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“You know how I always talked about expanding our business, maybe also moving into corporate PR.”
“Yes.” Maybe this was going in a positive direction after all. I really didn’t want to hear any bad news. There were only so many bad things a girl could handle at once.
“Well, I’ve had the ball rolling for a while, and I think we’re finally ready for the next step. You’re a valued member of this team. Your drive is hard to come by. Your skills are perfect for Hollywood PR, but for a while, until things are running smoothly, you’d be spearheading that corporate PR effort.”
“Hell, yes.”
I felt a flicker of hope.
“Okay, well, before I give you more details, let me just say that this office would be headquartered in Houston.”
“In— Wait, what? Why?”
“There’s a huge business cluster there, and the PR market isn’t crowded like New York or Washington. And my sister lives there. She’d love to get involved too. She’s had a hard time going back into the workforce after having her baby, so this would be a great opportunity.”
I shoved a strand of hair behind my ear, suddenly feeling the need to move my hands. I couldn’t stand still.
“It wouldn’t be bad for you to lie low for a while,” he continued.
“Because of the pictures.”
“Look, I know it’s not your fault. I’m not blaming you for anything. But it would be good if you were out of the spotlight for a while.”
“But being in Houston would mean that I couldn’t handle my LA clients. You know how important personal meetings are. I’ve talked a few off the ledge just because I met them in person.”
“Someone else can handle your current clients for a while.”
It felt like I was getting pummeled from all directions, and I frankly only had so much energy.
“I can’t move to Houston, Cameron. I mean, I could, of course, but I don’t want to.”
He tapped his fingers over the desk, nodding. “I know how close you are to your family, but this would just be for a few months.”
“Would that really make sense, though?”
“You can get the ball rolling and also hire someone to run the office together with my sister permanently while you’re there.”
“How many months?”
/> “Two, three? We’ll play it by ear. You don’t have to give me an answer now. Take your time to think about it.”
“What happens if I don’t go?”
“Then I’m going to ask you to take an extended leave for two to three months. Unpaid vacation.”
Right, because I could afford three unpaid months.
“You really need me gone.”
His shoulders slumped. “I need the buzz to die down. In this city, out of sight is out of mind.”
“You don’t have to tell me that. I know.”
“It’s not a punishment.”
“It feels like it, though. I did nothing wrong.”
Cameron smiled sympathetically. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. It’s the best solution I have. The only one, if I’m honest. I’d really hate to lose you.”
