Can't Turn Back Now, I'm Haunted (A Ben Willbond Rom Com)

Chapter Sixteen | A Risk Worth Taking

In a matter of ten minutes, Kamie had placed every cold thing in the fridge on my face to bring down the tearful swelling, and had blow-dried my hair into submission. One borrowed white button down, plaid trousers and vintage stack-heel boots later, and we were out the door.

The drive to Cassandra Folger's office was more of a careen. Kamie insisted she could get me there quicker than a taxi, and she was definitely right — it was really more a question of in how many pieces.

"For the love of all that is holy, Kamie, slow down!" I screamed, gripping the ceiling of her Volkswagon Mini with one hand and my laptop to my chest with the other.

"You're not missing this meeting!" She put up two fingers at a double decker bus that had honked at her. "Bloody Sunday drivers — it's Friday, for fucks sake!"

We arrived at the ITV building with two minutes to spare.

"Go do it, girl," shouted Kamie as she threw the car into park in the middle of the road. "I'll go round the block a few times and double park 'til I get told off."

I unbuckled and made to leave, but stopped and turned back to her.

"Have I mentioned that you're the best and I love you?"

"Yeah, yeah," she said, pushing me out of the car. "You can thank me with a cool ten percent, now go!"

I planted a smooch on her cheek and hurried out of the car.

I felt almost dissociative as I floated through checking in at the front desk and riding the elevator to the fourth floor. I didn't have a pitch deck. I didn't have visuals. I was wildly unprepared for a meeting like this. All I had were my scripts, a treatment, and my own gumption — which was being pretty single-handedly powered by my rush of adrenaline.

"Maggie James," came a low, friendly voice. I looked up from my seat in the waiting area to where a tall, willowy woman about my age with a sharp, chic dark bob and mischievous green eyes was smiling at me from her open door. I immediately liked her.

"Hi," I grinned, standing and shaking her hand.

"Cassandra Folger. Come on in. Ben Willbond's said some lovely things about you."

An hour later, I stepped out into the cold once more, dazed and wide-eyed. Kamie was leaning against the car, clutching her parka around her tightly as she scrolled on her phone. Sensing my presence, she looked up and locked eyes with me, an expectant look of questioning on her face. I broke into a grin and nodded excitedly, prompting her to jump up and down with a gleeful squeal. I ran into her, joining her in a hopping embrace.

"What did she say??" She gripped me by the shoulders.

"She said she want to do a development deal," I hissed, trying hard to contain my giddiness. "...and make a pilot to show the network."

"WHAT?"

"I know!"

We jumped up and down again, before quickly composing ourselves.

"Wait, wait, be cool—" I said, stiffening. "They might be watching from the window."

"Right, right," said Kamie, frowning in a comical attempt at seriousness. Then she opened the passenger door and gestured for me to get inside. "Come on then, TV Star, time to go get your man!"

The ride to the BBC building was even more nerve-wracking, if that was even possible. As I filled Kamie in on the details of the meeting, I tried to ignore the anxious pit in my stomach. Ben's face had been so stony back at my flat. I wondered if he would want anything to do with me after I'd hurt him so badly. Why would he trust me with his heart after what had happened?