Savor You (Fusion #5)(36)

“Good to hear. When will you be back in L.A.?”

“I’m not sure.”

Don frowns. “What do you mean? You should be wrapped on filming next week.”

“I know, but I’m not contractually required to be back on set for another month, so I’m taking some personal time.”

“I’m sorry, I need to speak with Camden Sawyer please.”

I smirk. “You’re a riot, Don. What’s up?”

“Well, I would rather speak to you about all of this in person, but this will do. I heard back from Best Bites TV, and they’ve decided to pass on any more seasons of your show.”

“We’re under contract for one more season.”

“They’re aware, and have decided to buy out the last season on your contract rather than shoot more episodes.”

“Why are they unhappy?”

“I don’t think it’s a matter of being unhappy with you,” he says, and I can see that he’s telling the truth. “In fact, I know that they’ll come back with something new for you. Of course, I don’t know what that is at this time. Your career isn’t over, Cam, they just weren’t as happy with last season’s numbers as they have been in the past.”

“So they’re going to pay me anyway?”

“Absolutely. They’re under contract to pay you. You didn’t do anything wrong, and this is their decision. Otherwise, we would sue the hell out of them.”

“Then I guess I don’t have to be back in L.A. in a month.”

“I’m working on getting you other gigs. I know that I could get you on as a guest judge on Chopped. Not to mention, there have been several requests from restaurants all over the country to have you as a guest chef for a week at a time or so. You know, if Emeril goes on vacation, someone still has to cook at the restaurant.”

“I get it,” I reply with a nod, but none of that sounds particularly exciting to me right now. “Feel free to call me if something firms up, but I’m happy where I am right now. I’m in no hurry to come back to L.A.”

“Camden,” Don says, his face turning paternal and concerned. “I’m going to find you work.”

“I’m not worried,” I reply, surprised to find it true.

“You work harder than anyone I know. Being idle for long won’t sit well with you,” he says.

“I appreciate your help,” I say.

I keep the rest of the conversation short and hang up, wondering why I’m not more worried than I am. At the end of the day, I’m unemployed. Well, aside from this job with Mia, but that’s not supposed to be long term.

I’ve been in television for eight years, and it’s been good to me. It’s not only made me wealthy, it’s made Camden Sawyer a household name thanks to my own cookware line and a line of sauces in national grocery stores.

I’ve worked my ass off most of my life. I call Stephanie to get her take on things.

“Whatcha doing?” she asks as she answers the FaceTime.

“Calling you.” She wrinkles her nose at me. “So, I just got off the phone with Don, and I think he’s concerned.”

“Well, I’ve always thought he was a dick, so there’s that.”

“He’s a dick who got me some pretty good gigs, so there’s also that.”

“And in doing so, he not only made you rich, he made himself rich too.”

“Well, that’s his job.” I shake my head and watch as Chip kisses Steph’s cheek as he walks by. “Hi, Chip.”

“Hey man,” he says with a smile. “I don’t think Don’s a dick.”

“Maybe it’s a girl thing,” I reply, earning a glare from Steph.

“I’m telling you, he’s smarmy. I don’t like him.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to like him.” Chip kisses her cheek again, waves at me, and walks out of camera range.

“I have some interesting news.”

“Okay.”

I tell her about the network passing on any more seasons of my show, and the other possibilities that Don and I discussed.

“At least you’ll still get paid,” she says. “But what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. And the thing is, Steph, I don’t know if I care.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not worried in the least. I know that I can do the guest appearance thing from time to time. That doesn’t sound bad at all.”

“But it’s not full time.”

I shake my head and push my hand through my hair. “I just love the idea of not being under a contract for a while. There’s a lot of pressure involved with the contract. I have to maintain a certain look.”

“Are you going to let yourself go?”

“No. But if I decide I don’t want to shave for a week, I don’t have to. There’s really no pressure, and it’s a nice change.

“Not to mention, I’ve been telling Mia for the past two weeks that she’s too much of a control freak when it comes to work. She works too hard and too long, and that she should be able to relax a bit.”

“Did she introduce you to the kettle?”