This time, I looked down and tried to breathe through my desire to snort with laughter. Millie only talked with a high-handed tone when she wanted something or wanted to impress someone. I had a feeling it was the latter.
“I called you both here alongside Dr. Hoffman because we have some news and a proposition we’d like to make the two of you.”
Wes had said this might happen. I held my breath, not wanting to hope. Heck, I was too afraid to hope. On pins and needles, I sat up straighter and waited.
“In case you haven’t noticed, the show is doing extremely well. Since Mia’s first segment for Living Beautiful, our audience has increased by twenty-five percent. We figured the first segment was so well received not only because of the content but also the fact that you and Mr. Channing have been recently in the news. The press surrounding his captivity and the speculation around the movie being scrapped could have been the reason for the first airing going well. However, the second added an additional ten percent to our daily viewers. The day your second segment aired, we had an additional five million viewers.”
I frowned. “So what does that mean in English?” I asked, not wanting to sound stupid, but it could be a lot, or it could mean that I wasn’t getting enough new viewers. Honestly, I would have no idea one way or the other. There were over three hundred million people living in the United States. I had no way to gauge if five million more viewers were enough.
Leona sat back in her chair, her eyes wide as she shook her head. “That means when you’re on, fifteen million people are watching you, as opposed to Dr. Hoffman’s average daily viewership of nine to ten million.”
“Wow!” I let the single word say it all. Now that definitely meant I was kicking some serious ass.
Dr. Hoffman beamed and sat down in the chair next to me. He snapped his fingers and pointed to the sideboard that held an array of drinks. Shandi popped away from the wall she was leaning against to get him whatever his silent request was.
Without even thinking, I snarled and made a gag noise.
“What?” he looked at me indifferently.
I scowled. “Really? You just snapped your fingers at your assistant. Totally rude!” I shook my head and locked gazes with Leona. “I’m sorry. That was out of line.”
She chuckled. “No, you were right. He was out of line.” She hooked a thumb towards Drew. “Unfortunately, that’s also part of his charm. The unknowing bastard.” The way she said it made it seem complimentary, though it was anything but.
Drew huffed and smirked as Shandi handed him a tumbler of what I gathered was rum and coke since the Malibu was still out and an opened can of Coca-Cola sat next to it. “Thank you, dear one,” Drew cooed at Shandi, and like a proud kitty that had caught a bird and laid the dead carcass at his feet, she radiated her happiness.
Wanting to get back to the editing room to a decidedly more attractive man, who was teaching me everything about forming a great story and waiting patiently, I clapped my hands on my thighs, getting both their attention. “Was there more?”
“In a hurry?” Leona asked while sitting back in her leather chair. She was a queen on her throne and the studio her castle.
I could have lied, but I’d been working on that. Wes was teaching me that honesty truly was the best policy in all things. “Yeah, kind of. Wes is waiting back in editing. We’re finalizing the Service is Beautiful segment for Friday’s show.”
Leona nodded. “I’m sure it will be a hit. Are you still there, Ms. Milan?” she asked randomly.
My aunt’s voice crackled through the phone. “Barely. You’re lucky I’ve got paperwork to do while the three of you dribble along. Can we get to the point? I’ve got things to attend to in the next fifteen minutes.” Her words were direct, and I liked that about my auntie. When she was in business mode, she never minced words or wasted time. It was a quality I appreciated in general.
Leona smiled and tapped her desk. “Well, to the point, your ratings and those of the show are increasing exponentially. We obviously want to capitalize on that. So what Dr. Hoffman and Century Productions have agreed upon is that we’d like to offer you a regular spot on the show. You will continue the weekly Living Beautiful segment, but starting in November, we’d like to shift your time on the show up considerably.”
“In what capacity?” Millie asked.
“Well, our initial thought is to have Mia participate in regular segments on the show alongside Dr. Hoffman. She has the look and appeals to the younger audience.” Her gaze shot to Drew’s. “Not that you’re old, but you are twenty years her senior. Having a twenty-five-year-old weighing in on certain things, interviewing younger artists and celebrities, might really vamp up the show.”