“Does that mean they’re the front runners?” Jane asked. “You haven’t met more than once with the others, right?”
A flush that wasn’t the result of Jane’s makeup tinged Eve’s cheeks. What was that about? Jenna wondered.
“Only because they haven’t been in Atlanta as long. Mackenzie Roussos from SBN got here Monday, and then Chad Everard from CBS showed up this morning. I’ve heard what they have to say and had Dan’s input, as well.” She passed out a sheet of paper with four columns of bullet points. “What I don’t have is your input, and no decision gets made around here without it.”
Jenna took her sheet. It listed all three networks’ proposed deal points, boiled down to their essence, as well as groupings of pros and cons. “Very nice.”
Eve shrugged. “We can’t talk about the future unless we all have the facts. So. I’ll go straight to the bottom line. We have three options. One, we say no to everybody and stay in Atlanta at CATL-TV as we have been. We enjoy what we’ve achieved and build on it. Two, we accept the offer of either SBN or CBS, and pack up and go to New York.”
Zach, Jenna noted, lifted his head like a puppy scenting the great outdoors. Jane frowned, Cole’s arms crossed more tightly, and Nicole looked mildly interested. Hmm.
“Or three,” Eve went on, “we accept CWB’s offer, which is substantially lower than SBN’s, and stay here as one of their affiliates. They’re a young network, still growing, so they don’t have the advertising weight the bigger ones do. But we will have national coverage in the small and medium-sized markets, though it’ll take a while to penetrate the big ones.”
Jenna broke the silence as six people considered the sheet of paper. “In case any of you are factoring the lottery win into this-which I’m sure you are-” She hesitated for a second. “Don’t. Ms. Skinner has informed me through her attorney that she’s not prepared to settle for anything less than an equal share of the prize money. That means we will be taking the case to court. Please consider the networks’ offers independently of any funds you might or might not receive from Lot’O’Bucks.”
Zach groaned, and Cole uncrossed both arms with such force he smacked the arms of his chair. Nicole jumped, and Eve frowned.
“You guys, we knew this,” Eve said. “I’ve told a couple of you that counting on the lottery money when it’s been challenged is like counting on it to snow on the Fourth of July. We’d be stupid to put our lives out on a limb-not to mention our finances and futures-for something that may never happen. That’s why we need to move forward together on this. I want to know how you feel about the networks’ proposals.”
“I’m for New York,” Zach said immediately.
“I’m not,” Cole threw out with the force of an air gun. “I’m not uprooting my girls and dragging them off to a place that may as well be another planet.”
“Yeah, but think of the career opportunities,” Zach said. “You could give them the kind of life they’d never get here.”
“What, away from their family and friends? And what am I supposed to do with them while I’m working the hours that we do? Nuh-uh.” Cole’s arms crossed again, and this time they weren’t relaxed and comfortable. “No networks for me. I’ll stay here and produce a different show, if I have to.”
“Jane?” Eve looked at the end of the table. “What’s your opinion?”
“I’d have to think about it for more than five minutes, but my instinct is to go with CWB and stay put. Yeah, the coverage isn’t as great, but we’ve worked up to regional success. We can work up to the big-city markets, too.” Jane glanced at Nicole, who sat on her left. “What do you think, Nic? You’re the one with out-of-state experience.”
Nicole looked uncomfortable at being the center of everyone’s attention. Or maybe, Jenna speculated, being the new kid on the block, she didn’t think her opinion would hold as much weight as that of the others.
“I-I’m conflicted,” she admitted. “Devon’s family and background are all here. Mine is on the West Coast. A move to New York would take him away from everything he knows, and me even farther away from what I know. I’d talk it over with him before I gave a decision, of course, but if we’re looking for gut reactions, I’d say no to the big networks. Let us stay as we are, where we’re happy doing what we do, or let us go with CWB. Either way, we get to stay in Atlanta.”
Jenna let everyone absorb this for a moment, and then said, “And what about you, Eve? This decision is going to impact you the most. You’re the one bearing the biggest weight, here.”
“Are you hinting that I need to go back to the South Beach Diet?” Eve cracked.
Jenna grinned at her. “Not a chance, girl. Those curves are bringin’ in the male demographic in a big way.”
Eve’s smile dimmed, but didn’t disappear altogether. “I have to say I’m with Jane. The CWB offer has a lot going for it. We’ve built our success in a regional market, and they specialize in that. So what if the big guys have the big markets sewn up-or think they do? We can work up to it. Give ’em a run for their money.” She looked around at everyone, and Jenna saw her straighten her shoulders. “I think we’re ready for the big time, guys. I know I am. We have a good show, a terrific team and a lot to bring to folks outside of Atlanta. I think going with CWB is smart. Not so ambitious we fall on our faces, but still a reach outside of our comfort zone. It’ll stretch us. Make us better, different. We don’t give up anything, and we get a lot. What do you say?”
Jane put up her hand. “CWB.”
So did Cole. “I agree.”
Nicole said, “Me, too.”
“That’s four. Zach?” Eve prompted.
Zach, Jenna thought, had the kind of face that would usually get him what he wanted. But this was bigger than he was. What kind of response would he give?
Zach sighed. “Well, I can’t very well go to New York by myself. Not after everything that happened there. So if you guys are determined to stay, then I’ll stay here, too.”
“Woohoo!” Jane leaped up and gave him a hug, and suddenly it was as if their team had won the hometown game. Everyone hugged the person next to them, and Eve practically disappeared in Cole Crawford’s big embrace.
Only Jenna stood apart, feeling for the first time that tug of absence deep inside. That urge to be a part of something bigger than just family and the horde of girlfriends she went clubbing with on Saturday nights.
When Cole turned toward her and gave her a big kiss, as if she’d had some part in this decision they’d made all on their own, she finally identified the feeling.
She wanted someone of her own to celebrate with. To be a part of. To build something with.
And she wanted that someone to be Kevin Wade.
10
MITCH ALMOST MISSED the call when his cell phone jingled at quarter past six Wednesday afternoon. He backed out of the hotel room’s shower, turned off the water and sprinted over to the bed. The phone vibrated against the glossy veneer of the nightstand.
“Mitchell Hayes.”
“Mitch, it’s Eve.”
It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t control the silly grin that spread over his face at the sound of that husky, musical voice. Good thing there was no one here to see what a goofball he was. He sank onto the coverlet. “Hey, Eve.”
“What could I tell you that would make you really happy right now?”
He paused for a moment to consider several dazzling possibilities. “You’re standing outside my door wrapped in a velvet ribbon and nothing else?”
“You’re lucky I don’t have speakerphone on,” she chided. “Try again.”
“You’re calling to ask me out?”