lot and parked the car. “We’re here,” she announced.
Glen unbuckled his seat belt, but Tiffany sat frozen.
“Come on, Tiff,” Cassie urged.
“I—I can’t.”
Cassie understood her fear, the sense that when it came down to it, you’d almost rather not try than fail. But she didn’t want her niece’s life to be full of regrets about what she’d missed because she hadn’t been willing to take a risk.
“Sure you can,” Cassie urged. “You’re just nervous. That’s natural. You’ll get over it.”
“Good grief, Tiff-Niff,” Glen muttered, “you dragged us here, at least you can go inside.”
“Will you go with me?”
He rolled his eyes but slid from the car.
Swallowing a lump of emotion in her throat, Cassie opened her door. For all the sniping between her niece and nephew, they shared a special bond, born from the struggle to survive once their mother had become an alcoholic.
The previous summer, Marie had been declared unfit. With her parents unable to take the twins due to her father’s health problems, Cassie had filed for custody. Even after nearly a year, she still felt like a novice when it came to parenting. It was possible anyone raising teens felt that way when they encountered a new challenge—and with the twins, there always seemed to be something new. On the other hand, most parents had all the years between babyhood and adolescence to figure things out—she’d started right in the middle.
The question about Tiffany modeling was a first-class parental conundrum. Tiff had an interest in the sciences, and the same as her brother, she was getting top marks in her classes. She also wanted to be accepted at school, so the modeling interest might be an attempt to prove to her fellow students that she wasn’t a nerd. At the same time, Tiffany enjoyed clothes and performing, so maybe she truly wanted to be a model.
Moonlight Ventures was located in an interesting building—probably converted industrial space—with several shops and other businesses in the center atrium section. The agency fronted on the parking lot.
Inside they were greeted by a receptionist who seemed close to Cassie’s age. “Hello, I’m Chelsea Masters. May I help you?”
“We have an appointment with Adam Wilding,” Cassie explained. “I’m Cassie Bryant and this is my niece, Tiffany, along with her brother, Glen.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’ll let Mr. Wilding know you’re here.”
Cassie sat in one of the comfortable chairs with Tiffany perched edgily at her side. A few feet away, Glen slumped in a seat and started playing his video game again. He was a brilliant kid who already had big plans for the future, though most of the time he did his best to fly under the radar, disliking attention.
“Hello,” a low-timbre voice greeted them after a couple of minutes.
It was Adam Wilding. Cassie had seen him in dozens of magazines and TV ads. She’d always thought he was good-looking, but had figured it was partly airbrushing, hype and makeup.
It wasn’t. No wonder he’d been one of the hottest male models in the business. With his black hair, blue eyes and commanding presence, he was alarmingly handsome and possessed a magnetism that practically took her breath away.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Wilding,” she answered.
“Please call me Adam.”
“Hi,” Tiffany said in a shy voice.
“Hi,” he replied. “I’ve seen your picture, so I know you’re Tiffany. It’s great to meet you.”
“Me, um, too. That is, I’m glad to meet you, too. I really, really want to be a model and maybe an actress.”
“Then let’s go back to the small set we have. With your aunt, of course. We’ll take pictures and see how it goes. The nice part is that whether or not you become our client, you get to keep the photos at no charge. We give them to you on a flash drive.”
Cassie had been prepared to question if there was a fee for the photography, but his promise of no charge sounded different from what her friend had encountered.
Tiffany hesitated when Adam gestured to the hallway, and looked back at Glen. “Can my brother come? His name is Glen.”
Adam seemed to be assessing Glen, then he nodded. “Of course. Come along, Glen.”
In a small room, there was an area with sand and an ocean backdrop and on the other side was a city street scene.
Another man was there, working with a camera. “Hey,” he said. “I’m Logan Kensington and I’ll be taking the pictures. Sorry we’re cramped in here, but this is the only space we have.”
“Logan is one of my partners and was able to be here for a few days,” Adam explained. “He’s done photo shoots for some of the best-known models in the world, so you’re in great hands.”
The two men conferred quietly in a corner and Cassie did her best not to listen.
The world of fashion and advertising was completely outside her experience. She was a website designer and manager, for heaven’s sake. At home, she had a high-tech office with three computers, each with dual monitors. That was the world where she was comfortable. Taking responsibility for her niece and nephew had forced her out of that world to some extent; now she was being pushed into more unfamiliar territory.
