Page 84 of Collateral Damage
It’s Lance Vale.
What the heck is he doing on set? He hasn’t been here once, and every time we have our Friday morning meetings, he’s more interested in lobbying for CEO with me than whatI’mactually doing. That board meeting he was worried about? Didn’t go his way when the board agreed to interview more candidates and reconvene in August. To say he’s not happy about it would be an understatement.
“Everything okay?” I question, sliding between Lance and Ricki.
She turns on me. “Your boss thinks we’re going to cause bad press for Laurence International,” she says hastily. “He threatened to pull funding.”
My stomach drops.
“Is this true?” I turn on Vale.
“We need to talk,” he says gruffly. “Is there somewhere we can go, or should we head to the office?”
He’s looking at me like I’m still the child he met years ago and not the capable adult I’ve become.
I’m immediately annoyed as my lips press into a thin line.
I give Ricki a “don’t worry” look and lead Vale downstairs.
“This is our crew headquarters,” I tell him.
Craft services has just finished preparing lunch, and it’s busier down here than it was upstairs.
Maybe we need to find another place.
I’m tempted to take him into Cooper’s bedroom, but the last thing I need is a rumor that I was seen going into a bedroom with the boss.
“Are you hungry?” I ask. “Looks like it’s a deli spread today. We could grab some food and find some place to talk.”
“No.” He gives me a pointed look, and I sigh.
The third bedroom has been set up for hair and makeup, but since the stars mostly use their own people, this room isn’t in play as often as the others. Sure enough, it’s empty when we go inside.
I still leave the door partially cracked.
“What’s this about pulling funding?” I ask, folding my arms across my chest and standing up to the man who might one day be able to fire me.
“We’re not in the business of skeezy reality television,” he states. “Leave that to King. If they want this show, then by all means, they can have it, but I still don’t think it’s good for us.”
“We’re weeks into filming and have a contractual obligation.”
“I looked at the contract and think there’s a way out of it, but I came here today just to be sure of my decision, and after meeting the cast, I’m certain we need to distance ourselves from this asinine project.”
My mouth pops open. “Are you forgetting why you and everyone else agreed to do this show in the first place?”
“That five percent is not going to make or break us. We should be putting the company first.”
“Weareputting the company first.”
“That five percent is your family’s problem; you’ve made it the entire company’s problem. What happens when this thing airs, and an embarrassing scandal breaks out? What happens when our shareholders demand answers? I’m the one who has to answer to them, not you and not your family. Not anymore. It’s going to be on me.”
The reality of his words sinks in. He doesn’t view my family as important to Laurence anymore.
“But like you said, you’re not the CEO,” I remind him, trying to sound as calm as possible even though I’m seething. “So itwon’tfall on you. And anyway, the show is going to be a huge hit and make us a lot of money.”
His eyes narrow. “I’m not the CEOyet,but I will be.”
I can’t believe this guy.
