Brown-Eyed Girl (Travis Family #4)(77)

“You didn’t bring your sweet little dog?” Lois asked with a laugh as we went into a spacious office with a dazzling view of the Chrysler Building.

“I’m afraid Coco is a little too old and high-maintenance to do much traveling,” I said.

“Poor thing. I’m sure she misses you.”

“She’s in good hands. My sister Sofia is taking care of her.”

“You work with your sister, right? Why don’t you tell us how that started. Wait, would you mind if we record our chat?”

“Not at all.”

The next three hours went so fast that they seemed like three minutes. We started by discussing my past experience in the fashion business and then what it had been like to start the studio with Sofia. As I recounted some of the quirkier weddings we had designed and coordinated, I had to pause while the trio burst out laughing.

“Avery,” Lois said, “Jasmine told me that you’re still in the process of getting an agent.”

“Yes, although I wasn’t certain it would even be necessary, so I haven’t —”

“It’s necessary,” Tim said, smiling at me. “If this all works out, Avery, we’ll be negotiating issues such as public appearances, licensing and merchandising rights, product endorsements, publishing, residuals… So you need to find an agent right away.”

“Got it,” I said, pulling a tablet from my bag and making a note. “Does this mean we’ll be meeting again?”

“Avery,” Rudy said, “as far as I’m concerned, you’re our girl. We’ll have to do some more testing, perhaps send a camera crew to the Warner wedding.”

“I’ll have to clear it with them,” I said breathlessly, “but I don’t think they’d object.”

“You and this show would be a perfect match,” Tim said. “I think you could take Trevor’s concept and make it your own. You’ll bring great energy. We love the sexy redhead image, love how comfortable you are with the camera. You’ll be on a fast learning track, but you can handle it.”

“We need to get her together with Trevor and see how they click,” Lois said. She smiled at me. “He already loves you. Once you get an agent, we can start talking about tailoring the show to your personality, and working on the pilot treatment. In the first episode we’d like to push the idea that Trevor is mentoring you… set up some dilemmas and have you call him for advice, which you don’t necessarily have to follow. Ideally the dynamic would have hints of tension… Trevor and his sassy protégée, with a lot of snappy dialogue… how does that sound?”

“Sounds fun,” I said automatically, although I was unnerved by the feeling that a persona was being created for me.

“And there’ll have to be a dog,” Tim said. “Everyone at the L.A. offices loved seeing you carry that dog around. But a cuter one. What are those fluffy white ones, Lois?”

“Pomeranian?”

Tim shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s what I mean…”

“Coton de Tulear?”

“Maybe…”

“I’ll pull up a list of breeds for you to look at,” Lois said, making notes.

“You’re getting me another dog?” I asked.

“Just for the show,” Lois said. “But you wouldn’t have to take it home with you.” She laughed lightly. “I’m sure Coco would have something to say about that.”

“So,” I asked, “the dog would be a prop?”

“A cast member,” Tim replied.

While the two men talked, Lois reached out and gripped my nerveless hand, beaming at me.

“Let’s make this happen,” she said.

Sitting in the hotel room that night, staring down at my cell phone, I practiced what to say to Joe. I tried a few lines out loud and wrote a few words on a nearby notepad.

When I realized what I was doing… rehearsing for a conversation with him… I pushed away the notepad and made myself dial.

Joe picked up right away. The sound of his voice, that familiar, comforting drawl, made me feel good all over and at the same time filled me with wrenching longing. “Avery, honey. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. Missing you.”

“I miss you too.”

“Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

“I’ve got all night. Tell me what you’ve been up to.”

I sat back farther on the bed and crossed my legs. “Well… I had the big meeting today.”

“How did it go?”

I described it in detail, everything that had been said, everything I’d thought and felt. While I did most of the talking, Joe was deliberately reserved, refusing to express an opinion one way or the other.

“Did you talk numbers?” he asked eventually.

“No, but I’m pretty sure the money will be big. Maybe life-changing.”

He sounded sardonic. “Whether or not the money’s life-changing, the job sure as hell will be.”

“Joe… this is the kind of opportunity I’ve always dreamed of. It looks like it really could happen. They made it pretty clear that they want to make it work out. If so… I don’t know how I can turn it down.”