Contracted For Love: Famous Love Series Read Free Page B

looked up at her. She suddenly knew she wasn’t the first woman he’d seen running from these offices after hours.
    What a sick fucking place this is!
     
    ***
     
    At around the same time that Charlotte was stomping on Richard James’ most prized possession, Jack was hanging out in the green room before his latest television appearance on the Ricky Pearson show. He hated Ricky Pearson; the guy was a complete dick and didn’t care what he had to do to boost his ratings. Freddy stood in front of him and reminded him again not to lose his temper once the cameras were rolling.
    “Why did you even book this show? You know what Ricky’s like. He’d distribute his own mother’s sex tape, if he thought it would get him publicity.”
    “I know, but I booked you for this for exactly that reason. This is the best place for you to cement your new image. You can drop the F-bomb on this show, like you can’t on the others. This is where you can show people you’re not that child star, anymore, making cheesy toothpaste commercials and dancing in teeny, tiny, cute, little tuxedos.”
    Jack scowled at the reference. His mother still loved that commercial more than anything he’d ever done in his career. It was a time in his life he could not escape; every time a television show decided to feature him, that cute kid with the piercing, blue eyes would pop up in his tap shoes and tuxedo. It didn’t matter that he’d made several movies, which had been massive box office successes, since then. It didn’t matter that he’d taken time out and was now back years later with a new music career. Jack couldn’t believe the ad was haunting him all these years later, even now that he was a famous rock star with rock-hard abs to match.
    “Fuck that tuxedo.” Jack flopped down onto the couch, careful not to mess up his hair.
    “Yes, that’s what Ricky can do for you. So, get out there, smile, show off that six pack, and let the world see what Jack Fawkner’s all about now—and reconsider what we talked about.”
    “No way. There’s no way I’m changing my name. My name is my name and even if it will help shed the kid image, I’m not changing it.”
    Freddy sighed and turned away to watch the screen showing the current guest, Missy Adams, being grilled by Ricky about the best way to eat a banana. The former porn star, who now had her own television show, was playing along beautifully; Ricky was milking the camera angles as much as he could. Freddy could visualise the control room and the director’s absolute delight at Missy’s antics.
    He glanced at Jack and worried that the audience would be disappointed with him after the lewd Missy Adams had regaled them. Jack would be performing at the end of the show, though, and that always wowed them. Even if he couldn’t bring himself to milk the image change thing, he was a hell of a performer when his moment came.
    “What the fuck is she doing to that carrot?” Jack asked from the couch.
    “God knows, but maybe I should have arranged to get you both out there together. She probably wouldn’t have missed her chance to fawn all over you, and that would definitely have shown how adult you are. I might have gotten it wrong, insisting that you go on alone.”
    “Or you saved me from being mauled by an aging ex-porn star.”
    “Don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it,” Freddy chuckled as Jack rolled his eyes and gave up trying to protect his hair. He stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes, but he opened them again as an image of Charlotte and her delectable lips floated into his mind. Jesus Christ, was there no peace to be had anywhere? Why was he thinking of those lips, now? Was extending his career worth it? He already had a stack of money in the bank; why hadn’t he just retired with his cash and been content with being a child star who’d bought his mom a house?
    Because you’re not ready to give it up.
    He knew that, already—he didn’t need a little voice in