Liar vs. Liar - 22. Horses for Courses

Chapter Twenty-Two – Horses for Courses

“So, Arthur tells me you have experience in building an online presence?” Angus Boyd threw him a shrewd look over his latte.

Jamie shrugged while stretching his legs. Janet was a darling, letting him use the coffee shop for his personal meetings. There was no rush hour to worry about, either, which helped. All in all, he should have been perfectly comfortable, but Angus’s first loaded question made him squirm in his seat.

“Yeah, you can say that.”

“I see.” Angus Boyd looked quite different than how Jamie had imagined he would during their first phone conversation. He was a tall and skinny man in his late thirties rocking a hipster beard, vaping like his life depended on it, with sharp eyes that were observing everything from behind a pair of glasses with thick black frames. “Care to elaborate? Arthur was unnecessarily evasive about it. He told me I should talk to you since he didn’t want to overstep.”

Jamie smiled. The simple fact that Arthur thought about how he would feel about his adult entertainment business, or better said, about sharing it, made him feel better. The best way forward was to be blunt.

“I’m in the adult entertainment business,” he said.

He had to give it to his soon-to-be agent. Angus didn’t flinch, didn’t let his eyes grow wide, didn’t even purse his lips upon hearing that direct confession. “An interesting bit. Serving nudes? Making videos? Selling a certain sort of merchandise?”

And he knew how to be delicate about it. Fishing with a silver thread in the proverbial deep pond.

“Just streaming.”

Angus surprised him by clapping his hands together. “That’s awesome, Jamie,” he exclaimed. He appeared to fall prey to these bouts of excitement like a kid discovering new rides at an amusement park. “Don’t worry, we’re only going to use it when the moment’s ripe.” He gave Jamie a reassuring smile and took a sip from his latte while carefully crossing his legs.

“Is it really that important?”

“Are you ashamed of it?” Angus asked. “Do you believe it’s your darkest secret?”

Jamie tsked. “None of that. It’s just that this show is supposed to help me in my efforts to promote myself as a musician, right? Unless I left something out when I talked to Arthur.”

“Of course, of course,” Angus said eagerly and moved one hand over his shiny head. In contrast to his heavy and thick beard, the agent looked like he preferred the bald look. “But we’re living in viral times, right? By the way, can you guess the name of the show?” He wiggled eyebrows as generous as the rest of his facial hair.

“Viral Times?” Jamie made an attempt.

“No.” Angus pulled back from the table with a frown etched on his face. “No, no, no.” He gestured as if he could already see the name of the show written in bold letters on a billboard. “It’s LiveFeed. Written as one word. Cool, right?”

“LiveFeed? Okay, yeah, I can vibe with that,” Jamie agreed. “What’s going to be the format? I assume there are other participants besides me. And some popularity contest to pitch us against each other.”

“Nah,” Angus waved while leaning against the back of his chair and swinging one foot. “That would be rude, I mean pitching people against each other. That’s a thing of the past. For this new show, we will focus on personal experiences. As for the popularity contest, that will be organized in a different way.”

“How?” Jamie asked, seeing that Angus was smiling and nodding at him, looking like he was expecting him to keep on asking such obvious questions.

“All the participants will show off their skills in conquering the audience’s hearts by getting viewers involved in their social media presence. You’ll document your everyday life, you’ll make it as interesting as you can manage – I know you’re a go-getter, Jamie, it’s written all over you – and people will flock to your posts, leaving you likes, comments, all that jazz.”

“I see. So I won’t get to meet the other participants?” Whatever these guys were planning with their reality show, it was nothing like Jamie had imagined it would be so far.

“Occasionally, you will, but we won’t be focusing on the interactions between the people on the show. Although you’re free to stalk their social media.” A short laugh interrupted the agent’s vivacious discourse. “There will be plenty of that, without a doubt. This is the twenty-first century, we’re all living the lonely life, trapped by our phones like the proverbial ball and chain. Look at anyone under thirty, and you’ll notice it right away. The real life happens here.” Angus tapped his phone screen with two slender fingers. His manicure was impeccable, Jamie noticed in passing. “For all of them, and all of us.”

“But the show will be on TV,” Jamie pointed out.

“In name, yes, but it will also be streamed online, obviously.” Angus rolled his eyes to show what he thought of all the obvious things in life. “A showdown on social media. A battle of likes and followers. Sounds like fun, right?”

Jamie wanted to shrug his shoulders at that, but then thought better of it. “Yep, it sounds like tons of fun.”

“That’s the spirit,” Angus exclaimed happily. “The fact that you already have experience streaming gives you a big advantage.”

“Are you managing other participants, besides me?” Jamie asked the next obvious – unfortunately – question.

