Chapter 53

Jerry Goldsmith was effusive in his praise – not only for Sahara and Derrick but for Renaldo. The last picture got even better when Jerry had a chance to look at Derrick's face. He was looking down at Sahara passionately but with an underscored sedateness, like he was mesmerized by her. Hell, he probably was, Jerry thought.

The curves of Sahara's lush body, her bottom sticking out to increase the contact with Adam's hands caused her back to arch slightly, produced a silhouette that the Venus de Milo would envy.

Renaldo was beside himself, heaping praise on both models and wondering silently if he would ever get the chance to work with people who accepted his direction so easily. Ellen Perry was full of shit, he decided. Sure, she threw a lot of work his way but she also threw a bunch of hard-assed performers his way too. Performers who were too stupid or too arrogant to accept his suggestions.

"You saved your job today," Jerry said. "I had decided I was going to fire you as soon as this shoot was over. Instead, I'm going to keep you and leave you with this little idea to keep you awake tonight. You could have shot those two for two more hours. They were here at 8:30 this morning and waited for you. Instead of 45 minutes with them, it could have been three full hours. Now I know you let Ellen dictate that to you. But that stops immediately. The next time I hear about you going all bull-headed it better be for a damned good reason. OK?"

"Yes, sir," Renaldo replied. "Most of the time I'm not lucky enough to work with people like this. Do you mind if I use some of the discards for my portfolio? I won't try to sell them or anything. But I could take any picture from today and use it to drum up business."

"Go ahead," Jerry told him. "As a bonus to you, Dazzle will go 25 percent with you on anything you want to sell that's vastly different from what we use on the cover. But only if you give the models a fee. Poor Derrick, you know what he's getting paid?"

Renaldo considered for a moment.

"He would get about $150 an hour from me," he said. "Sahara would probably get $250 the first time I worked with them. Each would get more next time though."

"Twenty-five bucks," Jerry said. "He did this solely to support Sahara's career. My daughter gave him some cock-and-bull story about any money he made had to be taken from Sahara's fee. So he showed up, stood around for three hours and would have taken home $25 if I hadn't been here."

Renaldo's mouth dropped. "Ridiculous!" he said. He could see selling each of those photos for $500-$1,000 each. "I'll offer them 10 percent – each – of anything sold. Will that suffice?"

"That's what I'm talking about," Jerry said. "You do that and I'll guarantee they'll work with you again. Plus, from what I've heard, there are four or five others – with the same attitude – who look just as good. If you treat them fairly, they will treat you fairly. Everyone profits from a successful partnership."

The men were interrupted by Sahara's return. She gave Renaldo a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"That was really fun!" she said. "You are fantastic. I was super worried about goofing something up but you made it seem easy."

"Yeah, it was nice to work with you, Renaldo," Derrick said, extending a hand. "I certainly won't hesitate to recommend you."

"Thanks," Renaldo replied, genuinely touched. Most performers either left without saying a word or gave him a nod and a goodbye. "I know you're pressed for time. But Jerry has offered to let me have the photos he doesn't plan to use. If you two are OK with it, I'd like to put together an exhibit in the next month or so. I'll pay each of you 10 percent of the purchase price for anything I sell."

Sahara glanced at Derrick, who simply shrugged. He was OK with it if she was.

"I think that will work great," Sahara said brightly. "Let us know if you want to do another shoot. The only problem is that Fridays are tough for us. Derrick has classes all morning."

Renaldo shrugged.

"I can work around schedules," he said. "Mine has some flexibility. Jerry said you might be able to recommend a couple of other models for me?"

Sahara's smile widened.

"Oh, can we?" she said. "I can think of six people, two men and four women, no wait, five women, I bet Trinity would be perfect, she has this really wholesome look but she is cool. Here is my number. Call me when you get time and we'll discuss particulars. Does that work?"

Renaldo beamed.

"That would be great!" he said. "If they are half as easy to work with as you guys, well, I just might be able to make it out here."

Sahara turned to Derrick, who nodded this time.

"We are part of an investment group that helps out budding artists like you," she said. "If it looks like you're not going to make it, definitely call me. We can work out something to help you out – throw some business your way or help you find a way to advertise and market your talent. Promise me?"

Renaldo turned to Jerry to gauge if the man thought she was serious. It was evident that he did.

"I promise," Renaldo answered. "And thanks. I'm sorry about being so pissy. I'm not really like that but, well, with some people I have to act like an ass to get them to cooperate. I'm sorry I started out that way with you."

Derrick clapped the photographer on the back.

"No problem," he said. "We got past it and moved on. I think things turned out exceedingly well. Don't you Mr. Goldsmith?"

Renaldo noticed a hint of pleading in Derrick's voice. It struck Renaldo that Derrick was trying to save his job with Dazzle. An immense feeling of gratitude swept over him.

"I do," Jerry answered. "Dazzle will be sending a lot more projects Renaldo's way in the future. I'm glad that misunderstanding didn't ruin another promising relationship."

"Thanks, Jerry," Sahara said. She leaned over and gave the man a kiss on his cheek. "Do you have the releases?"

Jerry sighed.

"I am certain they are in Elle's car, along with your checks," he said, kicking himself for his stupidity.

"The checks you can mail or we can pick up the next time we're out that way," Sahara said with a smile. "Or you can bring them this evening to the meeting. I hope you're still coming."

