More than that, the show would air nationwide, and especially since the name of the show--The Business Plan--mirrored the name of her business, the exposure would be huge. And surely that would give her the clout and the contacts to tackle even more challenging projects.

And maybe--maybe--her father would stop looking at her like she was a failure.

That meeting had ended only five short hours ago with the execs telling Brooke that her proposal was the front-runner, and that the network wanted to green light the show. They just needed to ensure that two small conditions were met.

The problem, of course, was that the conditions weren't small at all.

"I'm so screwed," Brooke had wailed when she met Amanda at RA Sushi Bar, her favorite downtown venue for sushi and cocktails.

"In what universe?" Amanda countered. "You just said they loved your pitch."

"I told them I'd locked in The Fix. That was a complete and total lie."

Brooke had figured that a stage full of hot guys would catch the network's eye, and so she'd included The Fix and a description of the calendar contest in the proposal as an example of the kind of thing the show might use.

The network had gone apeshit over the idea, so apparently her instincts had been dead-on. But she hadn't expected things to move quite so fast. And now the network had included The Fix as a condition of the show getting made.

"I don't even meet with Jenna to talk about working with The Fix until later tonight," she told Amanda. "What if she doesn't want to work with me at all? Or if she thinks having a film crew on the property for months would be the equivalent of the seventh circle of hell?"

Amanda waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, please. Your work is amazing. Of course she'll want to work with you. And as for the show, I know Jenna, and she's no dummy. You tell her that the network and sponsors will cover the materials and your fee, and she'll be all in. Besides, you said the network wants to film the Man of the Month contest, right?"

"They want it in the background, for sure. They said it'll make for great television and be something no one's done before."

"And the show will premiere late summer or early fall?"

Brooke nodded.

"So, there you go. That kind of exposure should bring in new customers. Jenna's in marketing. She gets it. Trust me, it's all good."

"Maybe," Brooke said. "But that still leaves their second condition."

"Second condition?"

"Have you heard of Spencer Dean?"

"Sure. He used to flip houses on television. He's also a client."

"Really?" Brooke leaned back, surprised. "He's buying a place in Austin?"

"More than a place," Amanda said. "I've shown him the Drysdale Mansion several times now. I think he's close to making an offer. I hope so. Talk about a delicious commission."

"The Drysdale Mansion?" Brooke's throat had tightened and her pulse had skittered at the mention of the house. And of the only man she'd ever loved. The man with whom she'd shared so many forbidden memories inside those walls.

The man who now despised her.

"What is it?" Amanda asked, peering at Brooke in a way that suggested she saw too much.

Brooke poked at a spicy tuna roll with a chopstick, avoiding Amanda's eyes. "I just always liked that house."

"Hmm." Amanda didn't sound convinced, but also didn't press the point. "At any rate, what does Spencer Dean have to do with your meeting?"

"They want him on the show."

"Really?" Amanda frowned. "He told me he's not in television anymore. Why would he bullshit me?"

"He wasn't," Brooke assured her. "He left his series about a year ago."

For four of the last five years, Spencer had starred in Spencer's Place, a house-flipping program that had been as much about Spencer's personality as about the renovations. Brooke had watched only one episode. It hurt too much to see Spencer on screen. Those dark eyes that she'd once believed knew her so well. Those strong, calloused hands that had stroked her skin. His mustache and beard that had tickled her ear as he'd whispered sweet, sexy, decadent things.

Tags: J. Kenner Man of the Month Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net