Chapter Eight
When dinner was finished, Marcus left his card with Evelyn, and she tucked it into her purse. Take that, Donald. I don't need you to play go-between . Owen excused himself to go the bathroom. While Donald took care of the check, she leaned forward and said sharply, "What the hell was that all about?"
"What?" He actually had the nerve to look innocent.
"First, you ran over the top of me every time I attempted to have a conversation—"
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't put your foot in your mouth and ruin a good thing."
"Are you serious? You just did it again. I'm totally capable of talking to people and pitching my show. I've been doing this a long time. And to my second point, what is this about you partnering with Marcus? You didn't mention anything about that."
"I didn't want you to refuse the meeting because I might be part of the project. Especially since you brought Owen. I think we all know how he feels about me."
"You told me you had this great new gig. What happened with that?"
"Nothing. It's a limited-run evening special. If it hits big, they'll probably extend it, but I'm keeping my options open."
Owen returned, but didn't even sit. "Ready?"
"More than." She stood and said to Donald, "I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon."
Donald stood, buttoned his jacket, and said, "Can I have a minute?"
Owen's fingers flexed on her lower back. He was being so good tonight.
She looked at him over her shoulder. "Can you get the car? I'll be right out."
"Fine."
Donald came around the table to walk her to the door. "I'm not trying to piss you off, Evie."
"Please stop calling me that."
He sighed as if she were being insufferable. "I want you to get your show. You deserve it. I have faith in you, and the more people you have backing you, the more likely it'll be that the show will run."
"I don't like the omissions, that's all. And I don't want you to be a part of this if you think our relationship means you can tell me how to produce the show."
He chuckled. "Relationship or not, as executive producer, that's exactly what it means."
"You're not funny."
"We make a good team, Ev—Evelyn."
"We'll see. I didn't offer Marcus an exclusive. I'm still pitching."
Owen pulled up in front. She turned and extended a hand to Donald so he got the hint. He shook his head and then took her hand. "I hope he knows how special you are."
"He treats me better than anyone ever has."
"Ouch."
"See you later." She walked to the car and got in. "Thank you," she said to Owen when he pulled out into traffic.
"For what?"
"Everything. Coming to this boring dinner. Not punching Donald. Going to get the car even though you didn't want to leave me alone with him. Thank you for being you."
"You're welcome. I'd do anything for you." They drove in silence for a few minutes. Then he said, "What the hell is up with that guy anyway?"
"Donald?"
"How did you stay married to him? He talked over you like you weren't even there. And he's going to be your boss now?"
"Not my boss. It's not a done deal. There's something going on. With Donald, there always is. He won't let me know until it's useful for him to do so." She reached across the car and stroked the back of his head. "When we were saying goodbye he asked if you're good to me. I told him no one has ever treated me better."
He barked out a laugh. "That's mean. But I like it." He took her hand and kissed it.
With a man like Owen at her side, she had no more worries about whether she could do this. They truly made a good team. She loved that he believed in her. Owen didn't question her ability or how she approached things. And he listened when she spoke.
Until now, she had no idea how fulfilling it was to have a true partner.
…
Over the next week, Evelyn had four lunch meetings and two coffee dates to pitch her show. For the first time in years, she felt completely talked out. She sat in Owen's living room working on the next round of contacts and emailing everyone she'd met with this week. Owen was at the youth center. They were having a fund-raiser all weekend. He'd been there pretty much every hour possible. He was worried because the budget had been cut and usual charitable contributions hadn't come through.
She tapped her pen against her notebook in thought. Owen cared more about the center than anything else in his life. He loved being a firefighter, but working at the center gave him the chance to impact the lives of kids. She wished she could do more to help.
An idea suddenly struck. She was planning a TV show based on the premise that Chicago was a great place. Why not highlight the center and its impact on the neighborhood and the kids it served?
She jotted down some ideas and then paused. Owen had been really upset when she did the school shooting episode of Trent Talks because he thought she was exploiting the kids. He was right. Would this be the same?
Her phone rang, and she almost ignored it because the thought of having another conversation made her head hurt. The screen showed Marcus's name, so she answered. "Hello, this is Evelyn."
"Hi, Evelyn. It's Marcus Dielman."
"How are you, Marcus?"
"Good. I hope even better in a few minutes."
Her heart picked up. If he were just calling for more information, he'd blurt it out. This was the call. An offer.
"Yes?"
"I want your show. I would've called sooner, but I wanted to make sure I had the studio space and a place for it."
Her breath caught. A place? That was almost too fast. "You mean you have a slot on TV for it?"
