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“So, you’re my talent manager.” The statement held a trace of mockery.
Adrienne ignored the tone. “I’m very excited about the job, Ms. Guest.”
“Call me Mallory.”
Adrienne didn’t like the expression on Mallory’s face. Besides, she had enough drama in her life. If this woman didn’t want her, it was better to find out right now. “Is there a problem, Mallory?” Her tone was cold and brisk.
Mallory was cool. “I wouldn’t call it a problem, but I certainly am curious about how you got this job with not a shred of experience in this area.”
Adrienne stammered. “I have a background in theater and I . . . uh . . . used to, uh . . . work in show business.”
A slight smile played around the corners of Mallory’s mouth. “Docks Sportswear has been a PWE client for the past twenty years. Up until now, Joseph Scarpaci, the president of Docks, has been content with selling his line of khaki pants primarily to wealthy white suburbanites in the Midwest. But times have changed, and Scarpaci is a smart man. He wants to go after a new market, the African-American market, and he’s committed to an advertising budget of more than fifty million dollars.”
Adrienne gasped.
“Docks Sportswear will be the first client of PWE Multicultural. Scarpaci wants to make Docks Sportswear the preferred brand of leisure clothing in the African-American community. I’m going to need talented African-American art directors, copywriters, TV commercial producers, casting directors, and media planners. Which brings us to the reason you’re here. I’d like to see your list of contacts.”
Adrienne stammered that she didn’t have any.
Mallory smiled knowingly. “I figured that,” she said. “Well perhaps your friend can give you some leads.” She made the word “friend” sound like “lover.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Mel was furious when Adrienne finally got around to telling him about the new job. They were lying in bed with the TV tuned in to some mindless sitcom that neither was paying attention to when Adrienne told him about her promotion. Mel sat up and glared down at his wife.
“I think you’re more excited about this Lloyd Cooper than you are about moving out of the bull pen.”
Adrienne shifted her position so that her body was turned slightly away from him.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she muttered.
Mel sensed that he was onto something. “Turn on the light and sit up, Adrienne.”
She didn’t move.
“Didn’t you hear me talkin’ to you?” he demanded.
“Go to sleep, Mel. We both have to get up early in the morning.”
Mel snatched Adrienne by the edge of her nightgown and turned her around to face him. Then he switched on the light himself. Adrienne was trembling, but he didn’t care. If she was going to start cheating on him with her new boss, she had every reason to be afraid.
“Talk to me, damn it!”
“About what?”
Now she was going to play dumb. “Tell me how this guy even knew you were alive. He’s just started a new job as president, for chrissakes; he must have a lot of stuff to do. Why all this interest in you?”
Adrienne removed his hand from her shoulder and climbed out of bed. She stood with her back to the dresser, leaning her hands on it to brace herself. “Okay, Mel. I’ll tell you, but it’s a long story. Just hear me out, okay?”
Mel was bewildered. “How can it be a long story? I thought the man just got there?”
Adrienne closed her eyes, then opened them. She held up a hand for him to be quiet. “It turns out that Lloyd Cooper and I knew each other from high school.” She laughed nervously. “Life is funny, isn’t it?”
Mel wasn’t laughing. Something was terribly wrong.
Adrienne clutched the dresser, and then the incredible tale of LaMar Jenkins/Lloyd Cooper came pouring from her lips.
Mel couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Some boy named LaMar had been the first one she’d slept with. The day after it happened, he had run off and Adrienne had never heard from him again. Now, LaMar was back and working at Adrienne’s company under a new name. Mel felt a stab of rage shoot through his forehead.
