My Forever Plus-One Read online

  Marcus said, “Tell me a little about what you’ve been working on.”

  “I’ve been with Trent Talks for more than eight years. I started as an assistant and worked my way up.”

  “Why are you looking to move?”

  “I’m ready for a change. I know the Chicago market, and I’ve been thinking about this show for a long time. I believe now is the time to act.”

  “Tell me about the episode that won you the Women in Media award.”

  Her shoulders stiffened, and Owen laid a hand on her thigh. Her smile was barely an upturn of her lips. “We did an episode on the school shooting last year. It was pretty heart-wrenching.”

  “I told Evie it would be a hit. And look, now she’s an award-winning producer.” Donald sat back with a grin.

  Owen gritted his teeth.

  “It was a difficult show to get through. It’s part of the reason why I’m looking to do something lighter. While that type of show has its place, it’s not for me to produce.”

  “Tell me about what you envision this talk show to be.”

  She opened her mouth, but Donald cut her off. “She has six months’ worth of episodes lined up. I’ve seen the host. She’s polished but not Hollywood.”

  After a deep breath, she said, “Marilyn grew up here in the city. She’s connected to people through business and the charity work she does. People genuinely like her.”

  “I think we could have a real winner on our hands here, Marcus.”

  Why the fuck doesn’t Donald shut up?

  “What do you mean, we?” she asked.

  “Didn’t Donald tell you? We’re thinking about working together on this project. Is that a problem?”

  “Of course not,” she said with another forced smile. “The important thing is getting the show to air.”

  Of course not? Owen took a drink to try to swallow down his anger. Didn’t she see how manipulative Donald was being? It was one thing to make an introduction, another to invite himself on board for her project.

  “I’ve put some feelers out and had some conversations. Prime morning would be difficult.”

  Without giving her a chance to respond, Donald jumped in. “The best time to air is early morning. Get the audience involved so they’re talking about us when they get to work.”

  Smoothing her napkin on her lap, she waited for Donald to finish. “I agree with Marcus. I think going up against the Today show or Good Morning America would be a tough sell. They have their audience, and while we might be able to snag a few viewers, we’re not going to be providing the same entertainment. I can send you the market research I have.”

  Marcus leaned forward. “You have market research?”

  “I have friends at a number of studios who were willing to share. I’ve done my homework. The ebb and flow of what people want is swaying again. I believe now is a good time. Audiences are ready for this kind of show.”

  Owen felt a swell of pride. It didn’t matter what Donald pulled. She held her own, not allowing him to muscle his way through what she wanted.

  Dinner arrived, and conversation turned again to more mundane things. Evelyn continued to slide in information about Chicago, people who would make good guests, and the angle she’d take with them. He enjoyed seeing this side of her. The side that was on target and a little cutthroat. It was damn sexy.

  Chapter Eight

  When dinner was finished, Marcus left his card with Evelyn, and she tucked it into her purse. Take that, Donald. I don’t need you to play go-between. Owen excused himself to go the bathroom. While Donald took care of the check, she leaned forward and said sharply, “What the hell was that all about?”

  “What?” He actually had the nerve to look innocent.

  “First, you ran over the top of me every time I attempted to have a conversation—”

  “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t put your foot in your mouth and ruin a good thing.”

  “Are you serious? You just did it again. I’m totally capable of talking to people and pitching my show. I’ve been doing this a long time. And to my second point, what is this about you partnering with Marcus? You didn’t mention anything about that.”

  “I didn’t want you to refuse the meeting because I might be part of the project. Especially since you brought Owen. I think we all know how he feels about me.”

  “You told me you had this great new gig. What happened with that?”

  “Nothing. It’s a limited-run evening special. If it hits big, they’ll probably extend it, but I’m keeping my options open.”

  Owen returned, but didn’t even sit. “Ready?”

  “More than.” She stood and said to Donald, “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon.”

  Donald stood, buttoned his jacket, and said, “Can I have a minute?”

  Owen’s fingers flexed on her lower back. He was being so good tonight.

  She looked at him over her shoulder. “Can you get the car? I’ll be right out.”

  “Fine.”

  Donald came around the table to walk her to the door. “I’m not trying to piss you off, Evie.”

  “Please stop calling me that.”

  He sighed as if she were being insufferable. “I want you to get your show. You deserve it. I have faith in you, and the more people you have backing you, the more likely it’ll be that the show will run.”

  “I don’t like the omissions, that’s all. And I don’t want you to be a part of this if you think our relationship means you can tell me how to produce the show.”

  He chuckled. “Relationship or not, as executive producer, that’s exactly what it means.”

  “You’re not funny.”

  “We make a good team, Ev—Evelyn.”

  “We’ll see. I didn’t offer Marcus an exclusive. I’m still pitching.”

  Owen pulled up in front. She turned and extended a hand to Donald so he got the hint. He shook his head and then took her hand. “I hope he knows how special you are.”

  “He treats me better than anyone ever has.”

