KDBookOnline
Share Us
All the steps were happening at once.
She pressed her palms to her thighs.
“While I was here, Madelynn wanted us to call,” April said. “I wasn’t sure when to get that in.”
“Does she have a speech prepared, too?”
April winced. “Not exactly. I mean, I don’t know, actually. But for sure she has anagenda.”
Katie glanced again at the countertop where her laptop was sitting. She’d had her own agenda for this part of the day. She’d liked her agenda. Screenwriting and Wil sounded a lot better to Katie than getting into two uncomfortable conversations in a row with her team.
But also, April was right. This was what Katie wanted. It was just that she’d hoped to keep her LA life out of Green Bay a little bit longer.
Maybe they were still far enough apart.
She made a gesture, and April magically produced an iPad. Then they were sitting on the sofa side by side, looking at Madelynn in an ugly Christmas sweater and wearing an elaborate headset. In the background, there were two other people pacing around with their own ugly sweaters and headsets. One of them looked like he was yelling at the newel post of the elaborate wrought-iron staircase in a beautiful Spanish Colonial home.
“Ignore them,” Madelynn said, gesturing behind her. “My dad and brother. It doesn’t matter. Katie.”
“Madelynn.”
“Chicago,” Madelynn said.
“Is windy.”
“There is, in fact, alotof wind being generated from Chicago. One of those nasty ones that knock over the garbage cans. I think they call it a Ben’easter.”
Katie dove toward the coffee table for her Danish and put a big bite in her mouth.
“It’s getting worse,” Madelynn said flatly. “Ben won’t shut up. This is how he’s decided to spend the holidays, it seems. As you know, it would be my great delight to take care of this for you. I don’t even need you for that. Let me see.” Madelynn held up a piece of paper and slid her Christmas tree–adorned glasses down her nose to read. “‘He’s a dick.’ I am happy to run with that. Short, to the point. Exactly, exactly correct. Do I have your okay?”
Katie stuffed what was left of her Danish into her mouth.
Madelynn sighed. “You know who called me this morning?”
“You get a lot of calls,” Katie said around her mouthful of Danish.
Madelynn pointed at her through the screen. “I do get a lot of calls. But and however, I donotget a lot of calls from Markham Lockwood, president and chief creative officer at New Line Cinema.” Madelynn smiled.
April squeaked and clapped her hands.
“What?” Katie looked at April. “What’s happening?”
“Power,” April said. “Markham would be the one waiting to hear back on the offer New Line made to Marisol.”
Madelynn nodded. “And Markham, being exactly what we’d like to see less of in this town, listens to people like Ben.”
“Who won’t stop talking about what we’re doing.” April put her arm around Katie.
Finally, Katie understood. “Markham has decided we’re serious,” she said. “He figured out that our production studio is happening, and Marisol’s on board. And if Markham has decidedwe’re serious, it meanseveryonehas decided we’re serious.” Her shoulders got tight.
“Exactly!” Madelynn said. “I hate Ben, but even publicity from a buttwart has a silver lining. His running at the mouth herded you two into a great position.”
“Or a terrible one,” Katie said, “especially for Marisol. Because if Markham thinks she’s turning down New Line and the other studios follow suit, all shehasis us. And we don’t have Honor yet, or a greenlight on this adaptation, so if we don’t get them, all she has isnothing.”
Madelynn snorted and waved her hand like she was shooing away a fly. “Working with nothing is what this town was built on.” She smiled. “I think this is the very first time you’ve provided me with a juicy, flavorful, good-news-bad-news, high-risk publicity situation.” Madelynn sighed. “I really like it.”
Katie’s laptop’s screen had gone dark, and it was dark outside, but she could still see sunlight painted on the floor behind Madelynn. It was sunny in California.