Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Iam done.” Paige set her fork down and wiped her fingers on a napkin, the lingering scent of curry and warm spices hanging in the air.
The dining table was crowded with takeout boxes.
The lids were all loose and the rice had cooled.
The naan bread, what was left of it, was still in its white paper bag.
Mostly, though, their stomachs were full.
“Same here. Next time,” Graham said, leaning back in his chair. “We might think about ordering less.”
“You can say that again.” Paige smiled. “Why did we order so much?”
He smiled, reaching for his water. “Because, as the adage goes, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.”
“Very true.” She replaced the lids on the containers and gathered them into a neater pile while Graham took the dirty dishes into the kitchen.
Between them they made short work of cleaning up their Taj Express dinner. Sometimes, it really was nice to order in and not worry about the fuss of going out.
Once they were done, Graham queued up the streaming menu so they could find something to watch.
There was a new movie they’d talked about, but she was open to anything.
The evening had an easy, comfortable feeling, but that’s just how it was with Graham.
It was something she’d come to appreciate.
It seemed to matter less what they were doing and more that they were just doing it together.
She sat down next to him. “I could make some decaf?”
He nodded. “That might be nice with dessert. But I’m not ready for that yet.”
“Neither am I. Intermission.” He’d brought over a tin of what he called chocolate biscuits, but they were cookies by her terms. He’d ordered them from a shop that carried English specialties.
“Perfect. I think I could be ready in a half hour or so.”
They studied the screen as they made a selection, finally deciding on the new movie after all. Graham had just hit Play when her phone buzzed on the coffee table.
She leaned forward to glance at it, expecting a text. Instead, she saw Joe’s name in her email notifications.
“Just a second,” she said, picking it up. “Joe got back to me on the contract.”
Graham paused the movie, remote still in his hand. “That was fast.”
“He said it wouldn’t take long,” she said, opening the message. “Sorry, but I really want to look at this.”
“Go right ahead, this is important.”
“Thanks.” She read through Joe’s email. It was thorough without being overwhelming.
He’d laid things out in bullet points and kept the language simple.
The questions he’d listed out were ones she hadn’t even thought to ask.
And the clauses she hadn’t understood, he’d highlighted and translated into something that made sense.
Paige nodded, her brow furrowing.
“Well?” Graham asked. “What do you think?
“I think I’m very glad I asked Joe to look this over,” she said. “He’s really good.”
She read aloud some of the notes, the ones about exclusivity, about usage rights, about what representation actually meant in terms of what Luminelle expected. Graham leaned closer, reading over her shoulder.
“They want you tied to their brand for a full year,” he said, nodding at one paragraph. “That’s quite a lot to ask.”
“It is,” Paige agreed. “Joe’s questioning whether that locks me out of other opportunities, which I don’t know yet, but I’ll definitely ask.”
She kept reading, the excitement that had woken her earlier that morning tempered by a growing sense of responsibility. This was no longer a passing proposition. This was serious business.
“And here,” she said, turning the phone so Graham could see. “He’s asking about this thing with approval rights over content. Basically, who gets the final say on what I post. I don’t love that.”
Graham’s brows lifted. “I should think not. You’ve done the heavy lifting. You know what your audience likes. What they respond to. What you post should be up to you and no one else”
“I agree with that,” she said. “I’ve built that audience on trust. I really do not want to turn into a walking ad.”
“Nor should you. I imagine that’s the kind of thing that could cause you to lose followers.”
“I think so, too.” She scrolled to the end, where Joe had added a brief note.
None of this is insurmountable, he’d written. Just worth clarifying before you sign anything. Call me tomorrow if you want to talk strategy.
Paige lowered the phone and exhaled.
“Well,” Graham said gently. “Still feeling good about it?”
She thought about that for a moment. “Mostly,” she said finally.
“But I’m going to take Joe up on his offer to talk tomorrow.
I really need to figure this all out before I have my call with Luminelle.
If I’m going to do this, I have to be a hundred percent happy with the deal. And if I’m not, I won’t sign it.”
He nodded. “That’s a wise move.”
She smiled at him, grateful for his calm. “I’m glad you don’t seem threatened by all this.”
“Why would I be?” he asked.
“I don’t know. All the attention. All the opportunities. It will probably mean I’m more focused on the channel for a while.”
Graham reached for her hand. “I’ve spent years watching people chase success until it hollowed them out.
You’re not doing that. You’re being careful.
And even though you’re understandably excited, you’re not letting that emotion rule you.
You are an incredibly smart woman, Paige. Whatever you decide, I will support.”
She squeezed his fingers. “Thank you. I like how clearly you see things.”
“That comes with age,” he said dryly. “And learning from my own mistakes.”
