Page 21 of Spit Screen

“Thanks,” I say. “We both know that doesn’t guarantee any deep pockets will agree.”

Tamara laughs. “There aren’t manydeeppockets left in this town.”

That’s the truth as ever I heard it.

Tamara pushes the packet I gave her aside and takes a deep breath. “You were hoping Christie would sign on to this one, weren’t you?”

I shrug.

“That’s what I thought.” Tamara scratches her brow. “Pretty sure she would jump at the chance to work with Emma.”

“Yeah. I know Emma would love to work with her, too.”

“You’re not thinking of tabling this because we’re headed to Boston, are you?” Tamara asks.

I sigh.

“Addy, no way. No way.”

“Tam, it?—”

“It’s the best I’ve seen from you since you createdOff Screen.”

Before I can respond, Tamara continues.

“And you’ve written some great stuff,” Tamara says. “Thisis different. It feels different. You can’t set this one aside, Addy. Emma will be itching to sink her teeth into this role.”

“I don’t know about that,” I say.

“I do. Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” I ask.

“Like I sprouted another head.”

I laugh.

“Don’t hold this back, Addison,” Tamara says.

“Tam, this is designed to be a traditional network show. I don’t know what I was thinking.” I flop my head into my hands.

“You weren’tthinking.”

My head pops up.

“You werefeeling,” Tamara tells me. “That’s when you’re at your best, Addy. You didn’t try to think up a story. It found you. No one brings that out from you the way Emma can.”

“I know, but?—”

“You and Emma have a connection I envy.”

“Tam, you have a terrific marriage.”

“Yep. I do,” Tamara says. “And I’m not sure I would if it weren’t for you and Emma.”

“Tam.”

“Just listen for a minute. You say you never would have met Emma without me. I could say I never would have met Chris without you and Em. Neither of us knows if that’s true. Things happened the way they did, and we both found someone who will put up with us.”

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