Chapter-69: Couldn't take a break.

The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting a golden sheen across the crystalline waters of Ric's opulent pool. 

With his oversized sunglasses perched elegantly on his nose and a refreshing piña colada in hand, he lounged on a recliner, allowing his cares to drift away.

The past few weeks had been a blur of music concerts, press junkets, and red-carpet events, all in the name of promoting his latest project. 

Now.

Now, he wants a rare moment of peace and quiet.

But as fate would have it, serenity is often short-lived when you're a star.

Just as Ric closed his eyes and let the warmth of the sun wash over him, a shadow fell across his face, interrupting his moment of peace.

"Ugh," he muttered.

Opening his eyes, he saw Austin, his ever-enthusiastic editor.

Ric groaned inwardly, knowing why Austin must have come. "Not now, Austin. I need a break," Ric replied, his tone firm but tinged with exhaustion.

"Ric! We need to talk!" Austin proclaimed, his voice a mix of urgency and zeal.

Ric shifted slightly, peering toward him with a bemused expression. "Austin, I'm not even finished with my first drink. Is this a 'need to know' situation, or can it wait?"

'How come you here? I told everyone to take a break.' He thought. Drew is not home but at work, Ari is accompanying her. He told Soife to catch a break. She had worked too much. He even told relevant people not to disturb him for a week. Then he remembered, 'Oh right. Ari told me he would come. Must have slipped my mind.'

"One book, A very small one, I promise it will be done before the day is over" he continued with his peppy tone. 

"It's important for brand synergy!" he added, punctuating his statement with a hand gesture that would be suitable for a Broadway performance.

Ric groaned, flipping onto his stomach and burying his face in a beach towel. "Not this again..."

'Wait didn't I have the same conversion previously? Huh! Deja Vu!.' A thought popped into his mind.

"Austin," he said, peeking out from the towel but returning to his comfortable position, "I was thinking more along the lines of the next fifteen days. Have you met my pool? It's an absolute gem."

Austin practically sparkled with enthusiasm, and Ric could tell he was leaning into Plan B, which would always include his signature wild interpretations and colorful ideas. "A SIGNING! It's practically a build-it-and-they-will-come situation!" Austin declared, flinging his arms flamboyantly as if conducting an imaginary orchestra. "Imagine this: fans all clamoring for an autograph! The air is electrifying, the atmosphere—"

"--is perfect for a nap," Ric interrupted, resuming his comfortable position, but mentally bracing himself for the inevitable onslaught of persuasive rhetoric.

"Come on man, you promised. You will do a book signing event after your Europe travel." Austin reminded.

'Yap I remember I did have this conversion with.'

Ric rubbed his temples, reluctantly surrendering to the inevitable. "Fine, it could be fun but—"

"No butts!" Austin cut in, waving a finger with the authority of a strict kindergarten teacher. "We've pushed the date back three times already. You owe it to your fans and to yourself."

Ric half-laughed, half-sighed, number-crunching the pros and cons of a book signing in his mind "Alright, what do you need from me?"

"That's the spirit!" Austin squealed, jotting down notes on a neon yellow pad that looked suspiciously like a kindergarten workbook. "Just two hours—"

"Stop right there." Ric interrupted him again, feeling an unexpected villainy arise. He was not a mere puppet to be yanked around. "I have a condition."

Austin's brows arched, clearly intrigued but happy nonetheless. "Lay it on me."

"First," Ric commanded, sitting more steadily to emphasize the importance "put the book signing date two days before the premiere." He waited dramatically, gauging the impact of his words.

"Noted!" Austin scribbled eagerly, the shorthand of excitement flowing from his eager fingers.

"Then," Ric continued, "the venue has to be secure and easily accessible—ensuring I can make a swift exit if needed." He imagined throngs of paparazzi chasing after him in a flurry of flashbulbs, a nightmare he preferred to avoid.

"Sure, sure," Austin mumbled, now fully invested in his notepad. He was practically salivating at the thought of the event's potential.

"And," Ric persisted, holding up a finger, "the event must be kept low-key, with only a select number of devoted fans invited." 

Before Austin could pipe up with another idea or two, Ric quickly added, "And remember, it has to be low-key. So, no media coverage. I want this to be an intimate gathering, just me and my readers, no distractions from the press."

"A low-key small event with invite-only fans? That's going to be hard without media coverage." Austin pointed out, brow furrowing in concentration as he tried to put the pieces together.

"Not my business," Ric shrugged casually, adding a theatrically indifferent flourish. "It's your headache!"

"Deal!" Austin clapped his hands in glee, his enthusiasm as infectious as a viral cat video. "I'll arrange everything. Just two days before your premiere!"

He finally managed to get what he wanted today. He came prepared to be rejected but got the jackpot instead. With the spring in his step, he left like the whirlwind he came.

But not before adding a final line,"Make sure to finish the book. Don't keep it hanging."

Ric already zoned out, he didn't hear the last bit at all.

Feeling triumphant, Ric grabbed his unfinished drink and reclined in his luxurious lounge chair, contemplating how he might spend the next hour floating in the pool, entirely free from the chaos that had occurred a moment ago.