“How long until you’re done, baby? I really need to see you before I go to work.”
Joey is moving again and the noise from the laundry room is getting louder.
“The timer is about to go off. I’ll be up in a few minutes.”
“I’ll be waiting. I love you, Joey.” I don’t want for her to say it back before hanging up. I use the opportunity to jump in the shower quickly and wash off yesterday’s events. The make-up artist is going to have a field day with the bags under my eyes.
By the time I’m out, Joey is walking in. As soon as she sets our clothes down I tackle her onto the bed.
“Josh, you’re wet.”
I shake my head, making sure she’s getting the water droplets from my hair.
“Isn’t that my line?” I ask, winking at her.
Rolling her eyes, Joey pushes me off of her. I don’t go willingly, but move aside so she can sit up.
“Is that what you’re wearing today?” She’s dressed in sweats that are pulled up to her knees and a tank top. Her hair is piled high on her head with a crazy bun that makes her look taller.
“Excuse me?” she says, looking down at her clothes. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
I stand and pull her to me. “You’re going to work with me. I’m not risking anything. I don’t want you here by yourself.”
“I thought I wasn’t allowed on set?”
Even though she put clothes out for me, I take what I need from the basket she brought up. “You’re not, and if they want to fire me they can. I’m going to have the driver stop at the store for you to pick up some books or whatever and you can bring your laptop. My trailer is small, but you’ll be on set and protected from the media.”
“I need to change, give me a few minutes.” Joey takes a pile of clothes and disappears into the bathroom. While she’s changing I use the time to call the Blaze PR. They’re a company I’ve used for public relations work and ask them to send someone out for me. They let me know that they’ll send a contact over right away. I can’t trust Matt, let alone use him to get my stuff done, so a PR company is my next best thing. Besides, they’ll be able to issue press releases for Joey and I, saving us from interviews.
My next call is to the director, letting him know that Joey will be with me as it’s a matter of security. He balks, but finally agrees considering we only have a few days left. It’s not like she’s going to watch filming; she’ll be holed up in my stuffy trailer. It’ll be boring as fuck for her, but at least she’ll be there … for me. And finally to the hotel manager, asking him to make sure there is security downstairs for us.
When she comes out of the bathroom, my mouth falls open. Standing before me is my wife, who’s completely changed the way she looked. Gone are the sweats—replaced with some stylish pants and a sleeveless shirt—and her hair is down and straight. Light make-up accents her tanned skin, making her picture perfect ready.
“Wow.”
“Actor wife presentable?” She spins in a circle with me nodding the entire time.
“Let’s go to work,” I tell her, reaching for her hand. She stops and grabs her sunglasses, sliding those on as we leave the hotel. As soon as we exit the elevator I slip my sunglasses on as well and make sure she’s right up tight to me.
“Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, I’m Johnny. Blaze PR asked me to step in until they can send someone to escort you for the remainder of your trip.” Johnny shows me his police badge and all I can think is that Blaze doesn’t fuck around when it comes to their clients. All I asked was for a rep, but some extra security works for me as well.
I shake hands with Johnny who is wearing a black suit that isn’t shy about hiding the gun resting on his hip. I introduce him to Joey and he tells her that she’ll be safe with him. This gives me a piece of mind, but she’s still going to set with me. I’m not taking any chances even if the threat is Jules. I don’t know how Matt is going to react after last night.
As soon as we step outside the noise level increases. Questions are screamed at us, some that I never want to hear again, and pictures are snapped. Not once did they ask us to look at them, just started slinging the dirt that will make me do more damage control. Even inside the car with tinted windows, they’re yelling at us, hoping that we’re actually going to answer them.
Pulling Joey to me, I kiss her forehead. “It won’t be so bad once we go back to Los Angeles.”
“That’s good.”
I pick up her hand and kiss her ring. “Maybe while I’m shooting today, you can look for a house, or condo? Something we can put a down payment on?”
She nods and smiles bigger than I’ve seen in the past twenty-four hours, giving me hope that everything is going to be okay once we get back to our lives.
Los Angeles is where Josh is most alive. As soon as we left the airport, he started acting like a kid in the penny candy store. There’s a different vibe to him now that we’re back in his city and it makes me miss the early days that we spent in Alabama. He’s talking a mile minute to his newly hired PR rep while I stare out the window at the scenery passing by, although it’s not much to look at from the highway.
The last few days in Daphne were crazy to say the least. I couldn’t go anywhere, not that I really wanted to, but once I was given a bodyguard it felt like my life was suddenly a cage. A matter of hours after the altercation with Matt, he decided that Josh was no longer a suitable client fo
r him and filed a lawsuit against him for assault. That ignited yet another media storm and the prompt hiring of another lawyer to countersue. Except it’s not Josh suing, it’s both of us. I never knew you could sue for such trivial things, but according to Josh what Matt did was unethical and against his agent/client code—whatever that means. Either way, I’ve been told not to worry. But that’s easier said than done.