"Assuming we can come to terms on a contract, yes."
He continued to talk, but Evelyn had a hard time hearing him. A buzz filled her head. She stood and shook her body out. "I'm sorry. Can you repeat that?"
"How about I have the contract emailed to you? Take a look and let me know what you think."
"What about Marilyn? Do you want to meet her?"
"Of course. Let's work on getting you on board officially and then we'll deal with Marilyn. If she's half as good as you sold her as, we shouldn't have any problems. Do you have any questions?"
"Only about a million. But they can keep for now. Thank you."
"Don't need to thank me. Bring me a good show. Look for the contract in your in-box shortly."
"I will." She disconnected and opened her email. She refreshed three times before she realized how ridiculous she was being. She knew better than to get too excited. It might be a shit offer.
Instinct had her wanting to call Owen, but he was busy with the center. He didn't need an interruption. Plus, she needed to talk to Marilyn. While another host might work for the show, she really wanted Marilyn. She resisted pressing the button next to Owen's name and scrolled to Marilyn's number instead.
"Hi, Evelyn. How's it going?"
"Excellent. I have an offer for the show."
"You do?"
"I don't have all the details and although they'll want you to come in, they're looking for me to sign on first. I'll know more when I get my contract, but I plan to do everything in my power to make sure you're part of the package. That is, assuming you still want to?" She paced the room to work off the nervous energy.
Probie followed her back and forth, almost like he was waiting for her to drop some food. His nails clicked on the hardwood floor, keeping time with her steps.
"Is the show still like we talked about?"
"As far as I know. I pitched it the same."
"Then I'm in. It'll be exciting to do something different."
Marilyn was a busy woman who was involved with more charities than Evelyn even knew existed.
"What about your other obligations?"
A trickle of laughter sounded across the line. "I don't have too many obligations. I do what I want, when I want. When people call and ask for my help, I get involved if I'm free. Having my own show just means that I say no more often." The laughter increased. "My own show. That sounds crazy. It's crazy, isn't it?"
She stopped and Probie crashed into her legs, almost knocking her over. "Not crazy. Everyone has to start somewhere. I just wanted to let you know that we have some forward motion. Even if this offer isn't great, we can use it to leverage another."
"How about I let you handle all of that, and you just tell me what to do?"
"As soon as I get the contract, I'll have more information, but based on what Marcus said, they're looking to move on this. They even have a time slot for the show."
Marilyn whistled. "So this is really happening."
"Unless the contract is ridiculous."
"Awesome. I'm looking forward to learning more."
They said goodbye, and Evelyn was still filled with nervous energy. "Come on, Probie. Let's go for a walk."
She grabbed the leash and hoped the dog didn't think she was going to run the way Owen did. A walk would get rid of her excess energy, and she could stop for a bottle of champagne to celebrate with Owen when he got home.
…
Owen dragged himself up the front steps and walked into the house. As long as his weekend had been at the center, something in him perked up with the knowledge that Evelyn was here waiting for him. He remembered what she'd said about having someone to come home to. He hadn't even considered how much he'd missed it until right now.
In the living room, she had a few candles lit and a bottle of champagne sitting on the table. "Evelyn?"
She came from the kitchen. "You're home." The smile on her face was wide and infectious.
He smiled in return without having a reason to. "What's this all for?"
"To celebrate."
He stared at the bottle. The fund-raising efforts this weekend were a relative flop. He had nothing to celebrate.
"Marcus wants my show," she explained.
Over the past few weeks, she'd mentioned so many different names, he took a minute to scan his memory.
"Donald's connection," she provided. "He's going to send a contract, so it's not a done deal, but I'm so excited to have real interest. He wants it. He already has a time slot for us."
"Congratulations." He pulled her into a hug. "Does this mean you're working with Donald all the time?" He tried to keep his question emotionless because he knew he shouldn't be jealous of her ex, but the man annoyed the hell out of him. He couldn't imagine having Donald be a regular part of their lives.
"If he partners with Marcus, he'll technically be my boss. But that doesn't mean he'll be working with me regularly. They make sure the money is there and line up the advertising. They'll give some direction on the show, kind of like Harry did."
"This makes you happy?"
"If the contract is good, yeah."
"Then I'm happy for you."
"Even if it comes with Donald?"
He shrugged. "If he's your boss, he won't be able to touch you or hit on you or it'll be harassment."
She laughed and pressed forward to kiss him. Then she poured them each a glass of champagne. "To success."
They clinked and drank. When they settled on the couch, she asked, "How did everything go at the center?"
