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“I'll be working with you. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think that,” she responded with a bit more grit than I expected. Aha! So, there is a snarky and feisty demeanor behind all that mushy-mushy. I got wary of ‘Roses and sunshine’ people. Nobody is really like that. Everyone had a dark side, and I wanted to know that she did as well, otherwise, I would never feel comfortable around her.
Carmen placed a hand on Maryam and smiled, interjecting to sweet-talk Maryam’s answer.
“What Mariam is trying to say is that we would work together to come up with great music that helps us both and leaves us both satisfied. Right, Maryam?”
For the first time since I met her, she didn't have a free look. Perhaps my probing made her upset?
“Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying,” she responded, not even blinking as she stared at me. I smiled.
“Easy, Ronald,” Drew whispered to me. He didn't like it when I got like this.
“That would be outstanding. I must go now. We'll get back to you. if we consider, you guys were ready for the role.”
I honestly meant that. I considered myself a straight shooter, and this was why I generally didn’t like talking and negotiations. When he came to the press, I loved the back-and-forth I had with them that made me able to impose my will. I spoke clearly and in a very concise manner, and they chalked up what I said because it helped them in the headlines. The mutual understanding made for a good relationship with a lot of journalists. So, when I wanted favorable reporting of something, the journalists asked, and I would be able to say it in a way that we both understood what needed to be published.
But in my own office, why the heck did I need to kiss the ass of people who work for me? It's not like I acted like an asshole to them or had some sort of toxic work environment. That didn't mean it had to be all roses and rainbows, either.
Maryam clenched her fists as I walked away, feeling triumphant.
After leaving the room and heading to my office, I felt terrible. Why did I feel bad?
“Dude, what the hell was that?” Drew asked me immediately after rushing into my office, I knew this would be coming and prepared my mind for it.
“I don't like people that are too happy-go-lucky.”
“So, you decided to probe until she snapped?”
“Yeah.”
Drew couldn’t believe it.
“Just because someone is a happy person doesn't necessarily mean they have a bad nature inside, man.”
“Oh no. I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying I wanted to know she had that other side to her. It made me feel more at ease working with her.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah, I like her. She's talented and seems to have a balanced personality. So, I think we should give her a contract.”
Drew might have thought I used all this as a reason to get her out of the running. Geez.
“You serious?” he asked again, giving me a cautious look.
“Yeah. I am. I'll talk to the board. You can worry about the contract and drawing it up. Just call Kev.” Kevin was a lawyer.
“Wow, I misread the situation,” Drew admitted, smirking. “But still, man, that's a dick move.”
“Honestly, was I that bad? I pushed back because when you think about it if that is enough to get her to react the way she did, what do you think she's going to do with the huge media and fans?”
Drew nodded in agreement. “Anyway, you’re cool with her, right? That is what I wanted to make sure about.”
“Yeah.”
“All right.”
Drew left my office, but I still felt bad. I knew I was a bit pushy, but in this business, I would consider that to be nice. Why did this lady invoke in me a different feeling than other people I had interviewed or talked to in the music business, especially in Los Angeles? All I did was ask questions to see what lay underneath at the end. I could tell that she came from a nice home.
I planned to research her parents, but I was pretty sure they'd be fine people as well. What could I do to get this girl out of my mind, especially now that she'd be working with us?
