Pardon my frenchie, p.16
Pardon My Frenchie, page 16
“Grams!” Thad said.
Ashanti looked back and forth between the two of them, unsure if she should speak.
“Ashanti,” Mrs. Frances said, dismissing her grandson. Thad dropped his head back and muttered toward the sky. Was he a fan of the Serenity Prayer too?
“About New York,” Mrs. Frances pressed.
“Um, we have pretty exciting news,” Ashanti said. “Puddin’ will be on Up Early with Leah and Luke!”
Mrs. Frances clasped her hands against her chest. “That cute brother and sister duo? I love them! I knew it was only a matter of time before Duchess and Puddin’ became stars. You could not find two more precious dogs.” She gave Puddin’s head another kiss and hugged him.
“Now,” Mrs. Frances continued, “will you and Thaddeus be sharing a room while you’re in New York?”
“Grams,” Thad said.
“What? I don’t know how these things work. They’re flying you up there together, aren’t they?”
“You know the network doesn’t expect us to share a room.”
“Maybe they should,” she said.
Ashanti’s face felt as if she were standing next to a wood-burning pizza oven. “Uh, no. That would be inappropriate,” she said.
Her phone vibrated against her thigh. She pulled it out and read a text from Ridley, commanding both Ashanti and Thad come to her condo ASAP to meet with the public relations specialist.
Ashanti held up her phone. “Thad, we’re being summoned.”
“Go. Go,” Mrs. Frances said. “Show my baby New York City and then you come right back here so you can tell me about the trip. What day will you be on the show?”
“Friday morning,” Ashanti said. “I’ll text you before we’re about to go on. Just remember that New York is an hour ahead of us.”
“I finally learned how to use the DVR in my unit. I’m not missing a single moment of that show.” She pointed a manicured finger at Thad. “Remember what I said about the edibles.”
“Forget the edibles,” Thad said, giving her a kiss on her forehead.
“I’ll have Barkingham Palace’s veterinarian prescribe something for anxiety for both dogs,” Ashanti promised her.
Puddin’ was not happy to leave and made his dissatisfaction known by planting his butt on the porch and refusing to move. Ashanti had to entice him with a Cheetos-type snack from Australia that Mrs. Frances grabbed from the box of snacks Thad had brought for her.
Once they finally got Puddin’ to move, Ashanti and Thad started down the walkway toward the gate.
“Is there any question as to why your grandmother is one of my favorite people on earth?” Ashanti asked. “I love that woman.”
“She’s a troublemaker,” Thad said.
“But she does it with such dignity and grace,” Ashanti said with a laugh. She bit the side of her lip as Thad once again opened the gate for her. “Although, it sounds as if she was trying to make more than just trouble. She’s not very subtle with her matchmaking, is she?”
“Frances Sutherland and subtle should never be mentioned in the same sentence,” Thad said. “I’m sorry about that. I’m used to her matchmaking. Don’t let her make you uncomfortable.”
“It didn’t,” she lied. “I just don’t want you to feel awkward. I mean, we are flying up to New York together. And, according to Kara, there has already been chatter online about the two of us.”
He stopped short. “What kind of chatter?”
“That we’re a couple.” The heat was back, but not just on her face. Every part of her body warmed as Thad’s gaze drifted over her. “You know how people are,” Ashanti continued. “Our dogs were caught necking and they automatically project the same onto the owners.”
“But how does anyone even know I’m Puddin’s owner? I didn’t do that midday newscast with you.”
“Remember the night you were late picking him up and you followed me to the playroom? There’s a twenty-four-seven livestream camera in there.”
Thad shook his head. “People really need to find a life outside of the Internet. Who sits around watching a doggy cam at eight o’clock at night?”
“You’d be surprised,” Ashanti said. She hunched her shoulders. “Like I said, I just don’t want either of us to feel awkward or pressured or anything like that. We both know that the thought of the two of us together is laughable.”
