Chapter 73 Reed
REED
I’m sitting at my desk at River Records, listening to some demos forwarded to me by my team. But my heart isn’t in it. Because... Georgina. Right this very minute, she could be meeting with CeeCee. And talking about me.
I’ve got no doubt CeeCee’s recollection of our initial conversation about the special issue and the grant will match everything I told Georgina in my texts.
The truth is the truth. But, still, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little stressed about their conversation.
Is Georgie telling CeeCee that she caught me coming out of my garage with Isabel?
And if so, is Georgina erroneously saying I fucked Isabel?
God, I want to crawl into a hole to think CeeCee is hearing either version of the story.
But I’d be especially ashamed for CeeCee to think I fucked Isabel after having the best week of my life with Georgie.
An email notification from Leonard with the notation “URGENT” on the subject line flashes across my screen, so I quickly click out of the marketing plan I’ve been reviewing and into Leonard’s email.
It’s about the copyright infringement lawsuit against Red Card Riot.
We filed a motion for summary judgment on Monday, and it seems the plaintiff’s attorney has now offered to dismiss the case, even before the motion gets ruled on by the judge.
His only request? We have to agree not to pursue reimbursement of our attorneys’ fees from his clients, which is something we’d be entitled to do under the applicable copyright infringement statute, if we were to win the motion.
I type out a quick reply, telling Leonard to take the deal, just to put the thing behind us. “But tell that motherfucker he’d better dismiss his lawsuit within twenty-four hours, or I’m riding that summary judgment motion all the way up his ass until it’s coming out his mouth.”
I’ve no sooner pressed “send” on my email to Leonard, when my phone rings with an incoming call—and the minute I see Georgina’s name on my screen, my heart leaps and bounds, even as my palms begin to sweat with anxiety.
“Hey, baby,” I say, trying to make my voice sound casual, even though I’m freaking out. “Did you talk to CeeCee yet?”
“Yes. At length. And, please, don’t call me baby.”
“What’d she say?”
“She said she loved every idea Zasu and I pitched for the special issue.”
“What’d she say about the grant?”
Georgina pauses. “Yeah... about that. That part of our meeting was... disappointing, Reed. To say the least.”
My stomach clenches. Fuck. “How so?”
There’s another long pause, during which I feel like my stomach is turning inside out.
“Ha! I’m just screwing with you, dude. CeeCee said ‘ditto’ to everything you said in your texts.”
I groan loudly with relief. “Oh my God, you evil woman. Are you trying to make me stroke out? So, CeeCee backed up everything I told you?”
“All of it. Although she did make a few clarifying comments.”
My stomach somersaults. “What clarifying comments?”
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I not only forgive you for paying my salary and for all my father’s expensive medication, I thank you profusely for doing both. Thank you, Mr. Rivers. Sincerely. You’re an incredibly generous man, and I’m grateful.”
My eyes widen in shock. I look around like a cartoon character for a moment, even though nobody is here with me in my office to see the gesture.
“Hello?” she says.
“Yeah... I was waiting for you to say you’re kidding again.”
“I’m not kidding. Thank you.”
“Wow. That’s way more than I was expecting. Thank you.”
“No, no, no. Thank you.” She laughs again.
“Look, I know you donated to that cancer charity because you wanted to get laid. But guess what? I wanted to get laid, too. I understand how a person can have concurrent motivations, as we’ve discussed.
The bottom line is CeeCee would have hired me, no matter what. And that’s the most important thing.”
I feel dizzy with relief. “Let’s celebrate my complete vindication. Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night.”
“I can’t. Sorry. I’m flying to Seattle tomorrow, so I can interview 22 Goats on Friday.”
Sorry, she said. Was that a figure of speech, or is she really sorry to miss the chance to have dinner with me? “When will you be back from Seattle? We’ll do it then.” I’ve managed to keep my tone casual, I think. But, inside, my body is a riot of excitement and hopeful anticipation.
“I’ll be back from Seattle on Saturday,” she replies, her tone as breezy and casual as mine.
“Great. I’ll take you to dinner on Saturday night, and then to New York on Sunday morning.”
“Excuse me?”
