I sometimes wonder what Kenneth Boulding was thinking when he said,
"Nothing fails like success because we don't learn from it, we learn only
from failure." ...... 'Cause…I don't get it.
The Show Runner's POV
"As the Show Runner, you'll oversee the writing, casting, crew, post
production, episode budgets…"
Tanya was explaining my new role to me in something like Vulcanese as she
walked me around the set and I felt like I was having an out of body
experience, to be truthful.
The words Show Runner still didn't mean much to me and yet, I had a funny
feeling that they would mean the world in the larger scheme of things.
"You'll have final say on all issues from script to air. The Network and Studio,
aka, Carlisle, is the only power that can override you now."
Script to air? Seriously?
I looked over at her in sheer unbelievability.
Then I ran into a random pole that was sticking out of nowhere.
"Shit."
I looked at my shoulder, 'cause…fucking OW.
Was I bleeding? I was pretty sure I was bleeding.
"You'll also be considered the Executive Producer of the show and will be
credited as such in every episode…"
I was still trying to catch up.
In more than just the physical sense.
I mean seriously, what just happened?
"Human Resources, Petty Cash…"
She was pointing at different offices, telling me who the people were in them,
what they were responsible for and most importantly, what they'd be doing
for me.
I think I only heard like, every other word of what she was saying.
Maybe every third.
I mean, how did I go from being a nobody, to…what did she just call me?
Was Executive Producer seriously included in that rant?
"Budget meetings, actor meetings…"
I followed her down the stairs and she lead me to a part of the building I
wouldn't have known existed if she hadn't taken me there.
"Limo can probably pick you up if you want…"
We stepped out of the building to the back of it got into a golf cart type vehicle
that was driven by some dude I hadn't met yet.
"The twins will be assholes, just ignore them, they can eat your shit for all you
care, now…"
Did Bella know?
I really needed to catch up with her later and tell her.
The cart took off before I was all the way seated and I nearly fucking fell on
my ass.
"You're going to be putting in a whole hell of a lot more hours now, too, so
don't think you'll be going out drinking with your buddies every night
anymore…"
If the jack ass hadn't already told her, that is.
"The pay will increase; eventually…don't worry about that…"
Wait…
What?
"He's gonna pay me…how much?" I was stumbling to keep up with Tanya as
we got out of the golf cart mobile and then back into another section of the
building. She walked a little faster than me on a good day with her long ass
legs and today, she was a woman on a mission.
Insert look of utter frustration here.
"Seventy-Five," she answered, then looked at me cockeyed and sideways.
"Plus bonuses, of course, based on ratings," she added.
When I didn't answer right away, she proceeded to explain, "It's average pay
for a Show Runner, Edward, you should be happy with it, and considering that
you're so new to the business, I think…."
"S…seventy five…no, that's, way more than what I was making, I mean,
seventy-five hundred plus what I make at Jasper's should…"
She stopped and I kept walking until I realized she wasn't next to me
anymore.
And since I had no idea where we were going next, I stopped and looked back
at her. She was gawking at me with her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth
was slightly cocked to one side.
"What?"
She laughed and shook her head at me. "You are…so green."
"Why?" I asked, "What do you mean?"
She started walking again and caught up to me, then we continued on
together through the back of the inside lot. "I mean, that when I say Seventy-
Five…I'm referring to Seventy-Five…thousand, Edward, not hundred."
Then it was my turn to stop.
And proceed to fall flat onto my face.
…
"Are you okay?" Tanya was asking me a few minutes later while she dabbed a
cold, wet wash cloth across my forehead.
Her face was still a little blurry and I could still see stars but at least I was
conscious.
I blinked.
"Ummm…yeah, I…think so," I answered, trying to sit up.
She helped me to stand and then proceeded to continue with the tour like I
hadn't just fainted my ass off.
You really have to appreciate her enthusiasm for her job, at the very
minimum.
"You'll need to join the Writer's Guild, I'll have C's assistant help you with the
paperwork."
Seventy…Five…Thousand…Dollars?
Did I hear that right?
"And there will be Meet & Greets, interviews…probably a photo shoot for the
show now that the news is out…"
A year?
