Page 60 of Thrown

“We very much would like to come to an agreement with Silver Productions,” Robbie said, sounding like the dignified nob he probably was, underneath all the clay and sweetness. “Charles Duckworth has no connection to our family at all. In fact, he’s been working steadfastly today to undermine and destroy us.”

Aaron’s eyes went wide. “I thought something smelled off about that call.”

“Everything about Duckworth is off,” Toby said. “He’s trying to force the Hawthorne family to sell out to Willoughby Entertainment. So far today, he’s interfered with a loan keeping the place afloat and two grants. Who knows what else he’s got his fingers in now.”

If Duckie could reach out to Silver Productions, he could do anything.

“The fact is,” Robbie said, sounding far more sensible than Toby, “we’re in a bind at the moment. The business with the loan is especially worrying. We don’t have the money to repay it. Unless some sort of advance could be offered by Silver Productions?”

Toby watched for Aaron’s reaction, worried the last-minute save would be too much of an ask.

Fortunately, Aaron frowned and rubbed his lips as he thought about it for a moment, then seemed to come to a decision.

“We need to talk to Heath Manfred,” he said, nodding and gesturing for Toby and Robbie to come with him. “Heath is in charge of greenlighting things like this. He also has more than a couple tricks up his sleeve that I’ve seen save the day before.”

Toby was more relieved than he could say for things to start moving in a direction that might actually help them. He and Robbie followed Aaron deeper into the office and up a flight of stairs to another hallway filled with larger, posher offices. They headed all the way to the end before Aaron knocked on the frame of an open door.

“Do you have a minute?” he asked the gorgeous man in his thirties sitting behind a large desk, tapping away on his computer.

The man glanced up, his look turning curious. “What’s going on?”

Aaron didn’t seem overly worried or like he’d be fired for interrupting the boss, so Toby chose not to be worried either. Robbie, on the other hand, grabbed Toby’s hand for support as Aaron gestured for them to move all the way into the room. Toby threaded his fingers through Robbie’s and squeezed.

“This is Robbie Hawthorne, the master potter I’ve told you about before, and Toby Tillman, who is working on behalf of the Hawthorne family on the filming deal we discussed,” Aaron made the introductions.

The man behind the desk, Heath Manfred, stood with a smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, stepping out from behind his desk and extending a hand.

His gaze slipped to note Robbie and Toby were holding hands before Toby had to let go to shake.

“The pleasure is all ours, Mr. Manfred,” Toby said, shaking the man’s hand vigorously.

“Call me Heath, please,” he said with a smile.

“I wish we were meeting under better circumstances,” Robbie said, shaking the man’s hand as well, “but I’m afraid we’re in a bit of a pickle.”

Toby could have laughed at the casual way Robbie described the potential downfall of his family’s legacy.

“I know a little bit about what’s going on,” Heath said. “As I understand it, there’s a question of signing a contract for filming at Hawthorne House?”

“There is,” Toby said, “but now we’ve got a bigger problem.”

“Willoughby Entertainment Group is attempting to buy our estate so that they can turn the grounds into an amusement park,” Robbie explained as Heath gestured for them to take the seats in front of his desk. “We turned down their deal, but now their representative, Charles Duckworth, is trying his best to force our hand by meddling in our financial affairs.”

Once they were all seated, Toby and Robbie related the entire story to Heath Manfred. Toby squirmed like a five-year-old as the explanations went on and on. The only hopeful moment in the time he was certain they were wasting came when he noticed the framed pictures on the cabinets behind Heath’s desk. They were of him and a red-headed man, including one that looked like a wedding picture. Others had the two of them with a young girl, and another had the three of them with a new baby.

Knowing Heath Manfred was on their team, so to speak, filled Toby with inexplicable confidence.

“So you see,” Robbie finished up the explanation, “if Duckworth continues down this path, and if Willoughby Entertainment doesn’t relent, we stand to lose everything.”

“I do see,” Heath said, nodding as he leaned back in his chair, hands steepled. He stared at Toby and Robbie for a painfully long time before inexplicably asking, “Are the two of you together?”

Toby’s mouth dropped open, but he had no idea what to say.

Robbie saved him by blurting, “I’d like to be, but there was a bit of a mess, and now I’m waiting for redemption.”

Toby nearly snorted out a laugh. “He told me he loved me just now,” he said, feeling lightheaded.

For some reason, that seemed like exactly what Heath wanted them to say.

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