  “Ouch.”

  “See you later.” She walked to the car and got in. “Thank you,” she said to Owen when he pulled out into traffic.

  “For what?”

  “Everything. Coming to this boring dinner. Not punching Donald. Going to get the car even though you didn’t want to leave me alone with him. Thank you for being you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’d do anything for you.” They drove in silence for a few minutes. Then he said, “What the hell is up with that guy anyway?”

  “Donald?”

  “How did you stay married to him? He talked over you like you weren’t even there. And he’s going to be your boss now?”

  “Not my boss. It’s not a done deal. There’s something going on. With Donald, there always is. He won’t let me know until it’s useful for him to do so.” She reached across the car and stroked the back of his head. “When we were saying goodbye he asked if you’re good to me. I told him no one has ever treated me better.”

  He barked out a laugh. “That’s mean. But I like it.” He took her hand and kissed it.

  With a man like Owen at her side, she had no more worries about whether she could do this. They truly made a good team. She loved that he believed in her. Owen didn’t question her ability or how she approached things. And he listened when she spoke.

  Until now, she had no idea how fulfilling it was to have a true partner.

  …

  Over the next week, Evelyn had four lunch meetings and two coffee dates to pitch her show. For the first time in years, she felt completely talked out. She sat in Owen’s living room working on the next round of contacts and emailing everyone she’d met with this week. Owen was at the youth center. They were having a fund-raiser all weekend. He’d been there pretty much every hour possible. He was worried because the budget had been cut and usual charitable contributions hadn’t come through.

  She tapped her pen against her notebook in thought. Owen ca
red more about the center than anything else in his life. He loved being a firefighter, but working at the center gave him the chance to impact the lives of kids. She wished she could do more to help.

  An idea suddenly struck. She was planning a TV show based on the premise that Chicago was a great place. Why not highlight the center and its impact on the neighborhood and the kids it served?

  She jotted down some ideas and then paused. Owen had been really upset when she did the school shooting episode of Trent Talks because he thought she was exploiting the kids. He was right. Would this be the same?

  Her phone rang, and she almost ignored it because the thought of having another conversation made her head hurt. The screen showed Marcus’s name, so she answered. “Hello, this is Evelyn.”

  “Hi, Evelyn. It’s Marcus Dielman.”

  “How are you, Marcus?”

  “Good. I hope even better in a few minutes.”

  Her heart picked up. If he were just calling for more information, he’d blurt it out. This was the call. An offer.

  “Yes?”

  “I want your show. I would’ve called sooner, but I wanted to make sure I had the studio space and a place for it.”

  Her breath caught. A place? That was almost too fast. “You mean you have a slot on TV for it?”

  “Assuming we can come to terms on a contract, yes.”

  He continued to talk, but Evelyn had a hard time hearing him. A buzz filled her head. She stood and shook her body out. “I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”

  “How about I have the contract emailed to you? Take a look and let me know what you think.”

  “What about Marilyn? Do you want to meet her?”

  “Of course. Let’s work on getting you on board officially and then we’ll deal with Marilyn. If she’s half as good as you sold her as, we shouldn’t have any problems. Do you have any questions?”

  “Only about a million. But they can keep for now. Thank you.”

  “Don’t need to thank me. Bring me a good show. Look for the contract in your in-box shortly.”

  “I will.” She disconnected and opened her email. She refreshed three times before she realized how ridiculous she was being. She knew better than to get too excited. It might be a shit offer.

  Instinct had her wanting to call Owen, but he was busy with the center. He didn’t need an interruption. Plus, she needed to talk to Marilyn. While another host might work for the show, she really wanted Marilyn. She resisted pressing the button next to Owen’s name and scrolled to Marilyn’s number instead.

  “Hi, Evelyn. How’s it going?”

  “Excellent. I have an offer for the show.”

  “You do?”

  “I don’t have all the details and although they’ll want you to come in, they’re looking for me to sign on first. I’ll know more when I get my contract, but I plan to do everything in my power to make sure you’re part of the package. That is, assuming you still want to?” She paced the room to work off the nervous energy.

  Probie followed her back and forth, almost like he was waiting for her to drop some food. His nails clicked on the hardwood floor, keeping time with her steps.

  “Is the show still like we talked about?”

  “As far as I know. I pitched it the same.”

  “Then I’m in. It’ll be exciting to do something different.”

  Marilyn was a busy woman who was involved with more charities than Evelyn even knew existed.

  “What about your other obligations?”

  A trickle of laughter sounded across the line. “I don’t have too many obligations. I do what I want, when I want. When people call and ask for my help, I get involved if I’m free. Having my own show just means that I say no more often.” The laughter increased. “My own show. That sounds crazy. It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

  She stopped and Probie crashed into her legs, almost knocking her over. “Not crazy. Everyone has to start somewhere. I just wanted to let you know that we have some forward motion. Even if this offer isn’t great, we can use it to leverage another.”