"Not good. Turnout was lower than we hoped for, and the money is trickling in. We need more of a waterfall." He leaned back, and she tucked in next to him.
"I've been thinking about the center. How would you feel about me highlighting the center on my new show?"
"What do you mean?"
She set her glass on the table and twisted to face him. "I know how protective you are of the kids, and I know my sense of things is a little skewed based on my job. So before I continue, please trust that this isn't about ratings or exploiting your kids."
His neck prickled warily. The only way she would preface a conversation like that was if she thought she might be crossing a line, like she did last year. He swallowed. "Go ahead."
"The new show is supposed to be Chicago-centric. I want to show the good side of the city. The youth center is one of those good things. I have a five-part series planned out. It wouldn't be the whole episode but a segment each day showing a piece of what the center does. It would bring awareness and with that attention, hopefully money."
He waited, thinking there was something else, some catch. Nothing came. "That's it?"
"Well, I have a list of ideas. Like we could do one segment on the sports teams you coach. Another day on the art and tech classes offered. Showcase the students who received scholarships for college. We can interview adults who came up through the center."
He listened to her talk and realized that she was mentioning things he hadn't discussed with her. "How do you know about all that?"
"I did my homework. I know how important the center is to you. I want to help."
His throat tightened. No one had ever stepped up for him like this before. "That would be amazing."
She released a long breath. "I thought you might be mad."
"Because you want to help the center?"
She snuggled close to him again. "I thought you might think I planned to use the center to launch the next phase of my career."
"I'm not against using something for your career as long as it's mutually beneficial. That school shooting episode of Trent Talks didn't benefit anyone except the show."
"It brought a wider awareness of the long-term consequences of a shooting."
He hated that she still tried to defend that show. "Awareness had nothing to do with it. You wanted to make people cry. You used kids like mine to do it."
"And you know I hated that part of it. That's why I almost didn't bring this up to you."
"You think you can make it happen?"
"It's my job to plan the shows. I'm sure in the beginning I'll have to bring it to Marcus and Donald, but this is exactly the type of episode I pitched to them."
"You're an amazing woman, you know that?"
She climbed onto his lap. "Yes, I am quite the catch. It's nice of you to notice."
Gripping her hips, he held her snug against him. "And oh so humble."
She lowered her mouth to his. She tasted like the champagne they shared. He could sip on her forever. He loved what their relationship was becoming.
He loved her. Was in love with her.
Reaching up, he pushed her hair back so he could see her whole face when he said the words. "I love you."
She smiled. "I love you, too."
He blew out a breath. When you loved someone as long as he had loved her, how was he supposed to say it in a way to make her realize that this was different? "No, Evelyn. I'm in love you. More than as a friend. More than as a lover. I love you with my whole heart. You've managed to seep into every cell of my body in a way no one else will ever be able to erase. I'm yours."
She blinked back tears. "For a guy who doesn't like to talk, you seem to know exactly what to say to turn my world upside down." She smiled again. "I love you, too. All of me. Forever." She leaned forward to meet his lips. Against his mouth, she whispered, "No one else."
Like somehow she knew he needed to hear the words.
Their kiss was hot and sexy, yet meaningful in a completely new way. Owen knew he wouldn't have the words to describe it, so he didn't try. He simply let her take him to that place where they were perfect.
…
The contract Marcus sent was pretty good. They spent days going back and forth negotiating smaller points. They conceded and gave her voice in approving the host, which meant Marilyn was a shoo-in. She was comfortable enough with the terms that she didn't try to find a better offer.
Once the contract was signed, everything that had been moving like a sloth was now fast-forward. She'd been putting in long hours hiring a crew since Marcus was in New York.
He'd sent an assistant from his office to work with her. Tyler was young, but he'd been working with Marcus long enough that he knew what he was doing. This wasn't his first launch. And Evelyn was more than a little grateful Donald wasn't there. While she knew she could work with Donald, it would upset Owen. They hadn't been seeing all that much of each other because of her long hours. At least Owen understood. Since he worked twenty-four-hour shifts, he wasn't sitting around waiting for her. She'd dated some guys who'd call repeatedly wondering when she'd be off work. Not Owen. He called and texted to check in and talk about their days. More often than not, when he was off, she spent the night at his house so they had some time together.
Unfortunately today, working with Donald was unavoidable. Marilyn was coming to the studio for a run-through audition. Then they were meeting to lay out the first few weeks of episodes.
It was really happening. She was going to air the first show she developed from the ground up. In the studio, they were using Marilyn's audition as a test run for the crew. She needed to see if the people they hired were a good fit both for the show and with one another.
