REPRESENTED (8 page)

              “Karin, I’d like to introduce you to some people” Elliott smiled as he led her to a group of patiently waiting people.  She couldn’t believe she was back in Los Angles a week after leaving it but then that was the nature of the business sometimes.  Karin recognized one of them faintly but she met people all the time and didn’t necessarily put faces with names right away.  “Hey you guys, this is Karin Myers, Karin this is Cassie Summers” she realized who Cassie was immediately as she held out her hand to shake Cassie’s own.  “This is Travis Collins, her manager” Karin smiled at him and he was immediately charmed, her beauty alone had caught his eye.  “And this is our host, Michael Turner” she turned her smile on him and only fractionally froze at the incredibly ugly man she was addressing.

             
“It’s a pleasure to be in your home Mr. Turner” she said politely to him having not addressed the other two other than a polite nod in recognition of the introduction.

             
“I’m so glad Elliott brought you.  I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for some time.  You have an incredible touch” he grinned, referring to her talent “the last novel set them on its ear.  And please call me Michael.”

             
She smiled giving him her best smile that she reserved for meeting the public.  Not too many people saw the real ‘Karin’; instead she kept a few facial contractions just for the ‘public’ since it was her job.

             
“I really enjoyed the first book you promoted” Cassie contributed to the conversation and to draw Karin’s attention back to her.

             
Karin turned to her in surprise, certain someone of Cassie’s stature wouldn’t have known who she was or that she was a promoter, mainly of books.  Her eyebrow cocked as she prepared to put Ms. Summers subtly in her place.  As she looked her in the eye though she froze.  The gray blue eyes held hers and at that moment there was a sizzling sensation in Karin’s brain.  Her own jade green eyes widened slightly at the sensation.  She felt her body stiffen slightly but at the same time she felt curiously weak as her knees nearly buckled.  She felt a shortness of breath.  Her body instinctively knew though what was happening and rose magnificently to the occasion.  This all happened in a micro-second as she came back to her senses in time to ask “really?  That one was so sophomoric, I think several of my other novelists were much better” she was pleased that her voice sounded normal, at least to her own ears.

             
“It was the one though that caught my interest in your work; it made me want to read other of your novelists.  I think I’ve read all of them at this point.  Maybe I should have had you promote mine?”  She grinned.

             
Karin was studying the dishwater blonde before her.  She was a little taller than Karin’s own 5’7” and wearing slight heels.  Her hair reached halfway down her back and the curls were so country but they looked just right on the slender figure before her.  She was an attractive woman by anyone’s definition.  “Have you read ‘Ominous’?” she asked with a slight dimple showing in her right cheek.

             
Cassie shook her head and Karin was mesmerized by the cascade of curls that she could see with her peripheral vision, her own eyes never left Cassie’s as she tried to fathom why she was having such a strong reaction to this woman as she looked up into those gray blue ones.

             
“You should come to my book signing then” Karin grinned.  “Or rather Nina Lall’s book signing” she corrected.

             
“Yes” Elliott put his arm around Karin’s waist to break into their conversation “that’s why we are in town.  You should come, all of you” he included generously.

             
Cassie noted that Karin didn’t like the casual embrace but you had to really look to see the slight tightening around her eyes.  She broke eye contact with Karin to address Elliott “maybe we will.”

             
“How about you, what are you doing in LA?”  Elliott asked enthusiastically.

             
Karin looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes.  He was always hustling, always looking out for new clients.  He had been so thrilled when she agreed to work with his firm but it was a long time in coming and she had made him jump through a lot of hoops before she let him work with her.  By then she was neck deep in work and her other managers had been overwhelmed.  If Elliott wasn’t so good at what he did, she wouldn’t have hired on with him.  He made her life relatively stress free, provided her with the means, and it gave her a lot more time to do what she loved, promote.

             
“We’re laying down the tracks on a new single” Cassie answered him.

             
“Is it similar to the ballads you’ve been releasing or have you gone back to Southern Rock?” Karin put in astutely.

             
Cassie looked at her in surprise.  She had been almost certain someone like Karin Myers wouldn’t know who Cassie Summers was much less listen to country or Southern Rock.  “Actually, this one is more like Southern Rock.”

             
“Oh that’s good; I remember when you came out with Harlot.  I fell in love with that video on CMT.  I didn’t realize then that was even you until years later” Karin admired her.

             
Cassie looked at her again and captured her with her eyes again.  She was genuinely surprised to find that Karin was a fan of hers when she herself was a fan of Karin’s and the work she had done.  “Did you like any other of my songs?” she asked as the men watching these two faded to the background momentarily for these two women.

             
“Oh, I liked quite a few of them, I certainly don’t remember all the titles but I actually followed more of your career last year after you came out.  I read your book ‘Inspired.’  That was really brave of you and I sympathized.”  Karin went on to tell her of the music she had enjoyed and why.  She was well informed for someone from the literary community and spoke knowingly about Cassie’s first love, music.

             
Cassie was really flattered that someone of Karin Myers stature had read her book much less that she knew her music.  She did know her music too and this was a surprise, she was well informed and very astute.  It made her feel warm for some reason.  She too had experienced a sensation when their eyes met and she was surprised that someone like this was as knowledgeable as she was.  She found her interesting and fascinating and could have spoken to her all night.

             
“Well, this is all very interesting but I promised a few people I’d introduce Karin to them if I got her here and I see Cedric McCormick over there.  It was nice to see you” Elliott nodded to the others effectively taking their leave.

