The Fame Game

Chapter One

Willow

I hate turbulence.

My stomach clenches as we fly through a rocky patch that makes me want to hurl my lunch on the seat in front of me. Sucking in a deep breath, I close my eyes. This isn’t the end of the world. We will safely land in Los Angeles soon.

I hope.

Weston Burke, my boss, clutches my arm. “It’s okay, Willow. Calm down.”

Yeah, right, I want to say but hold my tongue. Flying is my least favorite mode of transportation. When you combine the tight spaces with a lack of control, it makes me uneasy. Control-freaks hate losing control, and I have none.

The speakers make a crunching sound, and then the pilot’s voice booms through the cabin. He tells us we’re experiencing some turbulence, as if that weren’t already obvious.

Thanks for the update, Cap.

Burke hands me a glass of scotch, and I glance at him like he’s transformed into an alien. He wants me to drink straight from his glass. We’re not cool like that. Most of the time, we barely speak unless we’re working on a project together.

He’s not exactly warm and fuzzy, but that’s also what makes him the best talent agent in Hollywood. His tenacity and relentless fight for his clients has earned him a harsh but well-deserved reputation.

He tips his head. “Drink. It will help your nerves.”

I gulp down the remaining scotch in his glass.

Working with the legendary Weston Burke affords me a lot of opportunities. He’s signed most of the top actors, producers, directors, screenwriters, and even professional athletes in the country. There’s no area out of his reach, which makes Brenton-Lake the perfect place for me to learn and grow into a full-fledged agent.

“You did good back there,” Burke says, referring to our meeting.

We flew from Los Angeles this morning to New York to sign a megastar. Singer and songwriter Carrie Le Blanc is the hottest act since Madonna. She even sounds like her. Her songs are so moving I get tingles down my arms when I listen to her sing. I dream of signing someone like her. I just need to find someone worthy of Brenton-Lake.

A compliment from Mr. Burke brings a smile to my face. He rarely gives me a pat on the back.

“Thanks, Mr. Burke. I thought the meeting went well.”

He fixes the gold cufflink on his left wrist and gives me a closed-mouth smile. “Carrie likes you. I think you might be my secret weapon.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I say to be coy. “But I appreciate you saying so.”

Okay, maybe I rocked that meeting with Carrie. We hit it off instantly. Burke might be the best in the business, but a young girl like Carrie sees him as another suit trying to make money from her. With me, she saw me as an equal.

“Tiana Banks is considering leaving MTA. I’d like you to set up a meeting with her.”

My mouth opens slightly in shock, but then I snap it back into place. I sit up straight and go into Agent Mode. I’ve waited years for the opportunity to approach potential clients alone.

“I’ll reach out to her when I get back to the office.”

Burke nods in approval, his lips pursed. I wait for him to add to the conversation. He usually gives me further instructions with clients. Instead, he turns away from me and removes a folded copy of The New York Times from his briefcase. He pretends as if I’m not even here, which is fine with me. This is how our relationship usually works. He barks a few orders, tells me to make him look good, and then I go on my merry way.

A message from Ash Riley pops up in the corner of my computer. I lean my head back against the leather chair and angle the screen away from Burke. He’s busy flipping through the stock pages, oblivious to the world.

Ash Riley: Nico Chase is up for grabs.

Her words send a jolt of energy through my body. Ash works for Vinnie Sax, a partner at Brenton-Lake. Until today, Nico Chase was one of Vinnie’s top clients.

Landing a movie star like Nico would be better than Tiana Banks. She’s a talented singer with a big career ahead of her, but Nico was one of the most sought-after action stars a few years ago. There’s something about Nico Chase that’s so undeniably sexy. When I watch his adrenaline-packed movies, my heart pounds the entire time. And the romantic scenes with his counterparts are off-the-charts. I have rewound his steamy scenes several times just to see him in action again.

Willow: Why is he a free-agent?

A voice sounds over the speakers to alert us to turn off and stow our devices. Not a chance.

Ash: Vinnie’s letting him go.

I’m about to type out a response when a woman says, “Excuse me, miss.”