Donald volunteered to be interviewed by Marilyn, so once the lights were set and the cameras ready, they started.
"Hi, Donald. It's so nice to have you here today. For those in our audience who don't know who you are, can you tell us a little about yourself?"
"I'm your boss, one of the executive producers of the show."
In Marilyn's ear, Evelyn said, "Don't let him rattle you. It's a test. Ask him something personal."
"What is something you're passionate about? What really gets your motor revved?"
Some of the crew snickered, and even Evelyn couldn't stop her laugh. With anyone else, the question probably would've been fine, but this was Donald.
"Success. Everything I do, every move I make, is designed to ensure I achieve the success I'm after."
"That's great in business, but what about your personal life?"
"It holds true in my private life as well. It's all about perspective. If I deem success to mean getting the girl, then I do everything in my power to make that happen."
Marilyn fanned herself. "Woof. Talk about being an alpha. What do you do when the woman wants no part of this definition of success?"
"That almost never happens. But I can respect what a woman wants. And if it's not me, I change my definition of success."
He stared into the camera and Evelyn felt it as if he were talking to her. She blinked to break the spell. She knew Donald had that effect on people. She'd witnessed him use that charm to get everything he wanted and to talk himself out of whatever jam he'd gotten into. It was a special kind of skill set.
She'd take Owen's straightforward attitude any day.
The director yelled, "Cut!"
Marilyn leaned over and shook Donald's hand. "Thank you for that. I hope I didn't come across as too nervous." She pointed to the lights and camera. "It's a lot to take in."
Evelyn left the control room and made it to the stage, which was still under construction and design. "You did a great job. Don't play coy. You've been in front of cameras before."
"On the other end of the couch, sure. It's different when it's up to me to keep the conversation going. He didn't make it easy with his short responses."
"You did fine. With any other guest, we'd have a bio and questions prepared ahead of time. This was just about getting a feel for your stage presence."
They shared a quick hug, and Evelyn told her she'd call soon with news. Then Donald put his hand on her lower back and said, "Marcus is in the conference room. Let's talk."
Evelyn took a quick extra step to get out of his reach. She wouldn't go so far as to swat his hand away—she didn't need the gossip—but she didn't want him thinking it was okay to constantly touch her, either.
When they got to the conference room, Marcus was on a call, so they took a seat and waited.
"What did you think of Marilyn?" she asked.
"How much did you feed her through the earpiece?"
"Nothing. Other than to point out you were just being difficult to test her. I played fair."
He pursed his lips and tilted his head. "I taught you better than that. But if that's the case, you have a good eye."
Marcus finished his call. "Her instincts are better than good. I've whispered about the show to a few people, and it's already generating buzz."
"Without a name?" As far as she knew, the show was still untitled.
"We're going with Chi-talk Live . We've gotten enough feedback to let us know people react to the name and recognize it as something different. I want to start within two weeks, so let's talk details."
"Does that mean Marilyn is hired?"
"My assistant has already sent her the contract."
"Then why did she need to audition?" Evelyn looked at both men.
"We needed to see if she could hold her own in front of a camera. She'll get some practice in and smooth her edges out, but she did well. Let's talk about the first episodes."
Evelyn pulled out her portfolio. "I know I sent you a list of ideas, but I have something new to add to the list. A five-part series on a youth center in Chicago." She removed the page and handed a copy to Marcus and one to Donald.
Donald barely glanced at it. "Evie, this is nothing like what you pitched."
She didn't grind her teeth at the nickname that he wouldn't stop using, but she was completely confused. "This is perfect. The center has a huge, positive impact on the neighborhood and the families who live there."
He took a deep breath. "How can I put this delicately?" He looked to Marcus, who was still reading her notes, and then back at her. "These kids are a reminder of the downtrodden in society. We're supposed to be lighthearted and happy."
"But—"
Marcus looked up. "He has a point, Evelyn. I'm not saying we can never do something like this, but for the opening weeks, we need to nail it. We have to keep the audience laughing and coming back for more. If we start pulling on heartstrings, it'll be a tougher sell."
Evelyn's heart sank. At least it wasn't a no . It was a not-right-now . In a few months, or next season, she'd definitely be able to slide in at least a few segments for Owen and his kids.
Without any further discussion from Evelyn, Marcus continued. "We've gone through the list you originally provided and have pulled the topics and guests we think will draw the biggest market share. I've emailed it to you, so you can start lining up the guests. Any other questions?"
"Based on my contract and the conversations we've had so far, I was under the impression I would have some freedom to develop the episodes."
