Callie Endicott - A Father For The Twins

“Sorry for the detour,” Adam apologized. “But I notice eye color and details relating to appearance. It’s a professional hazard.”

“I suppose it’s useful in your work.”

Unlike some women upon realizing how closely he recalled details of their appearance, Cassie didn’t seem uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

“Here are the agreements.” He handed her the two manila envelopes from his desk. “I know you’re taking them to your godfather for review. Space has been left to enter information for a trust fund account and data such as social security numbers. I’ve also included pamphlets for Tiffany and Glen, explaining the basics of how this works. It might be beneficial for the two of us to meet and discuss the details after you’ve read everything.”

“Wouldn’t you prefer the kids to be here as well?”

“With clients who are minors, I think it’s best to meet first with the parents or guardians. That way you can ask questions or raise concerns that aren’t appropriate in front of them.”

A faint smile crossed her lips. “You talk as if you were a seasoned professional, but you said yourself that you haven’t been a talent agent for long.”

“True,” he acknowledged. “But I was in the modeling business for over fourteen years and it grounded me in what I believe are sound business practices. When I became interested in buying an agency with my friends, I started questioning every agent I met to help learn the ropes. Beyond that, the previous owner of Moonlight Ventures has remained available as a consultant.”

“I see.”

She pursed her mouth and he didn’t think she realized that it came off as provocative. Curiously, she was an increasing mystery to him. Even when she seemed to be revealing something personal, he had trouble interpreting anything in her face. He was accustomed to that in Nicole, who’d learned to conceal her feelings from the paparazzi and had trouble breaking the habit with friends and family. But what had led Cassie to being so reserved?

“Is something wrong?” he asked her.

“No, but to be frank, I’m worried about what I’m doing here.”

A weary sensation settled over Adam. The opposite of overanxious parents were the ones who couldn’t commit to letting their child try. Neither was a boon to an agent. He hadn’t encountered it himself, but Nicole and Kevin McClaskey had told him stories.

In this case, Cassie Bryant’s stumbling block might be her vision of how Glen’s future should be shaped.

A stray thought crossed Adam’s mind. Why only Glen? Why was the boy in the family destined for medical school, while apparently it was fine for the girl to consider modeling? Of course, it seemed clear from Tiffany’s enthusiasm that modeling was her idea, so that could be the explanation. And a measure of self-honesty also made him acknowledge that he’d done some pushing himself when it came to Glen becoming a model.

“I’m not pressuring you to sign,” Adam said, “but I’d appreciate a timely decision. That way the agency doesn’t expend hours on something that isn’t going anywhere.”

Cassie frowned. “You make awfully fast assumptions, don’t you?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“The kids want to do this, so that’s what we’re doing. I’m the one in the dark. I’m not Tiffany and Glen’s mother. You mentioned parents and guardians asking questions their kids shouldn’t hear, but I don’t even know which questions I should ask.”

“I spoke without thinking,” Adam apologized hastily.

Another blunder due to his knee-jerk reactions. Maybe he wouldn’t be having as much trouble if Sophie hadn’t mentioned their father was now telling his granddaughter she should become a doctor. She was only a little girl. Encouraging her to have dreams was important, but she needed her own dream, not someone else’s.

The evening before, he’d had dinner with Nicole and Jordan and suggested she handle the Bryants’ representation. She’d just laughed and reminded him that she’d gotten shoved out of her comfort zone when doing the interviews for PostModern magazine, so now it was his turn. Knowing she was right hadn’t made it easier.

“I should have asked your concerns before jumping to conclusions,” he added.

Cassie took a deep breath. “So, what type of questions do experienced parents ask?”

“Especially with girls and young women, they generally want to know how suggestively or appropriately they’ll be portrayed.”

Her face brightened. “Yes, that’s a good one. How do you handle that?”

“At Moonlight Ventures, we aren’t interested in putting kids into adult roles before it’s suitable. But admittedly, child models tend to be portrayed at least a year or two ahead of their chronological age.”

“Will I have veto power if I believe something isn’t right?”

Adam nodded. “Absolutely. And I’ll tell you immediately if I discover any issues. We’re serious about protecting our clients.”

“Can I be there while they’re working?”

“It’s required. No minor can go to a go-see or a booking alone.” He knew this part was a turnoff for some parents, and exciting for others.

“I’m glad,” Cassie said simply, though her face didn’t reveal any sense of how she felt about it.

She really was a puzzle. He couldn’t tell whether she wanted to be connected to the modeling world, or if she simply wanted to protect the kids and give them opportunities, even if it meant escorting her niece and nephew to various bookings.

“What’s a go-see?” she asked.

“With models, a photographer or advertiser often wants to see them in person before making a commitment. For actors, it would be an audition. Clients don’t get paid for either one.”

“So basically it’s a job interview.”

“Exactly.”

“I’ll research the process some more,” she murmured.

“Being well-informed is good protection for a kid in both modeling or acting.”

“About the acting... I know Tiff is interested, but is there any real chance?”

“We’ve placed clients in movies and a television series, and there’s always the possibility of others.” Adam deliberately didn’t mention the new TV movie to be filmed in Seattle or the casting director’s offer to audition some of the agency’s talent. If Tiffany or Glen seemed right for a role, that would be the time to discuss it with Cassie.

She seemed restless and stood to go look out the window he’d left open to catch the summer breeze. Her long chestnut hair was fiery in the sunlight. A flash of attraction went through Adam. This was hardly the time or the place for that sort of thought. Even if she wasn’t Glen and Tiffany’s guardian, he couldn’t imagine dating someone who seemed to have so many edges.

“Is this the usual way an agency is run?” Cassie turned to ask. “I checked a number of websites and it’s hard to tell what ‘business as usual’ might be.”

“Every agency is different and we’ve also made changes to the way Moonlight Ventures previously operated. Aside from everything else, the prior owner functioned as a one-man show.”

“He must have been busy.”

“ Very , though part of his income came from renting out sections of this building. Changing the subject, will there be any problem getting the kids to go-sees, auditions or bookings? That is, will your work allow for that?”

“It shouldn’t be a problem most of the time. I’m self-employed doing website design and maintenance, as well as computer programming, so I have a flexible schedule.”

Adam’s concentration sharpened. While their current website was functional, they weren’t satisfied with it. Their webmaster simply couldn’t grasp their vision, despite numerous tweaks. So far, they’d put up with it because other priorities came first, but priority on the website was moving up fast.