For the next hour, she simply stayed out of the way. It wasn’t hard, though Adam wouldn’t let Glen remain buried in his video game, instead pulling him onto the set for “action” shots with his sister.
“That’s great, Tiffany,” Logan announced finally. “We have a small lounge stocked with snacks. Would you and your brother like something to eat while Adam talks to your aunt?”
“Sure,” Glen said enthusiastically, though Tiffany looked instantly worried.
Cassie gave her niece a hug. It would be tough if she had to explain Moonlight Ventures wasn’t interested, but they could always send her pictures to other agencies. After all, it was encouraging that the first one had asked to interview her... Cassie had already rehearsed several supportive speeches. In fact, she’d spent a sleepless night trying to find the right words.
The spacious office that Adam Wilding showed her to was quietly elegant, with a mahogany desk, comfortable chairs and a large flat-screen television on one wall.
“Please be seated,” he urged.
She sank into a padded leather seat. “If it’s bad news for Tiffany, please say it straight out, Mr. Wilding. You don’t have to let me down easily.”
His eyebrows lifted. “What makes you think it’s bad news?”
“I love Tiff with all my heart, but I don’t know what advertisers are looking for. She doesn’t seem to fit the pictures I’ve seen in magazines.”
“No,” he agreed, and Cassie’s heart sank. Though she might not be entirely comfortable with Tiffany’s desire to become a model, her niece had experienced enough hard knocks and disappointments. The practical side of Cassie’s brain said that was real life, but it didn’t keep her from wanting to keep real life from intruding again for a while.
Adam had been punching buttons on his computer, then gestured at the TV where photos of Tiffany began appearing.
“Tiffany wouldn’t be a typical teen model,” Adam said, “but that’s okay. She has something special, a uniqueness that we like and these confirm what we saw in the picture you submitted. She’s also cooperative, is highly photogenic and able to follow directions, which was the main reason we wanted to do a practice photo shoot. Once Logan is in Seattle full time, we plan to do this with all prospective clients.”
“R-really?” Cassie managed to choke out. Having prepared herself for bad news, she wasn’t sure how to react to the opposite.
“Absolutely. Naturally Tiffany’s bio didn’t contain much information, so now I need to ask a few questions. Who is her legal guardian?”
“I am. My sister has, uh...problems. I’ve had custody of the kids since last August.”
“What kind of problems?”
Cassie gave him a narrow look. She had a passion for privacy and it wasn’t easy to talk about Marie being an alcoholic at the best of times. “Why do you want to know?”
“You don’t have to answer, but all sorts of things affect a model’s career and his or her agent can function best by knowing the gritty details. I’m sorry if it seems intrusive. Frankly, I already know something is going on. While Tiffany is young in many ways, there’s a look in her face that suggests she’s been through quite a bit.”
“I guess I understand.” Becoming a model was so important to her niece, Cassie knew she would have to explain. “Marie, my sister, started drinking after the twins were born and it became progressively worse.”
“They’re twins?”
“Yes.”
Adam smiled a high wattage smile that practically knocked the sandals off Cassie’s feet.
“My niece and nephew are twins, too. Is your sister likely to sue to regain custody if control of income becomes an issue?”
Nausea threatened at the idea. Cassie honestly couldn’t say what Marie might do. The court had declared her unfit, but she could be very convincing when she wanted to be.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I can see it’s upsetting to talk about, but for Tiffany’s sake, it needs to be considered.”
* * *
ADAM HAD SEEN Cassie Bryant’s face turn pale and wondered if he should consider not moving forward. Presumably Tiffany had a decent home with her aunt since she appeared to be a well-adjusted kid. Having a career as a model wasn’t worth taking a chance on upsetting her stability.
Still, if she was determined, they would simply find another agency. At least Cassie didn’t seem to have stage-mother instincts. He hadn’t told her, but the practice photo shoot had also served in finding out if she would try to interfere or coach Tiffany.
“My sister would have the fight of her life if she tried to get her daughter’s money, but regardless, I’d want it put in a trust so it couldn’t be touched until Tiff is eighteen or older. With a third-party trustee or something.”
The comment told Adam that Cassie wasn’t interested in having access to the money herself.
“The contract can specify how the fees will be paid,” he said. “You should have a lawyer set the account up.”
“My godfather is an attorney and he helped with the custody arrangements, so I’m sure he’ll be able to protect any earnings Tiffany might have until she’s no longer a minor.”
