“Ready to be sent to mass production,” Kevin answered as he scribbled on a notepad and sipped from the mug in his hand. “If you want to review it, go ahead. But, in my opinion, it’s never looked better.”
“Sounds perfect,” Nick added and sent a text to his secretary. “I don’t think it can be mixed to a better flavor of sound. I’m proud of it.”
Kristin rolled her eyes. “Well, you may be proud of it, but what does Evangeline Harris think?”
“I met with her yesterday,” Brian spoke up. “She thinks it’s better than she had ever dreamed her first solo production would ever be.”
“She’s glad she left that straggling girl group.” Alex slid a packet down the table to James. “God knows why they thought their image would get them far. It’s Evangeline’s voice that’s gotten her to where she is.”
Nick grinned from across the table. “Well, her voice is great, but, damn, her style is…Mmm.” He licked his lips and missed the look James shot him. “Oh, yeah. The whole package is going to get her far.”
“Hopefully further than your bed,” Jason said absently. His mind wasn’t on the meeting so much as it was on the contract of sale in his hands. He’d coaxed it away from his mother’s assistant with considerable charm and now sat staring at the legalese.
Brian shrugged. “Her single’s number seven, so by the time the album drops, it’s a safe bet she’ll be at the top.”
“And another one hits platinum for Apollo,” James finished with a satisfied smile. “Now, what about the soundtracks for the Peterson, Jackson, and Goldberg films? Where are we on those projects because Peterson’s in post-production, Jackson’s nearly done the direction, and Goldberg is in the middle of filming. Tell me everything’s good.”
Brian cleared his throat and, with a glance at the rest of the table, faced James. “Peterson’s soundtrack is completed, and we’ve got Artwork, and Kevin, working on the album art. We’re in the middle of Goldberg’s because the man keeps changing his mind about the music he wants. At the rate he’s going, he’ll be lucky if he gets anything at all.”
James waited a beat. “And?”
“Uh, well, I’ve heard from Miramax that they want to change companies,” Brian said quietly and had James lifting a brow at him.
“Oh? And why is that?”
Nick swallowed nervously and spoke up. “They don’t want any actual artists on the track. Just music. Music that can fit the romantic, violent, and funereal tone of the film. Jackson’s dissatisfied with what he’s gotten so far.”
“Why?” The word was quiet but full of authority.
“Shawn Robertson was assigned the project, but, so far, he can’t deliver.”
“Then why is he still on the project?” James met Nick’s eyes. “Apollo has a standard of achievement and offers top-of-the-line service to those film projects that demand our services. If we lose the account, you can bet your ass that you will have a hell of a tap-dance to do, Nick. You cannot afford to start slipping because, if you slip, Apollo slips. Apollo slips, and, well, I don’t have to explain what happens in that unfortunate event. Get me the right person on the job, ASAP.” He glanced over his paperwork again then set it down. “That’s all for this meeting.”
As they cleared out, James watched Kristin slide a comforting arm around Nick’s waist and murmured quietly to him. Alex gave James a wary look before he, too, slipped out of the conference room.
“I could say he needed that kick in the ass,” Jason began, “but I won’t say it.”
James turned to his most trusted advisor and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Why not? You should say it because it’s true. I’ve been watching the production rate in his department decreasing in the last month, and I thought it time to remind him that he’s not paid to lounge around and argue with Bryna.”
“Bryna’s got nothing to do with it. James, you hired him a year ago, and he’s already come so far. I think your words today will begin to bring him up to where we need him to be.” Jason slid the contract into his briefcase. “You did good, Boss.”
“I hope he doesn’t hate me.” James sighed. “And, if my dad were here, he’d be disappointed to hear the words come out of my mouth.”
Jason patted his shoulder. “Buddy, you’re not your father, and you shouldn’t try to be. I think you’ve done a hell of a job with Apollo. Record sales are soaring, Alex and Kris are finding excellent talent, and Nick does do a good job with sounds. He knows what the trend will be before it even happens. What I think is crap, Nick turns into the newest sound, helps stick it out, and, well, everyone follows Apollo’s lead. We are the most lucrative company in the industry, and your instinct is to thank for that. Nick is onboard for a reason. He’ll be fine, and so will you.”
“I hope so.” He stared out at the skyline of the city and sighed. “Thank God, it’s Friday. I need the weekend pretty badly.”
“Don’t you have a big date tonight?”
James’ face lit up. “I do. I can’t wait because I feel like this might be the one.”
“Uh, may I remind you that you haven’t even been on a date with this woman yet?”
