The Publicist (19 page)
Authors: Christina George
Grace sat down, “The hunk you met the other day?”
“I didn’t call him that.” Kate sipped her tea.
“You didn’t have to; the description you gave said enough. Is he single?”
“Yes, but don’t get excited, he lives in California.”
“He’s still more available than Mac.” She smiled.
.
It was snowing when Kate left her apartment and headed uptown to meet Nicholas. Thick flakes fell from the sky and added a fresh white layer to the snow already on the ground. Part of the problem with snow in the city was that it didn’t last. In a few days all of it would turn to slush. When it did, only ice grey, half-melted mush would be left and trudging through it was always a problem. Kate learned soon after she moved to New York that finding sturdy boots that could take the snow and still look stylish were a must if she was going to survive in a city that had more women with shoe fetishes per capita than any other city in the world. Shoes were a statement in New York, though there were days when she missed her flip-flops.
Heaven forbid she ever admit that in public.
HanGawi was located on a tight, busy street in Korea Town. Even in the snow, hundreds of people trudged the streets. Kate pushed through her way up 32
nd
Street on the narrow sidewalk crowded with people and conversation. She stepped into the restaurant through heavy wooden doors. Kate quickly pushed back her hood and brushed herself off. She saw Nicholas standing by the hostess. Tall, blond, and tan, and looking relaxed and casual. He spoke softly to the hostess who smiled and giggled, no doubt slightly smitten. Who wouldn’t be? Nicholas was, in a word, hot. He reminded her of an actor, but she couldn’t place who it was.
“Kate, great to see you!” Nicholas spotted her and strode over; he reached an arm around her wet coat, hugging her.
“Shoes!” The hostess, no doubt disappointed that Nicholas’ lunch date was with a woman, ordered Kate to take off her boots. She nearly forgot. The restaurant had a strict no shoe policy. Kate hoped her socks matched. She’d been in a rush to get out of her apartment.
Kate slipped her boots off, relieved. Both blue. The lunch already looked promising. Her phone buzzed, a text message.
“Sorry,” she threw an apologetic smile to Nicholas, “I have a big author coming in this week, and I need to be sure it’s not from one of her people.”
“Of course,” he nodded.
“Your table, I take you to your table.” The hostess seemed impatient. Kate slipped out of her coat and handed it to the impatient girl. Kate looked to see who was trying to reach her. A text message from Mac, “Miss you.”
Kate wasn’t mad anymore, she actually hadn’t been mad at all.
Annoyed.
Connecticut.
He was in Connecticut with his family and she was here, in New York with a handsome, single man who had offered to take her to lunch. Kate dropped the phone back in her purse without responding.
The restaurant was dim, and the tables were all set into the floor, with bench-like seating that was covered with pillows. They were seated at a table behind a semi-sheer curtain. It was a small and intimate setting. Kate slid into the seat as the server arrived:
“May I get you something to drink?”
Nicholas smiled across the table at her, “Two ginger teas?”
Kate nodded, “I wish I could make it at home, it’s almost worth the trip across town just to get it.”
“It’s worth the trip from California, too. And the company makes it even better.”
A redness crept into Kate’s cheeks, “Thanks,” she smiled, “you’re sweet to do this, Nicholas.”
“First off, call me Nick, and second, do what?”
Kate spread her hands out, “This, lunch, you know…” she hesitated for a moment, “I have a feeling Allan put you up to this. He’s been after me for years to meet his eligible nephew.”
Nick smiled, “Well, he’s been after me, too but I only do what I 100% want to, and once I met you, I knew I wanted to do this.” His smile lit up his entire face. Kate felt her cheeks redden again.
“I’m glad you did.” She smiled back, “So, I think this is the part of the lunch where we tell each other about ourselves. Allan says you are doing something with health food?”
Nick laughed, “I love my uncle, but he has no idea what I do. I run a health food store, actually a chain of them. After my parents died, I inherited some money and decided to invest it in something I’d always wanted to do. It paid off.”
Kate had no idea; she didn’t hide the fact that she was impressed, “Really? I think that’s fantastic. How many stores?”
“Five. We just opened the fifth this year in San Diego. I have two in Orange County, one in Los Angeles, Irvine, and Newport Beach. It’s a lot of work, but I love it.”
Kate watched his face light up as he talked, it was obvious that he loved his work.
“Is it like a Whole Foods?” she asked.
The server came back to the table with the Ginger tea and took their order.