"There's a few that are coming up that I can…"
Seventy…
"And the attire…psh!"
Five…
"Maybe we can have Alice…"
THOUSAND.
"Because god KNOWS you aren't…"
Dollars.
A YEAR.
"Woooooooooot!" I screamed, pumping my fist into the air.
Holy shit.
"Edward?"
Was she talking to me?
I could totally get my own place with seventy-five-thousand dollars.
"Edward…"
I could afford to take Bella out properly with seventy-five-thousand dollars.
"Edward!"
I'd suddenly become some serious competition for Mr. Halloway with
seventy…five…thousand dollars.
"Hey, Jackass!" I was being shaken.
"What? Sorry." I cleared my throat a little.
Tanya stopped, turned to me, raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms.
"Sorry?" I repeated, biting my lip to keep from grinning like an idiot.
SeventyFiveThousanddollars!
"Do you have any questions?"
Uhhh…
OH!
"Can I fire James?"
"Negative."
Damn.
"You need to learn to get along with him, he's not going anywhere, and this
isn't Kindergarten, so you won't have Carlisle there whenever he's being a
dick."
Hmmmmmm.
"Hey, what are meets and what's its?"
"What?" Seriously? She was acting like I was the one talking in another
language?
"A minute ago, you said something about meets and some things."
"Meet and Greets, it's where you meet producers, directors, other writers, it's
way to get your name out there and make a good impression."
Yikes.
"I'm afraid you're not gonna have a whole lotta time to spend with your
girlfriend."
I laughed, like the guilty idiot I was. "My what?"
She looked at me like if I tried lying to her she'd pull my tongue out with her
bare hands. "Right," I finally said.
Apparently Tanya didn't miss much.
She didn't mention it again, she just assumed I'd tuck that information away.
Which I did.
Once we got back around to where we'd started our tour, Tanya gave a lunch
order to an intern and I looked for Bella.
Who was in somewhat of a meeting of her own it appeared, which included
but was not limited to James…so she was unapproachable for the moment.
She did catch me admiring her though, and threw a very seductress type Bella
smile at me before being pulled back into discussions.
Actors shit, I was guessing.
"There he is!" James yelled when he caught our eye contact. "Come on over
here, Edward!"
I scowled because, seriously?
What were we, buddies now?
I tentatively walked over and he clapped a hand around my shoulder.
"Meet your new Show Runner, everyone, and oh, in case you're getting any
funny ideas about giving him a hard time…" he whispered the next part and
pointed to me with his thumb. "The big guy's nephew."
Oh man, what a dick.
I got some looks.
Including an odd one from Bella that I couldn't quite figure out, although, she
was then the first person to say, "Congratulations, Edward," with that Bella
smile I adore so much.
My heart pounded when she smiled.
But then it faded.
I don't know what came over me at that point but there was just no way I was
gonna let this ass wipe get the best of me, again.
I smiled and returned the shoulder clap to James, then got my Shrek on,
looking around the small circle as thought I was telling an scary story.
"Yah, and wee Jay-umms herl ezzan't rahlated tew ennay wun, ann yet hayes
stell a deck."
I nodded and winked and I don't rightly know how anyone else reacted to that
little diddy, but the look on James's face made it oh so worth saying, and it
seriously made my day a lot better.
His smile dissipated, his snarky body language, gone, and when his mouth fell
open from shock, you really and truly got a wiff of his morning breath.
Whew!
Not pretty, folks.
I think my eyebrows spontaneously combusted.
I felt great all of a sudden.
And with that, I gave Bella a special I wanna take you home so bad kinda
wink, then turned and walked away listening to the, "daaaaay-ums" and
"snaps" and even one or two "what the hell did he just say?" comments from
the small crowd and didn't bother looking back.
I had to chuckle to myself, 'cause seriously, that was fucking awesome!
"Think you're funny, Cullen?" James asked me, pulling at my arm to stop me.
I glanced over his shoulder to see the crowd snickering. All except for Bella
that is. She was just kind of watching us with a look of worry on her features
that I didn't like.
I leaned back in and looked James right in the eyes.
It was pretty amazing what a new job title and some money in the bank did for
one's ego and motivational inspiration to be a dick to, well, dicks.