“No, you’re my one and only.” For a moment there, Angus looked at him like he wanted to pinch his cheek. Jamie really didn’t know how to take this guy; on the one hand, he looked hip and connected to everything, on the other, he sometimes had the mannerisms of an old aunt. He didn’t mind it really, he only found it a bit odd.

“That’s great to hear,” Jamie said with a nod. “I guess that you have other things to do, though.” He needed to get ready for jamming later with Melinda and the other guys and wanted to have enough time for that. Not that he disliked Angus’s company, but he needed to keep up with his schedule.

“I’m also one of the producers,” Angus said and sipped from his coffee again. “How about you show me around, Jamie? I want to see a few of your usual haunts to get a feel of your personality. Also, I’m having my assistant draw all the necessary paperwork. From what I’ve seen of you so far, I’m sure you’re an awesome fit for the show.”

Jamie hesitated. He hated to remind Angus that he had other engagements. It too wasn’t late to squeeze everything in, if he kept things tidy.

“Sure, why not? Doesn’t your secretary mind that they have to work this late on a Saturday?”

“This is the entertainment industry. We don’t have Saturdays and Sundays to laze around. Let’s go. I’m so stoked about you, I want to know as much as I can before we start this.”

“Sure. Let me just tell my manager I’m going to leave early.” He hoped Janet wouldn’t think that he was taking advantage of her generosity.

***

“This was fun,” Angus concluded as he shook Jamie’s hand. “You’ll provide us with some really cool material. We’re starting on the pilot soon, so be prepared to be busy, and have people tag along with you to document your daily life. That’s what the people want to see today. Interesting lives.”

“So glad that we’re on the same page, Angus. How soon am I going to hear from you?”

“Next week, for sure,” came the reply. “Talk to you then. We’re going to make reality TV history, Jamie,” Angus added with the same infectious enthusiasm.

Jamie kept his smile on for as long as he could still see Angus’s car, a shiny new supercar that spoke volumes about the guy’s success in the business. Judging by signs like that, he could tell himself that he must have hit the jackpot this time around.

He checked the time on his phone although he already knew he was late. He even started running, while his mind started making up excuses that Melinda wouldn’t find disingenuous. It wasn’t like him to stand up people, and this would be a novelty for him. Damn, he just hadn’t been able to bring it up when he was showing Angus around. His schedule was messed up for the first time in what felt like forever.

***

“Do you know who this is?” his brother asked while shoving his phone in his face.

“No, and I don’t care,” he replied promptly.

“You should care, because he’s a heavy in an industry that’s not that different from ours. Also, he was with Jamie Vayne all afternoon.”

“How do you know that?” He couldn’t help a short pang of jealousy stabbing him upon hearing that; his brother knew something about Jamie that he didn’t.

“It’s right here.” His brother continued to push the phone under his eyes. “Angus Boyd is recruiting our campus’s famous heartbreaker for a reality show. The name is going to drop soon. How can you not know such things?”

“First of all, it’s no longer your campus, you’re no longer a student here. Second of all, Jamie’s not a heartbreaker, just get that out of your head.”

His brother scrubbed his hair from the back over his head, a bit too forcefully to be considered a playful gesture between siblings. “Why are you getting your panties in a twist over something like this? Over Jamie Vayne?” He drawled the name, making it sound nasty for no apparent reason.

“Why are you so fixated on him?” he shot back.

At first, he had thought it would be a nice break from stalking drunken campus dwellers and documenting their mistakes in tiny letters, but now he was starting to think that his brother’s insistence that he get the ‘goods’ on Jamie Vayne didn’t smell that nice. He scrunched up his nose.

His brother appeared unwilling to answer him, caught up in something on his phone again. The chances were that he hadn’t even heard him. He was about to repeat the question, when his older sibling threw one arm up in the air, like a victorious rider during a reenactment show.

“Got it.” He began reading from the text displayed on his phone. “Angus Boyd signed Jamie Vayne for a new reality TV show that’s about to drop. The name of the show is LiveFeed, and it will be a reflection, yada, yada, yada… Does this guy know how not to be boring? Seriously, he’s such an ass. A successful ass, but still a big one.” To enhance the effect of his words, he began to bray like a donkey.

He stared at his brother, not believing his eyes. “Do you have something against this Angus Boyd dude? These days, dear big bro, you seem pretty unhinged, with all due respect.”

“Jealous much? I’m serious about my passions, unlike you, Hearst.”

His brother knew how much he hated being called by his middle name. “Okay, Wencel,” he quipped, volleying back the attack, “if you’re so serious about it, why don’t you get a job? Oh sorry, you’re probably waiting for all the big names to begin begging for you to write their lifestyle columns.”

No sign on his sibling’s face showed that his words accomplished their intended purpose. “It will happen. This is life. You have to be patient. Young kids like you don’t know a thing about patience.”

“Sorry, grandpa, not everyone has the privilege of being as ancient as you are.” His brother was only two years older than him. “When are you going to start saying things like ‘in my time’ this and that?”

