I still had wildly mixed emotions about being thrown into the power struggle for control of Artists Unlimited. At the moment, the case was in the hands of an arbitrator. And from what Jeff had told me, this guy was in no rush to make a judgment. I hadn't even met the guy yet, so I couldn't even make a judgment of my own on what the outcome could be.
For now all I could do was to take things day to day.
Back when I was still partnered with my friend Chris Foster we had a photo agency called East Coast Image. And we got a lucky break when we were hired to photograph the "Triple Threat Tour" Tigress had done with Rihanna & Beyonce`. We barely knew what Artists Unlimited was back then. Chris and I just knew that at the end of the tour we were each presented a check with lots of zeroes on it. And Chris thought it was high time I drove a car that reflected my stature. So he dropped me off at a Mercedes dealership, giving strict instructions to the first salesperson he saw to not let me leave without buying a car from them. I left there the owner of silver Mercedes-Benz SLK convertible.
And I had to admit Chris was right, driving a car that reflected my stature was a fitting reward for our work.
Now I was back at the same dealership for an oil change and general service. Sure, I could get the same service much cheaper at any number of places, but I liked the dealership better for some reason. Like the classic obsessive/compulsive I probably was, every piece of paperwork related to the car was kept in a black leather folder embossed with the Mercedes logo. The service department rep checked me in, then did a double take when she saw the business card that was still inside the folder from when I first bought the car.
"Melanie Reed?" she said dumbfounded.
"Yes, I think she sold me the car."
"Wow, this is a trip!" she said "She's the sales manager here now. She was the top salesperson last year."
"No kidding! She certainly moved up in the world."
"You bet, best boss I've ever worked for...there she is now, Melanie!"
Melanie Reed turned to see me.
"You sold this guy his car."
"No way..." she said as she walked over and looked at my paperwork "Oh, I remember you! You came in with some pal of yours, I think."
"Right, my late great partner."
"So, what would you say to...an upgrade in your wheels?" she asked conspiratorially.
"An upgrade?"
"Sure, come with me." she said as she took me out to the sales floor.
In the middle of the huge sales floor sat the newest Mercedes SLK, slowly rotating on a low platform. The exterior was a deep black, the interior was lipstick red. And I'll admit, it sure looked nice.
"Brand new model...just arrived yesterday." Melanie casually said "The engine's been upgraded...you'll love the electronics system."
"I'm sure I will..." I said as I slowly ran my fingers across the body's curves. It was hard to tell whose curves it reminded me of, Julianne? Lindsay? Kate or Kim's? It was all of those rolled into one.
"I think you're in love." Melanie said.
I looked over at her with a smile of embarrassment.
"Looks that way, huh?" I finally said.
She nodded.
"Tell you what, give it some thought. You know where to find me." she said as she handed me her card and went off to greet a pretty woman who just arrived. I heard her say the name "Chrissy" and give her a hug. She looked familiar as they came closer.
"Jim here is interested in the same car as you." Melanie said
"Oh, it's not for me!" the new girl giggled "I'm looking for a gift for my husband."
"That's right! John's birthday is coming soon isn't it?" Melanie said before turning to me "Chrissy is married to John Legend."
That's where I knew her!
"Oh, so you're..."
"Chrissy Teigen, hi Jim." she said as she shook my hand with a big smile "I'm trying to find a neat car for John. I know he likes Mercedes cars but he loves Porsche's too. Melanie's been trying to find one for me."
"Really? Well, uh, I know of one for sale."
"You do?" both girls said simultaneously.
"Yes, uh, long story but I own it and have been trying to figure out if I want to sell it or keep it. No offense to you Melanie, I love my Benz."
"No offense taken, I'll gladly handle the paperwork if you want to sell it to Chrissy."
"I think we might have a deal here."
"Uh, it would help if I got to SEE the car, you know." Chrissy added, like it was a detail we'd conveniently forgotten.
"Yes, good idea." I said "How 'bout I take you to where it is?"
"Awesome!" she said excitedly "Lemme get my bag."
The Porsche in question was a white 911 Turbo Carrera that had been the pride and joy of my late partner Chris Foster. When he died, he left the car to me and since then, other than a few joyrides, it sat under a tarp in the garage of Joey Cortez, a friend who ran a body shop next door to Baba Louie's, his take-out Mexican restaurant. I often wondered from which establishment he recycled the grease and oil his employees used.
A snarling pit bull and equally snarling Mastiff dashed out as we pulled up to the garage.
"The car is here?" Chrissy asked fearfully.
"Yes, it might not look like much, but the owner takes good care of it, he's completely legit." I said before mumbling "Or so he tells me."
"Daisy! Butterscotch!" I heard someone yell.
Standing in the doorway to the garage was their owner and Cheech Marin lookalike, Joey Cortez. Both dogs immediately sat at attention as we slowly got out of my car.
"Ayyyy, Hollywood! How you been, man?"
"'Bout the same, might have a buyer for the Porsche." I said as Chrissy stepped up.
"Hi, Chrissy Teigen."
"Yeah! I know you, wow!" he suddenly became a stumbling schoolboy in her presence "Don't mind the dogs, they're homeless, I mean harmless!"
Chrissy laughed and knelt down to greet each dog who eagerly sniffed and licked her face, making her laugh.
"Let's see the car." I said.
Joey led us into the garage, past other workers whose tongues were practically dragging on the grease and oil stained floor as Chrissy walked by. He pulled the tarp off and revealed the still gleaming Porsche.
"This is it!" she screamed in delight "He's got a picture of this car on his computer!"
"I think you just made a sale." Joey said to me.
"There's still the test drive, you know."
"Here's the keys, amigo." he said as they jingled in his hands.
"You drive, Jim...I know I'll only be a passenger if John's driving." she said to me as she got in the passenger seat "Besides...I can't drive a stick shift."
Soon, we were roaring down the freeway, Chrissy had a mile-wide grin every time I accelerated.
"Oh..my...GOD!" she said excitedly "This is awesome!!"
"Thanks, Joey takes good care of it."
"You drive it good too!" she said with a flirty look.
I could only shrug my shoulders and try not look at the very tanned and smooth legs she casually revealed.
After roaring around the streets, we returned to Joey's Garage, where he stood outside the entrance.
"Get a deal, amigo?" he asked as he took a sip of some fruity-looking concoction.
"Oh yeah! I think we've got a deal here." she said "What's the price gonna be?" she asked as she took out her phone.
Suddenly my mind went blank.
"Um...I honestly don't know."
