The Relationship Coach (32 page)

“Hi,” he said.

“Make this quick. I’ve got to get back.”

“Why is Lacey cancelling her seminars and quitting the business?” he asked, slumping down into the chair across from her.

Amanda shook her head like she couldn’t believe he would ask this question. “Lacey thinks if she’s barely visible when your film comes out, then maybe she might survive. She’s quitting for a while.”

“Why wouldn’t she do as much business as possible before the film comes out?”

“Because she’s hurting. She’s lost the desire to do what she loves. She is going to close the business. She’s lost weight. She’s accepted the loss of the television show.”

Reed stared at Amanda. “What television show?”

“For months she’s been meeting with a producer who was shopping the idea of a talk show. It was the reason she did the documentary. The studio was interested in doing a pilot program. They were waiting for the documentary to come out before they started filming.”

“Lacey never mentioned a television show.” How many of her dreams could he somehow have managed to squash?

“That’s because they told her to keep it quiet.”

“But, I would…”

“You would have done what? Filmed more clients who don’t like Lacey? Done more shooting to show her at a disadvantage? What? How much uglier can you be?” Amanda asked, her face filled with anger. “You’re going to destroy her because you got dumped and that tanked your ego.”

Reed stared at Amanda, his heart sinking like a stone as he thought of Lacey. She was about to get a television show, and now he was destroying her business and her dreams. He couldn’t do this any longer. He didn’t want to hurt her. “Okay, I admit it. I’m an ass. Call me names. Do whatever you think you have to. I wake up each morning, knowing something is missing from my life. I want to make this right. What can I do?”

Amanda sat back and stared at him like he had two heads. “Are you just saying this or do you really mean it?”

Reed didn’t know how to convince Amanda. “I can’t stop thinking about what she said to those clients of hers. How love is putting the other person’s desires before your own. How loving the other person makes you a better person.”

“Go on.”

Reed suddenly knew what his subconscious had been trying to tell him for weeks. And he knew what he had to do. “Love is-I know what the hell I have to do.”

Amanda shook her head. “You frighten me. I don’t trust you.”

“I don’t deserve your trust. But I’m going to make this right.” He stood. “I’ve got to go. I know what I have to do.”

***

The phone rang, waking Reed up from a deep sleep. He glanced at the clock, it was after midnight. He picked it up.

“Hello,” he said, his voice groggy with sleep.

“Is this the only way I can get you to answer my calls? Call you at midnight?”

Reed sat up in bed, dreading this phone call. “Sorry. I’ve been busy working on the film.”

“You’re almost done?”

“Yes, sir. It’s in the final stages,” and you will never be happy with what I’ve done, he thought. “I should be finished very soon.”

“Great. I’m going forward with the plans then for the opening night showing. When can I see the film?”

Reed knew he was going to be fired. He’d never get to do the exposé he dreamed of doing, only because he would soon no longer have a job. “Give me a couple of weeks, and I’ll give you a date for a private showing. Just you, Lacey, her staff, and a couple of other people.”

“You’re going to invite her to the private showing?” Graham asked.

“Why not? It will be good for her to know what she’s going to be facing.”

Graham chuckled. “I like the way you think. I’ll be in Spain the next two weeks.”

“Why don’t we schedule the showing for after your return,” Reed said.

“But that means I won’t be able to see the film until the night of the private showing.”

“Graham, you’ll enjoy it that much more. You’ll see how we got the bitch.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end. Would he agree to wait and see it at the same time as everyone else?

“You know I wouldn’t usually do this, but we were both burned by this woman. I trust you, Reed.”

Reed smiled. Problem solved. He’d be fired, but still, there would be nothing Graham could do to stop the showing of the film Reed wanted to produce. “Graham, I have one more request. Would you donate ten percent of the proceeds from this film to a scholarship fund for young filmmakers?”

“What, are you crazy?”

“No, I want to help kids who need a way to get to college.”

“And who’s going to oversee this scholarship fund?”

“Well, that’s why I thought we would name it the Juliet Fund, and maybe your old girlfriend, who was an accountant, would manage it for us.”