"Eye…Lukes like I'm not the only one, ladday," I told him, squinching my eyes
a little and clicking my teeth.
He did this half looking over his shoulder, half keeping an eye on me thing and
then smiled a sickening, evil smile at me.
It was…really weird.
"Bella doesn't like vindictive, Edward, you're not going to win her over this
way."
I leaned in, shredding the Shrek-meister and getting a little serious on the guy.
"Well, maybe I'll win her over with my new pay raise and unfailing charm,
then."
And a little bit of oral satisfaction in between there somewhere.
Hopefully.
He leaned in as well and now we were toe to toe, nose to nose.
"I've got more charm in my little pinky than you have in your entire six foot,
one inch, hundred and eighty pound when wet body, Cullen, she'll be back,
and she'll forget all about your cute yet immature personality in no time."
And again, I was finding myself asking, why does he even care?
"Six foot, one and a half inches…" I said, standing a little taller…then added,
"And it's more like one-ninety-eight."
Nothin'.
Clearly this guy does not appreciate sarcasm.
"And I'm not sure if you'll be able to spread that charm you claim to have
around when you're busy keeping the red head happy, she doesn't seem the
sharing type."
"The red head is none of your business, Show Runner."
"I think she'd disagree, James."
He didn't bother answering that time. Instead, he sneered at me and then
walked back to his little pow wow.
Bella was no longer watching and I couldn't seem to grab her attention but I
figured I'd see her la…ter…
Hmmmmm.
Maybe not with the budget meeting…but I'd get in contact with her, and when
I did, I'd ask her out on a real date, now that my relationship with Carlisle was
out and no one…important anyway, seemed to give a shit…
With the promotion and some serious money making its way to my pockets, I
didn't see what the issue would be anymore.
Do you?
I was in the middle of texting Bella to ask about maybe meeting up later, as
well as working my way through how completely perfect my life was turning
out and what a brilliant idea it was to accept Carlisle's offer to come to New
York when I heard Emmett beside me, suddenly.
"Dude," he said, pushing me down a hallway where no one seemed to be
lurking. "Am I hearing correctly today?"
"would love to, seems you have some news," Bella typed back.
Sweet.
"Ummmm…if you're referring to the fact that Carlisle just fucking promoted me
to something called a Show Runner and totally told James to fuck off then,
yeah!"
I couldn't hide the excitement; it was just ridiculous to me, still.
But I was getting used to it.
"Holy shit!" he whisper yelled and gave me a high five when we thought no
one was looking.
Why we cared is beyond even my comprehension.
"We completely need to go celebrate this shit."
"That won't be happening," Tanya informed us from out of fucking nowhere.
Emmett stood up a little straighter, but didn't leave.
Yet.
"He's got a budget meeting at six, who knows how long that will go on for…"
Greeeeeaaaaaat.
"And Carlisle's setting up a celebratory dinner for tomorrow night," she said,
and then eyed Emmett. "Everyone's expected to be there."
"Gotcha Tan," he said and then clicked his heels and gave her a salute before
spinning around, marching off like he was a goddamn army runt or something
and Tanya rolled her eyes, motioning for me to follow her.
"We'll fit a real celebration in somewhere, dude…" Emmett texted from over
by his camera crew.
I smiled reading it before joining Tanya back in her office for round two of
information overload.
…
"I just don't know if I'm cut out for this shit," I told her after listening to every
crumb of detail about what would be expected of me.
I spent a lot more time focusing on what she was saying this time instead of
doing the internal suppressed cartwheels over my newly acquired paycheck.
"Edward." Tanya leaned forward onto her elbows that were leaning on her
desk. "Carlisle wouldn't have put you in this position if he didn't think you could
handle it."
"Yeah, but…budgets?"
I didn't even have my own checking account, for crying out loud.
She waved it off like it was a bug in her face.
"Just numbers…all that's important to you is the bottom line…you get
everyone else to worry about staying within their own smaller, not so bottom
line numbers and you're good to go."
Interesting concept.
"Does, James have a budget?"
Maybe I could get his goat that way.
She didn't answer me though, she just rolled her eyes and shook her head
and wrote something down onto a sticky note. When she handed me what
she'd written I scrunched my nose a little.
