“Make the problem or problems go the fuck away, Peter. If you don’t, I’ll fire your ass and find someone who will. Call me back the minute you have something. And don’t waste my fucking time until you do.”
I’m not sure what he’s dealing with, but when lawyers are involved, it’s usually heavy shit.
It feels weird to knock on a door in my own building, but for some reason, I feel compelled to do so.
“I can’t believe my eyes,” I say when I enter the room. “Gideon, is it really you?” I chuckle as I approach him.
“Rod Wolfe,” he smiles. “How are you doing, man?”
We exchange a quick hug.
I step back and take a good look at him. “Clearly not nearly as good as you. You’re unrecognizable,” I say.
Gideon’s fitted jacket and shirt are practically ripping from his bulging bicep and chest muscles.
“I’m fifty-seven, if I don’t keep in shape, I don’t get any pussy. I guess I should say the kind of pussy I like. There’s a hell of a lot of subpar pussy out there, but it doesn’t get my dick hard.”
Too much information.
“Come on, you’re exaggerating,” I tease.
“Money isn’t enough anymore with women. They’re looking for washboard abs, sparkling personality, a stud in bed––who sports a twelve-inch cock––and a pro at eating pussy. When did they become so fucking demanding? When I was younger, they didn’t seem to be so opinionated,” he laughs. “In any case, when I moved to New York five years ago, I started working out with a personal trainer. When I moved to London three years ago, I hired a new one. I juice to help me bulk up faster and trim off the fat.”
My eyebrows knit together. I’ve been training long enough to know he isn’t talking about kale, beet or carrot juice.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I had to resort to steroids to keep up with young pups like you.” His candid response surprises me. “I also had to get on the Viagra prescription to keep it up longer. Aging fucking sucks,” he says.Whoa.“Enough about me. Long gone is the poor kid with big dreams from the Fashion District. You’re big time now and you’re sitting on top of an impressive empire,” he says opening his arms and pivoting around.
“Nah, it’s just a little side business,” I joke. “Let’s sit down.”
“Good idea.”
“You’re on a no carb, no sugar diet?” I ask when I noticed he hasn’t touched his latte or donuts.
He laughs. “You’re quick. I forgot that about you. Actually, the donuts look tempting and I planned on eating one. I just got caught up on that stupid phone call.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Of course. You know how it is. Success fosters envy in some people. Big success brings out the ugly green monster in many sore losers. I’m just dealing with some shit right now. Nothing my legal team can’t handle,” he explains.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Don’t worry about it, Rod. At this rate, you’ll be standing in my shoes soon. Just make sure you have shark lawyers on your side.”
“Noted,” I say. “It’s great to see you Gideon, but how did you know where to find me?” I ask.
“I bumped into Holt three months ago at an event in London. We started talking and he told me all about your amazing success. I remember Googling your company and the catchy name stuck. Since I arrived in LA yesterday, I thought I’d look you up. You know me. I like things up close and personal, so I decided to drop by instead of just calling.”
Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see Gideon again, but it’s a little presumptuous of him to just show up unannounced.
“I see.”
“I’m sure you’re a busy man, but I hope it’s not a problem.”
“Not at all. It’s a great opportunity for us to catch up.”
“My sentiments exactly. Speaking of which, I’m still blown away by your exec title. A lot of artists get lost once the spotlight isn’t shining bright on them anymore.”
