“Stop worrying about what things cost,” Ridley said.
“Yeah, whatever it costs, it’s worth spending,” Evie said. “You have to capitalize on this, Shanti. Strike while the iron is hot and all that good stuff.”
“What about what’s his face.” Ridley snapped her fingers. “Come on, what’s Puddin’s fine-ass owner’s name?”
“Thad,” Ashanti said. “He’s required to sign a release for Puddin’ to appear on the show, but the producer asked if I thought he would also be willing to make the trip. I told them I would ask, but he’s never going to go for this,” Ashanti said. “He hates Puddin’.”
“That’s too bad for him, because he has to be there. There is absolutely no way around it.” Ridley made a gimme motion to Ashanti. “Do you have his number in your phone?”
She considered what it would be like to unleash Ridley on an unsuspecting Thad, and decided he didn’t deserve it. Yet.
Ashanti checked the time on her phone. It was a quarter to seven, after business hours.
“I’ll ask him first thing in the morning,” she said.
“No. Tonight,” Ridley said. “I’m about to call Dom right now. By tomorrow morning you’re going to have your boarding passes for your flight to JFK.”
“The producer said they would fly me up there on Thursday.”
“That’s because the producer is thinking abouthisshow. You have got to think of every other outlet that will allow you to keep this story going.” She counted them off on her fingers. “Radio, podcasts, other local New York affiliates. Think of this as the media junket for the Duchess and Puddin’ Show.”
“That’s what I call it too,” Kara said.
Ridley winked at her. “You’re going to give Dom a run for her money soon.” She returned her attention to Ashanti. “Call him, or I will.”
“You don’t have his number.”
“I have my ways,” Ridley said.
Ashanti scooted Duchess into Kara’s lap and pushed herself up from the sofa. “I’ll be right back.”
She walked outside, took a seat on the front step, and pulled up Thad’s number, calling him before she could talk herself out of it.
“Hello,” he answered, his voice a bit unsure, yet still capable of doing…thingsto her.
“Um, hi. This is Ashanti.”
“I know,” he answered. “I saved your number the last time you called.”
That bit of information should not have sent a shock of heat straight through her body, and yet here she was, burning up.
“Is everything okay?” Thad asked.
“Yes. Sort of,” Ashanti said. “This is a very strange request, but—”
“I’m sorry. One sec.” He cut her off. Then she heard, “A second pry bar was delivered with the other supplies we got today. Check out back.”
“Are you still at the house in the Bywater?” Ashanti asked. She hadn’t referred to it asherhouse. Kara would call that hashtag growth.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” was Thad’s reply.
Yet another reason he wouldn’t be able to fly up to New York on a moment’s notice. He’d told her that he was working on a tight timeline to get the house renovated. He wasn’t about to miss out on several days’ work to join her on a morning television show.
Unless…
“How long will you be there?” Ashanti asked.
18
