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Jules grins at me and shakes his head. “Well, thanks, regardless. I know I pulled you away from a client, and I’m sorry.”
We stop in front of the cafe, and I turn to him. “Jules, you are way more important than any client, and you will always come first. I’ll be here for you no matter what.”
He nods and tucks his hair behind his ear, giving me a clear view of his sweet smile. “And I’ll be here for you, too. I love you, Stef.”
“I love you too, hon.” I bump him with my shoulder and open the cafe door, ushering him in. “Let’s go overindulge in pastries and caffeine.”
3
Blake
There’sverylittleIhate more than dealing with smarmy lawyers. Dealing with smarmy lawyersandtheir smarmy author clients is one of them. Today, I discovered another. Dealing with them while sleep-deprived. Thank god I’m not hungover on top of it, though I’m seriously giving day drinking full consideration after this meeting. But the sooner we get these negotiations finished, the sooner Gilbert will go back to New York and be out of our hair.
“Blake, you see my client’s point. The royalty percentage is much too low for an author of Gilbert’s caliber. He’s going to be the foundation of your company. The reason readers will flock to Hibernian Press and buy millions of books from you. Surely he’s worth it, or you wouldn’t be pursuing him.” I clench my jaw but stay silent because he’s right. We do want to sign Gilbert for that exact reason, though I think calling him the foundation of my company is stretching it more than a bit. “We also want full say on the book cover and right of refusal for any television or movie adaptations.”
I glance at Jocelin and raise an eyebrow, encouraging him to reply for us. As the firm’s lawyer, he can deal with his counterpart. If I open my mouth right now, I’m not sure what will come out. Without missing a beat, Jocelin wades into the fray. His slight French Canadian accent blunts some of the sharpness of his words. “Brayden, we understand your concerns, and we all want Gilbert’s novel to succeed. We strongly feel he’ll have that opportunity at Hibernian Press. Fifteen percent royalties on hardbacks is typical, and our offer of twenty is quite generous. As is our offer of ten percent on paperbacks and thirty on ebooks. In exchange, Hibernian Press can accommodate Gilbert’s input on the cover, but final say needs to remain with the firm. The company’s marketing department has done extensive research on what is currently selling and what the trends are, and it wouldn’t be wise to go against consumer feedback. Similarly, we are happy to hear Gilbert’s input on any TV or movie deals, but we have the market research and industry connections to make deals, and trends at the time of negotiation will dictate royalties and opportunities. Often, we need to pull the trigger quickly, and waiting for approval from authors can cause delays. That could mean lost opportunities. I’m afraid we can’t budge on this.”
Gilbert peruses the paper with a frown. “It’s definitely less than what my current publishing house is offering to keep me.”
I’ve had it with Gilbert’s entitled attitude, and exhaustion gets the better of me. “Well, Gilbert, ask yourself if it’s better to be a big fish in a medium-sized pond or a medium-sized fish in an ocean. What we’re offering is a fair and balanced deal. We’d love to work with you, and have a lot to offer an author of your caliber.”
Jocelin meets my gaze and jumps in. “Why don’t you take some time to consider the concessions we’ve proposed?” I relax, knowing that he has the company’s best interests in mind, and getting angry at this point could derail everything. He and his firm are worth every penny we pay them. “Hibernian Press has agreed to increase your royalty percentage to its top tier. You have input into the cover. There will be an in-person launch party with full media coverage for your next two books and several meet-and-greets with fans, both online and in person, to promote the new book.” Jocelin addresses his next comment directly to Gilbert. “In a time when most publishing houses are cutting back on these kinds of promotions, Hibernian Press feels it’s an excellent investment in a valuable asset.”
Gilbert’s eyes light up at the mention of promotional parties and meet-and-greets. He’s obnoxiously extroverted, and unlike many authors, he adores in-person events. “I’ll take the time to think about it. No need to rush in and commit without considering all the angles.”
Jocelin turns to me, and I nod at Gilbert. “Excellent idea.” Yes, it’s risky to table things right now, but I’m at my limit with him and his lawyer. We’ve been jumping through hoops for weeks, and he’s consuming all our time, leaving little for any of our other authors. “Jocelin can modify the contract with the new terms and get it to you. We’ll give you another few days to review it, then reconvene.” I stand, which makes everyone else follow. We shake hands, and Jocelin leaves with Gilbert’s lawyer. Unfortunately for me, Gilbert stays behind.
“So how’d it work out with that cute piece of ass you hooked up with?”
Oh, no. I amnothaving this conversation with him. “I left by myself.” Itistrue, and I hope it’s enough to end the discussion. Unfortunately, I’m not that lucky.
“Yes, but you weren’t by yourself when you got dragged off. I didn’t realize you were intothat.” He’s trying for mild interest, but his sour expression tells me all I need to know.
Once again, I remind myself that he is the cornerstone to our plans to make the new imprint happen this year, so I choose my words carefully. “Gilbert, what I do or don’t do in my free time is not up for discussion.”
A salacious grin splits his face. “Hey, I’m not judging! She was a gorgeous piece of ass. I’d have done her, andI’mnot even into that.”
I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Gilbert, I’m sure it’s unintentional, but your language choice is bordering on offensive. Please be careful. And I don’t discuss my personal life at the office.”
He smirks and mimes turning a key and locking his lips. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
“It’s not a secret.” Before I get pulled further into his trap, I stop talking. It’s not worth it. Gilbert doesn’t get it and doesn’t care to. A sharp pain stabs at my chest and I rub at it.
He grins. “Come have a drink with me. We can have a repeat of Saturday night. I had a great time.”
Another evening with Gilbert is the last thing I want or need. “Sorry, I’ll have to pass. There’s a ton of work to catch up on.” The pain in my chest sharpens and I press harder. “We can provide you with a driver and car for the evening if you’d like to head out on your own.”
“Thanks. I’ll take you up on that. If I find your hottie, maybe I’ll see what all the fuss was about.” With a wave in my direction, he leaves the conference room and heads to the elevators.
The thought of Gilbert finding my hookup for any reason makes my skin crawl. Unfettered rage engulfs me and for a moment, I want to go after Gilbert and pummel the smug look off his face. But I can’t do that. For a moment I give serious consideration to calling Jocelin and having him revoke our offer. Then I remember why we’re doing all of this and take a few deep breaths and rub at my chest. I don’t even know who my hookup was, and she’s not my anything. Sheisan adult who can make her own decisions. However, I’d like to believe she has better taste than hooking up with Gilbert Fox.
Grimacing, I leave the conference room and stop at my assistant’s desk. “Mike, I’ve offered a car and driver to Gilbert Fox for tonight. Would you make arrangements for that, please?”
“Sure thing, boss. You feeling okay?” He squints at me, worry pinching his face.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired. I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Not that it’s anything new. Between wooing new authors, the galas and benefits I attend, and reading manuscripts and the contracts I work on, I frequently have late nights.
Mike visibly relaxes, and I’m touched that he’s concerned. “Okay, well, try to get some rest tonight. You’re looking pale.”
