A rebels beacon, p.5
A Rebel's Beacon, page 5
“We wouldn’t film ours that way.” Drew held up his hands like he was calming the wolves he’d just spoken about. “I’d make sure that everything we did was authentic. The last thing I’d want is to make you look bad or uncomfortable.”
“Too late for that,” Denali muttered.
If Bjørn heard it sitting five feet away, Drew definitely heard it. Bjørn snorted, then rubbed his mouth to cover his amusement. Drew had an uphill battle with this group. From what Bjørn could tell, everything they did benefited others. Showcasing for a television show didn’t fall in line with that.
“How would this work exactly? What are you wanting to film?” Sadie spoke for the first time, turning everyone’s eyes to her.
Denali’s mouth popped open. Her face held an expression of incredulity, like she couldn’t believe that Sadie wanted to consider the idea. Violet bounced on her toes like she wanted to start filming right then. Aurora just pushed her glasses up on her nose and cocked her head at Sadie.
“Me and two other cameramen would stick around for a month or two and film what you all do.” Drew shrugged like it was no big deal, but his shoulders bunched. “Nature will pay a generous amount upfront, then you’ll receive royalties when the show produces above and beyond that initial payment.”
“Just film us throughout the day? How is that going to be TV worthy?” Sadie motioned with her hand. “It’s not always hopping fun around here.”
“That’s all right. The mundane interests people as much as the wild.” Drew shoved his hands in to his pockets.
“How much is generous?” Aurora crossed her arms in a mirror of her sister.
“I mean, you’ll have to negotiate, which I suggest you do, but they are already prepared to offer six figures.” Drew dropped the amount like a well-placed grenade, making even Bjørn’s heart pound. “Each.”
Well played. He liked this guy. While Bjørn didn’t know the kennel’s financial status, that amount of money could make any business secure for many years. If the ladies capitalized on the opportunity, it would generate income well after they stopped filming. Shoot, he’d do back flips and sing karaoke for that kind of money.
“But what would they film? It’s not like what we do is all that exciting.” Denali waved her arms around.
Why wouldn’t she want to make a guaranteed income like what Drew suggested? If the series tanked or the network decided not to air it, the ladies would still have the initial payment. Violet wrapped her arm around Denali’s waist and squeezed.
“Denali, I know you didn’t want to be in front of the camera, but this isn’t something we can pass up.” Sadie dropped her arms and motioned to the backyard. “Think about what we could do with the dogs, what we could do for the community. We wouldn’t have to wait to expand.”
“If we played it right, we could make even more on merchandising, not to mention the fact that the exposure could bring us more clients.” Aurora’s matter-of-fact tone said the discussion was over, but Denali shook her head.
“It could also backfire.” She hugged herself tight again. “We aren’t that entertaining.”
Bjørn knew that wasn’t the truth. He’d only been around the family for a few hours but already had been drawn in. They wouldn’t have a hard time getting viewers.
“There’s plenty of room in the chopper for a camera or two.” The words tumbled out of Bjørn’s mouth, and part of him wished he could snatch them from the air and shove them back in. He had looked forward to time alone with Sadie to get to know her.
Everyone turned to him like they’d forgotten he was even there. Bjørn smirked as he stood and joined them. He would’ve forgotten, too, if that kind of money was being tossed around.
“We were already planning training trips for your search and rescue dogs.” Bjørn pointed to the coffee table. “If you filmed those first, you’d have time to figure out how you wanted to do the law enforcement side of the business.”
He kept his gaze on the ladies. He wanted them to know he was doing this for them, not the network or even Drew. If his help could ease some of Denali’s hesitance, then he’d take Sadie and her dogs out every day for a month straight if he had to. He held Sadie’s gaze, her brown eyes thoughtful.
“That could work.” She turned to Drew. “Would the network pay for fuel?”
“Yep.” Drew turned to Bjørn, his mouth turned up on one side in a thankful smile.