Adam nodded. “Good.”
“Then this means you want Tiff as a client?”
“Yes, but there’s something else I want to discuss.” He clicked forward to the close-up shots of Glen that Logan had taken as unobtrusively as possible. “I believe your nephew would also make an excellent model.”
Cassie sat up straight as an arrow. “He isn’t interested.”
“You haven’t asked him yet.”
“He’s going to medical school.”
At her adamant statement, Adam’s gut tightened. No kid should have his or her life laid out by the adults in their lives, no matter how well-intentioned the plan. He’d been through it with his father, and just that morning, his sister had mentioned how Dermott was encouraging his eight-year-old granddaughter to become a doctor.
Perhaps this was Cassie Bryant’s attempt to salvage Glen’s future after life with a difficult mother, but he was only thirteen and should grow up to make his own choices.
“I see.” Adam controlled the impulse to say she shouldn’t put such rigid expectations on any kid; it wasn’t his place, even if he disagreed with her. Besides, he knew little about the situation. “College and medical school cost a great deal.”
His comment may have hit home since Cassie began digging her fingernails into the palm of her hand. He realized she was pretty in an understated way, though she’d made no attempt to jazz herself up. To him, a huge part of a woman’s beauty came from attitude—an inner something that made him sit up and take notice. He didn’t know about Cassie—it was as if she was concealing herself behind a carefully constructed mask.
“I know it’s expensive,” she said at length. “I’ve started a savings account for both their educations.”
“They might not need it if they become successful as models. By the time Tiffany and Glen graduate high school, they could have enough in their trust funds to pursue a career of their choosing.” Adam hadn’t been able to keep the emphasis off their, but Cassie didn’t seem to notice. “And this is one of the few options they have at this age to work,” he added.
“I don’t know if he’ll be interested,” she said, “but I’ll discuss it with him.”
At least that was more than Adam’s parents would have been willing to consider.
“Why don’t you talk to Glen right now?” he suggested.
Cassie’s mouth tightened and he wondered how she’d present the idea to her nephew. Positively or in a way that would make it appear unattractive? Glen was an engaging adolescent who might have an opportunity to make a decent amount of money; Adam hoped his aunt would play fair.
Half an hour later, she returned. “Tiffany is excited, which is no surprise, and Glen wants to think about it.”
Adam had an impulse to speak with Glen himself, to ensure the youngster had been adequately informed about the possibilities. But that was a knee-jerk reaction to his parents’ plan for his life. Having this particular problem with objectivity wasn’t something he’d anticipated in his decision to become an agent. He and his partners had weekly bull sessions where they discussed issues, so he should bring it up at the next one.
Adam continued questioning Cassie on various details, including the kids’ health and whether their father might prove an issue in the future.
Cassie shook her head at the last question about Tiffany and Glen’s father. “He’s married and doesn’t know about the twins. I hate to admit it, but Marie was one of those women who thought he was going to leave his wife for her, when he simply wanted fun on the side.”
“You sound cynical,” Adam observed.
Cassie stuck out her chin, seeming defiant. “Maybe I am, about love and relationships, at least.”
“Then you aren’t planning to marry in the near future.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Do you need to know that to represent my niece and nephew?”
“I’m sorry, of course not,” he apologized. “Frankly, I’m still working out exactly how being an agent is supposed to go. You know that I’m fairly new to this side of talent representation?”
“Yes,” she acknowledged, relaxing slightly into her chair. “I’ve done research on Moonlight Ventures. You and your partners might not have a huge amount of experience as agents right now, but you have contacts and name recognition. I imagine it will more than compensate.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.”
* * *
CASSIE HAD ALMOST told Adam Wilding he could take his personal questions and eat them for lunch. His apology and disarming explanation had eased the moment and she was glad she hadn’t given in to the temptation.
As much checking as she’d done, she wasn’t sure whether a talent agent needed to know a lot about clients and their family. An employer couldn’t ask certain details, but an agent obviously needed to have a different connection with a client. And she had to be careful because it was best for Tiffany and Glen if she wasn’t antagonistic toward the man who could play a significant role in their immediate future.
However, she shouldn’t be overly trusting. Adam Wilding and his partners hoped to make money on Glen and Tiffany. That didn’t make them bad people, but money wasn’t the only thing that was important; she wanted her niece and nephew to have full, balanced lives.
