Part of me was afraid of that reality, but part of me remembered how much more risk I had taken before, when I had moved out to LA by myself to try and make it on the big screen. Everyone thought I was crazy. My parents, bless their hearts, could hardly keep themselves together the day I left, and surviving as a nobody in a soulless city was harder and scarier than I had expected. But I kept my head high, worked hard, and used my passion to keep me going through years of disappointing and occasionally humiliating auditions. One day, it finally paid off, and things had been easier until Jack left me.
I was here now, safe in my Hollywood mansion, because of taking opportunities, even if they seemed stupid or dangerous. The only way I was going to move forward was by taking risks.
All the offers Katherine had brought me were a gamble. So which one was I going to bet my future on? Which one would give me the most satisfaction, even if it didn’t work out?
I’d never been to Al-Dali; I was surprised that a country so far away would even be aware of my existence. Some American movies did very well overseas, but I had never thought about that scene. I just assumed they had their own movie industry that satisfied their audiences, except when the occasional giant fighting robots blockbuster came rolling in from overseas. There was something intriguing about the idea of a mini-vacation in a new, exotic place where I apparently had some unexpected popularity. Plus, as rich as this guy sounded, it would probably include luxurious accommodations, and maybe even some gifts. The thought of a little pampering was pretty tempting.
Plus, I was a confident, seasoned movie star. I wasn’t going to do anything I didn’t want to do, and the Shiekh would quickly realize that. Breaching a contract might make things harder, but I’d never been one to sacrifice my integrity for my work, and I wasn’t about to start. I’d rather take the heat for denying him than live with the decision of saying yes.
Before I knew it, I was fumbling with my phone, a little wine-drunk and blurry-eyed without my contacts in. I pulled up the number for Katherine, and waited patiently while it rang. It was late, but Katherine and most other agents were twenty-four-seven kind of people. They had to be in order to excel in the business.
After three rings, she picked up, her voice a little groggy. “Hey Julianne, what is it? Everything okay?”
“Did I wake you up?”
“What’s up?” The rustling of fabric in the background was answer enough. “I’m getting dressed, I can be over in twenty minutes.”
“No, no,” I interrupted. “No need, it’s not that bad. Everything’s fine. I just made a decision and wanted to get it over with.”
“What’s that?”
I took a deep breath. “I want you to call the Sheikh, the one from Al-Dali. Tell him I’ll accept his offer.”
There was dead silence on the other end of the phone.
“You…you what?”
I had to laugh a little. “Call that Sheikh, the offer you brought today. I’m going to do it. I’ll take his money for one day of ‘company.’”
“O-Okay,” stuttered Katherine. I heard paper and the scribbling of a pen. “I’ll call him right now. You’re sure about this?” Her voice was motherly and just a little wary.
“No, not even a little,” I admitted, putting my head in my hands. “But everything I’ve done to get to where I am has been a risk. I’ve lived on next to nothing and nearly been homeless trying to get noticed out here. I’ve never been sure about anything except following my gut, and so far, things have worked out. So let’s do it. And if he tries to put that card into play, well… I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. I’ve gotten myself out of creepy situations before.”
“Okay, if you’re sure, honey, then you got it,” said Katherine. “I’ll call you as soon as I hear back from him.”
“Thanks, you’re the best.”