A Party and a Setback

"Why did I agree to this?" John muttered as he trudged behind me, shoulders hunched like he was facing a firing squad.

I glanced at Matt, who shot me an amused look.

I sighed and turned back to John. "Because you need to stop moping around, working yourself to death over a breakup," I said, emphasizing each word.

John shook his head, unconvinced. "You wouldn't understand."

"Can you believe this guy?" I said to Matt, shaking my head. We stood before a sprawling mansion belonging to one of the town's top producers. Muffled bass thumped through the windows, accompanied by a steady buzz of laughter and chatter from inside.

I had planned to skip the party as I always do, but John had been wallowing too long since his breakup, burying himself in work like some tragic anti-hero. This party was the intervention he needed.

Matt nudged John. "Come on, dude, cheer up. There are going to be some hot babes in there," he added with a smirk.

John rolled his eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh right, ladies' man over here."

"Hey!" Matt exclaimed, clearly offended.

I looked at Matt. "You're not off the hook either. I brought you here for a reason too." I motioned toward the house, where lights flashed in sync with the beat. "Why'd you bother getting in shape if you're just gonna hole up in your apartment like a hermit?"

Matt looked ready to argue. "I was working," he insisted.

I shook my head. "This is for your own good. Trust me, it'll be good for both of you."

"And why's that?" John asked, still skeptical.

"Because you both need to get laid. Desperately," I said bluntly.

Matt's face reddened, a mix of embarrassment and terror. John smirked.

"Oh yeah?" John said, giving Matt a sideways glance. "Maybe coming here is worth it just to see you get humiliated."

Matt punched John on the arm. John just laughed, rubbing the spot.

"Alright, enough," I said, turning to the front door. "Tonight, I'm your wingman."

Matt and John exchanged dubious looks but followed me inside.

We stepped in and were hit by a wall of energy. The place was packed—everyone dressed to impress—up-and-coming actors and enough wannabes to fill a casting call. Music pulsed from hidden speakers, making the floor vibrate. Chaotic flashes of neon blues and purples illuminated the crowd.

Girls in barely-there cocktail dresses danced on the makeshift floor, their movements lithe and carefree. Others lounged around pool tables, sipping drinks and gossiping. Waiters weaved through with trays of champagne, and the bar was lined with an array of bottles. There were also other illicit items being discreetly passed around.

Matt's eyes widened, scanning the room like a deer in headlights. John seemed slightly more relaxed but still visibly awkward.

"Alright, boys," I said, grabbing two glasses of champagne from a passing tray and handing them over. "Time to loosen up. I didn't bring you here to stand in a corner looking sad."

John eyed his glass but took a sip, his gaze wandering. Matt took a tentative sip, then another, as if seeking liquid courage.

With a confident stride, I led us deeper into the party, heading straight for the bar. This was going to be fun.

====

We stood at the bar, with John and Matt ordering themselves drinks while I sipped on some water.

Matt looked around with eyes almost comically wide. His head was on a constant swivel, darting from one side of the room to the other, clearly overwhelmed.

I frowned, turning to him. "Dude, why are you acting like you're seeing a woman for the first time?" I asked, genuinely confused.

Matt leaned in, speaking low so only John and I could hear. "Danny, I've already seen, like, ten porn stars here," he whispered, his voice barely audible but tinged with excitement.

John perked up instantly, looking intrigued. "Wait, where?" he asked, his head snapping around to follow Matt's gaze.

Matt pointed toward the far side of the room, where a stunning blonde in a tight dress was chatting with another group of people. "Look, look, that's Nicole Aniston," he said, clearly amazed.

John's eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle. "Holy shit, you're right," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

Matt's eyes were darting around, taking in every part of the room as if he couldn't quite believe where he was. "I don't know if I can handle this," he said, his voice tinged with a mix of nerves and awe.

I looked around myself and realized they were right—there were quite a few adult film stars here. As my eyes scanned the room, I recognized a few more familiar faces. It was like we'd accidentally walked into the AVN after-party.

My gaze continued until it landed on the host of the party, a big-time producer lounging on a plush couch with a bunch of women practically hanging off his arms. He looked exactly like what you'd imagine if someone said, "stereotypical sleazy producer." It was almost comical, like he'd stepped straight out of a caricature.

I turned back to John and Matt, but it was clear they weren't paying attention to me anymore. They were too focused on something happening farther along the bar. I followed their gaze to see one of the women—definitely a porn star—who had just taken her top off.

