Page 121 of A Shot at Love
“I wouldn’t classify where you’re going as Hell,” her cousin Kandy said from her perch on the bed. While Stacy threw a few panties haphazardly into the suitcase, Kandy removed and neatly folded them.
“What do you call being stuck on a sweltering, smelly, cattle ranch in July with a director who has the temper of an erupting volcano?” Stacy flung open the doors to her closet.
“A strategic career move?”
Stacy’s hands stopped in the middle of hauling out a blouse, turned, and frowned at her cousin. “This isn’t funny, Kan.”
“I know, sweetie, but just think how much Teddy will owe you if you do this for him.”
“Oh, he owes me, all right. Big time. Before I left his office he green-lighted Family Dinners.”
One of Kandy’s perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose a fraction. “I hope you got that in writing.”
Stacy moved from her closet back to her dresser and dug through her humongous work purse. “You bet your sweet ass I did.”
She pulled a folded piece of paper from her wallet. “I had him write and sign this before I agreed to go and had his personal assistant witness and date it to make it legally binding. Here,” she handed it to her cousin. “Read it.”
“ I, Theodore Davis, network programming chef for EBS, agree to green light FAMILY DINNERS for Stacy Peters to develop and produce, and give her carte blanche for the hiring of a series director, star, and staff, after she acts as executive producer for the upcoming BEEF BATTLES contest for EBS, under the directorship of Dominic Stamp.” Kandy set the paper down on her lap. “Wow. He really does want you on this project. Director and star choice is yours. That’s unheard of.”
“I know. His assistant was hyperventilating when she read that part.” She rolled a pair of socks and stopped before throwing them into the suitcase when she spied the folded pile Kandy had made.
Drawing a huge breath, Stacy plopped down next to her cousin. “Tell me I’m not absolutely crazy to be doing this. Please?”
Kandy took the socks and tucked them into the suitcase, then tossed an arm around her cousin’s shoulders and squeezed. “You’re not crazy, Stace. I think I’d classify what you’re doing as a huge step, career-wise.”
“Kinda feels like professional suicide to me.” She stared down at her empty hands.
With another squeeze, Kandy rubbed her free hand along Stacy’s forearm. “You have been a primary producer before. It’s not like you don’t know what you’re doing. Your track record is exceptional. Teddy knows that and is banking on you. Trust me, it won’t be so bad.”
“You’re not the one who’s going to be stuck on some God-forsaken prairie for two months with a director who eats television producers as an appetizer, Kandace Sophia.”
Ever since Teddy Davis had called her into his office that morning, his cryptic summons telling her he had something that needed her immediate attention, Stacy’s stomach had been rolling.
Just a week ago she’d sent him her proposal for a new reality food series she wanted to create and produce called Family Dinners, and had been waiting anxiously for his answer. She knew her concept was sound, had the potential to be a big hit for the network, and was a show that required relatively little in the way of funding. The budget she’d proposed was minor, something she knew the money-conscious programming chief would appreciate.
When Teddy’s assistant had called requesting her presence, Stacy had been filled with equal parts joy and dread. To respond to a production idea in such a short time frame meant he was either thrilled with the concept or hated it. When she’d arrived at his office and been told what he actually wanted from her, Stacy had spent a long moment in panicked fear, and then a quick second on devising a plan that would benefit them both.
She hadn’t grown up seeing her cousin manage a multi-million dollar cooking empire and not learned a thing or two about negotiation. When presented with her ultimatum—because that’s what it had been—Teddy had acquiesced with surprising speed, something Stacy was just now considering.
“I know Dominick Stamp has a volatile reputation when it comes to his work,” Kandy said, “but he really is a top notch technical director. You’re going to learn an awful lot from him.”