“Shut up, Jason. You said to trust my instincts, and I am. I’m trusting them, and they’re saying Laurel may be the one.”
Jason paused, his arm halfway through his coat. “Laurel? Her name’s Laurel? And you met her at the club last Saturday night?”
“Yeah. She’s beautiful, too.” James missed his friend’s expression and smiled to himself. “I’m meeting her at the Plaza before heading over to dinner at Lucian’s. I hope she likes it.”
“Uh-huh. I’m sure she will.” Jason headed for the door, his mind already flying ahead to the phone call he needed to make to his stepsister. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks. And Jason?” James waited until the other man turned back. “You and Brian are going to Seattle next week to meet with Ebony and its managers at their show on Wednesday night. Then, on Thursday, I need both of you to meet the heads of department in the LA offices. There appears to be mismanagement of funds, and I’m sure you two can handle it. The details were finalized this morning.”
“Right. I’ll tell Bri. Gotta go.” And he slipped through the doors and rushed to his office.
Once inside, he tossed his things on his desk and flipped open his phone. He listened to the phone ring one…two…three times before it was answered. “Laurel? It’s Jason. Why the hell didn’t you tell me you’re having dinner with James Apollus?”
Bryna was rushing back to the studio from her office when she spotted Nick walking slowly down the hall. With his head down, he didn’t notice her until she stepped into his path.
“Sorry,” he began then realized who he was apologizing to. “Bryna. Hey.”
“Hi.” She observed the hunched shoulders and the frown with a puzzled expression. “What’s it going to take for you to tell me what’s wrong? Because I know there’s something wrong.”
He shrugged. “It’s nothing. I’m just trying to think of someone I can get hold of within the next day or so that would be willing to take over the creation of an entire soundtrack within the next four weeks.” He managed a tight smile. “It sounds impossible, but-”
“Nonsense.” She shook her head, wanting to comfort him. “Four weeks is more than enough time if you know the sound you want. What’s the film about?”
“Violence, sex, and death.” The smile spread slowly. “I guess there are a ton of movies like that, though. This one’s a little different, but you’d have to read the screenplay in order to really see that.”
Bryna calculated quickly in her head and, realizing that her workload would become impossible if she did, held out a hand. “Can I have it?”
“Huh?” Now he wore the puzzled look.
“Can I have the screenplay, Nick? Unless you don’t trust that I can come up with something that works in four weeks or less?”
Nick wondered what he’d done to deserve the salvation she was offering him. She was definitely good enough, but he hadn’t given her the project initially because he knew that she was already working on so many others. “Bryna, your workload is overflowing. Why the hell do you want to add to it?”
“Because you’ve piqued my curiosity,” she answered simply. “I want a crack at this soundtrack that no one else seems to be able to create. After all, I love a good challenge.” One brow arched. “Well, are you going to give it to me, or do I have to wrestle it out of your hands?”
Leighanne met Brian at the door to her apartment and smiled over her shoulder as she unlocked the door to her loft. “I’m running late. There were three new students that registered today, and my assistant’s out of town at her sister’s wedding. I had to show them around and begin their orientation.”
Brian followed her in, shrugged out of his jacket, and loosened the tie. “Don’t worry about it. I just got here, too.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss on curve of her shoulder and neck as she hung her keys on a rack. “I’m glad we’re staying in tonight. This week got impossibly long after Wednesday.”
“I know what you mean,” she replied, heading into her kitchen. “As if I don’t have enough to deal with at work and planning our wedding, James has recruited me to hostess Apollo’s annual charity ball next month. You know what that means, don’t you?”
Brian rolled his shoulder where the muscles were particularly stiff. “More work?”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea. I did this gig once before, too, and I swore to myself I’d never do it again. But, well, until James gets married or serious about a woman, I’m the one for the job.” Leighanne poked her head around the side of the kitchen wall. “Is a tuna casserole going to be enough for you? I haven’t had time to run errands all week, so my kitchen is practically empty.”
He waved it off. “Let’s not cook. Let’s just pull up some movie On-Demand and order takeout. When was the last time you had Chinese?”
“Let me guess. You’ve got a place on speed dial?”
He grinned and kissed her. “I’m transparent to this woman. You’re a genius, Leigh.”
“Go ahead and make the call. I’m going to change into sweats,” she said and disappeared into her bedroom, while Brian called in the order.
As he waited for her to return, he stretched out on the couch and let his mind drift away from work. Invariably, it returned to the one subject he’d mentally tried to avoid for a day and a half.
