Changing His Game (3 page)

"So how long have you and Tawny known each other?" Jared asks me.

I look up into his gray eyes and almost forget to answer him.

"We grew up together in South Haven. It's a small town, so everyone knows everyone."

"And you just decided to visit?"

This is going to be a little harder to explain. If I were close with Tawny, then I would have known that she's in Italy and not in California.

"Well, I haven't talked to her in three months, but the last time I talked with her she sent me her address and told me to come visit. She said if I liked California she would help me find a job."

"A job?"

"Yeah, I never took her offer that seriously, but recent events had me jumping in my car for a visit. I should have called first and I'm sorry to be such a burden to you this morning. If I knew she was in Italy I would have never crashed here last night."

My hands are in my lap and I start turning my engagement ring around my finger. It's the first time I notice I'm still wearing it. That is going in the trash as soon as this conversation is over.

"It's fine. When you have a life long friend, one that's seen you through bad decisions like dressing up as Lindsay Lohan, I'm sure you figured it was no big deal to drop by."

I start to nod my head in agreement when realization hits me. My head pops up and my eyes meet his beautiful gray ones.

"You lied," I say a little louder than I originally intended to.

"And what did I lie about?"

"You said you had no way of verifying who I am so I couldn't stay here."

"Right..."

"But you just referenced the picture of Tawny and me that's sitting on the dresser in her room, so you do know who I am."

He almost looks a little embarrassed, but he quickly hides it.

"So I knew who you were when I saw you last night, that doesn't mean I'm going to let you stay in my house."

"Jared!"

A woman yelling his name from the front door startles me.

"I'm in here, Kel," Jared yells back from the seat in front of me.

I watch as Kelly from last night joins us in the kitchen. She's dressed business casual and her short brown hair is styled to perfection. She's wearing big sunglasses, I'm assuming to hide her eyes and the look of being hung-over.

"I've got bad news. Vivica-" she stops mid-sentence to look at me, just realizing it isn't just her and Jared in the room. "Who are you?"

Jared looks between the two of us, obviously confused since I told him Kelly was the one who let me in the house last night.

"You don’t remember her? She's Tawny's friend. You let her in and told her she could crash in Tawny's room last night."

"Jeez, I don't remember. I was so buzzed last night, you're lucky I'm even here."

"Classy, Kel."

"Like I was saying, I've got bad news. We need to leave in ten minutes to drive to the shoot and Vivica just called to cancel. She can't be your co-star today because she's in the hospital with a bad stomach bug."

I have no idea what is going on, but Jared doesn't seem worried.

"No big deal, call one of the other girls to shoot with me today."

Kelly huffs in frustration, "All the girls that are contracted under your company are already shooting today. We've got no one else."

This gets Jared's attention. "What do you mean we've got no one else? I don't shoot every day anymore, Kel. My subscribers are going to want new material."

"I know, now do you see why I'm worried?”

I watch Jared as he stands up from his seat and moves to put his coffee cup in the sink. He turns back around and our eyes meet. It's almost as if I can see the wheels turning in his head.

"You."

I'm puzzled by his determined stare.

"Yes?"

"You said Tawny was possibly going to hook you up with a job, do you want one?"

I hadn't really thought about it too much, but I guess I'm planning on staying in California so I do need a job. I'll be lucky if the nine hundred dollars in my bank account lasts me two weeks.

"Yes, I need a job."

"Do you know what kind of work Tawny was doing out here?"

She came out here to be an actress; everyone in my town knew why she was out here.

"Yes."

"Are you willing to do it?"

"By it, you mean..."

"Do you want to be my co-star today or not?"

Oh. My. God. I'm going to be in a movie!

"Yes, of course I do." I'm trying to play it cool on the outside, but the child in me is jumping up and down. I might finally be catching a lucky break. I can’t believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad his co-star got sick.

"Go upstairs and take a shower, throw some clothes on, and meet me down here in ten minutes. You don't have to worry about your wardrobe, hair, or make-up, we'll take care of that on set."

"Okay," I say giddily and start to run up the stairs.

"Oh, and Autumn, when you're in the shower make sure you're cleaned up... everywhere."

I nod my head and make my way into Tawny's bathroom. I'm not sure what Jared meant by that last comment, but who cares. I'm going to be in a movie!

Chapter Two

We are sitting in the back of a black Cadillac Escalade. Jared explains to me that the drive to the studio will take a little over an hour, and he has some business to take care of with Kelly.

Jared and Kelly occupy the bucket seats while I sit in the back, feeling like a small child. I don't mind it too much though because I get to look at the scenery as it passes by. California is a beautiful state. The sun is out and the temperature is in the high seventies. From what I read growing up, the weather here is this way almost all year round.

In Michigan we go through all four seasons. My parents own a boating and rental place off Lake Michigan in South Haven. South Haven is a tourist town in the spring and summer. It keeps my parents busy and keeps the money rolling in to help hold us together in the winter. Just thinking about the winter is making my decision to drive to California feel better and better.

I'm brought out of my daydream by Jared's sexy, low voice.

"Autumn, let me see your purse."

I don't even question him as I hand him my small black leather purse. He opens it and pulls out my wallet. He unfastens the clasp of my wallet and starts speaking.

"I know you're Tawny's friend, but I still have to verify your age and make sure you're over eighteen. You understand?" He smirks at me and pulls my Michigan Driver's License out of my photo I.D. holder.

"Autumn Idol Adams, born May 13th, 1991. 5 ft. 5 in., 130 lbs. Blonde hair, green eyes, and you’re an organ donor."

I roll my eyes and try to swipe my license out of his hand, but Jared is quicker than me. "Can I please have my license back?"