"What in the hell is..."
"That's where your promotion dinner is being held tomorrow, don't be late,
Carlisle doesn't like late, whether you're related to him or not."
She wasn't being a bitch, she was just…being Tanya.
I turned to leave but she stopped me one more time, handing me another
piece of paper.
"What's this?"
"That's an advance on your pay, it's all payroll could afford to dish out today,
but you'll get the rest on Friday."
I looked at the check in my hand and smiled wide, knowing exactly what I'd be
doing with it almost immediately.
…
By the time the budget meeting was over that night, it was late.
Tanya hadn't been kidding when she said I wouldn't have much time to
myself. I barely had time to reply to Bella's message confirming our…meeting.
I didn't know if the projections that were being discussed were the numbers I
was supposed to try and hit, or avoid, or whether they were the bottom line,
top line, middle line or being lined up for a firing squad.
Or maybe that was me.
They talked about profit margins and bonus strategies, upgrades, downsizes,
cast sizes and whether or not outsourcing was a possibility for WESME.
Carlisle used the word fuck a few more times in that discussion and I liked that
guy more and more every time he did it.
I just tried to look like I was contemplating shit most of the time throughout the
meeting but really, my head was spinning.
So I made little paper animals to help get my mind to relax.
Adding to my anxiety though, was the fact that I was supposed to not only
come up with some new ideas for the following weeks episode myself, but go
over the other writers ideas, decided which ones fit and which ones would be
booted, layout the marks, decide where our off site shots would be done,
arrange for an actor's briefing, prepare for those interviews Tanya had
mentioned and get fitted for some photo shoots.
Jesus.
My head nodded in sleepy discomfort a few times toward the end of the night
but thankfully, I was graciously nudged by Tanya, warning me to wake the hell
up.
I think she left a bruise or two.
The whole experience was very frustrating because at first I thought I'd just
come up with at least my ideas during the meeting, but the fast pace of it
didn't leave me much creative leeway for thinking up shit that would go into
the next episode of Steele so I tried to go over some ideas on my walk back to
Emmett's place.
Which is why I didn't notice that my phone was buzzing.
When I got to Em's, it was dark, so I had to assume he was either already
asleep…doubtful…or out with the group and since there was no way I was
opening his bedroom door to find out the answer to that question, I grabbed a
Pepsi Max out of the fridge, sat down and pulled out my laptop, then typed as
fast as my fingers would allow someone with limited experience in typing shit
before I'd forgotten the things I really didn't want to forget.
By the time I finished with the ideas in my head, it was close to two am.
I saved the file, leaned back and crashed on the couch, fully clothed, not really
giving a shit about that fact.
I vaguely remember thinking about Bella and how I wanted to text her, or, see
her, or, just hear her voice…maybe find out what her thoughts were on this
whole, Show Runner thing but I was unconscious by the time I'd even made
the though half way coherent.
I woke up entirely too early the following morning…or…shall I say, a few
hours later, to a text on my cell phone.
It was from Tanya.
Apparently I needed to see Alice about a tux for the dinner Carlisle was
hosting, in…
I looked at the clock on Emmett's microwave.
About twelve hours.
God, did that woman EVER sleep?
Seriously.
After I took the world's fastest shower while coming up with a few more ideas I
would need to jot down at the station, I grabbed another soda from the fridge
and darted out for another day of…work.
Blech.
I grabbed my iPhone and started to shove it into my jacket pocket when I
noticed I had about five missed texts from over night.
They were all from, Bella.
Shit.
"Shit."
I read them over.
Although they started out sweet, like Bella...each one seemed to give off a
little more annoyance then the previous one...I looked at the time again and
knew it was too early for even her to be up, so I figured I'd just catch her at the
studio when she got in, later.
Maybe take her some flowers.
And jewelry...women liked jewelry, right?
Okay, maybe not Bella, she wasn't into stuff like that...but the flowers, yeah, I
needed to make a stop before I went in, they would give me some leverage, I
thought.
Plus, I figured, I was Show Runner, superior to all but Carlisle Cullen.
Therefore, she had to forgive me.
Right?
