The Publicist Book One and Two by Christina George Read Free Book Online Page B

you?”
    “I let them go because the show has their own people; they should be here in ten minutes.” Kate continued to study the schedule, refusing to look up or acknowledge Myrna with eye contact.
    “Ten minutes? Do you have any fucking clue how long ten minutes is if these women need a touch up? Why the hell did you do that? Let our makeup people go?”
    Finally Kate pulled her gaze off the schedule. “We just can’t keep two sets of makeup people on the payroll, Myrna. It doesn’t work that way.”
    Myrna cocked her head; her hair dyed a brassy blond that only served to accentuate her already too-tanned face. Kate guessed Myrna to be nearing seventy and someone who arguably spent one too many days in the sun. She had darting eyes on a face that looked like wrinkly leather, with a mouth that spewed nothing but wildly inappropriate language. She was also a hanger-on, a groupie that had gotten lucky when she landed a job as Phil’s assistant years ago. Now she had no other life outside of a show that had been off the air for nearly thirty years and an aging producer whose time in the industry had long since passed.
    “What the hell do you mean, ‘It doesn’t work that way’? Is this piece of shit publisher getting cheap on us? Looks like I’m gonna have to talk to Phil!” she said, stomping off.
    That was Myrna’s catch phrase for everything she didn’t like. She would “tell Phil” in the hopes it would make people change their mind or do whatever she demanded. Myrna loved playing the Phil-card and mistakenly believed that he still had the same clout he did twenty years ago. But things change, and Myrna clearly hadn’t gotten the memo. Yes, Phil was the author. But when it came to changing something that would affect a publisher’s budget—even a small item like a makeup person—she was in way over her head. If Kate went to Edward and said, “Sorry Ed, but these über-important celebs couldn’t wait ten minutes to get their lipstick touched up,” he would fall out of his chair laughing. Then he’d probably fire her, or worse, give her a lifetime of working with B- or C-list celebrities. Just then, the studio’s makeup person walked in and Kate considered the issue resolved, despite the fact that she could see vile-mouthed Myrna off in the corner rambling to Phil about God-knows-what-else. She was certain at this point she’d given Myrna loads to complain about. Good. At least it kept her busy and out of her hair. Just then her phone vibrated in her purse.
    “Hello?”
    “Hey, California girl. How’s it going?” It was Mac, and for whatever reason, Kate was really glad to hear his voice. She looked around and saw that they were still setting up for the next interview; no one would notice she was gone. Quietly, Kate slipped out of the side door of the studio and headed down the hall outside.
    “Hang on,” she said to Mac in a whisper.
    “You bet, Katie. So, you getting a tan?” Kate smiled, Mac knew the answer to that question, and he also knew that from the minute she landed she probably didn’t have a single moment to herself.
    “Yeah, Mac, you caught me on the beach.” She chuckled once she was outside. The California sun felt warm and tempting. For a half a second, she considered hopping in a cab and heading to Santa Monica beach for the afternoon, but Mac’s voice quickly brought her back to reality.
    “So, how’s everything going there?”
    “I hate celebrities,” Kate said.
    Mac chuckled. “We all do, Katie, but we tolerate them because at some level they do sell books.”
    “Not the B-listers.”
    “You worried about this?” he said, genuinely concerned.
    “I’ve never felt right about it, and I think Bernie severely screwed up their expectations again. I think this guy really believes he’s gonna hit the list,” she said, referring to The New York Times Best Seller list.
    “Well, Bernie needs to set him straight; that isn’t your job, Katie. You’re the publicity,