Bjørn gave the man a small shake of the head in warning. Don’t get too cocky, yet. Bjørn was pretty sure the Wilde women were an all-or-nothing type of family. If Denali didn’t give in, the others would respect that, even though they’d be disappointed.
“If Bjørn’s a regular on the show, would he get paid for that as well?” Sadie crossed her arms, her face steely in a challenge.
“Yeah.” Drew shrugged. “I don’t know specifics, but usually others are paid for each second on air.”
“So, if he’s on the screen for ten minutes of an episode, he’d be paid six hundred seconds?” Aurora asked.
“That’s right.” Drew nodded.
“Will you help us make sure he gets a premium rate and that his business is showcased as well?” Sadie asked, and Bjørn opened his mouth to protest, only to snap it shut at her quick glare.
Sadie lifted her eyebrow at Drew, her eyes flicking to Denali, who had her fingers pressed along her eyebrows and was shaking her head. Drew’s gaze followed, his face softening a bit before turning back to Sadie.
“I’ll help however I can to make this the most beneficial to everyone.” Drew’s conviction was so strong, Bjørn wondered just how far Drew would go to keep his word.
Sadie stifled a smile, then winked at Bjørn. Beautiful, smart, and cunning? Bjørn’s attraction lifted from safe ground, soaring to new levels that gave him vertigo and made his head spin. His heart raced as he watched Sadie launch into ideas, her hands waving as she talked. He was such a goner. Excitement built in her voice, and she touched his arm, including him in her plan. The familiar rush of adrenaline that only came when he flew a mission coursed through him. Sadie was an adventure he hadn’t planned for, but it was one he could dive full speed into.
Chapter Seven
Sadie pulled up next to Bjørn’s helicopter at the far end of the Seward Airport chopper parking. Gray clouds hung low on the mountains across the bay, pushing down on her. Why couldn’t it be bright and sunny instead of gloomy? Maybe then she wouldn’t be so nervous, her body leaking cold sweat like a faucet, with the stress of the upcoming training. They weren’t even leaving the airport, but the thought of failing had kept her up all night long.
Rowdy sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window in expectation. His tail wagged as his head swiveled from side to side as he took in the action. Drew and his cameramen pulled things from their rental SUV, opening cases of equipment. She was half hoping they’d call to reschedule, say that something more exciting came up, like a herd of moose dancing the cha-cha in downtown Anchorage.
Sadie searched for Bjørn but didn’t see him. She still couldn’t believe he’d jumped in when he had. She hadn’t thought she could talk Denali into doing the show, and none of them would have forced her if she’d insisted. Then Bjørn’s suggestion had been enough to give Denali the breathing room she’d needed to realize just how important the opportunity was. Hopefully, Sadie’d find a way to thank Bjørn for his help.
“Come on, Rowdy.” Sadie rubbed behind the dog’s shaggy ear. “Let’s go on an adventure.”
He barked a cheerful response and barreled out her door the instant her feet hit the asphalt. He dashed to the crew, sniffing at each of them in greeting. Sadie shivered as the damp air hit her, and she zipped up her jacket and snagged her beanie from the dashboard. So much for looking nice for the camera. Bjørn jumped down from the chopper, and her dog made a fool of himself.
“Rowdy!” Bjørn slapped his knees, and Rowdy’s entire body wagged as he rushed to Bjørn. “How are you, buddy?”
Bjørn rubbed Rowdy’s side, and the dog’s tongue hung out of his mouth in complete bliss. The enthusiasm of the two eased the nerves that zinged along her skin from high-powered electric-fence level to shock-collar level. Reaching into a side pocket of his cargo pants, Bjørn pulled out a tennis ball. Her muscles loosened even more. Not only did he bring baked goods and coffee, but he armed himself with toys for the dog. Sadie shook her head. Did his generosity ever end, or was this all just for show?
“Look what I brought you.” Bjørn held the ball high, and Rowdy instantly sat. “Oh, good boy.” Bjørn chucked it far into the grass field while Rowdy’s body trembled in anticipation. “Go get it.”