Hey, it was worth a shot.
"Nothing fails like success because we don't learn from it, we learn only
from failure." ...... 'Cause…I don't get it.
The Show Runner's POV
"As the Show Runner, you'll oversee the writing, casting, crew, post
production, episode budgets…"
Tanya was explaining my new role to me in something like Vulcanese as she
walked me around the set and I felt like I was having an out of body
experience, to be truthful.
The words Show Runner still didn't mean much to me and yet, I had a funny
feeling that they would mean the world in the larger scheme of things.
"You'll have final say on all issues from script to air. The Network and Studio,
aka, Carlisle, is the only power that can override you now."
Script to air? Seriously?
I looked over at her in sheer unbelievability.
Then I ran into a random pole that was sticking out of nowhere.
"Shit."
I looked at my shoulder, 'cause…fucking OW.
Was I bleeding? I was pretty sure I was bleeding.
"You'll also be considered the Executive Producer of the show and will be
credited as such in every episode…"
I was still trying to catch up.
In more than just the physical sense.
I mean seriously, what just happened?
"Human Resources, Petty Cash…"
She was pointing at different offices, telling me who the people were in them,
what they were responsible for and most importantly, what they'd be doing
for me.
I think I only heard like, every other word of what she was saying.
Maybe every third.
I mean, how did I go from being a nobody, to…what did she just call me?
Was Executive Producer seriously included in that rant?
"Budget meetings, actor meetings…"
I followed her down the stairs and she lead me to a part of the building I
wouldn't have known existed if she hadn't taken me there.
"Limo can probably pick you up if you want…"
We stepped out of the building to the back of it got into a golf cart type vehicle
that was driven by some dude I hadn't met yet.
"The twins will be assholes, just ignore them, they can eat your shit for all you
care, now…"
Did Bella know?
I really needed to catch up with her later and tell her.
The cart took off before I was all the way seated and I nearly fucking fell on
my ass.
"You're going to be putting in a whole hell of a lot more hours now, too, so
don't think you'll be going out drinking with your buddies every night
anymore…"
If the jack ass hadn't already told her, that is.
"The pay will increase; eventually…don't worry about that…"
Wait…
What?
"He's gonna pay me…how much?" I was stumbling to keep up with Tanya as
we got out of the golf cart mobile and then back into another section of the
building. She walked a little faster than me on a good day with her long ass
legs and today, she was a woman on a mission.
Insert look of utter frustration here.
"Seventy-Five," she answered, then looked at me cockeyed and sideways.
"Plus bonuses, of course, based on ratings," she added.
When I didn't answer right away, she proceeded to explain, "It's average pay
for a Show Runner, Edward, you should be happy with it, and considering that
you're so new to the business, I think…."
"S…seventy five…no, that's, way more than what I was making, I mean,
seventy-five hundred plus what I make at Jasper's should…"
She stopped and I kept walking until I realized she wasn't next to me
anymore.
And since I had no idea where we were going next, I stopped and looked back
at her. She was gawking at me with her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth
was slightly cocked to one side.
"What?"
She laughed and shook her head at me. "You are…so green."
"Why?" I asked, "What do you mean?"
She started walking again and caught up to me, then we continued on
together through the back of the inside lot. "I mean, that when I say Seventy-
Five…I'm referring to Seventy-Five…thousand, Edward, not hundred."
Then it was my turn to stop.
And proceed to fall flat onto my face.
…
"Are you okay?" Tanya was asking me a few minutes later while she dabbed a
cold, wet wash cloth across my forehead.
Her face was still a little blurry and I could still see stars but at least I was
conscious.
I blinked.
"Ummm…yeah, I…think so," I answered, trying to sit up.
She helped me to stand and then proceeded to continue with the tour like I
hadn't just fainted my ass off.
You really have to appreciate her enthusiasm for her job, at the very
minimum.
"You'll need to join the Writer's Guild, I'll have C's assistant help you with the
paperwork."
Seventy…Five…Thousand…Dollars?
Did I hear that right?
"And there will be Meet & Greets, interviews…probably a photo shoot for the
show now that the news is out…"
A year?
"There's a few that are coming up that I can…"
Seventy…
"And the attire…psh!"