Graham laughed. “You’re a sly dog.”

“No, I just thought that maybe after Juliet sees the film, she’d come back to you. You know when she sees how wrong she was about Lacey, and then you could get her to manage the scholarship fund.”

There was a pause on the line.

“Unless you’ve moved on to someone else.”

“No, I’d take Juliet back in a heartbeat.”

“Well then, maybe this will bring her back into your life.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Graham asked.

“Why?”

“I never thought I’d see the day you were trying to help bring a girl back into the relationship? Are you going to invite Blair?”

“Hell, no,” Reed said. “My relationship with Blair never had a chance, even long before she ever took Lacey’s seminar. I just wanted to see if maybe you and Juliet could get back together.”

“Thanks, Reed. I’m surprised. But I like the idea and maybe she’ll see reason.”

“Let’s hope so. We’re all set for the private showing?”

“I can’t wait,” Graham said, laughing. “Watching Lacey Morgan go down is going to be quite enjoyable.”

Reed sighed knowing that documentary would never be seen if he could help it. “Have a safe trip to Spain, and I’ll see you at the private screening.”

***

Two weeks after his meeting with Amanda, Reed stood in front of Jose’s family’s home, knocking on the door. He’d buried himself in his work, and now the film was in production and would soon release.

He only hoped he wasn’t too late.

Jose opened the door and stared at him. “What do you want?”

“Can we please talk?” Reed said, knowing the kid was still angry he hadn’t received the scholarship.

The boy walked out the door and closed it behind him. “Graduation was over weeks ago. What are you doing here?”

“I came to check on you. What are you doing this summer?” Reed sat down on the concrete steps, while Jose walked out in the yard, his hands in his pockets, his gaze down on the ground.

“I’m working with my Papa, doing yards.”

“How do you like it?” Reed asked.

The kid raised his gaze to Reed, his brown eyes flashing with anger. “I hate it.”

“Are you still filming?”

He shrugged. “When I get a chance.”

Reed nodded. “Can’t give it up, can you?”

Anyone who loved working in film had tried several times to give it up and had been unable. It almost felt like an addiction. It traveled with you everywhere.

“No, I’ve tried, but it makes me happy.” Jose stared at him. “Why are you here?” he asked.

“A wise lady told me I should help you, and at the time, I didn’t know how. I did some research and didn’t really find what I wanted. And then yesterday, an idea came to me,” he said, watching the boy stub his Nikes in the yard.

Jose glanced up at Reed, seeming curious.

“I have a film coming out in the next two weeks. A film about changing people’s lives for the better. What better way to demonstrate my interest in helping people than to give a scholarship based on the ticket sales of the film?”

The kid’s eyes widened, and he stared at Reed.

“Ten percent of the gross film sales will be put in a special fund that will go to a young man or woman studying filmmaking.” Reed paused. “Do you know of anyone who is interested?”

A smile broke out on the kid’s face, and he laughed. “That’s a dumb question. I want that scholarship. I want that chance to go to filmmaking school.” He jumped up in the air and yelled, shaking his fists, excitement gleaming from his face. Then he stopped and gazed at Reed. “You were thinking of me, weren’t you?”

Reed stood and ruffled his hair with his hand, feeling certain Jose would take advantage of the program, and soon would be on his way to making films for a living. “Yeah, buddy. I was thinking of you. In three years of teaching, you’re my best student. I think you have what it takes, and I want to help you. There will be some stipulations that your grades have to remain high, but other than that, you just go to school.”

Jose clasped Reed’s hand and then awkwardly pulled him to him and slapped him on the back. “Thanks, Mr. Hunter. Thanks for helping me. I can’t ever repay you.”

“Sure, you can. Graduate.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, running up the stairs. “I’ve got to tell Mama and Papa.”

Reed watched him rip open the door, screaming at the top of his lungs.

“Mama! Papa! I got a scholarship. I got a scholarship.”

A warm sense of happiness came over Reed. Ten percent of the gross sales would more than put the kid through school, especially if this film took off like he thought it would.