My heart is racing. But there’s no turning back now. I’m taking my shot. “I promised to take you to an RCR concert this summer, remember? Well, RCR is playing at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. Your birthday is at the end of this coming week, right?”
“Yes.”
“Well, then, we’ll call the trip a birthday present.
I’ll get tickets to some Broadway shows, too.
How about Hamilton? You should see that one, if you haven’t.
” I hold my breath, awaiting Georgie’s reply.
For the first time since I dropped an atomic bomb onto my own happiness, I feel hopeful. I feel optimistic.
But then I hear Georgina’s voice, and I know I’m sunk.
“Reed,” she whispers on an exhale. “We shouldn’t do this.”
“Why not? You said yourself, we’re friends now. Well, let me take my friend to New York City as a birthday present.”
“If I go on this trip with you, and let you try to ‘seduce’ me again, then what? It won’t end well. We’re doomed. So, what’s the point?”
We’re not doomed, I think. We’re destiny.
“Please, Georgie. I won’t hurt you again.
I promise.” She’s silent. And I’m desperate.
“All right, then. This trip isn’t a birthday present.
It’s a work obligation. I’ve got full discretion as to when and where I make my artists available for interviews.
And I’m only making RCR available to you backstage before their concert at Madison Square Garden. Take it or leave it.”
She scoffs. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Wow, great plan, Mr. Rivers. Bully me into falling in love with you again.”
My heart stops. It’s the first time Georgina’s used the “L” word.
And it only makes me want to come at her that much harder.
“Take it or leave it, Miss Ricci,” I say sternly.
“You can still interview Dean, individually, in Malibu, like we discussed. But this is the only way I’ll serve up RCR to you, as a full band. ”
I can practically hear her eye roll over the phone line. “Fine, ya big dickhead. I’ll take it. But I won’t have dinner with you on Saturday night. And I won’t fly to New York with you. I’ll meet you backstage at the concert on Sunday, with my press pass around my neck.”
“God, you’re even more stubborn than me. I want to take you to my favorite restaurant in Manhattan.”
“And I want to punch you in the face. Sometimes, we can’t have everything we want in life.”
I chuckle, despite my misery. “Georgina, this is stupid. Every time we talk, the chemistry between us is through the roof, and you know it.”
“So what? Chemistry is a shortsighted thing to chase. If I can’t trust you with my heart, there’s no point in moving forward.
Honestly, I wish I could trust you with my heart again, because, apparently, it still belongs to you, whether I like it or not.
Along with my body. But I have to get over you, Reed.
For my own good. You’re nobody’s Prince Charming.
And yet, that’s how I started thinking about you when I was following you around like a smitten puppy for a week.
Is that really what you want? For some pie-eyed smitten puppy to start imagining you’re her Prince Charming? ”
Yes. The word pops into my mind, unbidden. Yes, yes, yes. That’s exactly what I want, as long as the pie-eyed smitten puppy is you.
Georgina continues, “Now, stop trying to bully my affection out of me. Stop trying to buy it. And stop trying to wear me down with all this sweet-talk and razzle dazzle. The answer is no.”
“Georgina, you’ve got to know turning a ‘no’ into ‘yes’ is my favorite thing to do, when I want something badly enough. And what I want is you.”
“No, you don’t. You want the old version of me. The one who let go for you, completely, the night of the necklace. Well, guess what? I won’t be able to let go like that again, because I’ll be imagining you screwing Isabel in that garage.”
I feel too defeated to speak. Too full of despair and remorse.
For the hundredth time since this disaster happened, I think about doing that thing.
.. the thing that would almost certainly exonerate me.
.. but also risk unleashing the kraken on me, and on Isabel, too, in a way I’d live to regret.
Yet again, I decide I simply can’t risk it.
“I’ll see you in New York, Mr. Rivers,” she says, breaking the thick silence. “Backstage at the RCR concert on Sunday night.”
“I’ll book your travel.”
“No. It’s official business, remember? Rock ‘n’ Roll will cover it.”
Emotion threatens. My eyes sting. But I clear my throat and bite back the wave of emotion gripping me. “All right. I’ll see you in New York, Miss Ricci. Travel safe.”