Matt looked like he was about to have a heart attack. "Oh my god," he breathed, his voice cracking slightly. "They're even more beautiful in real life."

"Yes. Yes, they are," John added, nodding slowly, his eyes glued to the scene.

I sighed, shaking my head. "Alright, you guys stay here and... enjoy the scenery. I'll be back soon," I said.

Neither of them responded. They were both too entranced by what was happening in front of them. I just rolled my eyes and stepped away from the bar, weaving my way through the party and making my way toward the producer.

He gave me a wide grin as I approached, immediately pulling me into a conversation.

"Daniel, my man! Finally, you made it. I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Hey, Jim, it's been a year—or has it been more?" I asked.

"A year, can you believe that? You, my boy, need to come to these parties more," he said.

"Too busy these days," I replied.

"Hah, of course you are, you red-hot boy! And you need to capitalize on it before you go cold," he said.

"We should make a movie together. Seriously. Imagine the buzz! You and me—we'll make a blockbuster!"

"Yeah, maybe, maybe," I replied politely.

He started talking about a plot for a movie and kept trying to throw girls at me, calling over women who were in his vicinity.

"Daniel, these ladies are some of the best up-and-coming actresses. You should get to know them."

The girls smiled; one of them even leaned in a little closer than I would have preferred, but I politely waved them off, keeping my composure.

"Come on, man. Live a little, huh? You could make or break their careers," he said suggestively.

I awkwardly laughed it off, eventually making an excuse about needing to check on my friends. I finally managed to slip away, muttering a quick, "We'll talk later."

I scanned the room and finally spotted John and Matt—they were exactly where I left them. But now they were both gesturing wildly and seemed to be arguing about something, their faces flushed. Knowing those two, they were probably debating how to approach the many beautiful women around here.

I started walking toward them, intending to break up whatever nonsense was brewing, but before I could make it all the way, I bumped right into someone.

"Oh, sorry!" I said quickly, glancing at the person I'd just run into. It was a brunette in a fitted black dress that hugged her figure. She looked at me, her eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to place me.

"No, it's my fault." She paused for a moment, then recognition dawned on her face. "Oh, it's you!"

"Yes, it's me," I said, smiling with a small chuckle.

Just then, I noticed another woman behind her—a familiar-looking blonde.

"You're Daniel Adler," the blonde said, glancing between the brunette and me.

"Oh, I've heard about you," the brunette added.

"All good things, I hope," I replied, still smiling.

"Oh yes, only good things," the blonde said.

The brunette introduced herself. "I'm Tori, and this is Mia."

I nodded. "Nice to meet you both."

I looked them over, especially Tori. "I feel like I've seen you before, you know."

She gave me a teasing grin. "It would be an insult if a man your age didn't know me." She gestured to Mia. "Mia is new, but people know me. Unless you're super religious or something."

Then it finally dawned on me. Oh... ohhh.

"Ah, right," I said, nodding as if a light bulb had just gone off. "Sorry, I don't watch much... you know..."

Both of them laughed, amused by my reaction.

"So, what do you say we ditch this party for somewhere more private?" Tori said, her eyes twinkling.

I smiled, shaking my head. "Oh no, ladies. I've got a girlfriend."

Mia leaned in, brushing against me, and gave a flirtatious smile. "We won't tell."

I laughed, shaking my head again. "Tempting, but no."

Tori pouted dramatically. "Oh, come on. We're just trying to have a little fun. No one has to know, you know? These things are pretty common here, Daniel."

I gave her a warm smile. "You know what, though? I've got a couple of friends who would absolutely love to meet you two. They can be a bit shy, but it would really make their day. What do you say, ladies?"

They exchanged a glance, then shrugged, seemingly amused. "Why not?" Tori said.

"Alright, follow me," I said, leading them toward John and Matt, feeling pretty confident that this would be a night they wouldn't forget.

As we neared them, Matt practically bounced on his toes, his eyes wide with excitement. "Danny, you are not going to believe this—I saw Sasha Grey. We talked!"

John, standing next to him, rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Yeah, you asked her what time it was. Seriously, that's so lame, man," he said, sounding embarrassed on Matt's behalf.

Matt frowned, defending himself. "At least I tried!"

I raised my hands to quiet them down, glancing between the two. "Alright, alright, don't screw this up," I said, giving them a look. They both blinked at me, looking confused.

