Calendar Girl 12 - December by Audrey Carlan Read Free Book Online Page A

stay awhile. I felt instantly at home. Warm air flowed through large vents, making my chilled nose tingle and defrost.
    Wes had called ahead and ensured seating for six. A lighting, sound, and camera crew of three was a skeleton crew, but I’d worked with them in New York. The work we’d done was solid and well received by Century Production executives. One thing I needed to address was a permanent assistant, and I wanted Kathy.
    Once we got settled and ordered our crab hushpuppies, heated spinach-artichoke dip served with grilled pita bread, and our entrees, I got up the nerve to broach the subject with my current assistant.
    “So Kathy, how do you think everything is going?” I asked cryptically, playing with the straw in my drink.
    Kathy pressed her Woody Allen glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Really well. It was obvious that you were animated about Ms. Baldwin’s art back there. That will read well on screen. Your enthusiasm, that is.” She glanced down and her cheeks turned rosy.
    I nodded. “I agree. Her art was unique and showed an important side to beauty in a way that I believe will resonate with our broader audience, but Jonalyn’s art is not what I was referring to when I asked how you thought things were going.”
    Kathy’s eyebrows crept closer together, and she frowned. “I’m not sure I’m following, Ms. Saunders.”
    “Soon to be Channing in two weeks!” Wes interrupted, wrapping his arm around my chair and grasping my shoulder possessively.
    This time Kathy smiled wide, and the apples of her cheeks seemed to glow. “You’re getting married?”
    I nodded happily. “Yep. When we get back, we’re tying the knot in Malibu. On New Year’s Day.”
    She clapped her hands together at her heart and sighed. “That’s wonderful. You two do look perfect together,” she gushed.
    Wes ate her compliment up. His arm tightened on my shoulder, and he nuzzled my chin. “Couldn’t agree with you more, Kathy,” he agreed, sloppily kissing my cheek, ear, and neck.
    I giggled and pushed his head away, wanting to get back to the point I was trying to make before he clomped his size eleven booted feet all over it.
    “Kathy, I’m just going to spit it out because I have to, and you have very little time to make a decision.”
    A look of worry and concern instantly swept across her face. “Okay. I’m listening.”
    “I want you to be my assistant,” I blurted.
    She looked off to the side and then back. “I thought I was.”
    Sighing, I lifted my iced tea and took a large gulp while I nodded. “You are. But I meant from now on.” I could tell the second the light bulb lit. Her entire face grew brighter and a small smile crept across her lips. “Meaning, for good. As long as I’m with the Dr. Hoffman show, I want you to be my production assistant. Help out with the segments, plan them with me, and so forth. You know all the ins and outs, whereas I primarily know just what I want to do and how to express it in front of the camera. I need someone I trust helping me make the most out of these segments, ensuring that we’re telling the audience the right story.”
    Kathy was nodding her head before I even finished explaining. “Oh, my, such an amazing opportunity.” Her brow furrowed. “But I live in New York.”
    “Yes, I realize that. At first, we can do some of the work virtually, like we are now, but not for long. The show would provide you with a moving stipend. You could come out in early January and find a place, but by the end of January, I’d need you in California.”
    Kathy shook her head. “I don’t understand. Why me? I’m a nobody.”
    I scoffed. “Nobody? You get everything dialed in perfectly. You get me , what I’m trying to accomplish. You understand and easily connect to the people we need to interview. In my opinion, you’re my ideal candidate.”
    “But Dr. Hoffman’s assistant hates me—”
    I cut her off. “I’ll handle Shandi, but she doesn’t make the