Shoveling broccoli onto my plate I tell him, “Found a producer.”
“Oh?”
Mom’s eyes soften with encouragement. “Does he have experience, Max?”
“It’s a she, and no, but she’s more than willing to learn.” As I set the serving spoon down I explain, “Her name is Natalie, and I kinda met her by coincidence. Someone gave me her number, tried to hook us up. I never called and then she crashed my interviews because she happened to be in the building. Crazy, huh? She hates her job, but she runs several businesses. Brought them a huge profit. Great with numbers, so I decided to give her a shot.”
Caden is watching me. “You slept with her.”
My fork hovers before my mouth, and I deny his accurate guess with a head shake. His eyebrows shoot up and he nods. I shake my head again. The rest of our family is darting looks between us.
Dad wants to know more, so he casually asks, “What business does she help run?” He takes a bite of chicken.
Without emotion, I answer, “Swinging Richards.”
He chokes and grabs a napkin. “The male strip club?”
“Yeah. And a couple of ladies ones, too,” I shrug, not thinking it’s a big deal. “Southern Comfort. The Dollhouse. You know ‘em?”
Mom holds Dad’s eyes a moment, a silent conversation happening before she asks, “Max, you really think that’s a good person to have for a film producer?”
My mouth stops working on my meal and I stare at her, then him, then her, then rake a glance around the faces of my amused siblings. Swallowing more than is comfortable to, I ask, “What’s wrong with a strip club? I didn’t say she was dancing at one. And even if she was, who cares? I get paid tips at the bar. I’m clothed, but it’s practically the same thing. She’s doing the books, helping them budget. She even came up with marketing strategies, exactly what I need on my film. Someone who can run payroll so the crew gets paid on time. Someone who comes up with new ideas about how to get eyeballs on my film. Handles contracts so that the Screen Actor’s Guild doesn’t shut us down mid-shoot. Natalie will handle all of that so I can do what I’m good at.”
The family is silent and I lean back in my chair, scanning their unconvinced faces. Only Hunter is still eating like nothing is happening. When nobody says anything I lose my temper. “Stripping is the same as any kind of performance, and she’s not a stripper anyway. Dad, you produce music. You’ve been to tons of shows in your career—people were half-naked in a lot of them! At the strip clubs they’re just…a little more naked.”
Caden chuckles, “You’re digging yourself into a hole, man.”
“She just does their books, and does them well.”
“You don’t think she hasn’t done one of the male strippers?”
I stand up so fast I knock my chair onto the ground.
Dad shouts, “Max, sit down!” and Mom says something I can’t even hear.
“Yo Caden I’ve seen some of the girls you’ve taken home. They were no saints. And you Lexi, your bad boy addiction is out of hand. Hunter, we’ve never even seen anybody you’ve been with, but with the way you hide I wouldn’t be surprised if you had some cougar in your apartment!”
“What about me?” Sam asks, feeling left out of the list.
We all look at her for a second, then resume the argument.
Dad motions to the chair. “Sit down, Max!”
I steady my temper as I pick the damn thing up, and lower myself into it.
Leaning back in hers, Mom grumbles, “He’s like Justin.”
“No, he’s not,” Dad barks before focusing on me. “But you kind of are. Look, you want to spend all that money without my help, fine. It’s yours, you made it on your own. But do not—I repeat, do not!—think with your dick on this one, Max. It’s every cent you’ve saved since you started working for my brother at fifteen. You took on so many jobs. No, listen, I need you to remember how far you’ve come. You’ve invested well. Ethan gave you good advice in the stock market. But this is your company now, not some Fortune 500 with years of stability and shareholders behind it. Be smart.”
Sucking on my teeth I mutter, “Okay.”
“Alright?”
“Yeah. I’ll be smart.”
Dad huffs through his nose and glances to Mom.
She’s locked on me. “Max, check this girl out at least. Make sure she is who she says she is. Don’t just take her word for it that she’s good at business. People lie.”
“Yeah, Max, people lie,” Lexi says with meaning. I glance over to see real concern in her eyes. She frowns and blinks to her food. “Let’s eat before Hunter scarfs it all.”
He reaches for a wing. “No, you guys go ahead. Tasty goodness in my mouth.”
We hurriedly fill our plates to our satisfaction. But everyone’s silent. To blow off some steam I jog my chin at Lexi, “I’m going searching for that lizard later.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “I would advise against that.”
Tearing off a chunk of biscuit I tell her, “I think he might still be out there.”
“He’s gone by now.”
“Let’s hope so. For his sake.”
CHAPTER 12
N ATALIE
C andy Land’s applying makeup to hide a pimple on her bikini-line as I walk through the dressing room at The Dollhouse.
I’m used to naked women prettying themselves up with thongs, removable pasties, gallons of glitter, Pussy Catz’s caged python waiting nearby.
“What brings you here on a
