The Sackler Trap

Birdland

The number Angela ended up singing in the seventh episode was a sultry pop song from the 90's and I was able to really showcase my voice to its fullest. I admit I was a little insufferable when the praise and compliments piled in. I only had to do two takes for Sharon to be satisfied and Arthur gave me the A-OK sign with his hand.

The scene was set in a bar and for the shoot we used O'Reilly's Pub just a few blocks from studio C. Angela was to sing the song to Jason, so of course Matt was there and the way he beamed at me as I sang told me it wasn't entirely acting.

From then it wasn't long before I got a phone call that would change everything.

                                                                                ***

Adam looked at me skeptically as I touched up my hair which was arranged in soft, loose curls around my face.

"Harry Cole?" he asked crossing his arms. "Harry Cole just called you up out of the blue and asked you to come sing at Birdland?"

I smiled at him in the mirror as I reached for my lipstick. "Well, not exactly. He was one of the extras in the bar scene. You know, at O'Reilly's?" I carefully applied the lipstick that matched my fuchsia lace dress. "Like a clever cameo...you know."

Adam's eyes darkened as they traveled up and down my scantily clad form. "This has Blunt's fingerprints all over it," he stated.

I spun around and laughed incredulously at him. "Adam, for God's sake you sound like a film noir character!" I shook my head, still smiling. "What's wrong with you?"

He took a step near me. "You don't think this feels a little contrived?"

I shrugged one shoulder. "Not really...it's one night."

Adam's eyes drank me in, they were on my lips, my hair, my cleavage which the dress displayed rather nicely, then locked with mine. "I talked to Mark Silva about your contract." He was staring at me hungrily.

I swallowed trying not to let him distract me with that gaze. I frowned. "Don't you think it should be me talking to him? I'm sure if he wants to renew it..."

"But you weren't, Julie," Adam interrupted me. "You weren't talking to him. It kind of makes me think you don't want to do the show next season."

My mouth dropped. "Adam, of course I do!" I reached up and touched the lapel of his jacket. "It's all I think about." I smirked a little, running my hand up and down the fabric. "Well, besides you, of course."

That brought a smile to those pretty, pouty lips. He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled a small box out. "That reminds me...I got something for you."

My eyes went from the box to him. "Adam," I said smiling slowly. "You didn't have to..."

He opened the box and I gasped at the sparkling pair of diamond studs in their bed of black velvet. They had to be two carats each. I had never had such an extravagant gift in my life. My mouth open in astonishment, I glanced back up at him, his self-satisfied smile as he gently removed the studs from their box.

"Take those off," he said nodding to the simple gold hoops in my ears.

I did as I was told, hands shaking and giddy with excitement. "My God, Adam," I murmured. "I can't even...it's too much...you..."

He shushed me and I stood still as he brushed my hair back and put the studs into place, his large hands surprisingly deft at this delicate job. When he was done, I looked in the mirror and turned my head this way and that to make the studs catch the light. They were truly stunning.