             
The other’s murmured polite good-bye’s but Karin held out her hand to Cassie and said “I’ve enjoyed meeting you, I hope we run into each other again sometime” she smiled a genuine smile this time as she looked deeply into Cassie’s eyes.

             
Cassie returned the smile as she nodded and shook Karin’s hand.  She was pleased when Karin gave it an extra squeeze or she thought she did with a glimmer in her eye as she left.

             
“An amazing woman” Michael commented.  “She’s handled the career of many people and done incredibly well even with some real duds, she’s cold though, very cold.”

             
“I didn’t think so” Cassie said quietly as she watched the brunette across the room.

             
“I’ve heard people say that she’s one of the coolest women they have ever met but then I don’t think they met her in a social setting” Michael answered and then changed the subject.  Cassie watched her as she was paraded and introduced to several other people in the room.  She found her watching Karin throughout the evening as she herself did the same with Michael and Travis.  She was pleased to see Karin look up and look for her several times as she quickly looked away.  For some reason she found herself blushing at the thought of someone like Karin looking at her and yet she couldn’t help herself from looking back.

              “Hello, what would you like me to write” Nina Lall asked the next person in line giving her one of the smiles she reserved for her public, Karin had taught her well.  She was sitting at the table the manager had set up for her in Barnes and Noble as she waited for her public.  Karin had made sure there was a good showing with all her handiwork in advance, the line stretched the length of the store.

             
“Oh, my name is Janet Hoskins, I don’t know whatever you want to write” Janet enthused thrilled with meeting the author of all her favorite novels. 

             
Karin grinned; this was so typical of her client’s fans.  As Janet went on about the stories she had liked best, Karin opened the book and using her Sharpie Nina wrote ‘Dear Janet, thank you for being a fan, best regards, Nina Lall’  It was simple and most times, depending on the fan, she just wrote her name.  People didn’t realize how exhausting it was to write for hours at a time, hear all the same stories, and deal with the public, over and over.  Many times it was the same but it was all part of the fame thing and Karin knew it was the way to keep them coming back besides writing an excellent story.  Janet thanked her gushing and Nina looked to the next fan, she tried to make each of them feel special and as though they had made an impression on her.  She didn’t want any of them to feel cheated or neglected or that they were the thousandth person that she had heard with the same story or that she had done this way too many times.  Her next fan though surprised her as she looked up into a pair of very pretty gray eyes that weren’t even looking at her much less the book she held in her hands.  She recognized her instantly.

             
“Hello Karin, I’ve come to buy ‘Ominous’” Cassie Summers smiled into her face as she looked over at her standing behind her client.

             
Karin was enchanted.  It wasn’t often she was surprised and this time, delightfully so.  Nell looked from the fan to her promoter; she knew the attraction was there, she too had been at the party last night.  She grinned a real grin this time as she asked “and what would you like me to write?”

             
Cassie shrugged.  To a degree she was in this whole fame thing too although on a different level.  “Why don’t you surprise me?” she challenged.

             
Nina thought for a second as she opened the cover and wrote “Nina Lall” on the first page.  That was all as she handed the book back to Cassie.  Cassie stepped away from the table after thanking Nina to make room for the next fan. 

Karin stepped away from behind the table “Are you busy later?” she asked boldly.

              The question surprised Cassie.  It secretly delighted her too.  She hadn’t been sure when she decided to come to this book signing but she was grateful no one recognized her as this was Nina’s moment and not hers.  Her hair pulled back in a ponytail and hanging out of her baseball cap as well as the large black sunglasses helped disguise her.  She had pulled them off as she handed Nina the book.  “No, what did you have in mind?” she asked curious.

             
“I’m outta here in 45 minutes if you’d care to wait?  Maybe...dinner?” Karin asked.  Her heart was beating its way out of her chest and if she wasn’t careful she was going to have it in her throat too in a moment and be unable to talk.

             
“I’ll wait” Cassie said as she returned the glasses to her face and clutched her autographed book.  She walked away from the signing table but looked back to see Karin watching her walk away.  She smiled to herself as she began to look at other books.

             
Karin turned to her client and smiling she asked “doing okay?” as she went back to making sure that all her needs were met.

              “There’s a fan that’s been watching Nina for a while, do you want me to have security escort her out?” The manager asked as Karin gathered their things.  The book signing had gone half an hour over but Nina had cheerfully signed everyone’s books and she knew the fans had appreciated it.  She had tried not to act hurried or in a rush and the fans had all been accommodated.  Karin knew how to keep her client’s happy and going towards their own goal.  She explained early on in their relationship that she was there to promote them, their books, and their careers.  They needed to trust her and listen to her advice; rarely did she lose a client over her advice.

             
Karin looked over to where the manager indicated with a nod of her head towards her client’s potential stalker and nearly laughed.  She was pleased that Cassie had waited and she did indeed look like one of the fans with the hair pulled through the back of her cap.  Her casual clothes made her look like thousands of other people who lived in LA, no one would have guessed she was a recording artist and had as many if not tons more fans than Karin could ever hope to.  “No, that’s okay, she’s waiting for me.” Karin smiled at the manager and thanked her for the nice afternoon and her cooperation.

             
“Oh no, we thank you, it was an excellent turn out for Ominous.  I hope tomorrow is just as good over at the other store” she enthused with the subtle reminder to Karin of tomorrow’s obligations.