He walked toward his car, lightness in his step. Listening to Lacey and taking action on her advice made him a better man. Now he had to get her back.

***

Lacey’s office phone rang. She picked it up. “Lacey Morgan.”

“Lacey, Stan Whittaker of Chimney Rock Productions.”

Her heart skipped a beat and then raced to catch up. The man who had talked her into doing the documentary. The man who had promised her a television show if the film did well. And now, here he was on the phone and what did she tell him?

“You didn’t call me and tell me about the private screening. I just heard about it. I’m calling to see if you want me to pick you up in the company limo.”

“Sorry, Stan. I just learned of the date myself. I’ve already got plans that night,” she lied. Why should she attend her own public flogging? There was no need for her to see how Reed had slain everything she loved. Including their relationship.

There was a long moment of silence on the phone, and then he let out a sigh. “Lacey,” he paused, “in order for me to sell this idea, I need you at that private screening, smiling and saying thank you. You’re the star. You have to attend.”

Lacey gritted her teeth. “What if the movie is horrible?”

“Then we still get the publicity of your first bad film,” he said. “It’s going to be fine. What time do you want the limo to pick you up?”

“Six-thirty.”

“That doesn’t give us much time to schmooze. How about six?”

“Whatever,” she said, instantly regretting the word that sounded so indifferent. She felt anything but indifferent. “Arriving in a limo sounds grand.”

Frankly, she didn’t care how they got there, as she felt sure she’d be going home by taxi, once Stan saw the diabolical film.

“My wife and I will pick you and your manager up the night of the screening. We’ll see what Reed Hunter has put together. If this film takes off like I’m hearing, you should have your own show very soon,” he said, his voice excited.

But Lacey was unable to muster any enthusiasm. “Oh, it’s going to take off all right.”

He laughed. “The buzz around town says it’s his best film.”

Lacey cringed. Was the film good because it showed her business with all its faults? “Buzz is good.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Great. See you then.”

Lacey hung up the phone and moaned. How would she get through that night? How was she going to see Reed again without crying? What would she do if she lost everything?

***

That evening, Lacey knocked on her mother’s door. Since her sister had married and moved away, Lacey tried to spend one night a week with her mother. Normally, they went to dinner, but tonight, she didn’t have the energy to do much of anything.

Disaster loomed on the horizon, and like a bad movie, she could only stand there and let the tsunami overtake her.

Her mother opened the door and stared at her. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Come in, and I’ll pour us each a glass of wine,” she said, pulling Lacey in and closing the door.

“Bring the bottle,” Lacey said, walking into the living area and slumping onto the couch.

A few minutes later, her mother sat the bottle down on the table. “You look tired.”

“I’m exhausted.”

“How long before you get over Reed Hunter?” her mother asked.

Tears pricked the back of her eyes. “You never beat around the bush, do you, Mom? You just come out and ask.”

Her mother sank down across from her. “You’re letting this man make you a wreck. I’m worried about you.”

“There will be a private screening next week,” Lacey blurted out.

“Oh,” her mother said, that single word hanging in the air around them weighing a ton. “Are you going?”

Lacey hugged her arms around her middle. “I have to. Stan Whittaker, the producer interested in getting me my own television show, he wants us to go together. He’s arranging for a limo to pick me and Amanda up. Do you want to go?”

“Yes,” she said quickly. “I think you need all the support you can get. We’ll show up in force and make Reed Hunter realize what he’s missing out on.”

Or make Reed Hunter see how he’d made her a wreck. She’d never suffered such a broken heart until Reed.

Her mother raised her chin, defiance sparkling in her gaze.

“Mom,” Lacey said, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. “I just don’t know if I can face him. I fell in love with him, and those feelings haven’t gone away. Even after three months, the pain is just as sharp.”

“Oh, sweetie,” her mother said, coming to sit beside her and pull her into her arms.

Lacey let the tears flow, the open wound in her heart flowing unheeded. “You…you said that passion could cause pain, and now I know what you mean. This hurts so much.”

“I know, baby. I know. But if you don’t experience great passion, then you would never know what it’s like to live with a great love.”