“So, you and Jackson stayed down in the dungeon for quite a long time, care to tell us what happened?” Chas asks.
I can feel my cheeks burning as I divulge every little dirty detail of what Jackson and that magical tongue did to me.
“Wait just one minute, you let a guy who’s basically a stranger, lick all up and down your lady bits?”
“That about sums it up,” I say.
We stare at each other and as if on cue, we break out into a happy dance and laugh.
“Are you seeing him again?” April asks
“Yes, I am. He wants to take me out on a proper date and get to know me.”
“Sounds like he could be what you’re looking for,” Chas says.
“I believe that too.”
We eat breakfast, shower, and get dressed. We decide to have a chill day and do some shopping, have lunch, and maybe catch a movie. I love days like these where we hang out like we used to in college, with no worries. The day is perfect, and the movie is good.
We head back to the house and as we pull into the driveway, I notice the garage is open. We never leave the garage open. We live in a very safe community, so I’m not worried, but that’s odd. We unload the car and head up the stairs to the door and I’m shocked as the door pushes open. Not taking any chances, we call 911 and wait outside.
The police didn’t find anything amiss. Nothing was broken, nothing out of place, and no one was in the house. This is very weird and at the same time scary. We’ve always been careful when we leave for the day. Always remembering to lock every door, every window, and set the alarm. I think I’ll call our security company and upgrade the system to include video monitoring. Those usually have an app where we can monitor from our phones as well. It may sound like I’m going overboard, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Chapter 10
Crystal
The rest of the weekend passes by without a hitch. I make it to the office and Stephanie is already there with coffee and croissants. Charlene comes in and we immediately get to work. She’s already spoken with Justine’s manager and we’re all set to head over to her home in Pacific Palisades.
We pull up to the gate and announce our arrival. Making our way to the main house, I’m awestruck. Lush lawns of vibrant green bushes filled with the largest yellow and white roses I’ve ever seen. The estate is magnificent, and the pictures did not do it justice. We drive along a windy road, and come upon a large open driveway and as we’re getting out of the car, Bev comes out to meet us.
“It’s so good to see you again, Crystal,” Bev says.
“It’s good to see you too, Bev!” You remember Stephanie, my assistant, and this is Charlene, she’ll be helping us today.”
“Yes, of course, and nice to meet you Charlene.” Pleasantries exchanged, Bev leads us into the house and I’m speechless. High ceilings, marble floors, and simple elegance greets us. We walk down a long hall and I immediately recognize the artwork. She has several pieces by Claude Monet. Bev notices that I’ve stopped walking. She turns and asks,
“You’re a fan of French art?”
“Oh, yes, La Barque a Giverny is one of my favorite paintings by Monet,” I say.
“Vous avez un bon gout,” she says (Very good taste).
“Merci madame,” I replied (Thank you Madam).
She smiles and we move on. The smell of fresh baked bread and garlic hits my nose as we walk past the kitchen. I sneak a peek and I see a chef preparing lunch. We continue walking and come to a set of doors that leads outside to the pool and lounge area. Our team of photographers, makeup artists, who are already working on Justine, and wardrobe designers are already setting up the shoot. I pause and look at my surroundings.Thinking back to my dreams of owning my own magazine and featuring celebrities makes me want to pinch myself. I still can’t believe that in my pursuit of happiness, I actually did what I set out to do. My parents drilled into me that hard work, dedication, and perseverance are the key to success. Yes, there are ups and downs and the fear of failure, but you have to keep pushing and most importantly, I had to believe in myself. I give instructions to Steph and Charlene and then go over to our photographer to see what he has in mind and where we should start.
“Hey, Jax,” I say.
“Hello darling, you look fabulous as always,” he says.
“Thank you, so do you.”
After hugs and air kisses, we get started on the layout for the photoshoot. The area is magnificent. There’s a large pool with a waterfall backdrop, and a cement pond with the largest Koi and Sunfish I’ve ever seen. There’s a grill area that looks like an outdoor kitchen and a lounge area with a large screen TV and elongated couches with pillows and throws. Ideas are flashing through my mind and I can’t wait to see it all unfold in All Things L.A.
The shoot is going great! Justine is a natural and the camera absolutely loves her. We’re setting up for the final shot when she asks us to stay for lunch.
“We’d love to,” I say.
Lunch is served outdoors. We enjoy roasted chicken, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, and grilled peaches with homemade whipped cream. The sugary goodness making me moan in appreciation. It was simply delicious.
“Crystal, I have some news that I want to share with you,” Justine says.
I place my fork down and wipe my mouth with my napkin. I feel nervous because she looks over at Bev and they’re staring at each other intently.
“I’ve been offered my first starring movie role and I would love for you to have the exclusive.”
Trying to keep my composure, but freaking out inside, I say,
“Congratulations on the movie and I would be honored to run the exclusive!
“Awesome!” “Thank you so much!”
“No, thank you,” I say.
“First this feature and now this exclusive, I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity.”
We finish lunch and then go over the interview notes to make sure we haven’t missed anything. Today has been a success. We’re tired, but we feel accomplished. We set an appointment for Justine and Bev to come into the office next week to give the final okay on which photos we choose for the feature, and then say our goodbyes. Heading back to the office, we relax and talk about our next project. Parking the car, I tell the girls that they can take the rest of the day off. We had a productive day and there’s nothing left to do.
“Heading home?” Steph asks
“No, I’m going to stay a little while and work on the feature for Pure Sin.”
“I’ll see you ladies tomorrow.”
I watch them get into their cars to leave and head back up to my office, making sure to lock up behind me. I shoot a quick text to April and Chas to let them know that I’m working late, turn on some jazz, and get to work. Exclusively covering the opening of Pure Sin has made my magazine the talk of the town. Several local magazines competed for the rights and Lance chose me. What sets my magazine apart is my ability to capture the realness of my subject. I ask the right questions, and I pay attention. A valuable lesson my father taught me, is to always give a firm handshake, look them in their eyes, and give them a genuine smile. It works every time. Speaking of my dad, I need to call my parents this week and plan a visit. After about two hours, I wrap things up, shut down my laptop, and take the elevator down to the parking garage. Making my way to my car, I all of a sudden feel like I’m being watched. I look around and I don’t see anyone, but it’s eerily quiet and I feel uncomfortable. I hurry to my car, get in, and lock the door. I’m not sure what that was or why I felt that way, but from now on, I won’t be staying late at the office alone.