It was a wonder, he mused, that one kiss from a woman he barely knew could stir him up so crazily. He’d felt the heat and impact of that kiss for hours after and had barely slept for fear that he’d dream of it again and again. And, of course, he had dreamt of it. It wasn’t right nor fair of him to do so, he reminded himself. He was getting married to the perfect woman, and he didn’t need to remember random kisses so vividly in the middle of his day.
It had popped up, unbidden, during his meetings with shareholders, managers, and department heads for two days. When he was busy with paperwork, it would drift through his brain again and make him lose his train of thought. Not thinking about that one kiss was more difficult than he’d thought it would be.
She’d said that she worked Saturday evenings, Brian remembered suddenly. Then, just as quickly, he brushed the thought aside. It was imperative that he not see her. At least, not for a while. Not while the memory of their embrace was still burning in his mind. Damn it, his lips still occasionally tingled, and he felt like a silly teenage boy after a first kiss.
“Brian?”
“Hmm?” He blinked and remembered where he was. “Oh, sorry. Mind’s wandering.”
Leighanne settled onto the sofa next to him and brushed her lips over his softly. Even as he thought that it was great they could be so relaxed with each other, he couldn’t help but think of how much more one kiss from Eve had rocked him. Guiltily, he slid his arms around his fiancée and drew her against him.
He just needed to forget about the whole incident, he decided. The quicker he did so, the easier it would be for his feelings to return to an even keel.
But, even as he argued with Leighanne over which movie to watch, Brian couldn’t quite shake the thought of that one dinner and the kiss that had followed it.
“Oh, my God!” Laurel lightly banged her head against her bedroom wall and felt like the biggest idiot in the world. But, really, what else could she do? she asked herself. It wasn’t her fault that James Apollus was just as interesting as Brian. It wasn’t her fault that he’d taken her to a fabulous restaurant and ordered her one of the best meals she’d had in a long time. No, sir. None of it was her fault.
What was her fault was the fact that she’d thought of that one kiss from Brian almost as soon as James had kissed her good night. It hadn’t been a conscious effort on her part to think of another man after receiving a kiss from the one she’d been on a date with. It had just…happened.
Kissing James had been sweet and soft. It was obvious he knew how to treat a woman respectfully and not just on a first date. She’d enjoyed every minute of the time she’d spent with him, starting with meeting up with him at the Plaza in Manhattan. It had to have been sheer luck, she thought, that had made him pick a French restaurant for their first date. Her favorite food had always been French, ever since her father had taken her to France when she was six. Point one, she decided, for James.
But she had to give Brian points for the mere fact that she’d never been kissed in quite that way before that night. Not that she went out with that many men to begin with, but Brian had something special. If they hadn’t ended the kiss, she’d probably have dragged him to the sidewalk and had her way with him right then and there.
She’d never actually done that, but, hey, he’d pushed her to a crazy brink like no other. So…points for Brian.
Not that she was keeping tabs on which man was better than the other. It wasn’t as though she was going to see him again. After that last…moment they’d shared, Laurel was sure Brian wouldn’t want to chance being near her again. He wouldn’t want to risk doing something that was sure to hurt his fiancée, and he seemed like the kind of guy who wouldn’t want to hurt her either by carrying on with both of them.
Laurel stripped out of the royal purple shirt and black skirt she’d been wearing and plopped onto her thin mattress in the middle of her one-room…apartment was too generous a term for the space. As long as it had a bathroom and kitchen area, she was fine with it. She wrinkled her nose as she heard the neighbors arguing again.
“One of these days,” she muttered to herself, “Mrs. Pinkman is going to just murder her cheating husband. Serves him right, too.” God knew, she’d heard more than enough of their arguments and knew what was going on over there. She’d just stopped caring after the first month or two.
It was a good thing no one but Bryna really knew where she lived. Her workplace had her address, of course, but it wasn’t as though anyone would come to see where she lived. At least, she hoped no one did because the area she was in wasn’t pretty. If Jason knew, she was sure he’d never stop nagging and lecturing until she moved out to somewhere else. And, of course, it would be impossible to imagine the impeccably dressed Mr. James Apollus show up in his fancy, expensive car in her neighborhood. The chances that he’d be mugged and his car stolen from under him were very high.
She grinned to herself. Her neighborhood had its own style and ways of working. And it was as far from her early childhood home as the sun was from Pluto. She had to admit, though, that she enjoyed living there, though.
The smile vanished from her face when thoughts of how she could keep her mind from drifting to Brian emerged again. She hoped beyond all hope that he’d never stop by the restaurant again. It would be nice if she could just date James and not have to worry about emotionally cheating on him. But, man, she mused, it was going to be hellishly hard to follow through on such a conviction.