Rowdy shot off, his legs blurring as he raced to the ball. Maybe Sadie should go running with him, get some of this energy out that was making her sweaty. Bjørn pushed his sunglasses up onto the top of his head as he strode up to her.
“You ready for this?” His face beamed with excitement, like a kid going to an amusement park.
She shook her head in the negative. “Yes?”
Bjørn chuckled. The low sound tumbled over her head and down her body, causing her to smile. Maybe she had nothing to worry about after all.
“I sense some hesitation in you.” Bjørn turned to reward Rowdy, who ran toward them.
“Yeah.” She motioned to the network’s people. The cameramen already filmed them, and she tensed. “My mind’s been telling me all night the reasons this isn’t a good idea.” She lowered her voice, not sure how well the camera would pick it up. “What if I’m not able to do this? What if the training fails or Rowdy freaks out?”
Bjørn stepped closer and placed his hand on her shoulder. He leaned in, his heat pushing more of the cold away. Confidence replaced his excited expression.
“You’ve got this.” He pitched his voice so only she could hear. “You’ve done amazing with Rowdy, but even if he freaks out a little, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It means you both have an opportunity to improve, to push yourselves. Just keep your head on and forget about the cameras.”
“Okay.” Her response stuck in her throat in a soft whisper, so she nodded.
“Okay.” Bjørn gave her shoulder a squeeze, then bent to take the ball from Rowdy as Drew stepped up.
“Morning,” Drew said with a lift of his head. “You ready for this?”
“Absolutely.” Sadie shoved her trembling hands in her pockets, and Bjørn shot her a smile. Drew didn’t need to know she was so nervous she hadn’t been able to eat a thing.
“Great. What I’d like you to do today is just talk me through what it is you’re planning, like I’m clueless.” Drew motioned to the cameramen following Rowdy as he raced back. “You remember Bo and Craig, right?”
Sure, if her brain wasn’t stalled out, she probably would’ve remembered their names. She gave a tight smile at the men and held her hand up in a wave.
“They’re just going to keep rolling the entire time. Try to ignore them, unless they ask a question or tell you to do something.” Drew planted his legs wide and hung his arms next to him like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Think of me as someone you’re training. There’s no pressure here. I’ll look through the feed before I send it in and cut anything too embarrassing.”
“Is that something you normally do?”
“No, but I want to be a man of my word and not give you all any reason to doubt this will be a success.” Drew shrugged, but Sadie could tell their trust was important to him.
“Why are you doing this?” Curiosity had branded her since he’d shown back up at the kennel. “Aren’t you supposed to be off to the wilds of the world, filming the next adventure? I mean, why were you here in the first place? This kind of show isn’t your normal thing.”
Drew stared after the dog rolling in the grass. He heaved a loud sigh, then turned his attention to her.
“I never expected my show to get as big as it did. It was just supposed to be a way to save up the funding I needed to do what I really want.” He shoved his hands in his front pockets and blew out a laugh. “It kind of took over … everything. It wasn’t until I was in the middle of the jungle in South America, so sick I couldn’t move, that I finally had a wake-up call. The adventure had gotten old, and my dream finally pushed its way back to the surface.”
“What dream?” Sadie asked, a needle of doubt pricking her brain.
“I’ve always wanted to open a wildlife rehabilitation center.” The weariness that had pulled his face low lifted as he looked at her. “I watched a documentary when I was younger about this man who saved eagles here in Alaska, fixed them, then sent them back into the wild to live. It fascinated me, and from that moment on, I wanted to do the same, only by taking in all kinds of animals, not just eagles. But after I graduated from vet school with a mountain of debt, I realized just how hard it’d be to open a facility like I wanted. I was working at a kangaroo rehabilitation center when Nature came in to shoot a piece, and next thing I know, I’ve got a nice contract and I’m jetting to my first location.”
His story pushed at her core, making her break out into a sweat all over again. What if the series had the opposite effect she hoped for? She didn’t want to become mired in the success of it if it changed what they’d always planned as their vision. Staring at Rowdy as he bounded to Bjørn, she shook her head. She’d just have to make sure that didn’t happen. They’d stay true to their vision or cut the network loose. The resolve eased the nerves and doubt.
