Vegas, Baby

Sean Connery

I met James' agent, manager and PR representative a few days after he rang them to say that he didn't want the role in Only You. They came to the house, insisting that James take the lead role. I heard some thinly veiled threats coming from them but I knew James was sure of his decision: he wasn't doing it. Instead, he told them he wanted to star in another rom-com. 

"I haven't had a script," his agent- a scary looking woman named Caylee- practically shouted. Stepping closet to James, she glared at him. She really was intimidating. "Did they send it to you directly? How many times do I have to tell-"

"No, Cay," James said, cutting her off in an attempt to calm her down. "The script hasn't even been written yet. My sister sent me a book that she's been reading and it would make a great movie. It's called Forbidden Fruit and I think that one will be the breakout movie for me."

Hi manager- Brian- gave a sleazy grin and turned to the PR woman, Gigi. "Gee, spin something about this in the media. The author has talked about optioning the book and her first choice to play the male lead is James. He's a huge fan of the book and would love the opportunity," Brian said, thinking on his feet quickly. "If he was offered it. Make it seem that James is highly in demand due to Spymaster and if they want to move in adapting the book, it needs to happen ASAP. James, if it's offered to you, you better fucking take it."

"I will," James said. Watching the exchange, it was hard to tell if James was being serious or not; I haven't yet worked out his poker face but something told me that perhaps he would star in the film version. In the meantime, James had better things on his mind. "Did you bring the Spymaster poster with you? I can't wait to see it."

Brian and Gigi gleefully rolled out the large movie poster for the film that was going to put James' name on the map. Craning my neck so that I could catch a glimpse of it, I frowned when I saw that, even though James' name came first, another actor's name was more prominent. I vaguely remember the man, Blake Hardy, from when I visited the set and while I knew that he was an established actor, his role in Spymaster was minor in comparison to James. 

On top of that, I wasn't particularly a fan of the artwork on the poster. The plot of the movie was that James' character was a spy and he was travelling the world to stop a nuclear disaster from wiping out humanity but instead of having any of that on the poster, they chose a dark background with a woman's leg on show, a hand cradling a glass of wine. None of this spoke of the plot and to be honest, speaking as a woman, I found it a little bit degrading. They were objectifying a woman. But then again, this is Hollywood. What else do you expect? 

"Well?" Gigi excitedly asked. 

"Uh," James began, only to shake his head and sigh. "I thought they were going to go with more of an action shot, you know, because that's what the film is about."

Caylee scoffed. "That's as may be but to draw an audience in- especially boys and men- you need to entice them. Look at Bond and all their movie posters- they always have the Bond Girl on the poster."

"They didn't with Quantum of Solace," James remarked only to be on the receiving end of one of Caylee's death stares once again. Knowing to back down from this argument, James shrugged his shoulders and said, "Fine. But if we get a franchise out of this, you bet your goddamn house that I'll be the only person on the movie poster."

After that, Gigi asked if she and James could talk together, one-on-one. Brian and Caylee nodded, saying that they had to get back to LA for a meeting with another rising star. I didn't appreciate the tone in either one's voice when they said that- it was as if they were trying to make James nervous about his position as their sole focus. Still, I was grateful when they left because they had a lot of negative energy around them. 

I left Gigi and James to their conversation, heading up to the bedroom so I could ring my family back in London. Or more specific, I wanted to ring Ruth Welch, the woman who raised me when I was a child and needed a sanctuary from my parents' divorce. I always saw Ruth- Michael's mother- as my surrogate mum and I absolutely adore her, often ringing or texting her to make sure that she knew I was safe. 

Our call was brief since Ruth told me she had plans to go out with Michael for their monthly catch up but she wanted to know everything so she could update my brother. When I mentioned that I was in California, Ruth gasped, asking why I was suddenly there. It wasn't on my itinerary. That would have been the perfect opportunity to tell her all about James but I didn't want the judgmental lecture. Ruth would be disappointed to know that I gave up travelling to follow a man. 

Hearing James coming up the stairs, I quickly ended the call, telling Ruth to give my love to Michael and asking her to tell him to tell my sisters the same. The line went dead just as James burst into the room and groaned as he threw himself down on the bed, rubbing the heels of his hands against the socket of his eyes. 

"I bet Sean Connery never had to put up with this shit when he was Bond," James muttered.

"True," I replied. "But then, you're not Bond."

James opened his eyes and glared at me. "Not helping, Nina."

"I wasn't trying to," I smiled, making him laugh. Hovering over him, I lean in and give him a reassuring kiss. "You are far better looking in a suit, at the wheel of a supercar, than any Bond I've ever seen."

"Yeah?" James boyishly asked, looking for reassurance. I nodded. "I should probably tell you that Gigi asked me not to go public with you. She said it would damage my career."

Frowning, I pull away from James. "And what did you say to that?"

"I didn't really get a chance to say anything since she didn't really ask but more like instructed me not to do it," he groans. "This is such a messed up industry. Hey, do you want to get away for a few days? I could take you to Vegas."

"Vegas?" I laugh. 

James nods. "Vegas, baby. Vegas."