Her ego wanted to believe it was disappointment she’d glimpsed in his eyes, but it was probably just dust.
Still, she felt the need to clarify. “Not that there’s anything wrong with you. It’s just that you’re not at all my type.”
“Well, damn. Just come on out and call me ugly,” Thad said, an amused grin pulling at one corner of his mouth.
“I didn’t say you were ugly!” Ashanti protested. “My type loves dogs.”
They came upon her car and Ashanti used her key fob to unlock it. Thad reached for the door handle before she could and opened the car door for her.
“Thank you,” she said, sliding in behind the wheel.
He started to close the door, but then stopped. He leaned forward, resting his arm against the door frame. “So are you saying that if I learned to like dogs—” He stood up straight and shook his head. “Never mind. Forget I said anything.”
Her phone vibrated again. Ashanti fumbled trying to pull it from her pocket. She had to be the color of a fire hydrant at this point.
“That’s Ridley,” she said. “We need to get to her place before she gets in her car and comes looking for us.”
Thad blew out a breath. “Okay.”
“Um, I’ll text you the address, but you can also just follow me. She’s less than ten minutes away.”
“Text me the address, just in case I lose you in traffic,” he said. Then he closed her door and went to his truck.
Ashanti squeezed the steering wheel so tight she was surprised she didn’t bend it.
“Good Lord,” she whispered.
Was he about to ask her what she thought he was about to ask her? She’d had exactly two long-term boyfriends, and had not been on a single date since she broke up with Simon. Her ability to read between the lines when it came to men was a negative five hundred.
It was a really good thing Thad wasn’t her type. Now if only she didn’t have to keep reminding herself of that.
20
Thad managed to keep up with her in traffic after all, due to running at least one red light and cutting off a delivery truck. Ashanti had called Ridley to let her know that they would be arriving at her place within ten minutes so she could put their names on her condo’s visitors’ list.
She pulled just beyond the parking gate after being let into the condo building’s garage and idled while the attendant checked Thad’s credentials. She waited until the arm of the gate rose before she drove forward and made a right, parking in one of the open visitors’ slots.
She stood next to Thad’s back bumper as he hooked Puddin’ to his leash and guided him out of the truck, keeping her eyes averted as he approached, praying he wouldn’t revive his aborted question from just before they left his grandmother. She wasn’t sure how she would answer—how she would want to answer—if he did.
Okay, so she knew how she wanted to answer. But what she wanted and what was best for where she was in this stage of her life were on opposite ends of a very long, very complicated spectrum.
“This way,” Ashanti said, gesturing to the smoke-gray glass door that led to the building’s lobby. She had only visited Ridley’s condo a couple of times since she’d moved here, mainly because they were all so used to hanging out at the daycare and at her house since she’d started baking the Duchess Delights treats.
They walked up to a podium just to the right of a bank of elevators.
“Afternoon,” the doorman said.
Ashanti couldn’t help but wonder if this was the doorman who had spent time blowing Ridley’s back out. Goodness, she hoped not. He couldn’t be more than twenty-three years old.
“We’re here to see Ridley King in 1210.”
His ears and neck immediately became flushed.
Good Lord, he was the one.
“She’s expecting us,” Ashanti said.
As they waited for the doorman to confirm their arrival, Thad looked around the sleek lobby. Everything was glass and chrome, a departure from most of the structures around here, which leaned into the city’s old-world French architecture.
“What exactly does your friend do for a living?” he asked. “A one-bedroom in a place like this must run four thousand a month.”
“She’s tried to explain it, but I honestly have no idea what Ridley does for a living,” Ashanti said. “She has a doctoral degree in marketing from Wharton and a huge corner office that overlooks the Mississippi River, if that helps.”
“Explains a lot,” Thad said.
“You can go up now,” the doorman said.
“Dogs are allowed, right?” Thad asked, pointing to Puddin’.
“Of course,” the doorman said. “Wait. Is that—?”
“The poodle from the viral video,” Ashanti said. “Yes.”
