Three
“Are
you SURE you're ready?” Christopher asked anxiously, pacing in front of the
small table. AJ and JC groaned as one. Nick gave Christopher a glare.
“You've
only gone over this nine thousand times, Christopher. He's not an idiot.”
“No,
my sweet Blondie, that's YOU,” Christopher snapped. Nick threw an orange peel
at Christopher's head.
“I've
got it, Chris,” JC said. He was the only one who got away with calling
Christopher by this nickname. Christopher allowed it because he was enthralled
with JC's talent. AJ admired him as well, and Nick was developing a definite
crush on the newcomer. “I have to make sure and flatter this boy Justin,
because he has a fragile ego. Make sure that he knows that we consider it an
honor for him to even read our screenplay, and then if he decides it's good
enough, he approaches Joseph Fatone with it.”
“Right.”
Christopher nodded energetically. “Do you have something nice to wear?” JC
looked down at his clothes in confusion, and Christopher sighed.
“You
need a nice suit, dude,” AJ said. “Something snappy, yet understated. The last
thing you need to do is steal Justin's thunder.”
“Right.
I have to go across town today to take care of some things…I'll pick up
something then,” JC said.
“Is
that where you used to live?” Nick asked. Their city wasn't large, but there
was a definite difference between one side of town and the other.
“Yeah…I
had a falling out with my old man,” JC said. “He didn't appreciate my choice of
professions.”
“Screw
him,” Christopher said. “Your talent will be legendary, my man.”
“Let's hope so,” JC said, sighing. He stood
up. “I gotta run. I have lots to do before tonight.”
JC
walked into the police station and flashed his ID at the desk clerk. “Hey,
Chasez, nice to see ya.”
“That's
Detective Chasez to you,” JC said, but he winked as he said it. He wove his way
back to his department and knocked on his Lieutenant's door. “Kev…”
“C'mon
in,” Kevin Richardson said, waving him in. JC closed the door behind him and
sat down. “How's it going, Josh?”
JC
looked at his former partner and grinned. “Getting used to that desk yet?”
“Hardly,”
Kevin said, rolling his eyes. “How's your digs?”
“I
will never let you find me a place to live again!” JC yelled, then smiled. “But
it's perfect.”
“How
are things going?” Kevin asked.
“Better
than expected,” JC said. “I'm in with some of the artsy people, and I actually
have a meeting tonight at the theater with one of the actors. A Justin
Timberlake or something.”
“You're
kidding me.” Kevin's mouth fell open. “Josh, don't you remember the meeting
about this? Timberlake is Fatone's number one. Damn, Josh, I thought you'd have
to work your way up through the ranks…but Timberlake? He's the biggest hooker
in that damn place.”
“Oh.
Good.” JC felt a tiny flash of guilt as he thought of AJ, Nick and Christopher.
He genuinely liked them, but he wasn't living in that dump of an apartment to
make friends. He had a job to do. “Any messages?”
“Your
dad called,” Kevin said, and JC almost fell off his chair.
“Yeah?”
What JC had told the others was true. His father hated the fact that JC was a
policeman. Every male in JC's family had gone into stocks and bonds…until JC.
“Something
about your mother's birthday party…you never RSVP'd?”
“Oh…I'll
call him,” JC said, sighing. He stood. “I need to go shop for some clothes.
I'll report back in a few days.”
“I'm
damn proud of you, Josh. You're gonna get us both a promotion.”
“Yeah.
See ya, Kev.” JC let himself out of Kevin's office and wove his way back out of
the police station.