"You know, you're supposed to put your natural hair color on here, not the color you pay for."

I'm offended by his insinuation.

"I'll have you know I'm a natural blonde. I've never died my hair in my life. You can check my roots."

"Natural blonde my ass. No one is a natural blonde anymore and you had red hair in that picture with Tawny," he smirks, proud of himself for thinking he caught me in a lie.

"It was strawberry Kool-Aid mix."

"What was?"

"In my hair. We used strawberry Kool-Aid mix to make my hair that color. It washed out that night in the shower."

I don't know why I'm so frustrated he doesn't believe me that I'm a natural blonde. Most of my life I was teased and called dumb for being a blonde. When I was twelve I would have given up all my Justin Timberlake posters just to be a brunette.

"Why don't you believe me?"

"It doesn't matter, I'll find out soon enough if you're a natural blonde or not." I watch his eyes roam down my body. "There are other ways to tell."

I'm uncomfortable by his wandering eye, but also slightly turned on. I should be disgusted by everything I've seen him do in the last twelve hours.

"Can I have my license back now?"

He hands it back and I grab my wallet to put my license back in its place.

"Why Idol?"

"Excuse me?"

"Your middle name is... odd. Why did your parents name you Autumn Idol?"

This is why I never show anyone my I.D. unless it's to a bouncer at a bar. I used to tell all my friends I didn't have a middle name. When I went in for my driver's license, I filled out all the forms properly and didn't include that four letter word, but somehow it ended up there anyway. It was God's version of a practical joke.

"My mom named me it?"

"Why? Don't most people use middle names to honor a family member or something? For God sakes, my middle name is Stanley. Fucking Stanley, because my parents wanted to honor my grandfather."

"You know the song
White Wedding
?"

I wait for a response and Jared nods his head.

"Well, my mother walked down the isle to that song instead of the traditional wedding march. She's a huge Billy Idol fan. She always told my dad that Billy Idol would be the only man she would ever leave him for. When I was born, she wanted a little piece of him with me forever, so she named me Autumn Idol Adams."

He laughs so hard; tears literally fall down his face. My cheeks start to turn red from embarrassment. This is like fifth grade all over again.

"Can you stop, please? I shouldn’t have even told you."

"I don't like it. Autumn Idol Adams. It doesn't flow, Billy."

"Huh?"

"I said it doesn’t flow, Billy."

"I heard you, I just don't know why you’re calling me Billy. It's not cute."

"I beg to differ. I think the name Billy is sexy and that's what I'm going to call you. We can even use it as part of your stage name if you want."

"Why wouldn't I use Autumn?"

"Sweetheart, no one uses their real names in this business. You should know that. Don't be so naive."

I've heard of stars changing their names, like Audrey Hepburn, Tina Fey, and Katy Perry, but I didn't realize everyone did it.

"Okay, but do we have to use Billy?"

He turns back around to face me in the back seat. He raises his fingers and taps my nose gently.

"I think it's cute. I'll come up with your last name before the end of the day, but Billy suits you. Plus, a lot of parents have issues with this business, maybe it will make your mother proud."

He slowly drags his fingers down onto my bottom lip and pulls my lip gently between his fingers. My breath catches from the sudden contact. Before I can respond to what he's done, he's turned back around and faces the front seats.

"Aren't you two adorable?" Kelly says from the seat besides Jared. "Now, Jared, let's quickly go over your schedule for the day."

The rest of the car ride I sit in silence and try to drown out the sounds of Kelly and Jared's discussion. The little bits and pieces I overhear make me realize we'll only be on set for an hour. Then Jared has a few radio interviews to do and he has to meet with the company in charge of his new product line.

For a man I've never heard of before, he seems to be very popular.

★★★

I'm in a white cotton robe, sitting in a chair in a small bedroom of what looks like someone's house. Apparently, we'll be shooting our scenes in the back yard by the pool. When Jared said we were driving to the set, I assumed we would be in some big production studio, not in some mansion in the middle of nowhere.

Kelly is applying make-up on my face and Kyra, a voluptuous woman in skintight jeans and midriff baring top, is doing my hair.

"Jared called his spray tan guy, so after Kyra's done with your hair we'll get your body all tan and ready," Kelly says as she finishes applying the fake lashes to my eyes.

"What will my wardrobe be?"

"You're filming by the pool, honey, your wardrobe is a bikini."

I guess in all the excitement of being in a movie, my brain took the day off. Of course it's a bikini. Thankfully, I'm young, in pretty good shape, and forgot to eat breakfast this morning.

Kelly and Kyra finish up my hair and make-up and I look completely transformed. I'm wearing a lot heavier make-up than I usually wear. You can't even see the few freckles on my nose and cheeks. Kelly's given my skin the sun kissed look with a smoky eye and pale lipstick. I can’t imagine anyone wearing this kind of make-up to the beach, but Kelly said I need this much so the camera can see it.

My hair is left down and straight. Kyra played with the top of my hair to give it a wet slicked back look. I look in the mirror and can’t help thinking I look like one of the models in one of the magazines in Brock's bathroom.

The door to the small bedroom opens and in walks Jared with another man. Jared's got a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing else. I can’t move my eyes away from his chest and the tattoos that cover it. He has various tribal designs all over his body. I spot an arrow on his forearm and crossed hockey sticks between his shoulder blades; neither tattoo really fits his personality. But it's the one on his chest that makes me stop lusting over his body, and really wonder about the man inside it. Above his chest is a tattoo of a heart split in half and the words
Nothing Lasts Forever
in black ink underneath. I want to analyze the tattoo more, but the sound of Jared's voice stops me.