TheForumwas one of the last independent media companies in the city. It had spent the last decade building up alternative revenue streams, particularly online. The editor in chief had been fighting to keep the print edition circulating even while some shareholders had been putting pressure on the organization to go fully online.
And, yeah, theForumcould be a little trashy. Most people bought it for its popular celebrity gossip column. But it published some good journalism, too, and it was one of about five newspapers and magazines that were popular among the morning straphangers. Declining print circulation and ad revenue put the print edition in danger, so if theForumwas having trouble, Lindsay had always guessed that would be the first thing to go.
But what did this mean for her own job? She didn’t have much seniority or really any history with the company. Her byline had only appeared four times, although she’d assigned out a dozen stories to other writers. But theForumwas more likely to keep editors like Erica Sanchez and dump the younger, newer people. Right? It wasn’t like there were a plethora of opportunities for food writers, even in New York.
She had other skills to fall back on, of course. She hadn’t enjoyed flipping burgers in someone else’s kitchen, but it was an option if this fell through. The idea of cooking again pulled at her for a moment, but she shook it off.
But maybe it was premature to think that way. She grabbed her phone and called Evan, the only person she could think of who understood how New York media worked. He worked in advertising and graphic design, after all.
After Lindsay explained the situation, she asked, “How worried do you think I should be?”
Evan was silent for a moment, then said, “Hmm. How did that story on Brad do?”
“Pretty well. Lots of clicks on the website. You put cute cats in the featured image, and people will click on it.”
Evan laughed. “You may have just unlocked the key to advertising success. I’m going to start putting cats on everything. And I’m assuming the hot guy in the photo didn’t hurt.”
Lindsay didn’t want to dwell on that. “What do I do, Evan?”
“Okay, here’s my thought. You need to make yourself indispensable. You need a big story to show them how good and valuable you are. Something that’ll attract a lot of attention. Or you need a big scoop, some bit of breaking news that no one else has cottoned on to yet.”
“Like what? The culinary world is not exactly teeming with scandal. I don’t think ‘Jean-Georges put a new pear dessert on his tasting menu’ is a thing many people care about.”
“Not sure. Can your handsome ex-boyfriend get you into some new restaurant that no one else can get into? Can he connect you with some friend of his, since he seems to know everyone?”
Lindsay sighed. “I don’t want to ask Brad.”
“What’s going on with you guys, anyway?”
“I don’t know.” And Lindsay really didn’t. Her feelings where Brad was concerned were all over the map. She hadn’t ever responded to his plea to go on a date. He’d texted her a few times, and she’d ignored him.
She just couldn’t see how they could get back together and not repeat their old patterns and end up just where they’d been five years ago.
And did he really want her back? Or was he just being his old flirty self with her? She couldn’t figure that out, either.
“Given what I saw of him the other night,” said Evan, “I’m guessing he’d help you.”
“Probably. I just don’t want to owe him anything.”
“Who says that’s how it would be?”
“‘Save my job’ is a pretty big favor to ask someone.”
“Well, you can suck it up and ask the one person in your life best equipped to help you, or you can continue avoid him and try to find a scoop on your own. I can ask Will. I’m sure he’s got a stack of new cookbooks he’d love for you to review.”
“I don’t think a cookbook review is going to do it, either, but thanks.”
“Will knows lots of chefs, was my larger point.”
Lindsay considered. Will did know a lot of people in the restaurant biz, but if Evan was thinking they might break up, asking Will seemed highly inappropriate. She wouldn’t have felt right asking him for help right before Evan dumped him and then disappeared from her life. If Evan dumped him.
“You’re not…” Lindsay started to ask, and then thought better of it.
“I’m not what?”
She decided to just go for it. “You’re not settling, are you? You’re not just staying with Will because you don’t want to be single or because at least he’s someone and he’s a decent fellow, are you?”
“I honestly don’t know. If I’m not feeling it, I should stop stringing him along, but I don’t know what I feel. This is all very confusing. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with him.”