Five…
"Maybe we can have Alice…"
THOUSAND.
"Because god KNOWS you aren't…"
Dollars.
A YEAR.
"Woooooooooot!" I screamed, pumping my fist into the air.
Holy shit.
"Edward?"
Was she talking to me?
I could totally get my own place with seventy-five-thousand dollars.
"Edward…"
I could afford to take Bella out properly with seventy-five-thousand dollars.
"Edward!"
I'd suddenly become some serious competition for Mr. Halloway with
seventy…five…thousand dollars.
"Hey, Jackass!" I was being shaken.
"What? Sorry." I cleared my throat a little.
Tanya stopped, turned to me, raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms.
"Sorry?" I repeated, biting my lip to keep from grinning like an idiot.
SeventyFiveThousanddollars!
"Do you have any questions?"
Uhhh…
OH!
"Can I fire James?"
"Negative."
Damn.
"You need to learn to get along with him, he's not going anywhere, and this
isn't Kindergarten, so you won't have Carlisle there whenever he's being a
dick."
Hmmmmmm.
"Hey, what are meets and what's its?"
"What?" Seriously? She was acting like I was the one talking in another
language?
"A minute ago, you said something about meets and some things."
"Meet and Greets, it's where you meet producers, directors, other writers, it's
way to get your name out there and make a good impression."
Yikes.
"I'm afraid you're not gonna have a whole lotta time to spend with your
girlfriend."
I laughed, like the guilty idiot I was. "My what?"
She looked at me like if I tried lying to her she'd pull my tongue out with her
bare hands. "Right," I finally said.
Apparently Tanya didn't miss much.
She didn't mention it again, she just assumed I'd tuck that information away.
Which I did.
Once we got back around to where we'd started our tour, Tanya gave a lunch
order to an intern and I looked for Bella.
Who was in somewhat of a meeting of her own it appeared, which included
but was not limited to James…so she was unapproachable for the moment.
She did catch me admiring her though, and threw a very seductress type Bella
smile at me before being pulled back into discussions.
Actors shit, I was guessing.
"There he is!" James yelled when he caught our eye contact. "Come on over
here, Edward!"
I scowled because, seriously?
What were we, buddies now?
I tentatively walked over and he clapped a hand around my shoulder.
"Meet your new Show Runner, everyone, and oh, in case you're getting any
funny ideas about giving him a hard time…" he whispered the next part and
pointed to me with his thumb. "The big guy's nephew."
Oh man, what a dick.
I got some looks.
Including an odd one from Bella that I couldn't quite figure out, although, she
was then the first person to say, "Congratulations, Edward," with that Bella
smile I adore so much.
My heart pounded when she smiled.
But then it faded.
I don't know what came over me at that point but there was just no way I was
gonna let this ass wipe get the best of me, again.
I smiled and returned the shoulder clap to James, then got my Shrek on,
looking around the small circle as thought I was telling an scary story.
"Yah, and wee Jay-umms herl ezzan't rahlated tew ennay wun, ann yet hayes
stell a deck."
I nodded and winked and I don't rightly know how anyone else reacted to that
little diddy, but the look on James's face made it oh so worth saying, and it
seriously made my day a lot better.
His smile dissipated, his snarky body language, gone, and when his mouth fell
open from shock, you really and truly got a wiff of his morning breath.
Whew!
Not pretty, folks.
I think my eyebrows spontaneously combusted.
I felt great all of a sudden.
And with that, I gave Bella a special I wanna take you home so bad kinda
wink, then turned and walked away listening to the, "daaaaay-ums" and
"snaps" and even one or two "what the hell did he just say?" comments from
the small crowd and didn't bother looking back.
I had to chuckle to myself, 'cause seriously, that was fucking awesome!
"Think you're funny, Cullen?" James asked me, pulling at my arm to stop me.
I glanced over his shoulder to see the crowd snickering. All except for Bella
that is. She was just kind of watching us with a look of worry on her features
that I didn't like.
I leaned back in and looked James right in the eyes.
It was pretty amazing what a new job title and some money in the bank did for
one's ego and motivational inspiration to be a dick to, well, dicks.
