Page 108 of Out on a Limb

Her pep faded as the hard, adult truth of business interrupted. “It’s okay. I think people are still finding the store.”

A worry line creased her forehead.

“Word of mouth and all that.” She went back to smiling, but it wasn’t the same as before. Walker realized he and Hobie were the only customers in the store.

“Have you thought about switching up that billboard that’s across from the movie theater?”

“I got a great rate on it, and it’s in such a good location.”

“It is, but is it helping?” Walker asked.

She looked around the empty store.

“Dad.” Hobie pointed at the cupcake just out of reach.

“Here, go sit at that table.” Walker handed him the cupcake and directed him to the closest seat. “Don’t eat my half.”

“I won’t!”

Walker watched him in the window’s reflection. “I think the billboard is prime real estate, but maybe you should switch up your campaign. What does your advertising agency say?”

“Oh, I don’t have an agency. I know the guy who owns the billboard, and my friend and I designed the artwork,” she said with pride.

The wheels turned in his head. He was on his own sugar high. “I think a fresh, dynamic piece of creative could help you out. What if you did something like this?” Walker took a napkin and a pen next to the register and doodled an exact replica of the design he showed Cameron. It flowed out of him without any strain on his memory. Not even his daily coffee could give him an energy boost like this.

“That’s so cool!” The woman held it up to her face for a better examination. “And you just thought of this?”

“For a while. I’ve seen your billboard a lot. It’s in an effective spot. It just needs to be effective, in my opinion.”

She placed the napkin on the counter but kept staring at it. “I love this design.”

“You could even run it during the preview reel at the movie theater. They run lots of static advertisements. Get people thinking about a post-movie treat even before the film has begun.”

“Wow. You’re good.” She held up the napkin. “Can you create this for me? Like as a real billboard? We can discuss your fee, of course.”

“My fee?” Walker thought of a photographer and graphic artist that he worked with on a Radiance execution a while back. They were all freelance, all hungry for work. Everything was falling into place faster than he could process. “Right. My fee.”

Walker threw out a number, which she negotiated down to a still comfortable amount. His mouth hung open slightly.

“I’m looking forward to working with you. I’ll email you tonight,” Walker said. They shook on it. And just like that, Walker was no longer out of work.

CHAPTER thirty-five

Cameron

“Let’s roll some calls,” Arthur said, breezing by Cameron’s desk en route to his office. Cameron quickly figured out what rolling calls meant. Arthur and Cameron would get on the same phone line and call back (or not) all the people who tried Arthur while he was out. Cameron already had on his headset and waited for Arthur to settle into his office. He pulled up the phone sheet of everyone who called so far.

The phone clicked in Cameron’s headset. Arthur was on the line. Assistants listened in on all of their bosses’ phone calls in order to take notes and chime in while needed.

“You ready?” Cameron asked.

“Let’s do this,” Arthur said with his usual gusto.

“First we have Aileen Marshall. I told her you were swamped and would try to connect with her next week. But don’t worry because I knew that she’s going on a two-week African safari starting this weekend. So you won’t be hearing from her until the end of June.”

“Yes. Perfect.” Cameron heard Arthur clap his hands in his office. “Next!”

“Next, we have Mary Joyner. She replaced Adam at Imperative.”