"And you will. My hand stays in the pot until we get the formula right. Once we get our format and brand down, you'll mostly be on your own."
She smiled. Owen had nothing to worry about. His center would get the spotlight. It was just going to take a little time.
…
Owen got off shift and hoped Evelyn would still be at home when he got there. Home. He liked the idea of his house being hers. Unfortunately, she was already gone. Judging by the lack of coffee in the kitchen, she'd been gone for hours. When she got up not long before he got home, she normally would leave the pot on for him. She had left a note on the fridge, though.
Auditions and meetings all day in the studio. It's real! I might be late. Love, E
Setting up a new show was a lot of work. He'd seen the emails and spreadsheets and notes she'd been dealing with for weeks now. But she was happy. She was happier than he'd seen her in a long time, so he couldn't complain. And she never bitched about his hours. She might be the perfect woman. It was just another reminder of how well they fit into each other's lives.
He walked Probie and then took a nap. Later, he swung by the youth center and talked to Sandra about Evelyn giving them a spot on her new show. While he was there, he played a pickup game of basketball with the high school boys. He'd hoped to be able to get them new uniforms this year, but with the pitiful results of the fund-raiser, he doubted it would happen.
At home, he made tacos for dinner. Evelyn had texted to say she was on her way over. She arrived as he pulled food off the stove.
"How was your day?"
"So good. Marilyn's audition was excellent. As it turns out, it was just a test to make sure she could handle being in front of the camera and could shoot from the hip. I thought they'd want to bring in other possible hosts, but she's hired if they agree on contract terms. Since it's not about the money for Marilyn, I'm pretty sure she's going to sign. How about your day?"
"I napped. I went to the center. Sandra is thrilled with the idea of you doing segments on the center. Let her know what you need." He set food on the table.
Evelyn lost the sparkle she came in with. She shifted awkwardly. "About that."
"What?" He sat and pointed at the chair across from him and handed her a plate.
"I presented the segment ideas to Marcus and Donald."
Although he wanted to make a face when she said Donald's name, he didn't actually do it. Point for me.
"They shot me down."
"Why would they do that? I thought it was your show."
"They don't think it's feel-good or lighthearted enough for the first episodes." She dragged her chair closer to him and took his hand. "Next season, I'll be able to do it for sure."
"Next season? We need funding now. The budget has shrunk. People haven't donated. I was hoping that those segments would bring people out."
"I know. But Marcus and Donald have the money, so they have final decision. Once we have the groundwork laid and have built an audience, I'll have more freedom."
He slid his hand away. "Did you tell Donald this was important to me?"
She shrank back. "This has nothing to do with you. Or us. It was a business decision."
"I'd like to believe that, but when it comes to you, little with Donald seems to be only business." He pushed away from the table, his appetite gone.
While it wasn't Evelyn's job to save the youth center, she'd gotten his hopes up. Knowing that it was Donald who didn't want the segments to air made it feel personal. He needed air to clear his head. "I'm taking Probie for a walk."
He left without waiting for a response from Evelyn. The temperature was dipping as the full force of fall hit Chicago. The leaves were turning, falling, and blowing across the sidewalks. When he got back to the house, Evelyn was sitting on his front steps. He released Probie's leash, and the dog ran straight to her.
"Do you want me to go home?"
"No," he answered. "I know I shouldn't be mad at you. Right now, it feels like you took Donald's side and that bugs me. This was really important, and he took it away. You let him. And before you give me that look, I know it's irrational."
"I feel bad about making an offer I can't uphold. Yet. I want to do the segments. I will do them." She took his hand. "In the meantime, I talked with Marilyn while you were gone. In addition to being the host of my new show, she is a world-class fund-raiser. She sits on the board of many foundations and stuff. She's always running something."
He walked toward the door, still holding her hand. "Are you going somewhere with this?"
"Marilyn is going to help the center. She said she'd put something together within the next month or so. The people she knows have deep pockets. It might not solve all the budget problems, but it'll be a start."
He held the door open for her, speechless.
"I know how important the center is to you. I didn't think Marcus would tell me no. Getting Marilyn involved is my way of saying I'm sorry for making a promise I can't keep right now."
He pulled her into his arms. "Have I told you how amazing you are?"
"It's been a while. Like at least twenty-four hours. Maybe you should show me."
"I'm sorry I got mad. It was mostly disappointment. I appreciate anything you can do for the center." He lowered his mouth to hers.
"If it's important to you, it's important to me. We're a team, right?"
He loved hearing her say that. "Absolutely."