"Eye…Lukes like I'm not the only one, ladday," I told him, squinching my eyes
a little and clicking my teeth.
He did this half looking over his shoulder, half keeping an eye on me thing and
then smiled a sickening, evil smile at me.
It was…really weird.
"Bella doesn't like vindictive, Edward, you're not going to win her over this
way."
I leaned in, shredding the Shrek-meister and getting a little serious on the guy.
"Well, maybe I'll win her over with my new pay raise and unfailing charm,
then."
And a little bit of oral satisfaction in between there somewhere.
Hopefully.
He leaned in as well and now we were toe to toe, nose to nose.
"I've got more charm in my little pinky than you have in your entire six foot,
one inch, hundred and eighty pound when wet body, Cullen, she'll be back,
and she'll forget all about your cute yet immature personality in no time."
And again, I was finding myself asking, why does he even care?
"Six foot, one and a half inches…" I said, standing a little taller…then added,
"And it's more like one-ninety-eight."
Nothin'.
Clearly this guy does not appreciate sarcasm.
"And I'm not sure if you'll be able to spread that charm you claim to have
around when you're busy keeping the red head happy, she doesn't seem the
sharing type."
"The red head is none of your business, Show Runner."
"I think she'd disagree, James."
He didn't bother answering that time. Instead, he sneered at me and then
walked back to his little pow wow.
Bella was no longer watching and I couldn't seem to grab her attention but I
figured I'd see her la…ter…
Hmmmmm.
Maybe not with the budget meeting…but I'd get in contact with her, and when
I did, I'd ask her out on a real date, now that my relationship with Carlisle was
out and no one…important anyway, seemed to give a shit…
With the promotion and some serious money making its way to my pockets, I
didn't see what the issue would be anymore.
Do you?
I was in the middle of texting Bella to ask about maybe meeting up later, as
well as working my way through how completely perfect my life was turning
out and what a brilliant idea it was to accept Carlisle's offer to come to New
York when I heard Emmett beside me, suddenly.
"Dude," he said, pushing me down a hallway where no one seemed to be
lurking. "Am I hearing correctly today?"
"would love to, seems you have some news," Bella typed back.
Sweet.
"Ummmm…if you're referring to the fact that Carlisle just fucking promoted me
to something called a Show Runner and totally told James to fuck off then,
yeah!"
I couldn't hide the excitement; it was just ridiculous to me, still.
But I was getting used to it.
"Holy shit!" he whisper yelled and gave me a high five when we thought no
one was looking.
Why we cared is beyond even my comprehension.
"We completely need to go celebrate this shit."
"That won't be happening," Tanya informed us from out of fucking nowhere.
Emmett stood up a little straighter, but didn't leave.
Yet.
"He's got a budget meeting at six, who knows how long that will go on for…"
Greeeeeaaaaaat.
"And Carlisle's setting up a celebratory dinner for tomorrow night," she said,
and then eyed Emmett. "Everyone's expected to be there."
"Gotcha Tan," he said and then clicked his heels and gave her a salute before
spinning around, marching off like he was a goddamn army runt or something
and Tanya rolled her eyes, motioning for me to follow her.
"We'll fit a real celebration in somewhere, dude…" Emmett texted from over
by his camera crew.
I smiled reading it before joining Tanya back in her office for round two of
information overload.
…
"I just don't know if I'm cut out for this shit," I told her after listening to every
crumb of detail about what would be expected of me.
I spent a lot more time focusing on what she was saying this time instead of
doing the internal suppressed cartwheels over my newly acquired paycheck.
"Edward." Tanya leaned forward onto her elbows that were leaning on her
desk. "Carlisle wouldn't have put you in this position if he didn't think you could
handle it."
"Yeah, but…budgets?"
I didn't even have my own checking account, for crying out loud.
She waved it off like it was a bug in her face.
"Just numbers…all that's important to you is the bottom line…you get
everyone else to worry about staying within their own smaller, not so bottom
line numbers and you're good to go."
Interesting concept.
"Does, James have a budget?"
Maybe I could get his goat that way.
She didn't answer me though, she just rolled her eyes and shook her head
and wrote something down onto a sticky note. When she handed me what
she'd written I scrunched my nose a little.
