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I wait, but that’s all she says until the song ends a minute later. “Thank you for the dance, Crew. Scarlett chose well. And shedid—choose. No matter how she acts. Indifference is a means of survival in this world. I imagine you know that as well as anyone.”
With those parting words, she disappears into the crowd. I head for the bar, craving a moment of solitude and a stiff drink. Today has felt endless. Every minute meticulously planned from the moment I woke up.
I order a whiskey from the bartender and lean against the counter serving as a makeshift bar. I stay in place once he hands it to me, sipping the amber liquid and surveying my surroundings.
“Quite the event, Mr. Kensington.”
I glance to my left and almost choke. The liquor slides down my esophagus with a stinging stab, rather than the usual pleasant burn. “Mr. Raymond. How nice to see you, sir.”
“You can call me Royce,” he replies, adopting a similar pose beside me as he orders a drink. I hide my surprise. Royce Raymond is a media mogul, whose production company consistently churns out blockbuster hits. There’s not an actor in Hollywood who doesn’t want to work with him. He’s famous for his hands on approach to everything. Supposedly, not even a PA gets hired on one of his sets without his say so. He’s just as well known for his antisocial tendencies, which include snubbing many of the coveted invitations he receives. I’m shocked he’s here.
“I’m glad you could make it. Royce.”
The older man makes an unintelligible sound.
“Are you in New York for long?” Last I knew, his primary residence was in Los Angeles.
“Long enough.”
“Long enough for what?”
“You’ll be taking over for your father soon?”
“That’s the general assumption. You’d have to ask him for the specifics.”
“I’ve never much cared for Arthur. Too power-hungry for my taste. Although…I suppose you’re the one who just married billions.”
I hold his gaze as he studies me appraisingly. “Money isn’t the only reason I married Scarlett.” I expect the words to sound false. To ring with insincerity. They don’t.
“A bold statement for a man who just inherited an empire.”
“Don’t confuse me for my father.”
“If that were the case, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, Crew.”
“What conversation would that be?”
Royce smiles. “You know I have no children of my own.”
“I do.”
“I’m…entertaining the idea of passing the torch. Would that interest you?”
“A partnership?”
He shakes his head. “Full ownership. It’s been fifty years. Nothing lasts forever. When I find the right person, it will be time to move on.”
“I assume you know I have no experience in the film industry?”
He chuckles. “I’m looking for someone with good business sense and a moral compass. The latter is difficult to find in this world.”
“Thank you?”
Another chuckle. “I’m not looking for a figurehead to collect a hefty percentage.That, I could find easily. I’ve never entertained any of your father’s offers because I’ve seen what happens to companies underneath the Kensington Consolidated umbrella. I know how business works. But it’s not how my business works—how it will ever work.”
“You would want me to choose,” I realize.
“Arthur is…what? Fifty-four? Fifty-six? I wouldn’t be expecting him to hand the biggest office over anytime soon, son or not.”
