“I’m not pressuring you to sign,” Adam said, “but I’d appreciate a timely decision. That way the agency doesn’t expend hours on something that isn’t going anywhere.”
Cassie frowned. “You make awfully fast assumptions, don’t you?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“The kids want to do this, so that’s what we’re doing. I’m the one in the dark. I’m not Tiffany and Glen’s mother. You mentioned parents and guardians asking questions their kids shouldn’t hear, but I don’t even know which questions I should ask.”
“I spoke without thinking,” Adam apologized hastily.
Another blunder due to his knee-jerk reactions. Maybe he wouldn’t be having as much trouble if Sophie hadn’t mentioned their father was now telling his granddaughter she should become a doctor. She was only a little girl. Encouraging her to have dreams was important, but she needed her own dream, not someone else’s.
The evening before, he’d had dinner with Nicole and Jordan and suggested she handle the Bryants’ representation. She’d just laughed and reminded him that she’d gotten shoved out of her comfort zone when doing the interviews for PostModern magazine, so now it was his turn. Knowing she was right hadn’t made it easier.
“I should have asked your concerns before jumping to conclusions,” he added.
Cassie took a deep breath. “So, what type of questions do experienced parents ask?”
“Especially with girls and young women, they generally want to know how suggestively or appropriately they’ll be portrayed.”
Her face brightened. “Yes, that’s a good one. How do you handle that?”
“At Moonlight Ventures, we aren’t interested in putting kids into adult roles before it’s suitable. But admittedly, child models tend to be portrayed at least a year or two ahead of their chronological age.”
“Will I have veto power if I believe something isn’t right?”
Adam nodded. “Absolutely. And I’ll tell you immediately if I discover any issues. We’re serious about protecting our clients.”
“Can I be there while they’re working?”
“It’s required. No minor can go to a go-see or a booking alone.” He knew this part was a turnoff for some parents, and exciting for others.
“I’m glad,” Cassie said simply, though her face didn’t reveal any sense of how she felt about it.
She really was a puzzle. He couldn’t tell whether she wanted to be connected to the modeling world, or if she simply wanted to protect the kids and give them opportunities, even if it meant escorting her niece and nephew to various bookings.
“What’s a go-see?” she asked.
“With models, a photographer or advertiser often wants to see them in person before making a commitment. For actors, it would be an audition. Clients don’t get paid for either one.”
“So basically it’s a job interview.”
“Exactly.”
“I’ll research the process some more,” she murmured.
“Being well-informed is good protection for a kid in both modeling or acting.”
“About the acting... I know Tiff is interested, but is there any real chance?”
“We’ve placed clients in movies and a television series, and there’s always the possibility of others.” Adam deliberately didn’t mention the new TV movie to be filmed in Seattle or the casting director’s offer to audition some of the agency’s talent. If Tiffany or Glen seemed right for a role, that would be the time to discuss it with Cassie.
She seemed restless and stood to go look out the window he’d left open to catch the summer breeze. Her long chestnut hair was fiery in the sunlight. A flash of attraction went through Adam. This was hardly the time or the place for that sort of thought. Even if she wasn’t Glen and Tiffany’s guardian, he couldn’t imagine dating someone who seemed to have so many edges.
“Is this the usual way an agency is run?” Cassie turned to ask. “I checked a number of websites and it’s hard to tell what ‘business as usual’ might be.”
“Every agency is different and we’ve also made changes to the way Moonlight Ventures previously operated. Aside from everything else, the prior owner functioned as a one-man show.”
“He must have been busy.”
“Very, though part of his income came from renting out sections of this building. Changing the subject, will there be any problem getting the kids to go-sees, auditions or bookings? That is, will your work allow for that?”
“It shouldn’t be a problem most of the time. I’m self-employed doing website design and maintenance, as well as computer programming, so I have a flexible schedule.”
Adam’s concentration sharpened. While their current website was functional, they weren’t satisfied with it. Their webmaster simply couldn’t grasp their vision, despite numerous tweaks. So far, they’d put up with it because other priorities came first, but priority on the website was moving up fast.
“What sites have you created?” he asked. “We may be overhauling our online presence in the near future and I’d like to see the kind of work you’ve done.”
Cassie dug in her pocket and handed him a card. “I have a site that showcases some of my designs.”
“Thanks.” Yet he wondered if he should have spoken so impulsively.
Adam recalled the flash of attraction he’d experienced earlier. He didn’t think it had influenced him, but it was something he would have to watch in the future to ensure it didn’t impact his decisions.
* * *
CASSIE SAT DOWN AGAIN. She didn’t care for the intense scrutiny Adam Wilding sometimes focused upon her, though it couldn’t be unusual. And while his sharp reactions and assumptions when expressing her uncertainty had been disconcerting, his job was to represent the kids, not hand-hold her through parenting issues.
As for his questions about her website designs? Lots of people asked about her work and she handed out dozens of cards for every business that hired her.
“How soon would the kids start getting called for go-sees?” she asked.
“That can’t be predicted. We’ll put their pictures on our website and send promotional information to a range of approved sources. We also make personal contacts as appropriate.”
“So it’s possible no one would ever show interest in Glen and Tiff?”
“Possible, but not likely. We’re careful about who we represent and to date, our clients have been in demand. Are you disappointed to think they’ll be called for work?”
Her lack of enthusiasm must be obvious to him and Cassie warned herself to be careful. She might not be thrilled about the kids going into modeling, but she didn’t want them to lose opportunities because of her.
She shrugged. “No, but this is new to me. It was only a few weeks ago that Tiff told me how much she wanted to be a model or actress. Your website said professional studio photos weren’t necessary, so I took a bunch of pictures and let her pick the one she liked best. We sent it in and I didn’t know what to expect. Now I have a niece and a nephew about to become models. I think I’m dizzy.”
Adam smiled. “I can relate. I made some big life changes of my own