Carrie had her own agenda. While she was being "redone," she would work on coming up with a killer commercial that would land her company another Clio. It had been too long since she'd received the last award, almost four years now, and she was becoming more and more anxious. Advertising was a cutthroat business, and her competition, based mostly in Manhattan, was fierce. The twenty-year-old set was taking over. Some executives wouldn't even speak to a man or woman over the age of thirty, which was why Carrie had added three young, with-it, business majors to her staff. She called the Nintendo fanatics her babies.
It was imperative that Carrie stay in the moment, every moment. In her work, it didn't matter how many past achievements there had been. With all the new movers and shakers pushing their way into her circle of influence, Star Catcher had to be out there as much as possible. Hollywood was a fickle town. Those with the power were only interested in who was creating the buzz that day. If Carrie didn't keep pushing her staff to grab bigger and bigger accounts, she would find herself in the has-been category overnight.
She owed her first Clio to her niece. She'd begged Avery to step in when the temperamental teen actress she'd hired threw a tantrum and demanded double her fee at the last moment. The silly girl thought she had Star Catcher by the balls because of the time crunch, and if Avery hadn't come to the set with Carrie that day, Carrie would have had to pay the little bitch. Avery had been mortified by what Carrie wanted her to do, but she had a good voice and a great body, and that was all that was required. The soap commercial was a resounding success, and Carrie, acting as Avery's agent, could have gotten her at least a year's work. Avery wasn't interested, though. As soon as spring break was over, she went back to finish high school and then went on to college.
Her niece did continue to work with Carrie every summer, but she hated leaving the office to meet with company executives. Carrie couldn't understand her reserve. Avery didn't seem to know-or if she did know, she didn't particularly care-that she
was, as Tony often remarked, a knockout.
The problem with her niece was that she wasn't the least bit superficial. She was sweet and wholesome and had a firm grasp
on what was important in life, and what wasn't. But what could Carrie expect? After all, she'd raised her to sort out such things. Ironic, Carrie thought, that she herself should end up working in a field consumed with the superficial. What a hypocrite she had turned out to be. When would she learn to practice what she had constantly preached to Avery? Maybe after she made another couple of million?
Carrie had eventually become excited about the spa. Once she had made the decision to go, she called Avery and begged her niece to join her at Utopia for one week. She knew Avery was using part of her vacation to chaperone teenagers around D.C., and Carrie tried to guilt-trip her into giving her family equal time. Carrie was feeling confident that Avery would come for at least a few days, but knew she would have heart failure if she ever found out how much the stay would cost her aunt. Carrie didn't have any qualms about paying the fee for Avery. She would do anything for her, anything at all. Probably because Avery never asked her for anything. Carrie didn't know how her niece could live on the tiny salary she made, and though she offered her money every time she talked to her, Avery always declined. She was doing just fine, or so she said.
Avery kept her grounded, and in the back of her mind, she knew that her niece wouldn't let her get swept up in the moment at Utopia and sign up for every treatment available.
Avery was going to pitch a fit when she found out that Carrie was thinking about booking an appointment for liposuction. She smiled as she thought about the argument her niece would give. Avery would shake her head when she saw her workout clothes too. Everything matched and had designer labels. Oh, yes, Avery would roll her eyes, no doubt, and then launch into her favorite lecture about getting fit and healthy.
God, how she missed the brat.
"What are you smiling about, honey?" Tony asked.
Jarred back to the present, she realized both her husband and their marriage counselor were staring at her. She shrugged to
over her embarrassment. "I was thinking about all the things I need to think about." That nonsense was the best she could come
up with on the spur of the moment.
Dr. Prick looked pleased enough to roll around in the mud with his inner child. He nodded agreement and then stood, indicating
the session was finally over.
Tony towered over her as he walked by her side to the waiting limo.
"You sure you don't want me to ride to the airport with you?"
"I'm sure."
"Did you remember to bring the reservation?"
"Yes." She pulled away from her husband when the driver opened the back door for her. "I still haven't heard from Avery, and I've left three messages for her. I was hoping to talk to her before I left LA."
"You know how busy she is at work. She probably just hasn't had time to call you."
"But what if there's an emergency while I'm away?"
"Then she'll call me or try to get you on your cell phone."
"I don't like the idea of her working with children. It's too hard for her. She-"
"She wouldn't do it if she didn't love it," he pointed out. "You've got to stop worrying. Avery's a big girl now."
"Check my e-mails when you get home," she said then. "Maybe she sent me a message."
"Yes, I'll check and call you."
"The parole hearing is the sixteenth. I wonder if Avery was notified yet. I just got my-"
"Of course she knows. Why are you worrying about that now?"
"I can't miss it," she snapped. "I always go with Avery. Both of us speak before the board decides…"
"Honey, you aren't going to miss the hearing, and neither will Avery. It's a month away, for Pete's sake. You didn't miss the
last one, and you won't miss this one. Now try to relax. I want you to enjoy yourself."
She nodded. "Yes, okay."
She hadn't sounded sincere. Frowning, he said, "You're tense because you haven't had any time off in such a long time. It's
just last-minute jitters."
She nodded again, then tried to get into the car, but Tony grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her. "I love you," he whispered. "I've always loved you. From the moment we met. I want this marriage to work again."
"Yes, I know," she answered, her tone dismissive.
The second the car pulled away from the curb, Carrie reached for her laptop. She had just turned it on when her cell phone rang. Assuming that it was Tony calling to once again nag her about their marriage, she answered curtly.
"What is it now?"
"Guess what?" Avery said.
"Hi, sweetie. I thought you were Tony. Are you enjoying your vacation?"
"Not yet," she answered. "I'm finishing up some last-minute details at the office. I had a big meeting with my new boss a couple
of days ago, and I can't wait to tell you about the case I helped solve. How about sharing a late dinner in Aspen?"
Carrie screeched. "You're going to join me? All my nagging and browbeating worked?"
"If I say yes, then you'll just get worse. Guilt worked this time, Carrie, but don't think-"
"What happened to the kids you were going to drag around Washington?"
"The trip got rescheduled."
"Ah. So I win by default."
"Do you want me to come or not?"