The P.A.

Chapter 1: Meetings

"So, MJ, did Maggie get you up to speed? Tell you everything you needed to know?" The girl who was speaking turned from the window of the studio as she spoke, taking a long pull from the Starbucks cup she held. The blinding sunshine of Los Angeles shone in all around, backlighting her, making it hard to see what she looked like.

Not that MJ needed to see. Everyone knew what Meredith Renner looked like. She was surely the most famous twenty-four year old in the world. Meredith stepped away from the window and took a seat at the conference table, setting her Starbucks cup down in front of her, and MJ could see her clearly again.

Meredith shook her blonde hair back and smiled, showing her expertly capped teeth, her million dollar smile. Her face seemed to have no pores at all, and even at this hour of the morning, her minimal make-up looked expensive and perfect. She was wearing expensive beachwear, a D&G cardigan thrown casually around her elegant shoulders to ward off the chill of the air-conditioner.

Must be nice.

MJ sighed to herself, and nodded again.

"Yeah, she sent me an email after I signed the papers, and I met with her yesterday, too," she assured Meredith. "I don't think I'll have a problem doing everything you expect."

Meredith smiled again, looking MJ up and down. "No, I don't think so, either," she agreed. "My last PA was a tiny little thing," she added, shaking her head. "I mean, I was stronger than she was, you know?" She gestured toward MJ. "You, though, I don't think we're going to have a problem."

MJ smiled, feeling huge and ungainly, hearty as a bear. "No, I don't think so."

"Good," Meredith said, nodding. "Don't get me wrong, it's not like I have tons of heavy stuff or anything okay? But sometimes I have luggage or equipment that I want to keep with me, that I don't want to send with the rest of my stuff, and I need someone I can trust to keep it safe, you know?" She wrinkled her nose in a little smile. "Plus I need someone who can keep my appointments straight, remember to pick up my cleaning, get me where I need to go, get the right drink at Starbucks?" She gestured to the cup in front of her. "Maggie thought you'd fit the bill."

MJ nodded again. "I don't think there will be a problem, honest. And thanks for the opportunity," she added sincerely.

Meredith waved a hand. "Please, no need to thank me. If you can do all this shit, I'm grateful to have you."

She stretched in her chair, showing MJ a bit of very toned tummy, a tanned and lithe form, along with long legs that were just gorgeous.

"God, I really need to get to the gym today, or least do my yoga," Meredith murmured. "I'm so tight, I can really feel it."

She turned to MJ. "You know how things can really fall apart after just a few days away?"

And MJ, who would have happily cut off any body part if the remaining parts could look like Meredith's, nodded, trying to look sympathetic.

Meredith sat up out of her luxurious stretch and faced MJ again. "Okay, so give me your number, and I'll send you mine, okay? Then I can send you what my drinks are, where I like to get my smoothies, all that good stuff?" She looked expectantly at MJ, finger poised over her phone.

MJ told her the number, and Meredith entered it into her phone and sent MJ a test emoji, smiling when it went through.

"Great," she said with a grin. "Now, you know I'm leaving to go on tour next week? With Heath Spencer? You have no problem with that?"

MJ shook her head. "I graduated a couple months ago," she supplied. "My father was really happy I got a job right away, so I'm good to go." She took another breath in anticipation of a question about where her mother was, but Meredith didn't ask.