few yards from where they were standing earlier. The makeup artist, a ponytailed woman wearing a jean skirt and red Converse hi-tops, is now dabbing at the smudges on Elise’s face. Will’s father hands him a piece of paper with several names scrawled on it. Underneath each one is the name of a periodical. “Can you call Fran and ask her to call these people and try to schedule phone interviews for me for Saturday from seven to ten p.m.? I can give them each fifteen or twenty minutes. She knows that I’ve talked to them all about past projects. They’ll do some advance press for Bourbon.”
Will blinks. “Fran?”
“My publicist. Her number’s at the bottom of the sheet.”
“I thought your publicist was named Barbara.”
“No, I had to hire a new one last year. Barbara retired with all the money I’ve paid her over the years and moved to Florence.” He pauses, smiling. “After that, I want you to have George take you to buy me ten pairs of white running socks. The short ones, ankle-length, and a dozen white V-neck T-shirts, a hundred percent cotton, extra large. Nothing fancy. He knows where there’s a Target. I need some sunblock too, sixty SPF or more. Four or five bottles should do it. Neutrogena, not Coppertone. I can give you some cash right now.” He reaches into his front pocket and removes a small wad of folded bills. “Here,” he says, pulling loose three fifties. “This should be enough. If you need anything, you can use whatever’s left over.” He also hands Will one of his two cell phones. “Use this to call Fran. She won’t pick up if she doesn’t recognize the number. If you get any calls on this phone too, let me know. Someone at Sony called me twice yesterday from a general line but he wouldn’t say who he was or what he wanted before he hung up. I don’t think I gave anyone there this number either. Maybe he’ll tell you what he wants if he calls again.”
“Okay,” says Will. “I guess I can try to get him to talk to me.”
“He probably won’t call, but just in case,” his father says.
On the way to the store, Will dozes instead of calling the publicist. George doesn’t try to talk to him as they drive out of the city toward the commercial sprawl on the outskirts, but when they arrive at the store’s bustling entrance, Will asks him a question that he abruptly wishes he could withdraw. “Is my dad dating Elise Connor?”
The driver doesn’t turn to look at him. “I don’t know,” he says.
Will studies the back of the older man’s gleaming, hairless head, feeling his face turn hot. “Sorry if I put you on the spot.”
“You don’t have to apologize. She is beautiful. She’s a nice lady too.”
“Yes, I guess she is.”
George hesitates. “You’ll have to ask him if they’re dating. I really don’t know.”
The store is crowded, its fluorescent lights overly bright. Parents of whining children listlessly push carts filled with boxes of cookies and chips and diapers. He finds the things his father wants and picks up some Oreos and cashews for himself. For what feels like the hundredth time that day, his phone rings. His father’s, however, has been silent.
“You’re in New Orleans, aren’t you,” says his mother.
“Yes. As of a few hours ago.”
He hears her sigh. “I hope you won’t let him boss you around too much.”
“Lucy, I’m supposed to be working for him.” He knows that she dislikes it when he uses her first name, but he can’t keep himself from goading her.
“Yes, child,” she says. “I know that, but don’t let him take advantage of you.”
He looks down at the bag of Oreos in his basket and sees that he has gotten double-stuffed instead of regular. “When are you coming back from New York?”
“Tonight. I was hoping you or your sister would be able to pick me up from the airport.”
“Anna’s probably working.”
“She is. I’ll take a cab.” She pauses. “How’s your father?”
“He’s fine. Maybe a little stressed, but since this is only his second time directing, I guess it’s—”
“I remember The Zoologist, Billy. Maybe he’ll have better luck with this one.”
“I didn’t think The Zoologist was that bad.” It wasn’t bad. His father had wanted it to be better, but he wanted all his films to be better, even the ones that had won awards. His last two films, which he had acted in but had had no part