White Christmas by Emma Lee-Potter Read Free Book Online Page A

thinking,’ he said. ‘But this wasn’t a
ruse. India was desperate to see you again, and I’m grateful that you agreed. I
want to give you a quick heads-up about some changes we’ve got planned. As a
matter of courtesy.’
    Lizzie raised her eyebrows questioningly. Dan was clearly a
busy man. She couldn’t think what all this cloak and dagger stuff was all
about.
    ‘You’ll appreciate that there’s a lot going on at Ace TV
right now. The takeover’s being announced first thing tomorrow and we’ll be
flat out. But my team has been trawling through everything over the last few
days – the shows, the staff, the accounts. And I‘ve come to the conclusion that
the station needs a significant change of direction. And that’s where the
weather team comes in.’
    Lizzie’s heart sank. She didn’t like the sound of this. She
was going to be fired. She knew it. Except why invite her to the poshest
tearoom in London to give her her marching orders? In her experience, staff on
the way out got thirty seconds with the boss and a brown envelope stuffed in
their hands. Short, sharp and definitely not sweet.
    ‘Really?’ said Lizzie. ‘I’m only on screen for a few minutes
at a time. I don’t see how…’
    ‘It came to me in a flash of inspiration,’ said Dan,
thumping the table forcefully. ‘When we were talking at the Christmas bash. I
think we could be on to something big.’
    Lizzie was mystified by his words. As a scientist she liked
dealing with facts and figures. Dan Moody might be a smooth operator when it
came to business but right now he wasn’t making any sense whatsoever.
    ‘Is this a nice way of telling me I’m fired?’
    Her question stopped Dan in his tracks.
    ‘What? No, of course not. It’s a way of telling you that I
want to put you right at the heart of Ace TV.’
    Lizzie wished Dan would talk like a normal person. The first
thing she’d learned as a TV presenter was to be clear and succinct. Dan Moody
sounded like he’d been on one management course too many. At this rate he was
going to start talking about ‘blue sky thinking’ and ‘going forward together.’
    ‘We need to go forward together,’ said Dan. ‘At the moment
Ace TV is too boring, too worthy. I was watching the breakfast show on Last
Ditch News this morning and it’s way more fun. Everything about it is more fun
– the graphics, the set, the stories, and yes, the weather too. We need to take
a leaf out of their book - and fast.’
    Lizzie was flabbergasted by his words. Ace TV was a serious
station with serious news and weather. Last Ditch on the other hand, well, it
was a joke.
    ‘Are you saying that we should present the weather like Last
Ditch?’ she said, incredulity showing in her voice.
    ‘Yes,’ he said brusquely.
    ‘And how is that going to work? I mean, I’m a serious
weather presenter – the whole team are. The weather coverage at Last Ditch
isn’t in our league.’
    ‘Maybe,’ said Dan. ‘But at least it’s entertaining. And when
we get down to it, all the viewers want to know is whether it’s going to be hot
or cold, wet or dry. You’re far too serious, Lizzie. People don’t need all that
chart nonsense…’
    ‘Well that’s where you’re wrong,’ said Lizzie indignantly.
‘The weather is a serious matter. It has a bearing on everything – on health,
on safety, the economy, climate change. You can’t just dismiss it out of hand.
The Last Ditch lot haven’t a clue what they’re talking about. Whereas we… we’re
experts in our field, you know. I’ve got years of training behind me…’
    ‘Yes, Lizzie, I know. You keep telling me. But that doesn’t
mean that your expertise makes for good TV. I’m not saying that you need to
make radical changes, but here’s what I’ve got in mind. Hear me out, will you?’
    ‘OK,’ said Lizzie grudgingly. She wasn’t sure she wanted to
hear him out, but if she wanted to keep her job, she’d better listen.
    ‘As I’ve said, we’re going