To end her questions, I handed her the card for a week at the spa. Dad and I bit our lips so as not to laugh when she acted surprised.
“For me?”
“You deserve it, Mom,” I said solemnly.
It was like living in a bad sitcom. I got rewarded with the last piece of cheesecake. If I were a politician, I would have said I’d won that one.
◊◊◊ Friday March 10
Can I just say that teachers are evil? Why do they all think they have to give tests on the same day? And why on Fridays? Friday should be reserved for planning your weekend, not being grilled about your knowledge.
I was on my way to lunch when Frank finally called me back. I’d left him a message earlier in the week to discuss the Tom Brady idea that Brook’s grandmother had suggested to fix my image. He’d said he needed some time to consider it and that he was working with a client who was having a crisis.
It was Grace Moreau. Someone from her past had said she had a drinking problem. She’d also been caught on tape admitting that she didn’t remember everything that happened the night she’d gone home with Halle and me.
For a movie star, an accusation like that could end your career, even if you were an Oscar winner. No one would hire you if they had to worry you might be unstable in any way. Too much was riding on your performance.
That was why when some reporters had tried to contact me, Scarlet, acting as my PA and gatekeeper, had referred them to Frank for no comment. Halle and my names had appeared in a Vanity Fair article stating that we’d helped Grace home. From what it said, Frank suspected the information had to come from one of the men who’d been in the room. Evidently, he wasn’t happy we’d pulled her out of whatever sick games they’d had planned.
Frank worked his magic, and the story had soon been replaced in the public eye. Some child actor, trying to show she was an adult, was drunk, belligerent, and almost totally nude at one of the more popular LA nightclubs. She wound up as the subject for numerous amateur photographers, bumping us from the gossip pages.
“Sorry to take so long to get back to you, but you haven’t done anything recently to warrant my attention,” Frank said.
“You mean, like winning an Oscar?” I asked.
“Smartass.”
“Did you get a chance to consider what I called about?” I asked to get down to business.
This needed to speed up because I wanted to go to lunch.
“I can see the value in what you suggested as a long-term strategy. I suggest that we should ease you in to the ‘family man’ image.”
“It is who I am,” I said.
“I agree, but you are still just in high school. As you get older, I can see us switching gears, and that being the primary focus. Right now, I imagine if we chose that route, it would be hard for people to wrap their minds around it,” Frank advised.
“So, I should hide that I have kids?” I asked.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. What I am saying is that we need to take it slow and be sure of what we’re doing. Public relations and building an image don’t happen overnight. This is done step by step, and brick by brick, over weeks, months, and years.
“I would suggest we begin to show you being a dad, but I would limit showing different baby mamas when you’re seen with your children. I do agree, though, that over the long haul, we need to get the public seeing you as a more serious, caring man, and that eventually will include family.” Frank said.
“What should we focus on?” I asked.
“You’re a good-looking, athletic young man who’s about to be in a James Bond movie. While women realize that the actors who play James have children in real life, they don’t want the fantasy ruined. As you and your kids get older, we organically begin to insert them into your public image.”
“What do you mean by ‘organically?’” I asked.
“Pictures of you at your son’s soccer game, or taking your daughter out for ice cream, or just playing at home with your kids. We want to show you as an everyday dad.”
“That makes sense. So, what you’re saying is I’m too young to push the family image. Instead, I should focus on being every woman’s fantasy,” I said to sum up.
Frank chuckled.
“I can see how you would hear that,” he said, and then paused before continuing. “I want you to think about girls your age or younger, who make up a big part of your target demographic. Do you believe they’re looking for a boy who comes to the table with an instant family?”
I knew for a fact that Pam didn’t want that, and she was Coby’s mom. And I was sure it wasn’t only girls who felt that way.
“I see your point. Let’s focus on the ‘every woman wanting me’ approach for now. Then we sprinkle in some reality of my kids so it doesn’t look like I’m hiding them,” I suggested.
“Let’s leave out hooking up with actresses in random bathrooms,” Frank suggested.
“Hey! Isn’t that exactly what I should be doing right now?” I asked.
“If you want to write large checks to me to cover it up, have at it,” Frank said.