“No, it’s very different actually. We don’t carry produce, or anything perishable for that matter. Though I do have a bakery I work with who has started to produce a series of amazing vegan baked goods. We have a smoothie bar though, in only one store right now but we might expand it. Two of our stores offer Yoga and Pilates classes.” Nick chuckled softly, “It’s a bit of a mish mash really. A place for people to go for information because being healthy can be confusing and we try to support local suppliers as much as we can, so each store is very locally focused.
We offer jams that are organic and made locally, that kind of thing.”
Kate was impressed, Allan had never let on that his nephew was such an entrepreneur.
“What about you, Kate? Allan says you make people famous.” He winked.
Kate sipped her tea and smiled, leave it to Allan to say that very tongue-in-cheek statement, “I publicize books and try to save authors from themselves.”
Nicholas laughed, “That sounds about right.”
“I love my work,” she sighed, “it’s the industry that gets to me at times. So much about publishing is changing. It’s like we’re standing on shifting sand.”
Lunch lasted two hours. Kate was surprised that Nicholas was so easy to talk to. When they were done, Nicholas insisted on escorting her, in a cab to her apartment. When they arrived, Nicholas asked the driver to wait as he walked Kate to her door.
“I’d like to see you again. I know we’re going to spend Christmas at my uncle’s but perhaps this coming week for dinner? Since Christmas is Saturday, perhaps Tuesday?”
Kate felt herself nodding, “I’d like that.” She smiled. Nick bent in and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
Just then Nick’s phone buzzed: “It’s my uncle’s neighbor, hang on… Hello?”
Kate watched Nick’s face turn from curiosity to sadness, he click the end button on the call. “Uncle Allan has died,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.
.
Allan Lavigne, who the
New York Times
had once heralded as the brightest star on the publishing scene, died at seventy-three from an apparent heart attack. He was alone in his apartment when it happened. The neighbor came upstairs when Allan didn’t show for their weekly poker game. He found Allan face down on the floor.
When Kate and Nick arrived at Allan’s apartment, the coroner was just taking Allan away. Seeing this, Nick reached a hand out, “Wait,” he said to the somber looking man, “can I have a minute?”
When the coroner pulled the cover back, Kate felt her eyes burn with tears. Her dear, sweet Allan. She had loved him like family, now he was gone. Nick put an arm around her, “Thanks.” He said in almost a whisper. The coroner covered up the body and they began moving him out of the apartment. Neighbors were circulating in the hall. Nick closed the door, leaving him alone with Kate. He hugged her and she cried.
“You were such a good friend to him, Katie. I’m very grateful to you for that.”
Kate cried into his shoulder, “He shouldn’t have been alone; he never took care of himself. I’m so sorry, Nick….”
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered into her ear.
Kate pulled back, wiping her face. She looked around. Even though he’d tidied up for Nick’s visit, Allan’s apartment was a mess again. His cleaning phases never lasted long. She knew in the days to come she’d be helping Nick sift through Allan’s belongings and pack up his life. The thought seemed impossible. Allan was gone. It just didn’t seem real.
.
On Sunday, Kate had tried to reach Nick but only got his voicemail. She went by Allan’s apartment, hoping to find him there, but the apartment was locked and empty. Kate dropped by to see Grace, who did what she could to console her friend. Kate really wanted to talk to Mac, but didn’t dare admit that to Grace or, for that matter, herself. She fought the urge to text him. Before she’d left Nick on Saturday, he’d asked her to hold off telling anyone connected to his former publishing house. She knew that despite their relationship, this included Mac.
When Kate arrived at MD on Monday, she was quite the star though she didn’t really feel like one at all. Within minutes of setting her briefcase down, Edward called her into his office.
“Have a seat, Kate. That was quite a show with Janet on Friday,” Edward said, seated behind his heavy desk, “you did great work.”
“Thank you, Edward, I appreciate the acknowledgement.”
He cleared his throat, “We were going to let Janet go.”
“Really?” she feigned surprise.
He nodded, “Yes, we felt she was no longer right for MD, but now, well, things have changed. We’re going to offer her an extended contract and an increased royalty rate. I think she has earned it. We broke all records at her book signing and orders are still pouring in. I checked with the
Times
, she’s going to make the list this week. First time in five years.”
Kate beamed, despite the fact that she knew Edward would have dropped Janet like radioactive waste if Piper hadn’t rescued the event. Edward was a slug. She was surprised he wasn’t taking all the credit for Janet’s success.
“Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks and Mac did good to insist that you work on
The Continued Promise
. I had my doubts. Not anymore.”
Mac had insisted. She knew that. But now, at least, she felt like she had earned it.