"I am," Jerry said firmly. He would never underestimate this group again.

"I have a generic release form," Renaldo said. "Will that work?"

"It does for me if it covers Mr. Goldsmith," Derrick said. "I trust him."

"Says the guy who stands to lose $25," Renaldo joked. Still he produced two standard model release forms, cross out the name of his business and wrote in Dazzle Video (which was initialed by all three concerned parties) and the group signed without complaint.

Sahara pretended to unsure how to spell her name, which produced a good-natured ribbing from Jerry as he offered up letters. Sahara shook her head, then she took Derrick's hand and they headed out the door.

Sarah turned to Adam as soon as they entered the car.

"When is your exam done?" she asked.

"Uh, I should be finished by 2:45," Adam replied. "No later than 3:00 p.m."

"How soon will you be home?" she wondered.

"If I can get free in time to catch the 2:45 bus, I'll be there by 3:10," he said. "But I usually stick around and wait for Shelly. Her class ends at 3:15 and its right by the bus stop."

Sarah closed her eyes for a moment.

"I will have Allie pick Shelly up and drive her home if you get in early," she said. "I know we're meeting with those groups at 7:00 o'clock tonight. But when you get in the door, do not bother speaking to Allie or Shelly. Because I plan to take you by the hand, take you to my bedroom and recreate that chair scene with you inside me. The picture of me on your lap, with my back to you, was super sexy."

"You were super sexy in all of them," Adam said. "I wonder if we can get Renaldo to make us a CD?"

"You could get Renaldo to sell his mother," Sarah said with a smirk. "I will bet he is rubbing one out and thinking of you right this very moment."

"Oh, yuck!" Adam said. He had never considered having a guy jerk off to a picture of him before.

"Now you know how I feel," Sarah said. "Because old man Goldsmith is probably taking things in hand to my picture right now too."

Jerry Goldsmith seemed like a nice man but he was far down on the attractiveness scale. He was in his 60s, balding and shaped like a pear.

"I'll take Renaldo then," Adam joked. "I mean, if those are my two choices."

"I thought you might," Sarah said. "I wasn't kidding, you know. I'll lay out the clothes we plan to wear tonight and I'll give us enough time for a shower. But you and I are going to find an hour or so to do all sorts of naughty things to each other."

"I look forward to it," Adam said, reaching over and holding Sarah's hand. "I was sort of surprised we didn't, uh, fool around the other night."

"The next time we sleep alone, I'll be mid-period," she said. "I should have taken advantage of it last time but I felt bloated. That means it will be three weeks or more. And I get horny as hell during my period."

"We can still fool around," Adam said. "I probably won't want to, you know, go down on you. But I won't be afraid to help you get off or to make love to you."

"Really?" Sarah asked. "I mean it won't make you, sick or something?"

"No," Adam said. "I've not really had much experience with things like that. But I'm not put off by it. If you feel affectionate or aroused, it won't bother me. At least I don't think it will. The thought of making love to you during that time doesn't turn me off."

Sarah slid closer to him and held his hand tighter.

"You have just made up for the thought of Jerry Goldsmith pulling his pud to my picture," she said.

Jerry Goldsmith wasn't pulling his pud to Sahara's image. Instead he was sitting with his daughter in his office, forcing her to go through the pictures from a CD that Renaldo had given him.

"Find one that is not cover quality," he insisted. The anger in his voice was not feigned. The more he thought of what Ellen's actions could have caused, the madder he got. "Go ahead. You know so God damned much. Fine me one picture that we couldn't use for the cover."

"They're good," Ellen admitted. "But only because Renaldo is good."

"Oh get over yourself," Jerry said. "They're good because Renaldo had good people to work with. This is 20 times better than his normal shit. Even he admits it. He got fantastic results in 45 minutes because of the quality of model we gave him. Now, get this through your head. Sahara Rain is going to be our contract girl. If you wish to remain working in this company, you need to accept two things. One, you will be working with her. She does not work for you. She is an employee of Dazzle Video just like you are. You are not her boss or her rep or her agent. You are coworkers on projects. I am the only boss in this scenario."

Ellen's face was set in a scowl. Jerry laughed aloud when he realized Adam did it much better.

"Now, the second item," Jerry continued. "Sahara Rain has never given this company anything less than her full effort. Even today, after all that bullshit you manufactured, she gave us this. You, darling daughter, are not up for employee of the year by any stretch. Which means this: If I have to step in to mediate a dispute between you and Sahara, it will almost always fall on her side.

"So, I guess what I'm saying is if she wants something and Dazzle can produce it, produce it. If she doesn't want to do something and it's not integral, she doesn't do it. If she wants to work side projects that will not affect her marketability, she works them. If you don't agree, too bad. The days of treating the talent like trash are over! Gee, I guess that means in reality, you work for her. Am I clear?"

Ellen's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe you should take over this project completely," she said, bitterness evident in her voice.

"Oh, I have," Jerry confirmed. "I will secure the rights to the tagline we want tonight. I will oversee the final design of the cover and I will make sure that everything is set for release on the 24th. But know this: it is the last time I do this. I hired you so I would not have to fool with this shit anymore. If I have to step in to keep you from destroying something this important again, there is no reason to keep you around.