Page 72 of Wicked Angel
“How?”
“Well…”
Now, that was the hard part. And one I didn’t exactly have an answer for.
If I knew how to change people’s personal opinions of others, I’d make it so people stopped seeing me as a cartoon kitten lapping ice cream or whatever, and took me more seriously.
I didn’t say that, though. I’d already potentially fired myself here. I didn’t need to make it any worse.
“People in the industry know anything in the media can be bullshit anyway,” I said, thinking it through. “And a lot of them know you. At least, you up until now. And you can’t change yesterday. So, it’s how they perceive you in real life, from here on in, that matters. Personal interactions. Working relationships. You can’t necessarily change how someone feels about you, thinks about you, or behaves towards you. But you can change how you relate to people, maybe, and that will have an effect, over time.”
“I’m not changing who I am just to please other people, Angeline.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. It’s not about changing who you are. I know you’re a decent person, Johnny. How close am I with Shayla?Close.I know the good, the bad and the ugly about you. At least, from Shayla’s point of view.”
He frowned.
“And believe me, there is a whole lot of good.” Yup; totally turned that around on him. “Don’t look so surprised. She loves you. A lot. Shayla likes the good life, as you know…”
He sort of snorted an agreement.
“But she wouldn’t be caught dead living with you, like this, if she didn’t adore you. She has… men… she could live with.”
He stopped eating. “Come again?”
“Not something you want to hear, I’m sure. But she has options, that’s all I’m gonna say.”
He considered that. “What about JC?”
“You never asked her?”
“We don’t talk about that kind of thing. We just… argue.”
Yeah. I could attest to that. “She’s not that into JC anymore. Ever since Brianna.”
“Oh.”
“Anyway…” I said tentatively. “As I said, you don’t need to change who you are. But if you actually want me to keep working with you…”
“I do,” he said, with conviction, before I could go on.
“But I thought—”
“Stop talking, okay? You just said a whole lot of useful, thoughtful shit, Angeline. Don’t ruin it. You have a good perspective on this. I have no idea if you can help me with any of this, but I’ll take what I can get. You put out whatever press release you think is necessary, whenever. You coordinate with Yash. And I’ll do whatever else you guys think I should do. Meanwhile, I need to keep working on music. I’ve got songs to write. I lost half my band. I also lost half the new songs, the ones JC wrote. And potentially all of them. I want to be ready when this shit all gets sorted out.”
“Right. Of course. Well… I’d suggest, then, that you get writing, and you let me find opportunities for you to work on your interactions with your peers. Win them over. In other words, let me handle your social calendar.” He’d resumed eating, but his eyes clashed with mine. “You know, while coordinating with Yash.”
“You’re talking again.”
“I know you have a lot of work to do.” I kept talking. “Music to make. But we should be getting you out to every event we can. From red carpet events like the Champagne opening this weekend to house parties, where you can mingle with the right people, make an impression. Therightimpression. And start making up for lost time.”Or, ruined time.
Johnny studied me. “Is that the advice you’d give Elle if she was facing a career crisis?”
“I’m not my sister’s publicist. If you’ve hired me just so you can get intel on my sister’s career, you’ve come to the wrong place.”
“If you’re here to party with me,” he countered, “you’ve come to the wrong place. I’m not looking for a party planner.” His eyes moved over me. Some guys just had a talent for stripping you naked with their eyes, and Johnny had that talent, in spades. It actually made me squirm. “Or a date,” he grunted.
“Oh my God. Please.” I shut my laptop and put my fork down, suddenly losing my appetite. Heat was flushing through me, and I told myself it was anger. “I am not here to date you.”
