LITMIR.BIZ

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      Stop, Adam ordered as he ran on a treadmill at the gym over his lunch hour.

      He’d explained the opportunities to Cassie. The rest was up to her. Yet he was discovering it was one thing to understand his job as an agent and another to separate personal feelings from the process. That might help explain why the previous owner of Moonlight Ventures had treated his clients as family for whom he needed to take responsibility and protect.

      Adam slowed the treadmill to a cool-off pace, still thinking about Cassie. Getting information from her had been like prying an oyster open. Admittedly, he shouldn’t have made that remark about her marriage plans. What he could have asked was something like, “Are you expecting any significant changes that could impact Tiffany’s and Glen’s ability to work?” It would have been far more appropriate.

      Pushing the thought away, Adam showered and returned to the agency, endorphins from the exercise still coursing through his system. It would be great if they didn’t have to drive somewhere to work out and he wondered if they could convert part of their building into a fitness center or get a professional gym to set up a business there.

      He mentally reviewed the layout of the building they’d purchased along with the agency. Several businesses were longtime leasers—apparently Kevin had given his tenants the same intense, personal attention that he had given his clients. Some of them missed the hand-holding, though Kevin probably visited often enough to tide them over.

      Adam shook himself. Things were going well for now and while Moonlight Ventures was cramped, they weren’t ready to expand quite yet. A fitness center, either private or commercial, could wait.

      “Your parents are here, waiting for you,” Chelsea said as he came into the reception area.

      He stared. His mom and dad had come without letting him know? They’d only mentioned it to his sister in the last couple of weeks.

      “What does your ‘deer caught in the headlights’ expression mean?” Chelsea asked.

      Adam forced himself to concentrate. They’d had trouble finding a good office manager, so it had been a stroke of luck when Chelsea had applied and proven excellent at the job. And now that she’d recovered from a bad relationship in Los Angeles, she was even more valuable, and she had a good sense of humor that helped keep the office balanced.

      “Nothing. I’m just surprised they didn’t let me know they were on the way.”

      Sophie must have assumed they’d told him, or she would have warned him.

      “Parents, what would we do without them?” Chelsea’s tone was ironic and Adam recalled that Nicole had mentioned various problems with Jordan’s parents, who were also Chelsea’s parents since she was Jordan’s sister. They’d known each other growing up and their respective families didn’t get along with each other.

      “Right,” he agreed.

      Chelsea looked at her computer. “By the way, Cassie Bryant called for an appointment. Your 1:00 p.m. had just cancelled, so I told her to come then. I hope that’s okay.”

      “It’s fine. Can you ask Nicole if she has time to help answer Ms. Bryant’s questions about teen modeling? I’d like to say hi to my parents before she gets here.”

      “Sure. They’re in the lounge. I offered refreshments to them, but they didn’t seem interested.”

      Of course. His mom and dad had never happily accepted anything seen as the fruits of his success, because it came from a career they didn’t appreciate. It was time they recognized that he was fine with his life. Even if he had chosen to be a construction worker like his dad, what difference would it make, so long as he was happy and satisfied?

      Adam sighed. It would be easier on them if his career path hadn’t changed because of Mom’s illness; they might have made peace with him becoming a model otherwise. So their visit might turn out to be helpful. They would see that the agency was a solid business, with the potential to become even more.

      “Let me know when Cassie arrives,” he said.

      Putting a smile on his face with the practice of years, he strode down the hallway to the lounge. The door was ajar and he saw his mother and father sitting on one of the couches.

      “Hi,” he greeted them. “Sophie mentioned you were thinking about a visit.”

      Elizabeth stood and gave him a hug. “Hello, darling.”

      His dad had also come to his feet and they shook hands. “Good to see you, son.”

      “Good to see you both, too. Why didn’t you let me know when you were coming? I could have met you at the airport.”

      “We didn’t fly, we drove. We wanted it to be a surprise.”

      Though surprises weren’t his father’s long suit, Adam hung on to his smile. “Terrific. The spare room isn’t fancy, but the bed should be comfortable.”

      “That won’t be necessary,” Elizabeth said quickly. “We’re renting a furnished apartment. It sounded like a nice idea to spend some time up here now that your father has retired.”

      “Adam?” It was Chelsea. “Sorry to interrupt. Your one o’clock appointment is here. Oh, and Nicole said she’ll be free shortly.”

      “Thanks.” He turned to his parents. “Can you wait awhile? I have to see a client.”

      “Business comes first,” his father said.

      Adam took the back route to his office, encountering Glen Bryant on the way.

      “Hey, Glen, are you meeting with us?”

      “No, and Tiff isn’t, either. She’s got a stomach bug. She’s better, but Aunt Cassie said it would be rotten to take a chance of exposing you. We’re safe because we got over it already. I thought I’d get something to eat, if that’s okay.”

      “Sure.” Privately Adam was uncomfortable at the thought of Glen in the same room as his parents. He preferred keeping his private and professional lives separate, but it couldn’t be helped. Besides, when he’d been that age, he wouldn’t have talked to a stranger over twenty if his life depended on it. Perhaps Glen was the same.

      In the office, he found Cassie standing at the window again, the sunlight burnishing her hair the way it had on her last visit. He could see the family resemblance between her and the twins, but the biggest contrast was their outgoing nature and her reserve.

      She turned and gestured toward the desk where he saw two large envelopes. “Hello. I brought the signed agreements back. Sorry it took so long.”

      This time, the black T-shirt she wore made her eyes appear brown again.

      “I hear you’ve been ill.”

      Cassie made a diffident gesture. “We had the stomach virus that’s going around. Glen and I got sick, then poor Tiff came down with it a day and a half later. She still doesn’t have much energy and I couldn’t be sure she’s no longer contagious. But she’s so anxious about getting things going on the modeling that I thought it would make her feel better if I called for an appointment.”

      “It was thoughtful not to share the bug with us.”

      “I hate exposing someone when I could have stayed home...though since I work out of my house, I suppose it’s easier for me than for other people.”

      “Do you have any questions on the representation agreements?”

      Cassie shook her head. “No, but the kids aren’t happy because I have to be there for their jobs and go-sees. It especially bothers Glen, so I thought I’d let you know. He doesn’t have to worry.” She wrinkled her nose. “Though with this added, the kids aren’t going to have the normal high school experience I’d hoped for them.”

      “Normal is highly overrated.”

      “But

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