a
handshake. Obviously, he knew the value of his client.
"Caden!
It's good to finally see you. I was starting to get worried when you weren't
returning my calls."
"I
don't need you fawning over me every second." Caden waved at the seat in
front of his desk, indicating that Joseph should sit. I was unsure whether to
go back to my desk or sit in the chair next to his agent, since Caden had said
he wanted me to be present for this meeting.
Caden
noticed my hesitation and nodded at the chair next to Joseph. "Lauren,
have a seat."
I
sat down in the chair, shooting a polite smile at Joseph when he glanced over
at me. His beady little eyes looked at me with renewed interest, and I had the
sudden urge to slap that supercilious smile off his face. The thought of his
reaction made me bite my lip to suppress my laughter, and I turned to Caden. He
raised a questioning eyebrow at me, obviously having seen my repressed mirth,
but I just returned his gaze blandly.
"Lauren,
this is my agent Joseph." Caden turned back to his agent. "Lauren's
filling in for Macie while she's abroad."
"Nice
to meet you, Lauren." Joseph stuck out his hand and I shook it, releasing
his cold and clammy hand quickly.
"You
too, Joseph." We both turned and looked at Caden expectantly, waiting for
him to speak.
"Joseph,
the reason why I wanted to meet with you today is I want to stop showing for a
while. The exhibit at Greenwood Gallery will be the last one for the
foreseeable future."
Joseph's
pale skin quickly became flushed. "What do you mean, you want to stop
showing? Do you know how many galleries are requesting to have your collection
on display? Your exhibit at Greenwood is only for two weeks. What then?"
Caden's
lips thinned as he looked at Joseph. "I want to take a break. I've been
working non-stop for a long time. I'm sick and tired of all the schmoozing, all
the parties and opening events I have to attend. I didn't become a photographer
to spend my life answering the same asinine questions over and over again at
monotonous parties."
"You
don't have to attend all those events!" Joseph's voice was growing
desperate. "We can still show your work."
Caden
shook his head. "No, as long as my art is up for exhibition, I get endless
calls. I need some time off. I'm letting you know because I don't want you
pushing me. I've already told Kate to decline any interview requests."
Joseph
was beside himself, and I felt uncomfortable witnessing his distress. Caden
hadn't told me about his intention to take time off, and I thought his meeting
with his publicist, Kate, last Friday had just been a normal working lunch. I
wondered if he still needed me as a personal assistant since he was taking time
off.
"What's
the difference?" Joseph sounded bitter. "You rarely grant interviews.
You decline most events. What's the point in not showing?"
"This
isn't a discussion." Caden's voice brooked no argument. "I'm just
informing you of my decision. There’ll be no more exhibitions after the one at
Greenwood Gallery."
Caden
turned to me. "You should still be directing all the press calls to Kate, but
don't direct any inquiries about showcasing my work to Joseph. There's no
point. Just tell them my pieces are unavailable for an undetermined length of
time."
I
nodded, trying to ignore Joseph's spluttering sound of outrage. I was relieved
Caden still wanted me to work for him, despite taking a break. I told myself it
was because of the large paycheck, nothing more.
"For
how long!" Joseph exclaimed, his face a mottled red. "How long of a
break are you taking?"
Caden
shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Until I feel like it."
Joseph
made an effort to calm himself, obviously realizing that he would get nowhere
with anger. "What about your next collection? Will you be shooting during
your break?"
"No,
that defeats the point of taking a break," Caden responded dryly.
Caden
stood, indicating that the meeting was over. He raised an eyebrow at Joseph
when he remained sitting, and his
handshake. Obviously, he knew the value of his client.
"Caden!
It's good to finally see you. I was starting to get worried when you weren't
returning my calls."
"I
don't need you fawning over me every second." Caden waved at the seat in
front of his desk, indicating that Joseph should sit. I was unsure whether to
go back to my desk or sit in the chair next to his agent, since Caden had said
he wanted me to be present for this meeting.
Caden
noticed my hesitation and nodded at the chair next to Joseph. "Lauren,
have a seat."
I
sat down in the chair, shooting a polite smile at Joseph when he glanced over
at me. His beady little eyes looked at me with renewed interest, and I had the
sudden urge to slap that supercilious smile off his face. The thought of his
reaction made me bite my lip to suppress my laughter, and I turned to Caden. He
raised a questioning eyebrow at me, obviously having seen my repressed mirth,
but I just returned his gaze blandly.
"Lauren,
this is my agent Joseph." Caden turned back to his agent. "Lauren's
filling in for Macie while she's abroad."
"Nice
to meet you, Lauren." Joseph stuck out his hand and I shook it, releasing
his cold and clammy hand quickly.
"You
too, Joseph." We both turned and looked at Caden expectantly, waiting for
him to speak.
"Joseph,
the reason why I wanted to meet with you today is I want to stop showing for a
while. The exhibit at Greenwood Gallery will be the last one for the
foreseeable future."
Joseph's
pale skin quickly became flushed. "What do you mean, you want to stop
showing? Do you know how many galleries are requesting to have your collection
on display? Your exhibit at Greenwood is only for two weeks. What then?"
Caden's
lips thinned as he looked at Joseph. "I want to take a break. I've been
working non-stop for a long time. I'm sick and tired of all the schmoozing, all
the parties and opening events I have to attend. I didn't become a photographer
to spend my life answering the same asinine questions over and over again at
monotonous parties."
"You
don't have to attend all those events!" Joseph's voice was growing
desperate. "We can still show your work."
Caden
shook his head. "No, as long as my art is up for exhibition, I get endless
calls. I need some time off. I'm letting you know because I don't want you
pushing me. I've already told Kate to decline any interview requests."
Joseph
was beside himself, and I felt uncomfortable witnessing his distress. Caden
hadn't told me about his intention to take time off, and I thought his meeting
with his publicist, Kate, last Friday had just been a normal working lunch. I
wondered if he still needed me as a personal assistant since he was taking time
off.
"What's
the difference?" Joseph sounded bitter. "You rarely grant interviews.
You decline most events. What's the point in not showing?"
"This
isn't a discussion." Caden's voice brooked no argument. "I'm just
informing you of my decision. There’ll be no more exhibitions after the one at
Greenwood Gallery."
Caden
turned to me. "You should still be directing all the press calls to Kate, but
don't direct any inquiries about showcasing my work to Joseph. There's no
point. Just tell them my pieces are unavailable for an undetermined length of
time."
I
nodded, trying to ignore Joseph's spluttering sound of outrage. I was relieved
Caden still wanted me to work for him, despite taking a break. I told myself it
was because of the large paycheck, nothing more.
"For
how long!" Joseph exclaimed, his face a mottled red. "How long of a
break are you taking?"
Caden
shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. Until I feel like it."
Joseph
made an effort to calm himself, obviously realizing that he would get nowhere
with anger. "What about your next collection? Will you be shooting during
your break?"
"No,
that defeats the point of taking a break," Caden responded dryly.
Caden
stood, indicating that the meeting was over. He raised an eyebrow at Joseph
when he remained sitting, and his
Similar Books
