Damage Control (The Hollywood Series Book 2) by Jae Read Free Book Online Page B

circulating the water.
    “All I could think of was that I might look guilty by association,” Grace finally said. “I didn’t want anyone to think that I’m gay just because I hired a gay publicist.”
    Lauren wanted to hold on to her anger but found that she couldn’t. As silly as such an assumption was, she couldn’t promise Grace that none of the gossips in Hollywood would think that. “Do you want another publicist? I think I could talk Ms. Chandler into taking you on herself.”
    “No,” Grace said with a vehement shake of her head. “No, I don’t want another publicist. I told my mother that. You were right with what you said earlier. It hasn’t even been a week, and I want to give you a chance to prove yourself.”
    Great. One more person she had to prove herself to. No pressure or anything.
    Grace studied her face. “But I’d, of course, understand if you don’t want me as a client anymore.”
    Lauren had thought she’d kept her feelings hidden behind a shield of professionalism, but apparently, Grace was good at reading people’s expressions and sensing their moods. “No, that’s all right. I’d like to keep working as your publicist.”
    Grace flashed her legendary smile. “Good. Thank you.”
    “So you’ll let my boss know that I’m back on your account?”
    “I’ll have my people call your people,” Grace said with another smile.
    Even Lauren had to grin. She cursed the actress’s charm, which made it impossible to stay angry with her. “I’d better get back to the office, then.” She got up and followed Grace back through the living room and the foyer to the front door.
    They both paused in front of the open door.
    “I’m really sorry,” Grace said. “It was never my intention to—”
    “Let’s just forget it and move on.”
    Grace nodded. “Okay.”
    Lauren slid her hand into her pocket, searching for her car keys. “If you want, call me later to talk about the campaign for your movie. I contacted the studio, and they sent me the posters they want to use. I worked on an e-mail campaign all morning, and I have some ideas I want to run by you.”
    “Sure. I’ll call you later.” Grace’s smile faltered, and her full lips formed a tight line. “But first, there’s another call I have to make.”
    Grace hated fighting with her mother. It didn’t happen often, because Grace gave in most of the time, but when they did fight, her mother usually used any argument she could, no holds barred, bringing up every transgression she could remember from Grace’s childhood. For a moment, Grace considered hanging up before her mother could answer the phone, but then she sternly told herself to woman up and clutched the phone more tightly.
    “Hello, darling,” her mother said. “We should really try to get you on The Tonight Show a week or two before the premiere. I just watched an episode with that new guy, Jimmy, and—”
    “Mom, you’re my manager, not my publicist. Don’t you think you should leave it for Lauren to decide what talk shows would be best for me to do?”
    Her mother was silent for a moment, which would have alerted Grace to the fact that something was going on, even if she hadn’t already known.
    “About that,” her mother said and cleared her throat. “I called Ms. Chandler this morning and told her we’d prefer to go with another publicist.”
    Grace took a deep breath. “No, Mom. We are not going with another publicist.” There. She’d said it.
    “Darling, I’m afraid you don’t understand.”
    “No. You are the one who doesn’t understand. You can’t keep making decisions like this without even consulting me first. This has to stop—now!”
    Her mother sucked in an audible breath, not used to Grace talking to her in such a firm tone. “I’m only trying to do what’s best for you.”
    Grace sighed. “I know,” she said, more softly now. “And I appreciate it. I really do; you know that. But firing one publicist in a week is more than