"What in the hell is..."
"That's where your promotion dinner is being held tomorrow, don't be late,
Carlisle doesn't like late, whether you're related to him or not."
She wasn't being a bitch, she was just…being Tanya.
I turned to leave but she stopped me one more time, handing me another
piece of paper.
"What's this?"
"That's an advance on your pay, it's all payroll could afford to dish out today,
but you'll get the rest on Friday."
I looked at the check in my hand and smiled wide, knowing exactly what I'd be
doing with it almost immediately.
…
By the time the budget meeting was over that night, it was late.
Tanya hadn't been kidding when she said I wouldn't have much time to
myself. I barely had time to reply to Bella's message confirming our…meeting.
I didn't know if the projections that were being discussed were the numbers I
was supposed to try and hit, or avoid, or whether they were the bottom line,
top line, middle line or being lined up for a firing squad.
Or maybe that was me.
They talked about profit margins and bonus strategies, upgrades, downsizes,
cast sizes and whether or not outsourcing was a possibility for WESME.
Carlisle used the word fuck a few more times in that discussion and I liked that
guy more and more every time he did it.
I just tried to look like I was contemplating shit most of the time throughout the
meeting but really, my head was spinning.
So I made little paper animals to help get my mind to relax.
Adding to my anxiety though, was the fact that I was supposed to not only
come up with some new ideas for the following weeks episode myself, but go
over the other writers ideas, decided which ones fit and which ones would be
booted, layout the marks, decide where our off site shots would be done,
arrange for an actor's briefing, prepare for those interviews Tanya had
mentioned and get fitted for some photo shoots.
Jesus.
My head nodded in sleepy discomfort a few times toward the end of the night
but thankfully, I was graciously nudged by Tanya, warning me to wake the hell
up.
I think she left a bruise or two.
The whole experience was very frustrating because at first I thought I'd just
come up with at least my ideas during the meeting, but the fast pace of it
didn't leave me much creative leeway for thinking up shit that would go into
the next episode of Steele so I tried to go over some ideas on my walk back to
Emmett's place.
Which is why I didn't notice that my phone was buzzing.
When I got to Em's, it was dark, so I had to assume he was either already
asleep…doubtful…or out with the group and since there was no way I was
opening his bedroom door to find out the answer to that question, I grabbed a
Pepsi Max out of the fridge, sat down and pulled out my laptop, then typed as
fast as my fingers would allow someone with limited experience in typing shit
before I'd forgotten the things I really didn't want to forget.
By the time I finished with the ideas in my head, it was close to two am.
I saved the file, leaned back and crashed on the couch, fully clothed, not really
giving a shit about that fact.
I vaguely remember thinking about Bella and how I wanted to text her, or, see
her, or, just hear her voice…maybe find out what her thoughts were on this
whole, Show Runner thing but I was unconscious by the time I'd even made
the though half way coherent.
I woke up entirely too early the following morning…or…shall I say, a few
hours later, to a text on my cell phone.
It was from Tanya.
Apparently I needed to see Alice about a tux for the dinner Carlisle was
hosting, in…
I looked at the clock on Emmett's microwave.
About twelve hours.
God, did that woman EVER sleep?
Seriously.
After I took the world's fastest shower while coming up with a few more ideas I
would need to jot down at the station, I grabbed another soda from the fridge
and darted out for another day of…work.
Blech.
I grabbed my iPhone and started to shove it into my jacket pocket when I
noticed I had about five missed texts from over night.
They were all from, Bella.
Shit.
"Shit."
I read them over.
Although they started out sweet, like Bella...each one seemed to give off a
little more annoyance then the previous one...I looked at the time again and
knew it was too early for even her to be up, so I figured I'd just catch her at the
studio when she got in, later.
Maybe take her some flowers.
And jewelry...women liked jewelry, right?
Okay, maybe not Bella, she wasn't into stuff like that...but the flowers, yeah, I
needed to make a stop before I went in, they would give me some leverage, I
thought.
Plus, I figured, I was Show Runner, superior to all but Carlisle Cullen.
Therefore, she had to forgive me.
Right?
Hey, it was worth a shot.
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