Nothing seemed to faze his brother. The guy was too in a good mood for that, which begged the question.

“Why are you so happy today?”

“Jamie Vayne is going to be exposed for all the world to see.”

“Because of the show? What did you say the title was? LiveFeed?”

“Yep, and I bet that the LiveFeed…back on Jamie will be,” his sibling stopped to kiss his pressed together fingertips with a loud smack, “chef’s kiss.”

“LiveFeedback? Are you making jokes now?”

His brother stared at him suddenly, his smile frozen on his face. “Why so sour, little bro?” Because of the competition that never ended in their family, neither of them evert forgot to remind the other of his position. He used it to remind his brother that he was far from the success he touted he’d become before hitting twenty-five, and his older sibling teased him about being too wet behind the ears to know anything.

Still, the difference between them was only two years, and it would remain that forever. When it would stop to matter was a different breed of cat, though.

His brother was, at least, a good source of information. So, Jamie was going ahead with the TV show, and things were moving fast. He’d have to google Angus Boyd properly before he met Jamie again.

***

“Ah, damn, am I really that late?” he exclaimed as soon as he was inside the club, and the first thing he noticed was how everyone was packing up their instruments.

Melinda turned on her heel and gave him a surprised look. “Jamie!” She walked over to him with open arms. “Yeah, I’m afraid the guys have other engagements and cannot stay.”

Jamie looked at the three guys in rockstar gear talking to each other several feet away from them. “Can I at least say hi? And sorry? The agent I told you about over the phone came, and there was no losing him without seeming like I wasn’t interested.”

Melinda shrugged. Unlike other people who had various opinions on his being part of a reality TV show, she appeared completely neutral. She was the sort of person who didn’t watch that sort of thing, which Jamie had used to be as well. Therefore, telling her about any details regarding it was pretty much like whistling in the wind.

“Whatever floats your boat,” she said with a shrug. “You’re not on a schedule here, you know? And the guys will drop by again. Come on, let me introduce you to them.”

She was as clever and amicable as ever, but Jamie didn’t miss the cool looks the rockers gave him after Melinda’s brief introduction. Although they looked like the sort of people who partied till dawn and had to wear sunglasses indoors the next day, they let him know, even without saying anything to that effect, that they appreciated punctuality. Jamie could only hope that they hadn’t been there only to meet him. That would make him feel horrible, and like the last person on earth.

Shaking their hands, he apologized profusely, and that seemed to thaw them some. Still, they were definitely looking down on him, and he couldn’t shake the feeling; it was like with the Mitches all over again. They were the musicians, while he was some dilettante who lied to himself that he’d reach their level one day.

Or maybe he was reading too much into curt handshakes and clipped words. Most likely, they were just in a hurry, like Melinda had suggested.

“Are you still in the mood to jam a little?” she offered as soon as her guests were gone. “There’s still time before the club opens its doors to the masses, and I could use a bit of company.”

“Did I ever tell you that I love you? Or how much?” Jamie asked, feeling a weight being lifted off his shoulders.

Melinda laughed and punched him in the shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’ve switched teams. I’ll kick your ass.”

“I can still love you even if I’m not attracted to you,” he said, smiling from the bottom of his heart. “This whole reality TV thing seems, I don’t know, a bit weird.”

Her eyes went wide. As much as she had seemed disinterested in his new gig, now she was giving him a look of genuine concern. “Are those guys asking you to do something shady? I mean, I don’t give two shits about reality TV, but I don’t like your face right now. You look like you just swallowed a bitter pill.”

Jamie waved his arms. “Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to give you that impression. It’s all new to me. That’s all. And I won’t bore you with the details of my meeting with the agent, ‘cause I know you don’t give two shits about reality TV,” he repeated her words in jest.

“You know how that goes,” Melinda said with a crooked grin. “Horses for courses. We can’t all love everything the same way. If this reality TV thing works for you, cool, two thumbs up. But make sure you don’t stand me up again, or I’ll use that,” she pointed at a bass guitar resting against a big speaker, “as a paddle for your cute ass.”

“Oh, okay, I see. Don’t worry, I’ll put my foot down next time. I guess I wanted to impress him a little.”

“If he’s gay, I’m sure you impressed him all right,” Melinda drawled, giving him a naughty once-over that meant nothing but banter between friends.

“I don’t think he is. I mean, I didn’t even think about it. But he didn’t give me that vibe,” he said.

“If he’s not pinging on your gaydar, then he’s most likely not. Ready, babe?”

Jamie sat on the stool behind the drums, enjoying the comfortable familiarity it provided. He hadn’t ever cared much for being in one place for too long, something to call home, but music was that for him. Melinda smirked and gave him the cue. With a joy he hadn’t felt throughout the whole day, he grabbed the sticks and hit the hi-hats for effect.

TBC