He looked over his shoulder. “Do you mind if I take a photo?”
She had to stifle a laugh at the look of repugnance on Thad’s face as he watched the doorman snap a selfie with Puddin’. He then directed them to an elevator and pressed the button. It took mere seconds to reach the twelfth floor. Ridley’s two-bedroom condo was at the end of the hallway. She opened the door before Ashanti could knock.
“Finally,” Ridley said. She pointed at Puddin’. “What’s this?”
“Standard poodle,” Thad said. “I’m Thad, by the way.”
“I don’t do dogs.”
“Me neither.”
“Cute,” she said. She blew out an exasperated breath and opened the door wider. “I’ll make an exception this time, but keep him away from me and the furniture.”
Puddin’ barked at her as they entered the condo.
Ridley jabbed her finger at him. “I will turn you into a rug.”
The dog whimpered and snuck between Thad’s legs.
“I like you,” Thad said.
“Everyone likes me,” Ridley replied. “Dominique had to get something out of her car. She’ll be back up in a few minutes. Your flight boards at twelve fifteen p.m., so you’ll need to head for the airport no later than eleven. You know how traffic can get.”
Evie came out of the kitchen. “Ah, Puddin’s here! Hi sweetheart.”
Puddin’ dashed from between Thad’s legs and darted toward Evie, clipping Ridley along the way.
“He touches me again and he goes out in the hallway,” Ridley said.
“Puddin’ deserves special treatment,” Evie said. “He’s part of the reason we’re here.”
“What are you doing here?” Ashanti asked her. “Don’t you have patients this morning?”
She waved that off before giving Ashanti a hug. “Cameron can man the practice for a few hours. This is all too exciting to miss. You two ready to hit the Big Apple?”
“We don’t really have a choice,” Ashanti said.
“No, you don’t,” Ridley said. “Just wait until you hear all the spots Dom was able to line up. By this time on Friday, anyone who didn’t know about Puddin’ and Duchess getting it on will definitely know.”
The PR specialist returned and they all sat around the living room with its floor-to-ceiling windows that afforded a view of both the Crescent City Connection bridge and the downtown high-rises.
Ridley’s colleague Dominique was a petite biracial Black and Vietnamese woman with a cute pixie haircut and the physique of a gymnast. She forwarded the itinerary to Ridley with instructions to distribute it electronically to everyone around the table.
“You arrive this afternoon and head straight for a podcast in Hell’s Kitchen,” Dominique started. “It shouldn’t last more than an hour, and it isn’t too far from your hotel. On Thursday, you have a live in-studio TikTok interview with Casey, the Dog Whisper. Once you’re done there, you have another podcast in Brooklyn. Friday morning is Leah and Luke, of course.”
“Is it really worth going up there a day early just to talk to someone on TikTok?” Thad asked.
“Casey, the Dog Whisper, has over twelve million followers,” Dominique said. “A couple from Kansas with a new self-care line for dogs moved more product after going on her show than they did when they appeared on Shark Tank.”
“I could have gone my entire life without knowing that people spend money on self-care products for dogs,” Thad said.
“Says the man whose poodle wears a rhinestone collar?” Ridley said.
“My grandmother bought the collar.”
“Back to the itinerary,” Dominique said. Ashanti now saw why she and Ridley were good friends. They had the same personality. “I’m still trying to line up a radio interview with a guy who has the most popular evening drive talk show in New York’s tri-state area, so more to come there.” She huddled over her laptop. “The second PDF that I will send contains talking points and basic tips for dealing with the media: how to keep your cool during an interview, how to keep your responses to under twelve seconds—the longer you ramble, the more likely you’re going to say something the interviewer can use against you.”
“Is that something we need to worry about?” Ashanti asked. “These interviews are supposed to be friendly, right?”
“Every interview is an opportunity for a gotcha moment,” Dom replied. “It’s my job to make sure you’re prepared for them.” She glanced at her watch. “Are there any other questions?”
