Boss Lady Read Online Free Page A

I told her.
    It was only four o’clock in L.A., but it was seven o’clock for Jason and me. And my body felt as if it was ten o’clock already. I guess that’s what Susan meant by jet lag. I wouldn’t know. Not only had I never flown on an airplane before, I had never traveled out of my time zone. The South had the same time zone as Philly, only it was much hotter.
    Susan nodded her head and made a call on her cell phone. That was the last thing I remember before I crashed.
    When I woke up, Jason was standing in the doorway laughing at me with a slice of pizza to his mouth.
    â€œGuess what time it is?” he asked me.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œEight o’clock.”
    I grimaced and said, “God. I’ve been asleep for four hours.”
    Jason shook his head and answered, “It seems like two days in one to me. And that just means it’s more time for me to get into things.”
    I smiled in my cousin’s direction and closed my eyes again. He was still on track to do what he planned to do.
    *  *  *
    We met with Tracy on the set of her new movie the next day. She was all made up in her gear as the character “Alexis,” wearing dark lace, black leather, and plenty of makeup. There she was, my cousin, the nationally known book writer, screenwriter, and actress. I was so proud!
    Jason and I were chilling in the trailer with her before her next action scene, just eating it all up. Susan had left us there alone while she handled her business.
    â€œYou really need to wear all that makeup?” Jason asked his sister. I was thinking the same thing, but I wasn’t going to ask. I was content with just being around her and on an actual movie set.
    Tracy answered, “It’s for the hot lights of the camera. You don’t understand.”
    â€œSo, I would have to wear that much makeup, too?” he asked her.
    â€œWhy, you want a scene in this movie, Jason?” she asked him back.
    â€œI’m just asking.”
    Tracy told him, “Well, before you start criticizing something you know nothing about, understand that everything has a purpose here. I’m not just wearing this makeup for the hell of it. Okay?”
    She was all business.
    Jason was silenced for a hot second before he responded, “Whatever.”
    I guess he felt that he had to say something. His big sister knew exactly how to handle him. I sat back and took mental notes for myself.
    â€œSo, how are you doing, Vanessa?” she asked me.
    â€œOh, I’m fine.” I didn’t have much to say. I just wanted to take everything in. It was all a daydream for me. I still couldn’t believe I was there.
    Tracy studied me for a second and asked me, “Have you called your mother yet?”
    I wasn’t sure how to answer that. I hadn’t looked forward to talking to my mother about my trip to California. I figured it would have been rubbing it in her face, because she was so dead-set on me not going. I didn’t even feel comfortable with calling my sisters about it. I’m sure they would have felt left out. Nevertheless, Tracy had a point, they were still my family.
    â€œI’ll be calling them soon,” I told her.
    She watched for my reaction and nodded. She was really studying me. I guess she was still trying to figure me out.
    â€œSo what are your plans?” she asked me next.
    â€œMy plans?”
    â€œFor the summer? For your life? For school?”
    She was dead on me.
    I stumbled and said, “I . . . I mean . . .”
    â€œWell, you need to think about it,” she told me. “And Jason, when we get this car for you, for while you’re out here with Vanessa, I want you to act like you got some damn sense. Because you just can’t act any way you want to out here. L.A. has a different way of doing things, and you can find your smart ass in hot water before you know what hit you.”
    Jason began to smirk.