Yeah.Friends.Somehow that word stabbed a dart into my heart. “Landon, you’re the best — I mean, that was fantastic, but I have a meeting in the morning. I’ll talk to you later.”
And I grabbed my laptop, retreated to my bedroom and slammed the door, feeling like a complete idiot.
A completely horny chicken-shit idiot who wanted to fuck Landon until the ghosts rose from their graves.
Chapter 15
My cowardly behavior continued the next morning, when I did my routine in the bathroom before Landon woke up, then hid in my bedroom, getting ready for my appointment with Marla the marketer, until he left the apartment. I just wasn’t ready to face him after our close encounter the night before. How was I going to work with him every day? And how awkward would ourBack to the FutureNacho Day date be now?
I checked my email over coffee before I headed out and saw Marla had sent me something. It was the link to Max’s reel, the one that had all but nailed the video marketing job for him. It irked me that someone who was such a prick was getting the exact job I wanted, but I couldn’t help looking at it before I left the house.
I had to admit, it was slick. Most of the clips were from other counties in Florida. He must’ve been doing work for a few years to get these kinds of shots — hot-air balloons, horseback riding with cowboys, a rainbow over shells on the beach, shoppers, divers, glass blowers, outdoor dining, the usual kinds of tourism things. There were even some sexy drone shots of tourist spots. Maybe he’d been an intern somewhere? Because I sure didn’t know his name before now, and I’d done a lot of networking with my classmates and other video and TV people when I worked in Orlando.
I shot the link to a couple of the people I’d been in grad school with and a teacher I really trusted to see if they’d heard of him. Maybe I needed to work at the same places Junior had. I could use this kind of video under my belt if I wanted to throw myself into video marketing … especially since Hollywood was off the table thanks to my asshole ex-boss/ex-seducer.
I sighed and finished my coffee. It wasn’t the time to beat myself up. It was time to enlist Bohemia’s help in marketing the haunted house.
My Toyota grumbled but cranked up as usual, and I made it to downtown in about fifteen minutes. Though we lived in an unremarkable apartment complex away from the historic downtown, I had ambitions to live closer to this thriving hive of art and commerce. In a mansion? Too soon to say, but I loved being near the Bohemia School of Art and Design, galleries like Cali and Wyatt’s, great bars and restaurants. Bohemia had grown a lot since I was a kid here, and I really liked the energy of the place.
The tourism office wasn’t all that far from Milkweed Mansion. It took up one suite in a seven-story building south of the main causeway bridge that crossed the lagoon to Bohemia Beach.
I met Marla in the conference room. One wall was lined with big photos of the river, the beach, downtown Bohemia in Christmas lights, a nighttime rocket launch. Windows made up the opposite wall, and the view did not disappoint.
“Oh, Marla.” We’d been talking for thirty minutes about strategies for marketing the haunted house, and I kept looking out at the dazzling water. “I sure wish I could’ve worked here.”
“Actually,” she said as I turned back to her, “I kind of wish that, too, but I’m not in charge, and you have to understand that Max’s reel blew everyone away. Plus my boss was friends with his father…” She blanched when she realized what she’d said; the gossip mill had wasted no time in revealing how I’d inherited the house fromhisfather.Myfather. “Well, anyway, he didn’t even have to interview. I like you. I think you’d be great. And this haunted house promo video is terrific.”
“Thanks.” We’d hooked up my laptop to their network so she could roll my video on the big TV in the conference room. Itwaspretty damn good. “So you’ll run our press release up the flagpole?”
“Yes, and we should be able to get it approved and sent to theBohemia Bugle,local radio and the Orlando TV stations on Friday afternoon, since October starts on Saturday. Will that work?”
“Sure,” I said, making a mental note to ask Thea and Cali to rush the website by one more day. If they were still talking to me when this was over, it’d be a miracle.
“Great,” Marla said. “I’m sure the TV folks will love covering a haunted house that’s not in a theme park, especially with this video to show.”
“I hope so.” I had my doubts, but getting curious Orlando tourists to come to our coast for our fundraiser would be great.
“I also asked the Bohemia Historical Society president to give me a quote on the historical significance of the place to put in the release, and he says he wants to do a piece about the house on his radio show.”
“Ken Motebarkle? Well, that’s cool,” I said, then noticed the funny look on Marla’s face. “What is it?”
“He doesn’t approve of the haunted house, but he says he’ll give me the quote to help save it. That said, I’m not really sure how nice his radio show is going to be.”
“Oh, good lord. One moment he’s calling me asking me not to knock it down, and the next he’s complaining because I’m not letting it fall down?”
She sighed. “He’d like it to be a museum. I see his point, but this way it’ll sort of be living history that everyone can enjoy. Right?”
“Absolutely. Our goal is preservation, not obliteration. It’s not like it’ll be a haunted houseallthe time.”Except for the strange sounds and weird chills.“If the permits are approved, I promise I won’t turn it into a condoora convenience store.”
She laughed. “You didn’t hear it from me, but you’re going to get some very good news on that front today, contingent on the house passing initial safety inspections. The mayor has lit the fire under everyone involved in this project. With her on the case, you basically have the blessings of the angels.”
“Really? That’s so — sonice.”To my embarrassment, tears welled in my eyes, and I wiped them away. “Damn it. Sorry. I’m just not used to people being so kind and helpful.”
She shrugged and smiled. “Just a suggestion, but it wouldn’t hurt to send the mayor and my boss tickets to the VIP opening.”
“And you! I’ll be glad to. With all the help you’re giving me, I’m hoping we’ll sell out.”
“You will,” she said warmly as she rose, smoothing her suit. It was time to go. “And stay in touch. The next time a job comes open here, I’ll make sure you’re at the top of the list.”
