Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 112701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112701 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
“Spencer and Catelyn will team up for a double feature in People and Cosmo. I’ve reached out to a few additional publications, and I’m just waiting on their response. I’ll look for some smaller magazines, including online publications, to focus on AlteredX and Icon as well.”
He nods, not looking up from his computer. “Good. Send me a list of all pubs you’ve reached out to.”
My lips slam together, and my teeth grind at his less than impressed response. Now he needs a spreadsheet of who I’ve contacted? “I didn’t realize I was going to be micromanaged.”
He looks up at me, brow furrowed. “I’m not micromanaging, Miss Bennett. I’m asking so I can send Sergio an update. I told him I’d keep him in the loop.”
Shit. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
My cheeks warm, and I fidget in my seat, wanting to crawl under the desk. I tamper down the embarrassment and dive right into work, hoping the tension dissipates soon.
“What is it you’d like to work on now?”
His jaw ticks, but he eventually looks away from me, eyes back on his computer screen. “I think it’s best if we nail down the ad locations and get some copywriters on board to have the scripts done by this time next week. Holly needs to shoot the commercial before the eighth of May.”
I pull out my phone and check the calendar. Forty-five days as of tomorrow to have this all ironed out and the first commercial shot.
That’s pushing it. Really pushing it. But I won’t say that to Charles.
“When will she be available for more shoots? I’m assuming we’ll roll out a new commercial every ninety days?”
“That sounds about right. She said she could be ready in August.”
“Hmm,” I murmur, thinking things through. “We need a location that can provide four wardrobe changes and be spliced to create multiple ads. To be on the safe side.”
“Very well. Any ideas?” he asks, eyes remaining fixed on his computer.
“I have everything I’ve mocked up on this flash drive if you want to see it,” I say, waving the drive in the air.
He finally looks up and reaches out for the drive.
“Let’s take a look,” he says, motioning for me to move my chair around to sit by him.
My anger prickles.
He hasn’t even seen what I’ve done, and he’s already acting like it won’t be good enough. I’m two seconds away from steam rolling from my ears, and if he bothered to look at me, he’d see how far he’s pushing me. But he doesn’t. He’s back to looking at his damn computer, acting like I’m not here.
He plugs the flash drive in and opens up the file. I wait as he watches the presentation, sorting through the mood boards and locale photos I’ve arranged in various folders on the drive. I’d put together a slideshow for three separate shooting locations and the aesthetics I felt would work best. The sound of him clicking through it makes me anxious. Finally, he gets to the last slide and stops it.
When he looks up at me, he grins. My heart thumps in my chest.
That grin.
His mouth.
Snap out of it. He’s an ass.
“You’ve worked hard on this.”
Obviously, asshat. “Very hard, sir.” The words come out happy, even though I’m spitting nails internally.
“Sir?” He lifts a brow. “I think you can call me Charles after hours, Raven.”
Now it’s Charles? This irritable man is driving me mad. I don’t know which side of him I’m going to get from minute to minute.
A smirk spreads across his face as a myriad of emotions pass through me. I have no doubt he can see them all.
That smirk.
It undoes me.
Drives me crazy.
“This looks like something my other account reps would’ve spent months on. Not a few weeks. I’m impressed, Raven. This is truly amazing.”
Damn straight. Now will you have some faith in me?
I don’t say it out loud, but I should. I need to stand up for myself.
“It still needs a bit of tidying up, though,” I say instead. “I didn’t get a chance, but I have written down a few ideas on how we can tweak it.”
He nods. “Which location would be your top choice?”
I’m struck speechless by this question. He went from acting like I was incompetent to asking for my opinion in the span of minutes.
I flush under the weight of his stare.
Getting to dream up something this big was massive, but actually having a say when so many variables are at play is something else entirely.
Despite the enigma across from me, I’m in heaven even having this conversation.
I take my notepad and move my chair next to him.
“I’d love to shoot AlteredX in Italy.” I flip to a certain slide and start pointing out why. “The beautiful backdrops and the ocean make me want to go exploring. We can have a group of yoga students behind Holly on the beach.” I shrug. “With that backdrop, I could be convinced to throw on yoga pants and join. Plus, yoga is most popular in Italy. It suits.”