“I have one,” Thad said. He gestured at his phone. “Who’s paying for all of this? Who’s paying you?”
“I’m fronting you both the money for everything the morning show doesn’t cover,” Ridley answered. “I do, however, expect to be paid back.”
“Don’t you think I should have been consulted before all these plans were made if I have to shell out money for it?” Thad asked.
“Do you know anything about marketing or public relations?” Ridley asked. “No,” she said before Thad could answer. “You have no idea how valuable these next three days will be for your business. Consider it an investment.”
He held up his hands, as if giving up his argument. It was probably for the best. Ridley never backed down, even when it was an argument she was losing. That wasn’t the case here. Thad may still be unsure, but Ashanti had full confidence that this time in New York would be worth it.
“And you and Kara are going to handle the social media posts for the contest, right?” Ashanti asked.
Dominique swiped across her phone’s touchscreen and turned it to face Ashanti. “Already have the first one ready to go.”
The contest Kara had signed her up for turned out to be a much bigger deal than Ashanti had first realized. It was actually a sponsorship backed by a venture capitalist firm dedicated to helping minority businesses. And that $250,000 prize was only the first component of a five-year commitment.
In addition to the money, a nationwide marketing campaign, and the mentorship, the winner would also be given an opportunity to borrow up to two million dollars from the investment firm. Their flexible payback model, which would be based on revenue and not a set monthly payment, was one of the most generous terms Ashanti had ever seen.
Winning this contest would negate the need for a traditional loan. As much as she abhorred the thought of taking on such enormous debt, knowing she wouldn’t have to start paying it back until her business showed a profit made it easier to swallow.
She had to win this contest.
However, in order to win it, she had to convince people to vote for Duchess Delights utilizing the nationwide online voting method the contest had set up. She was up against four other Black women-owned businesses, including a natural hair care line that was already gaining popularity and the country’s first Black woman-owned microbrewery.
But there was one thing she had that none of those other contestants did: the chance to get her name out there on a national stage. This contest and the segment on Leah and Luke’s show truly could not have come at a better time. Ashanti had no choice but to believe it was kismet.
“That’s all I have for now,” Dominique said. She handed Ashanti and Thad a square black card with a QR code on one side and in bold letters DOM. on the other. “I will text you both daily. Many of these parts are still moving, so you will need to be agile.”
With that she told Ridley she would see her at some mixer next week and left the condo.
Evie hooked a thumb toward the door. “You cannot tell me that Dom is not short for dominatrix. I was afraid to breathe around her.”
“Even I’ll admit Dom is a bit scary, and I’m not afraid of anything,” Ridley said. “But she is one of the best in the business and there are a bunch of people who are jealous of you both right now because you got the chance to work with her.” She pointed at Ashanti and Thad. “Do not blow this. It’s rare to get this kind of opportunity.”
Thad pushed back from the table. “I’ll do my best,” he said. “I still need to pack, so I should get going.”
“You haven’t packed yet?” Ridley said. She dropped her head on the table in one of her signature overly dramatic Ridley moves. Her head popped up. “Weren’t you in the Army? Isn’t your slogan ‘Be Prepared’?”
“That’s the Boy Scouts,” Thad said. He snapped his fingers and Puddin’ came to stand next to him.
“You got him to follow a command,” Ashanti said. “You’re making progress.”
“Don’t get too excited. We still hate each other,” Thad said. “Nice meeting you,” he said to Evie. To Ashanti he asked, “Do you have a ride to the airport?”
“Puddin’ will need a travel crate,” Ashanti said. “I have extra at the daycare.” She looked at Evie. “Maybe you could bring us in the van?” Evie had a van that she used for making house calls to her clients. “Meet us at Barkingham Palace in an hour?”
“You got it, babe,” Evie said.
Thad left and Ashanti started gathering her things as well. She didn’t want to admit to Ridley that she had not yet packed either. This was all moving so quickly, she barely had time to breathe since getting that email from the show producer yesterday.
