Pamela, New York

Chapter 9

I finished telling the Africa story to Kim on our way to the office the next day, and I also told her what happened with Jimmy.

"So you're falling for who? Jimmy?" she asks as we walk pass the automated door toward the elevator.

"Well I don't... Oh shit," I see James Gates standing in front of the elevator. "Kim, turn around!"

"What's going on?" she cries.

Kim's voice makes James turn his head, which makes it too late for us to turn around.
Crap. So we have no other option but to continue walking toward him.

"Dude?" Kim says, rubbing her arm, "You grabbed me like..."

"Sorry," I hiss as we stop in front of the elevator.

James and I look at each other.

"Pamela," he says and gives me a slight nod. There's a smirk in his lips.

"Hey," I say, nodding back.

Kim looks at me weird. The elevator dings opened, and we all walk in and didn't say anything the whole way up.

###

"Jane wants to see you," Lauren says, "Now."

Oh fuck. Is this about last night? James must have told her everything.

I walk to Jane's office and knock on the door.
"Pamela!" she greets me with the biggest smile, "Oh my God, I just read your William article."

"Do you like it?" I ask

"Like it? I looooove it!" she cries, "I don't know how you get him to open up like that! I felt like reading one of those Barbara Walters interview!"

What.

"Oh my, this issue is gonna sell!" she says, "I've got the PR Department working on telling gossip magazines that William is going to be on our cover and he's given a very intimate interview to us."

"Why would you do that?"

"It's PR, Pamela. You've got to build the anticipations. Do you have any idea how many girls would be dying to read the interview? I want them to camp in front of newsstands the moment our issue comes out. And you have to know, the ads people are actually rejecting ad offers because all of them want to be in this issue! This is getting even bigger than our September issue, I'm telling you!"

I smile, "That's good then."

"So look, I have to give out nominations to the Board on who will go to Washington for the Press State Dinner. I'm submitting your name."

"The Press State dinner?"

"Yes. You'll go to represent Cosmo."

"With you?"

"Oh no, honey. I'm done with that. And besides, I'm not a fan of meeting Joe again. He will be reminiscing on our past and it's making me sick."

I look puzzled. Joe?

Then she says, "Yes, Biden."

Then someone knocks on the door. Richie walks in, "Ah, Pamela. Just the person I wanted to see." He waves a piece of paper in his hand, "This is a print-out from People.com's Star Tracks. Guess who's in Knicks game last night with Jimmy Fallon?"

Oh shit.

"Who?" Jane asks, curious.

Richie places the paper on the table for all of us to see. "Jimmy Fallon was out with a female friend last night at Knicks' game 7..." he reads, "Though there was no touching involved, the two looked smitten, an on-looker says."

Jane looks at me with surprise, "Wow. Nice going, Pam."

"I can explain," I say.

"Oh honey, go out with Jimmy all you want. I mean, he's a nice guy and all... And somewhat okay-looking... I guess. But I thought you could have done better," Jane says.

I'm in awe. This is really looking like not a big deal at all. But she looks at the picture a bit more closely and she points out at the person next to me.

"Is this James Gates?" she asks.

I nod, "He came with Seth Meyers, and he happened to sit next to me."

"Did you talk to each other? Does he know you?"

I pretend to ponder. "Ummm, no, I don't think he knows who I was."

Richie is looking at me funny.

"Good," Jane says, "Cause that one, you got to be careful."

***

"What does it even mean you have to be careful?" Kim says while we're sitting at Starbucks during lunch time. "Because James is hers?"

"Come on, you know James got some reputation for breaking women's hearts..."

"Oh, please. Like Jane is going to protect you! She wouldn't care if he breaks anyone's heart but hers."

"I don't see why she's aiming at James, though. Isn't that too... Cougary? Why doesn't she aim at the dad? He used to be the CEO."

"Why would you target the former CEO? Of course you want the current one."

"Good point," I say while I take a bite of my butter croissant.

"So last night James saw you drunk?"

"Yeah, and I think I said some appropriate things to him as well..." I giggle, "But I think he'd be too professional and stiff to actually remember that. He's just gonna let it go."

The door beside us swings opened and James Gates walks in with Richard, the CFO.
He looks at me and then down to my butter croissant.

"So butter is good for hangover, I presume?" he says before continue walking.

!!!@@@***######!!!!????

"Guess he hasn't let it go just yet....." Kim says, sipping her coffee.

"What a jerk," I say, and Kim laughs.

###

The William article has been put into layout and ready to go to print. I was thinking my job is all done, when Tat storms into my office.

"Pamela, we're in deep shit," he says, "I did tell you that whoever the UB is, he will have to appear in Toyota event, right?"

"Um... Yes."

"Then why did we go with the Prince effin William? He would never do that kind of event!"

"Take it up with Jane, okay. I did warn her of that possibility and she told me to go ahead."

"Fuck!" Tat shouts, "I knew it!"

"Look, I really don't want to get in the middle of this..." I say, "I have to go now. I have to go to Florida tomorrow and I..."

"Can you at least give me William's person number then? I can at least ask."

"Really?" I say, "Having William parading on stage with hundred of screaming women down below is kind of a long shot...."

"Well, I would like to try, please. Please," he looks like he's about to cry and I feel bad for him all of a sudden. Tat has always been an ambitious person, and I know he has worked very hard all this time.

"Okay," I say, "His name is Albert and the number is.."

###