“Looking forward to it. And Alice? Just because we won’t be alone doesn’t mean you’re safe with me.”
Oh God. This man is killing me.
***
Nate
I meet with both Logan and Sebastian the next evening for drinks, and while we’re rehashing old memories, I feel like an ass because I kissed their sister. I owe these guys—the entire family. They kept me grounded in a time when I was lost, and how am I repaying them? I briefly consider coming clean about Alice, but what good would that do? It was a one-time thing, and even though she’s been on my mind constantly since, there won’t be a repeat, even if I have to fight myself every second on Friday evening.
Friday comes around quickly, and at four o’clock I receive an unexpected call from Horowitz, asking if I can meet him in his office. I assume he finally has the contract for London ready—the office in the United Kingdom took their sweet time sending it over—and I agree to meet him right away.
Horowitz is pacing in his office when I arrive. He gestures for me to sit in the chair in front of his desk, but I’m too wired to sit.
“No need. I can sign while standing too. I’m assuming this is about the London contract?”
Horowitz clears his throat, and I realize he looks uncomfortable. I’ve only seen him uncomfortable once before, when wife number two caught him banging someone. She came to surprise him at the office, and the surprise was on her. She raised hell, yelling at him loud enough for the entire floor to hear.
“There’s been a change.”
“A change?”
“The London office decided to go in another direction with the hire.”
My body goes cold. I don’t remember leaning in, but here I am, my knuckles resting on the desk.
“What?”
Horowitz throws his hands up in despair. “They decided to go with the good-for-nothing Abbott.”
I finally sink in the seat, closing my hand into a fist. “Abbott? He doesn’t have half the experience I do.”
“No, but he has the right DNA.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“He’s David’s nephew.”
David is the head of the London headquarters. “I had no idea.”
“Not many people do, only those at the top. What can I say, nepotism is alive and well in corporate America. Or corporate United Kingdom in this case.”
“Screw this, Horowitz. David has seen what I can do.”
“Yeah. My bet is the nephew won’t last the year in the position. Ratings will go down.”
My blood starts to boil with anger.
“I don’t want the ratings to go down. I just want the job. I’ve earned it, and it was a done deal.”
“Nothing’s a done deal without a signed contract, I’m afraid. Look, there’s nothing to do about London now.” Horowitz leans forward, thumping his arms on the table. “But I have a good offer for you here at headquarters. We need a new executive producer for our star show.”
That piques my interest, because the star show, as he put it, is the network’s shining achievement in years. It’s a local production, and it’s killing it in national ratings. It’s as far as it can be from The 300, but an interesting challenge. It also already has an executive producer. A damn good one. “Why do you need a new one? Teller is the best man.”
“The poor chap has to retire early. He’s too sick to continue working.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“Yeah.” He opens the drawer under his desk, taking out a stack of papers. “I have the contract ready for you to look over it.”