Pete set his mug on the coffee table with a jolt, a dribble of coffee splashing out the sip hole and landing on my book of photographs of Paris. I refrained from wincing.
“They got the video we just shot? Yesterday? Already?”
“I overnighted it.”
“But still. They got it and you already heard back from them? That was fast.”
“I know. They called me and talked to me about it, and they want me to fly to California. It looks like everything is going to move really quickly.”
“How quickly?” His face was pale. He looked a bit shocked.
“They have already booked me on a flight tomorrow. They have my hotel set up and everything. I mean, this is really good news, right?”
He looked at me blankly.
“I guess I’d better call my boss. And my clients. It’s just one more day that I’ll be away from work. That’s not the end of the world, right? I will miss work tomorrow, but I will be back in town on Sunday. And Monday I will get back on track. So, yeah… it’s not a big deal.”
“Wow. They’re going to fly you out there? They’re paying for all of this for you?”
“I guess that is just how they do it.”
“I don’t think so. They must really like you.”
“Oh, Pete. I’m not even on the show yet. They’re just bringing me out there to meet me. To see if I’m a good fit for Bellamy. I suppose I probably won’t be.”
“You never know.”
“Then, if I actually somehow get chosen, I’ll be gone for ten weeks. Well, up to ten weeks. Ten weeks would mean I won, and let’s face it, that’s not going to happen. But I will worry about that if it happens. Not that it’s going to. When do you think I should say something to my boss, Pete? I mean, that’s a dumb question. I will wait and see how this weekend goes. There’s no sense in even mentioning it if things don’t go well.”
“No. I wouldn’t say anything yet,” said Pete. Was it just me or did he look irritated?
“I’m glad you’re here,” I told him. “This whole thing is happening so fast! I am freaking out a little. It’s obvious, right? I needed someone to talk to about this and having you here has really helped me.”
“So you’re not really on the show? You’re just going out there until Sunday, and then you’re coming home?” he asked.
“No, I’m not on the show. Not yet, anyhow. That’s why I’m going out there. So they can pick the right girls. For Bellamy,” I added, quietly. I was beginning to forget the point of all this.
“So, you’ll be back on Sunday night?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Okay. Well, I can work with that. I will take you out when you get back if you’re up for it.”
“Sure,” I said, surprised he was still negotiating dates with me. “I’ll bet I will have a lot to talk about.”
We both looked at each other awkwardly. Pete picked up his coffee mug and wiped up his spilled coffee with the corner of his t-shirt. “Sorry about that,” he said.
“It’s no big deal.”
“I’m going to head back to my place now,” said Pete, standing up, “so you can call your boss, and your clients, and pack.”
“That’s probably a good idea. I suppose I have a lot to do between now and tomorrow morning. I think they’ve got me on an early flight.”
“I’ll be around, watching TV later, if you get done and want to stop by,” he said.
“Thanks,” I said.
“And if I don’t see you, have a safe flight.”