“So, what’s your name, James? What do they call you?” I asked my escort.

“Billy Wollimer. And ah, James Dean, yeah, he’s my idol.”

“So, I guess everybody says that you look like him, huh?”

“Yeah, I love that,” he told me.

I followed him over to the parking lot area where we approached a yellow Lamborghini. Only in L.A. and Miami did they do that. They were the biggest two show-off towns for exotic cars.

“I see the boss sent you out here to pick me up in style,” I commented. I was impressed.

Billy said, “That’s how Mr. Vissel likes to do things now.”

We climbed inside the yellow Lamborghini with all-black leather interior, and hit the road. However, the Westin Hotel was only a short trip away from the airport. So I found myself climbing back out of the Lamborghini at the hotel entrance only minutes after I had climbed in.

Billy told me, “The boss said to check you into the hotel and drive you over to the mansion ASAP.”

He hopped out of the car with me and tossed the keys to the valet.

“We’ll only be a few minutes, we’re just checking in.”

I could already tell that I was going to like this trip. My old photographer friend was giving me the four-star treatment.

I checked into the hotel, received my key, let the bellboys take my bag up to the room, and I hit the road with Billy in the Lamborghini.

As soon as we were on our way, I remembered to call TaShay on her cell phone to let her know that I had arrived.

“Okay, where are you staying?” she immediately asked me.

I didn’t want to give her all of that information. I was still leery about how I wanted to treat her.

“I’m staying near the airport,” I answered.

“Yeah, but at what hotel?”

I guess staying away from her wasn’t gonna work too well. I didn’t want to seem too difficult or distant with her, so I just gave her the hotel information.

“The Westin.”

“Oh, I know where that is.”

“You stayed there before?” I asked her.

“I wish. Some of us haven’t made it to the big time yet. But I’ve been past there plenty of times. I mean, it’s right on the way to the airport.”

“Yeah, I guess it is.”

She said, “Well, here’s the plan. Me and my girlfriend Tan are gonna drive up after she gets off of work, and then we’ll meet up with you around nine or so to go crash a couple of parties.”

I asked her, “Are you sure you young guys wanna hang out with me? I might bust your groove at these parties you wanna go to.”

I still wasn’t into parties like that. Billy overheard me from behind the wheel and chuckled.

TaShay said, “Please, California is not like the East Coast. We all party out here together. You’ll be just fine. But I have to go now, so I’ll call you back in a few. Okay?”