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The suit pipes up again. "Miss Hudson, you work for Good Relations, do you not?"
"I do," I confirm.
"And Mr. McDonagh, you do not, do you?"
"I am in contact with them, and I hope to help fund the purchase of the IP rights with Miss Hudson brokering the deal."
"Mmm-hmm. But you have not reached an agreement with Good Relations, have you?" asks the suit.
"No, not yet."
"We have spoken to Mr. Hodgkins, and he assures us that Good Relations will not work with you in the future."
"We are working on a way around that," Logan says.
I wonder if he will tell them about the offer he made me.
"Mmm-hmm," repeats the suit. "Listen, your offer has been more than fair, and it is currently more considerable than the offers from the larger publishing companies, but we all know they will match that and continue to match it indefinitely. This is not about the money anymore. Miss Morton is going to be made rich through this deal, but she needs more than that. She needs creative control."
"And I can—"
The suit raises his hand to stop Logan, and I feel him flinch beside me. He doesn't like being shushed but maintains his composure for the sake of the deal.
"We have multiple offers of creative control, and some of them are stricter than others, but almost every other publishing company can offer something that you cannot."
"What is that?" asks Logan.
"Experience and reputation. It is all very well to offer creative control, but it becomes redundant if there is no one to work with to make that happen. The larger publishing houses have years of experience, knowledge, and, most importantly, contacts. You do not have that."
"No, I do not, but that will allow for more creative control for Miss Morton. I can make guarantees that the other companies cannot."
"I am sorry," says the suit. "Miss Morton will not work with you going forward."
Logan turns to Charlie. "They will ruin it all. Listen to your heart, Miss Morton."
"Mr. McDonagh, any other investor would have given up by now. You want to purchase the IP rights for an insane amount. You want to take creative control for yourself and give it to me as well. Nothing will come of this book without both your and my say so. This sounds like a doomed project with no return. So, what is it about if this is not about the money?"
"I do not understand," says Logan.
"Why do you want this so much? Everything you are pushing for seems so… romantic, and I know a thing or two about that. So, if this is not about the money, what is it really about?"
Logan sighs. "Do you want to know the truth?"
"Please," replies Charlie.
"I am doing this for my mother."
That hits me right in the pit of my stomach. It is not the answer I was expecting.
"Go on," urges Charlie.
"My mother passed away many years ago, but not before she gave me some happy childhood memories. The one thing she instilled in me was a love for literature. She encouraged me to read, and she also read to me almost every night. We went on adventures together through the books we consumed."
I don't think I have ever seen or heard as much emotion from Logan. He is still stoic and reserved, but there is an undercurrent of feeling.
"I was still young when my mother passed. It has taken me a long time to come to terms with it, but I have made my peace. So, in her memory, I honor who she was by respecting the literature she taught me to respect. I do not say this lightly when I tell you that your work will be held in the same regard as some of the greatest. This might be your only work that will be, but you have created something fantastic here. I cannot let this work of art be destroyed like a Banksy stunt. That would rob the world of your greatness. It would rob a mother and child of a connection."
Charlie nods and looks sullen.
