Page 222 of My Five Daddies

I can’t help but grin back. I don’t know what happened but I wish I could have seen it. Seems crazy that Holly would like her more for slapping her in the face, but that’s just Holly. She doesn’t make sense and I’m sick of trying to figure it allout.

“Listen, we should talk,” I say to her. “It’s about yourmovie.”

She perks up. “Really?”

“Really,” I say. “Comeon.”

I walk quickly over toward the development trailer with Holly in tow. It’s empty, which is good. Holly sits while I grab an extra laptop and open itup.

I dial the number in Skype that Harold gave me, and a minute later heanswers.

“Jackson?” he asks. “You therealready?”

“I’m here,” I say. “Holly’s in theroom.”

“Okay. Let me see hertoo.”

I put the laptop down and move around to sit next to Holly. Harold is still in Cancun, a little sunburnt and wearing a large floppy hat. He’s inside his hotel room, and probably annoyed that I’m interrupting his vacation yetagain.

It took me half a day to find him, and when I did, Harold was pissed. He was not happy that I was ambushing him about work, and he basically blew meoff.

I had to be persistent. It took another day to finally see him again, and then I made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Not the mafia-style kind, but the kind that makes him a lot ofmoney.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” he says. “I’m making this quick because I want to get back to drinking tequila and trying to fuck my wife. You twolistening?”

“I’m listening.” Holly says. “It’s good to see you,Harold.”

“Sure, whatever,” he says. “Look, here’s the deal. Jackson there is apparently obsessed with getting you a movie, obsessed enough to nearly ruin my vacation over it.” Holly glances at me and Ishrug.

“But he said something interesting. In exchange for funding this movie and getting the studio to take it on, Jackson is going to work onBrutally Dishonestfor free. Isn’t that right,Jackson?”

“That’s right,” I say. “You can keep your millions ofdollars.”

Holly stares at me, clearly shocked. “Jackson, that’s too much,” shesays.

“It’s the deal I made,” I grunt ather.

“And we’re not going back on it,” Harold says, clearlyannoyed.

“No, we’re not,” I confirm. “You want this movie, right,Holly?”

She nods. “I wantit.”

“Good,” Harold says. “So it’s going to happen with you attached. Jackson’s working for free, I’m saving some serious fucking money, and we’re all happy. Okay? Can I send over the fucking papers for you to sign,Holly?”

“Send over the fucking papers, Harold,” she says. “Send them to MickeyRains.”

I stare at her but I don’t say shit. Fuck Mickey, that ratbastard.

“Okay. And Jackson, your last stipulation still stands.Brutally Dishonestwill be made, and I won’t retaliate against you. Oh, and the fake relationship fucking bullshit can be over, goddamn that was such a pain in the ass. And frankly, the media doesn’t give a fuck atall.”

I look at Holly again and she shrugs. “Fine, consider us broken up,” shesays.

“Great. Now I’m going back to vacation. Mickey’ll get the papers soon. I hope I never speak with you again, Jackson. And Holly, we’re going to make a lot of moneytogether.”

“Yes, we are,” Hollysays.

“Adios, amigos,” Harold says and kills the Skypeconnection.

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