“Would your center be in Alaska or back in Australia?” She bit her bottom lip to keep her smile contained.
“Alaska.” Drew’s quick answer had her smile break free. Had it always been Alaska, or was a certain redheaded cousin of hers to blame for the location? “Actually, I think I’ve found a place just outside of Seward that is going to work perfectly.”
Sadie snorted out a laugh, quickly covering it with a cough.
“What?” Drew flipped his palms up and shrugged.
“Nothing.” Sadie couldn’t wait to see how this all played out. “I’m glad you’re going to be around more.”
Sadie whistled to Rowdy as she pulled his leash out of her pocket. Drew’s story seemed to flip off the switch to the nerves that had jolted her all night long. With him helping them, he wouldn’t let her and her family spiral from their goal like he had. She’d just relax and enjoy this training and her new friends, like the cameras weren’t even there.
“You should’ve seen how amazing Rowdy did.” Sadie brushed out Rowdy’s coat as she told Denali about the training session. “Bjørn brought a tennis ball with him—had it in his pocket—and Rowdy melted in the guy’s hand.”
“How did the filming go?” Denali crossed her arms, her teeth worrying her upper lip.
“At first, it was weird having a camera constantly pointing at me.” She stood, pulled the bits of grass, seeds, and hair from the brush, and tossed the clump in the trash. “But, honestly, after a while, I completely forgot they were even there. Drew was great at keeping me focused, so I didn’t really have time to think about the cameras.”
“Yeah, he’s smooth like that.” Denali huffed and flopped on the grass with her Belgian Malinois, Hank.
“He’s a nice guy.” Sadie toed her cousin’s foot. “You should give him a break. He’s going to be around for a while.”
“Two months.” Denali threw one arm over her face, hiding her eyes in the crook of her elbow, and laid the other hand on Hank’s head. “Two months of filming and then he’ll be out of our hair, unless the network wants more, then we’ll have to put up with him again.”
“Actually …” Sadie tossed the brush in the air, drawing out her response to drive Denali crazy with suspense. “He said he might stick around. Guess he likes it here.” She smiled as her cousin’s mouth dropped open. “Isn’t that exciting?”
A mosquito flew into Denali’s gaping mouth as Sadie walked away. She chuckled as Denali sputtered and spat behind her. It’d do Denali good to shake up her world a little. Drew seemed a good bet to be someone who could shake just hard enough to get Denali out of the protective bubble she’d put around her, but not hard enough to pop it before she was ready.
“Hey, wait,” she called out to Sadie.
“Can’t talk now.” Sadie waved without looking. “I’m meeting with Bjørn to plan our next training.”
“But … but—”
Sadie shouldn’t get so much enjoyment from seeing Denali spin, but that Drew had her twirling in the first place encouraged Sadie. Years had passed since Denali had put so much on herself. Sadie was more than ready to have her cousin back, even if getting her to take a second chance at love took some annoying from a certain hot Australian TV star.
Sadie swung her pack filled with maps over her shoulder and skipped down the front porch steps toward her Land Cruiser, her heart lighter than it had been in a long time. She had known that the stress of getting the kennel up and running had weighed on her, but she hadn’t realized just how much until that morning. She never imagined they’d be able to change their trajectory so quickly. Some would say it was crazy, putting themselves out there. Crazy was her jam. She loved the excitement and seeing their dreams expand. She just hoped her willingness to go for the wild didn’t end up crashing around them all.
She slowed as her dad pulled in next to her vehicle. His thick eyebrows scrunched over his eyes as he looked at her. Great. What did she do wrong now?
“Good. You’re here.” Dad stood from the car and leaned against the roof.
“I was just heading out to meet Bjørn to figure out our next training session.” Sadie twirled her keys on her finger, trying not to let her impatience show.
“That’s why I’ve come.” His forehead furrowed even deeper. “I just got off the phone with John, and I don’t think you should train with Bjørn anymore.”