  “How about I let you handle all of that, and you just tell me what to do?”

  “As soon as I get the contract, I’ll have more information, but based on what Marcus said, they’re looking to move on this. They even have a time slot for the show.”

  Marilyn whistled. “So this is really happening.”

  “Unless the contract is ridiculous.”

  “Awesome. I’m looking forward to learning more.”

  They said goodbye, and Evelyn was still filled with nervous energy. “Come on, Probie. Let’s go for a walk.”

  She grabbed the leash and hoped the dog didn’t think she was going to run the way Owen did. A walk would get rid of her excess energy, and she could stop for a bottle of champagne to celebrate with Owen when he got home.

  …

  Owen dragged himself up the front steps and walked into the house. As long as his weekend had been at the center, something in him perked up with the knowledge that Evelyn was here waiting for him. He remembered what she’d said about having someone to come home to. He hadn’t even considered how much he’d missed it until right now.

  In the living room, she had a few candles lit and a bottle of champagne sitting on the table. “Evelyn?”

  She came from the kitchen. “You’re home.” The smile on her face was wide and infectious.

  He smiled in return without having a reason to. “What’s this all for?”

  “To celebrate.”

  He stared at the bottle. The fund-raising efforts this weekend were a relative flop. He had nothing to celebrate.

  “Marcus wants my show,” she explained.

  Over the past few weeks, she’d mentioned so many different names, he took a minute to scan his memory.

  “Donald’s connection,” she provided. “He’s going to send a contract, so it’s not a done deal, but I’m so excited to have real interest. He wants it. He already has a time slot for us.”

  “Congratulations.” He pulled her into a hug. “Does this mean you’re working with Donald all the time?” He tried to keep his question emotionless because he knew he shouldn’t be jealous of her ex, but the man annoyed the hell out of him. He couldn’t imagine having Donald be a regular part of their lives.

  “If he partners with Marcus, he’ll technically be my boss. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be working with me regularly. They make sure the money is there and line up the advertising. They’ll give some direction on the show, kind of like Harry did.”

  “This makes you happy?”

  “If the contract is good, yeah.”

  “Then I’m happy for you.”

  “Even if it comes with Donald?”

  He shrugged. “If he’s your boss, he won’t be able to touch you or hit on you or it’ll be harassment.”

  She laughed and pressed forward to kiss him. Then she poured them each a glass of champagne. “To success.”

  They clinked and drank. When they settled on the couch, she asked, “How did everything go at the center?”

  “Not good. Turnout was lower than we hoped for, and the money is trickling in. We need more of a waterfall.” He leaned back, and she tucked in next to him.

  “I’ve been thinking about the center. How would you feel about me highlighting the center on my new show?”

  “What do you mean?”

  She set her glass on the table and twisted to face him. “I know how protective you are of the kids, and I know my sense of things is a little skewed based on my job. So before I continue, please trust that this isn’t about ratings or exploiting your kids.”

  His neck prickled warily. The only way she would preface a conversation like that was if she thought she might be crossing a line, like she did last year. He swallowed. “Go ahead.”

  “The new show is supposed to be Chicago-centric. I want to show the good side of the city. The youth center is one of those good things. I have a five-part series planned out. It wou
ldn’t be the whole episode but a segment each day showing a piece of what the center does. It would bring awareness and with that attention, hopefully money.”

  He waited, thinking there was something else, some catch. Nothing came. “That’s it?”

  “Well, I have a list of ideas. Like we could do one segment on the sports teams you coach. Another day on the art and tech classes offered. Showcase the students who received scholarships for college. We can interview adults who came up through the center.”

  He listened to her talk and realized that she was mentioning things he hadn’t discussed with her. “How do you know about all that?”

  “I did my homework. I know how important the center is to you. I want to help.”

  His throat tightened. No one had ever stepped up for him like this before. “That would be amazing.”

  She released a long breath. “I thought you might be mad.”

  “Because you want to help the center?”

  She snuggled close to him again. “I thought you might think I planned to use the center to launch the next phase of my career.”

  “I’m not against using something for your career as long as it’s mutually beneficial. That school shooting episode of Trent Talks didn’t benefit anyone except the show.”

  “It brought a wider awareness of the long-term consequences of a shooting.”

  He hated that she still tried to defend that show. “Awareness had nothing to do with it. You wanted to make people cry. You used kids like mine to do it.”

  “And you know I hated that part of it. That’s why I almost didn’t bring this up to you.”

  “You think you can make it happen?”

  “It’s my job to plan the shows. I’m sure in the beginning I’ll have to bring it to Marcus and Donald, but this is exactly the type of episode I pitched to them.”

  “You’re an amazing woman, you know that?”

  She climbed onto his lap. “Yes, I am quite the catch. It’s nice of you to notice.”

  Gripping her hips, he held her snug against him. “And oh so humble.”

  She lowered her mouth to his. She tasted like the champagne they shared. He could sip on her forever. He loved what their relationship was becoming.