Page 2 of A Spy is Born
Mary believes in me and is one of the top agents in Hollywood, so I ignore the spray tan and the heavy perfume and the annoying way she orders me around. She got me this job. She’s convinced I can be a star.
There’s a knock on the trailer door, and Mary pops up. “Here it is!” She opens the door, and a PA stands there, his long hair pulled into a man bun, his T-shirt and jeans just the right amount of distressed. He’s holding a cardboard file box by the punched-out handles. He passes it to Mary. “Thanks, sweetie,” she says before closing the door.
“Here you go,” she grins, handing me the package. Something inside it moves, and I screech, almost dropping it. “Careful!”
“You should have warned me it was alive,” I grumble, placing it firmly on my lap and taking off the lid. Inside is a tiny little fluffball—a puppy. It looks up at me with giant brown eyes surrounded by soft white fur, the little black nose sniffing the air.
The puppy jumps up at me with a squeak. I don’t know what to say.I can barely handle taking care of myself, what am I going to do with a puppy?
“It’s one of those new designer dogs, part poodle, part Dachshund. Pick it up!” I glance at Mary; she’s smiling, her gold hoops swinging back and forth as she gestures for me to pick up the dog. “It’s going to be great for your image.” Her eyes widen. “People love puppies.”
I look back to the animal and scoop a hand underneath him…or her. It’s warm and soft.So tiny.I can feel ribs through the fur, and its heart flutters quickly against my palm. It wriggles, and I move the box to the floor, bringing my other hand up to clutch the small thing to my chest.
“You two look adorable! Hold on.” Mary whips out her phone and aims it at me. My face breaks out into a smile, the one I’ve perfected for social media.I’m so normal and happy and LOVE sharing with you.
“Perfect,” Mary says, head bending over the phone as she posts it on my accounts. “What are you naming him?”
I look down at the little guy. With the long body of a Dachshund, and the curls of a poodle, he’s funny looking.And super cute.The puppy yawns, showing off tiny pointed teeth, then spins once before curling up on my lap.He is falling asleep on me.
I kinda melt.
“Should it be something funny?” I ask, scratching under his chin. He makes a little sound, a vibration of pleasure.
“Sure. Anything you want.”
“How about Lump?”
“Loomp?” Mary looks up from the screen, her lip raised in distaste.
“Yes, but spelled L–U–M–P. It was Picasso’s Dachshund.”
Mary shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”
I scratch the puppy’s head, and he cuddles closer. “Okay, how about Amos or Archie? Andy Warhol’s Dachshunds.”
“Those are cute. Either one will do. How do you know that, anyway?”
I shrug. “That’s the kind of stuff I remember.”Useless.
She nods and turns away. “I’m saying Archie. Amos might offend people who remember that old show Amos and Andy—very racist.”
“Okay, Archie.” The little dog blinks his eyes open. “Do you like that name?”
He whines and wiggles closer. I bring him up to lay a kiss on his head. “That’s perfect!” Mary says, holding up her phone again. “So sweet!”
Another knock at the door, and Mary goes to answer it. “Oh, hi, Jack,” she says, stepping back. I wince at the sound of the director’s voice.
“Mary, can I get a moment alone with my star?”My star.I like the sound ofthat.
“Of course.” She reaches back into the trailer to grab her bag off the couch and raises her brows at me.This is your chance to apologize and show him you deserve to be here.
Jack steps into the trailer once Mary is gone. He’s tall and strong, with gray hair and round glasses sitting at the tip of his sculpted nose, exposing his bright blue eyes. He gives me a warm smile. “Sorry I yelled at you.”
My shoulders relax, releasing the tension gathered there. “Sorry I screwed up.”
He shrugs, sitting down next to me. “This is your first action movie.”
I nod. “My first major role,” I say with a grateful smile.You’re giving me a chance, and I appreciate it.
