July?”
“Martha’s Vineyard.” I’m smiling, and I know she is too.
“Although Emily and I are like night and day. She always does herself up as if she’s on her way to shoot a magazine cover.”
“Oh, she’s a magazine girl?” I ask.
“In more ways than one.”
“And how is that?”
“She’s just not real. Or she’s real but has no depth. What you see on the outside is all she is.”
I nod. “Ah, right. Maybe we can hire her to be the host of our show. I sure don’t want to do it.”
“What? Wait? You’re the host?”
“Um-hum.”
“It won’t work, Dais. Viewers don’t want to tune in and see you, in all of your sexiness, being uninhibited and carefree. It’s like a trim woman saying, ‘Buy this bathing suit, but only if you have my body.’ Get it?”
“No…”
“Frampton is thinking with his second head,” she mumbles. “Tell Frampton to get a ruggedly handsome and brash male host. Okay?”
“Okay…”
“Anyway, I have to go, but I love you, and Jack will always love you. You’re the one for him. So try to find a way to forgive him?”
I nod. “Okay. I’ll try.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
Maggie says she’ll see me at the party. After we say our good-byes, I feel the dread of convincing the team that I have to fly back to the states in order to attend an engagement party only a day after we arrive in Paris. Considering the enormity of my responsibilities as the talent and a producer, I jump out of my chair and walk over to Dexter’s office. The receptionist is sitting at his desk, legs crossed and giggling.
He stands as soon as he sees me. “Hey.”
“Hey, can we talk?” I ask, ignoring how disappointed the receptionist is to see me.
“Talk to you later, Melissa,” he says.
“So we’re still on for dinner?” she asks him.
“Sure, why not,” he says.
“Excellent, I’ll make the reservation.” She scurries out of the office without looking at me.
“I just learned two things—her name and why she treats me the way she does,” I say.
“How does she treat you?” he asks as we sit.
“Rudely. Nasty. Not very welcoming.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
I shrug. “I can handle it. Don’t say anything to her. You’re taking her to dinner? You must like her.”
“A bunch of us are going to this pop-up restaurant on Wabash Avenue. Want to come?”
I shake my head. “Nope. But I do want to talk to you about a few things.”
He narrows one eye. “Like what?”
“Well, I have to attend a party next Saturday.”
“A party? In France?”
“No, in Louisiana. My sister and brother-in-law are having an engagement party.”
“Did you say sister and brother-in-law?”
I sniff a chuckle. “Yes, Belmont’s brother is engaged to my half sister. We’re keeping it in the family.”
“Wow, that’s something.”
“Yeah, but Charlie and Angel are not like us. They’re destined to make it. I’m pretty sure we’re going to get a divorce.” I can’t believe I revealed that.
“Oh… Sorry to hear that.”
“Well… it’s a pitiful spot to be in.” I nod through the awkward silence. That was definitely too much information. Suddenly, I remember my conversation with Mags and finally understand her analogy. “Oh, I don’t want to be the host, nor should I be.”
He balks. “Oh? Why not?”
I channel Maggie. “It’s not what I do. Plus, viewers don’t want their women as adventurous as I am. Maybe in an article but not in person.”
He chuckles. “And what makes you think that?”
“Well, you’re not trying to make a sexy show, and my taxicab series has a pinch of sexiness in it.”
“We.”
“We what?”
“ We are making a show.”
I smile. “Okay—we. Unless we’re only going for the L.A. and New York demographic, then for exploration and adventure, we need a male host. Someone ruggedly handsome and brash.”
Dexter sits back in his chair and rests his chin on his steepled hands. He studies me
“Martha’s Vineyard.” I’m smiling, and I know she is too.
“Although Emily and I are like night and day. She always does herself up as if she’s on her way to shoot a magazine cover.”
“Oh, she’s a magazine girl?” I ask.
“In more ways than one.”
“And how is that?”
“She’s just not real. Or she’s real but has no depth. What you see on the outside is all she is.”
I nod. “Ah, right. Maybe we can hire her to be the host of our show. I sure don’t want to do it.”
“What? Wait? You’re the host?”
“Um-hum.”
“It won’t work, Dais. Viewers don’t want to tune in and see you, in all of your sexiness, being uninhibited and carefree. It’s like a trim woman saying, ‘Buy this bathing suit, but only if you have my body.’ Get it?”
“No…”
“Frampton is thinking with his second head,” she mumbles. “Tell Frampton to get a ruggedly handsome and brash male host. Okay?”
“Okay…”
“Anyway, I have to go, but I love you, and Jack will always love you. You’re the one for him. So try to find a way to forgive him?”
I nod. “Okay. I’ll try.”
“That’s all I can ask.”
Maggie says she’ll see me at the party. After we say our good-byes, I feel the dread of convincing the team that I have to fly back to the states in order to attend an engagement party only a day after we arrive in Paris. Considering the enormity of my responsibilities as the talent and a producer, I jump out of my chair and walk over to Dexter’s office. The receptionist is sitting at his desk, legs crossed and giggling.
He stands as soon as he sees me. “Hey.”
“Hey, can we talk?” I ask, ignoring how disappointed the receptionist is to see me.
“Talk to you later, Melissa,” he says.
“So we’re still on for dinner?” she asks him.
“Sure, why not,” he says.
“Excellent, I’ll make the reservation.” She scurries out of the office without looking at me.
“I just learned two things—her name and why she treats me the way she does,” I say.
“How does she treat you?” he asks as we sit.
“Rudely. Nasty. Not very welcoming.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
I shrug. “I can handle it. Don’t say anything to her. You’re taking her to dinner? You must like her.”
“A bunch of us are going to this pop-up restaurant on Wabash Avenue. Want to come?”
I shake my head. “Nope. But I do want to talk to you about a few things.”
He narrows one eye. “Like what?”
“Well, I have to attend a party next Saturday.”
“A party? In France?”
“No, in Louisiana. My sister and brother-in-law are having an engagement party.”
“Did you say sister and brother-in-law?”
I sniff a chuckle. “Yes, Belmont’s brother is engaged to my half sister. We’re keeping it in the family.”
“Wow, that’s something.”
“Yeah, but Charlie and Angel are not like us. They’re destined to make it. I’m pretty sure we’re going to get a divorce.” I can’t believe I revealed that.
“Oh… Sorry to hear that.”
“Well… it’s a pitiful spot to be in.” I nod through the awkward silence. That was definitely too much information. Suddenly, I remember my conversation with Mags and finally understand her analogy. “Oh, I don’t want to be the host, nor should I be.”
He balks. “Oh? Why not?”
I channel Maggie. “It’s not what I do. Plus, viewers don’t want their women as adventurous as I am. Maybe in an article but not in person.”
He chuckles. “And what makes you think that?”
“Well, you’re not trying to make a sexy show, and my taxicab series has a pinch of sexiness in it.”
“We.”
“We what?”
“ We are making a show.”
I smile. “Okay—we. Unless we’re only going for the L.A. and New York demographic, then for exploration and adventure, we need a male host. Someone ruggedly handsome and brash.”
Dexter sits back in his chair and rests his chin on his steepled hands. He studies me
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