“Good enough. Start with today. If you want to end this conference on a high note, stop worrying about what those other women in the room think of you. You can’t change who you are or what type of upbringing you’ve had any more than someone who was born in a slum in Calcutta could. There is a fiery woman inside you dying to get out. You need to let her.”
“Okay, okay,” I say, nodding enthusiastically, even though she can’t see it. “I am going to do exactly what you said Gran, thank you.”
“No, for God’s sake, Arabella!” Gran barks. “Did you not hear a word of the tremendous speech I just made?”
“Of course I did. I was listening very carefully and I intend to take your advice.”
She lets out a frustrated growl. “If you actually understood what I meant, you would’ve told me to fuck off and mind my own business because you could sort this out for yourself.”
I burst out laughing. “I could never say something like that to you.”
“I’m serious. Tell me to fuck off or to bloody well shut up and let you be.”
“No, I couldn’t—”
“Sure you can, and quite frankly, youshould. I can be quite awful to you at times.”
“All right, fine. Stop being so nasty, Gran,” I say, feeling terrified and exhilarated at the same time.
“Watch yourself, child,” she answers sternly. “I won’t put up with any cheek from the likes of you.”
“But you—”
“I know what I said, but I changed my mind. Be a hardass with everyone else in the world. Just not with me. Now, you eat your pancakes and go be incredible. Or don’t. If you’d rather not, don’t be incredible today. Sit there like a very pretty dummy and wait for the entire conference to be over, then come rushing back to your boyfriend, like the very good girl you are.”
22
When You’re Going to Jump the Gun, Make Sure You Bring Friends…
Will
“Thisyou want to sign?”Dwight takes off his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose. It’s late in the evening and we’re sitting at his kitchen table. He’s just finished reading over the twenty-two-page contract drawn up by the lawyers at ABN. “This absolute rubbish contract? When you turned down the deal of a lifetime literally three days ago?”
I give him a firm nod, even though my gut has been churning since yesterday morning in Dylan’s office. “Definitely.”
“You’re the worst client I’ve ever had,” he says, but I can see in his eyes he doesn’t mean it. “Bar none. No one is as excruciating as you.” He drums his fingers on the table and sighs. “These people don’t play nice, Will. Look what they were going to do to Arabella. And now you’re tying yourself to them—exclusively, I might add, which almost certainly means lost opportunities—forthree years. That’s a lifetime in this business.”
“I don’t have a choice,” I say, my muscles tensing up at the thought of what I’m doing.
“Exactly my point. Any time you’re strong-armed into a deal, you’re not going to be the one to come out on top,” he says. “And in this case, they’re absolutely taking advantage of the situation to lock you in for a pittance compared to what they should be paying.”
I brush aside his words, knowing that facing the truth of what I’m doing will only make things much worse. “I can’t let myself worry about any of that. Not with what’s at stake.”
He picks up the contract and thumbs through it again, shaking his head. “It’s very admirable of you to want to shoulder the burden on this one, but I can’t help but think if you just talk to Arabella—”
Holding up one hand, I say, “I’m not changing my mind. This is my chance to step up and do what needs to be done. And after the way I took off on her when Kenneth came along, I don’t care if they asked me to sign a thirty-year contract, I’d do it if it would save her and her family from permanent public humiliation.”
“What if we go to one of the staffers at the palace? Or Prince Arthur? They might have some way to make this go away.” Dwight stands and swipes his mug off the table, then walks over to the counter to refill it with more tea. “I’m not sure if you’re aware of this, but those royals actually have a fair bit of clout.”
I manage a wry grin before shaking my head. “They dislike me enough as it is, Dwight, but at least I have a chance to win them over eventually. If I make them responsible for this mess for my own profit, they’ll have every reason to hate me forever.”
Returning to the table, Dwight sits back down across from me. “This is going to suckhard. You’re selling your soul to the world’s most evil, not to mention irritating, television producer. You’re aware of that?”
“I am.”
“The promotional schedule alone will be god-awful. Have you even looked at what they’ve got you doing over the next three weeks?”
Shrugging, I say, “Small price to pay.”