I motioned to Tori and Mia, who were right behind me. "Ladies, haaaave you met Matt and John?"

Matt's face changed instantly—recognition washed over him, and he looked like he was about to explode. "Yes... Tori Black... I mean, uh..." he stammered, unable to finish his sentence.

Tori gave him an amused smile, stepping closer and placing a finger on his lips. "Shh, we can take it slow," she said with a wink.

Meanwhile, Mia was already leaning toward John, who, for once, actually seemed like he was enjoying himself. It was good to see him finally looking relaxed, as if his ex had been pushed far out of his mind.

They both glanced over at me, and I simply gave them a wink before turning away and walking off.

'If they don't get lucky tonight, they might as well just swear off women altogether,' I thought with a grin as I wandered away.

As I moved around the party, I realized quickly that every woman trying to make it in Hollywood seemed interested in, well... spending some time with me. They approached in waves, each one trying to make a better impression than the last.

It felt like every conversation involved someone either throwing themselves at me or straight-up harassing me. Deciding I'd had enough of this circus, I stepped out to get some fresh air. The night breeze was cool against my skin—a welcome relief.

I pulled out my phone, half-hoping for a message from Margot. She was still in the middle of shooting Clash of the Titans.

I missed her.

I unlocked my phone, and instead of a message from Margot, I saw one from Julie, my PA. I frowned; she was told not to message me today unless there was a big emergency. I clicked on it.

As I read through the message, my expression shifted from confused to outright shocked. "What the fuck?" I muttered aloud, my eyes widening.

.

.

.

"What do you mean she's not doing it?" I demanded, watching Dave pace around the room, frustration evident on his face.

"Well, Daniel, you were the one who wanted her," Dave shot back, his voice edged with exasperation.

"Hey, don't blame me," I countered, feeling my own irritation rising. "You agreed too. She committed to direct, and now she backs out when we're so close to finalizing everything?" I threw my hands up in disbelief. "What's next—Charlize Theron backs out too?"

Dave sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We have Charlize locked in. We got lucky her schedule was free."

Victor, who had been standing quietly by the window, finally spoke up. "Jenkins had a personal matter come up. It happens. But I have to ask again—why her? I asked you that before."

I clenched my jaw, unable to give Victor a concrete answer. I had chosen Patty Jenkins because I knew she was capable of delivering a great Wonder Woman movie;she did in my previous life but I couldn't explain that to him.

Victor raised an eyebrow. "She's been inactive for over a decade, Daniel. She hasn't directed anything since—"

"Are you saying her work isn't good?" I shot back. "She's a fantastic director."

"Yes," Victor replied, skepticism dripping from his voice, "a director who hasn't worked for over a decade and now backs out. What does that tell you?"

Dave sighed again, trying to mediate. "It was unfortunate circumstances, Victor—beyond our control and hers."

Victor crossed his arms, eyes narrowing slightly. "You insisted on her because you wanted a woman director. Let's be honest."

I felt my irritation boil over. Locking eyes with Victor, I spoke bluntly, "Yes, because it's a Wonder Woman movie, and yes, because we are trying to virtue signal. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

Victor looked taken aback, blinking before a smirk formed on his face, seemingly surprised by my honesty.

I glanced around at the silent group in the room—assistants, associates, other executives—all watching us like it was the latest episode of a Reality Show. Exhaling deeply, I tried to steer the conversation back on track. "So, who do we have?"

Names were tossed around—Matthew Vaughn, Joe Johnston, Brad Bird, Kathryn Bigelow, Guillermo del Toro. The list kept growing, but none of them felt right to me.

An argument ensued—each name had its supporters and detractors. We were running in circles, and nothing was sticking.

Victor finally spoke again, his tone firm. "Either you and Dave find a new director by the end of the month, or I will pick one myself." He stared at me, the ultimatum hanging heavily in the room.

I rubbed my forehead, a headache forming from all the back-and-forth. Then, as if from nowhere, a name popped into my head.

Her.

'Why not?' I thought to myself.

Yes. Why not?

Victor noticed the change in my demeanor, the pause in my frustration. Dave must have picked up on it too.

"Daniel, do you have a name to contribute?" Dave asked.

I nodded slowly, a smile beginning to form. "Yes, actually."

Victor looked intrigued. "Well?" he pressed.

Standing up, I grabbed my coat from the back of the chair. "I'll get back to you by the end of the week," I said, my smile widening slightly. Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked out of the room.