Chapter 7
HAILEY
On Monday, I started the day by calling a contact of mine at LA Lifestyle, running by him the idea of publishing an interview I did with a client.
I didn’t mention Reid’s name, because he hadn’t agreed yet, but I wanted to have everything in place in case he did.
I got a half-promise out of my contact, but that was better than a rejection.
I knew he’d be all in once he knew the client in question was Reid, because no one had ever published an interview with him.
As everyone started to filter in, I was already done with the most arduous task of the day.
I kept glancing at the phone, hoping Reid would send me a message. I’d badgered him over the past few days, and yesterday evening might have phrased everything as an ultimatum, but I needed to get things moving: I needed an answer before nine o’clock today.
At eight fifty-eight, the screen of my phone lit up with an incoming message.
Reid: Okay. I’ll do the interview.
I sighed, almost wanting to hug the phone. This was an enormous step forward.
Hailey: Thanks for letting me know. I’ll set everything in motion. We need to meet sometime this week.
Reid: My pleasure.
My thoughts just careened off the right path completely. I didn’t get to discuss the details though, because Cameron called us all in for the weekly meeting.
“You’re chipper,” my colleague Alena mentioned as we walked side by side. “Great weekend?”
“You could say that.”
We each presented our highlights, and when my turn came, I brought everyone up to speed on Reid’s case.
Cameron beamed at me. I loved impressing the boss, and that was especially difficult in the fourth week of a month, because we also compared the stats to last month’s.
Every time I earned his approval, it was as if I was proving to myself that the switch to PR had been smart.
I’d taken a pay cut, but the stress at the old job had been too much.
I’d already been on the verge of quitting because I was missing out too much on my family’s life.
But one incident sealed the deal. We’d been working on a huge case that had us spending nights at the office.
During one of those nights, I got violently sick.
I threw up repeatedly and broke out in a sweat.
They’d rushed me to ER, where I’d been in the care of an elderly, slightly surly doctor.
He’d asked me how many coffees I’d had. I’d told him that I’d stopped counting after the eighth one.
He raked me over the coals, informing me that my blood pressure had spiked so much that I’d been dangerously close to a stroke. I’d started looking for another job the next week.
Cameron made the rounds after the meeting, stopping in my office just before lunch.
“I’ve got to say, I didn’t think you’d get through to Davenport, but I should’ve known you wouldn’t back down.”
“He’s not as tough as he seems. You just have to find the angle that works for him… like doing that interview myself instead of letting a stranger do it.”
Or, I thought with a pang, giving in to him, letting him kiss the living daylights out of me.
“How did you talk him into it?”
“Cameron, it’s best if you don’t know. Don’t ask.”
“How did you convince LA Lifestyle to let you send the article instead of interviewing him themselves?”
“You don’t want to know that either. Just rest assured, I haven’t burned any bridges.”
He laughed. “Fair enough. I’m leaving to visit my sister in Houston for the rest of the week. Think you can hold the fort here?”
“Definitely. Have fun.”
I cracked my knuckles after Cameron left, glancing at my agenda and gluing a blue dot next to Set up Reid & LA Lifestyle.
The reward system was a bit childish, perhaps, but it gave me a rush of satisfaction whenever I looked at the collection of dots at the end of the day.
It was especially helpful when I dealt with cases that stretched on for months and progress was slow.
It helped me be aware of the daily or weekly progress, even if it was small in the grand picture.
I also emailed my contact at LA Lifestyle, dropping Reid’s name.
Toward lunch, I took my first real break, pressing my palms to my eyelids. Avocado and beans salad. That was going to be my lunch.
I soaked in the glorious sun as I walked out.
Living in LA was hands down the best thing.
I’d always loved it but even more so after visiting numerous other places as a consultant.
The sun, combined with the almost permanent vacation feeling, gave the city a vibe I hadn’t found anywhere else.
I was headed to a tiny salad bar at the end of my street when my phone buzzed.
I grinned when I saw that Reid was calling.
“Hey! So glad you called. Thanks for agreeing to the interview. I already spoke to LA Lifestyle before you messaged. They’ll publish it.”
“You were so sure I’d say yes?”
“I like to be prepared. Just in case.”
“What would you have done if I said no?”
“Convinced you.”
“And how would you have done that?”
“Well, can’t give my secrets away, can I?”
“It’ll be my pleasure to lure out of you every single secret, Hailey.”
I cleared my throat, suddenly happy I wasn’t in the office. My cheeks were on fire.
“First, I have to get your secrets out, remember?”
“Too well.”
“When do you want to do this? We’ll need a few hours.”
“Saturday?”
“I don’t work on weekends.”
“But you did come here on a Saturday.”
I laughed, ignoring the rumbling in my stomach. “I make exceptions sometimes.”
“Am I worthy of another exception?”
“Maybe.” I sat on a bench, crossing my legs at the ankles. “I see some negotiation potential here.”
“Making demands now?”
“Just one. Don’t be extra difficult.”
“That depends solely on you.” His voice was low and so sinfully sexy that heat zinged through me.
“What do you mean?”
“That I’m in your hands completely, Hailey Connor.”