Once again, there was a cackle of laughter behind them. All three turned to see who it was.
Not finding the culprit, Ian said to Jeff. “Bottom line, do you want to do a series for HRT?”
“Absolutely.”
“Forget anything Simon Kent said.” Ian took a long spoon a stirred a metal cup with more milk shake in it and refilled Ronnie’s glass. “Are you insistent that the series be a spin off?”
“I think it probably could be done, but I’ll go with a better one if you insist it start in September.”
Ian nodded his head. “Here’s my problem, Jeff, and maybe my solution. Kent in all his well meaning glory has already leaked to the press, and done interviews, that a new series starring you will be in our Fall line up.”
“Understood.”
“However, and my staff and I have been over every inch of cyberspace to make sure, not once did Kent say or allude to the fact that the show was a spin off, only a project starring Jeff Torkelson. I think delaying anything past that would look bad for both of us. The press will have a field day. They’ll automatically tag whatever show we come up with as a loser, effectively killing it before it has a chance.”
“Okay, back to square one.” Jeff frowned, refilling his own glass.
“What I can do, if all goes well, is buy us a little more time. Here’s the plot. No one knows it yet, but I’ve managed to get my own uber hot property, a three week limited series that I’ll do my best to get run Premiere Week.”
Jeff laughed. “That had better be some hot project.”
Ian smiled and wriggled his eyebrows. “Pretty much guaranteed. I’m still pinching myself.”
“Let me guess…” Jeff smirked. “You scooped the entire entertainment industry and got the rights to ‘Blood Kisses’.”
Ian’s face fell. Jeff shot up straight in his chair. “You got effing ‘Blood Kisses’?”
“Shh!” Ian leaned in. “Keep your voice down. How did you know? There are only about have a dozen people who know that.”
“I was joking.” Jeff said. “You got Amanda Jackson to give you rights? Holy crap, Ian Justyn, will you marry me?”
“Ew…” Ian said to another cackle behind them. “I got more than that, Jeff. I got all three books.”
“All three?”
Ian nodded. “Amanda is writing and directing, plus “Blood Kisses” is going to be my new daytime drama.”
“Holy sh…” Jeff looked at Ronnie, who was busy looking at the people seated behind them. “sshhh…ooot. Holy shoot, Ian, you’re right that will definitely buy us three more weeks.”
“Four if they approve the concert special.” Ian said. “Susan Andrews and Jimmy Sage are both recording new albums and will be launching a tour together in the fall. They’ve both agreed to kick the tour off with a live concert on HRT as part of an updated variety series format Wella and I have come up with.”
“You are either the luckiest SOB in the universe or the next Norman Lear.” Torkelson sat back in his chair and shook his head. “Forgive me, but holy shit, you’re just getting warmed up.”
“I appreciate the vote of confidence, Jeff, but Lear had “All That Glitters” after a string of hits. Let’s make sure you aren’t my first tank.”
“Any ideas?”
“Let’s eat on it, and see what we come up with. The only thing I’ve got is, forgive me, act your age.”
“Huh?” Jeff sat up in his chair again.
“My feeling is when setting up the spin off character they went back to the original Robbie, instead of what he matured to. That took away all his warmth and charm. When you where twenty something it was adorable, now that you’re thirty something all I could think of was, give it up dude and get a real job.”
“I see your point.”
“And I’ve seen much of your other work. You are a wonderful character actor in a matinee idols body.”
“Thank you.”
“You can play something that’s a lot more of a stretch, much more than pretty and adorably dumb. People will watch just because it’s you, but your talent and hopefully some good writing will keep them coming back for more.”
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