They settled back against the sofa, the paused movie waiting on the screen.
“I’ll reply to Joe and tell him I’ll call tomorrow,” Paige said, tapping away on her phone’s keyboard. “I want him to walk me through the negotiation part.”
“Good plan.”
She sent the message, then put her phone aside and leaned her head against Graham’s shoulder. Whatever happened with Luminelle, she had peace about it.
“Okay,” she said. “Now we can start the movie.”
Graham pressed Play.
The movie turned out to be better than either of them expected. In fact, it was so good, they never stopped for decaf and cookies.
It wasn’t award-worthy, but still plenty smart and funny in the right places. It was the kind of film that held their attention and entertained them without any weepy scenes, which Paige often thought were slightly manipulative.
Halfway through, Graham had put his arm around Paige and she’d settled in against him, absently tracing the seam of his sleeve while the story unfolded on the screen. It was such a nice, low-key evening. Exactly what she’d needed.
And when the credits rolled, it felt like it was ending too soon. But being around Graham was like that. Easy and comfortable. He was wonderful company.
Graham stretched and stood. “That was enjoyable,” he said. “Which is all I really ask of a movie these days.”
Paige smiled. “I liked it, too. Even the ending.”
“That’s how I know you’re tired,” he said.
She laughed. “I am a little. Do you want to take your biscuits home?”
“How about we keep them here for next time?”
“Works for me.”
At the door, he took her hands, kissed her goodnight. It curled her toes in a way she hadn’t known was still possible.
“Sleep well, my darling” he said.
“You, too.”
She watched until his headlights disappeared down the street before locking up and turning out the lights. The house felt quiet again, but not lonely. The scent of his cologne still lingered.
Paige changed into pajamas, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and slid into bed with a deep sigh of contentment.
She reached for her phone, hesitated for a second, then tapped out a message to her daughter. You up? Free to talk for a few?
The reply came almost immediately. Always for my mom. Call me.
Paige smiled and hit the button.
“Hey,” Randi said, her voice bright. “I was hoping you were around. Liam drew you a picture today. I’m putting it in the mail tomorrow.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to get it. My refrigerator is looking awfully bare.”
“You can FaceTime him when you get it. He’ll be tickled to see it there.”
“I love that idea.”
“Did you hang out with Graham tonight?”
“I did. We ordered Indian for dinner and watched a movie.”
“That sounds so nice. Sean and I gave Barkley a bath, then I’ve been doing laundry all day. For dinner, we had leftover pizza while Liam watched Paw Patrol. Sean’s giving him a bath now.”
“I’m not interrupting, am I?” Paige asked.
“No, and even if you were, I’d lie to you.” Randi laughed. “I needed this break. How are things?”
“Really good. I need to tell you what’s going on before I forget any of the details.”
“Lay it on me.”
Paige filled her in on everything—Luminelle, the contract, Joe’s notes, the parts that made sense and the ones that gave her pause. She talked about how exciting it felt to be wanted like that but how important it was to slow down and really look at the details, which Joe had helped with.
Randi listened without interrupting, something Paige appreciated more than she said.
“You’re doing all of this exactly right,” her daughter said when she finished. “You’re excited, you’re cautious, and you’re asking for help. That’s not luck, Mom. That’s a smart business strategy.”
Paige laughed softly. “You always make it sound so straightforward.”
“Because it is,” Randi replied. “You’ve built something genuine with your channel. Of course a company noticed. Just don’t let them rush you.”
“I won’t,” Paige said. “Joe’s helping me figure out what to push back on. We’re going to talk tomorrow to really finalize it.”
“Good. Lawyers are handy to have around.”
Paige smiled. “So are daughters.”
Randi laughed. “That’s right. Call me when you decide what you’re going to do. I’m really excited for you.”
“I will. And not to derail the conversation, but have you heard from your father lately? Is he still pestering you?”
Randi sighed. “Yes, but I’m dealing with it. Hang on.” A few seconds passed. “I gotta go, Mom. Liam’s calling for me. I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
When they hung up, Paige set her phone on the nightstand and reached over for her ereader. As she sank into the story, the house settled around her. Tomorrow would be an interesting day.
She really didn’t know if she was going to take the deal or not, but it was flattering to be asked. She had to weigh things carefully. Joe’s guidance would be welcome, but she wanted more input.
Maybe she’d tell the Queen Bees and see what they thought. They were a wise and thoughtful bunch. It would be worth getting their opinions.
Finally, she put the book aside, turned off the light and lay down. As she closed her eyes, she felt the day fall away.
Things were moving forward in a way she’d never expected, but at least it was at her own pace.
It was good to be in demand. But it was even better to be in charge.