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A cool ocean breeze caressesI’d taken ht I arrived in Los Angeles only four days ago, and I haven’t yet adjusted to the concept of su of the sun In Dallas, June is hot, July is hotter, and August is hell

Not so in California, at least not by the beach LA Lesson Number One: Always carry a sweater if you’ll be out after dark

Of course, I could leave the balcony and go back inside to the party Mingle with the millionaires Chat up the celebrities Gaze dutifully at the paintings It is a gala art opening, after all, and reet and char alive in front of e sky Blue-gray waves shiold

I press ainst the balcony rail and lean forward, drawn to the intense, unreachable beauty of the setting sun I regret that I didn’t bring the battered Nikon I’ve had since high school Not that it would have fit inpaired with a little black dress is a big, fat fashion no-no

But this is my very first Pacific Ocean sunset, and I’m determined to document the moment I pull out my iPhone and snap a picture

“Als inside seenize the throaty, fee, retired actress turned agent turned patron of the arts—and

“I’iddy tourist, but we don’t have sunsets like this in Dallas”

“Don’t apologize,” she says “I pay for that view every e check It damn well better be spectacular”

I laugh, immediately more at ease

“Hiding out?”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re Carl’s new assistant, right?” she asks, referring to my boss of three days

“Nikki Fairchild”

“I remember now Nikki from Texas” She looks me up and down, and I wonder if she’s disappointed that I don’t have big hair and cowboy boots “So who does he want you to charm?”

“Charm?” I repeat, as if I don’t know exactly what she means

She cocks a single brow “Honey, thecoals than co for investors and you’re the bait” She h noise in the back of her throat “Don’t worry I won’t press you to tellout Carl’s brilliant, but he’s a bit of a prick”

“It’s the brilliant part I signed on for,” I say, and she barks out a laugh

The truth is that she’s right aboutthe bait “Wear a cocktail dress,” Carl had said “So flirty”

Seriously? I mean, Seriously?

I should have told him to wear his own damn cocktail dress But I didn’t Because I want this job I fought to get this job Carl’s coies, successfully launched three web-based products in the last eighteen ht the industry’s eye, and Carl had been hailed as a man to watch