Page 84 of Fall Wherever They May

“Miss Taylor, were you aware that Mr. Miles has chosen not to renew his contract with your organization? What does that mean for your relationship?”

As more questions are yelled, Aspen, Tuck, and Katherine stand stunned. Aspen looks to me for answers. I avert my eyes, not wanting her to see the truth in them. Apparently, news travels fast, especially when it’s leaked. Aspen’s eyes widen. Tuck’s head lowers in defeat. She quickly schools her expression and takes Tuck by the hand.

“No comment at this time,” she says, pulling him into the lobby.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. This was not how she was supposed to find out. I was going to have a conversation with her tonight after I proposed.

“Asp—”

Aspen ignores me and walks to the front desk of the lobby with Tuck. Her mom and I trail behind her. I look at Katherine, hoping she will help me out of this mess. She shakes her head. My shoulders fall. I just want to explain myself, but Aspen was completely blindsided, and she’s shutting down.

She whips around, “Is it true?” she asks with fire in her eyes.

I don’t answer. I don’t know the best way to. I’m just mute.

“I need an extra room if you have it, please,” she says to the clerk behind the counter.

“Aspen.”

She cuts me off, “Not now.”

“Please, just—”

She turns around and faces me.Looking around to see if anyone is listening, she lowers her voice, “Cal, I said not now. We are going to talk about this, but it’s going to be in a private setting when it’s just the two of us. I need to collect my thoughts.”

The clerk hands Aspen the extra room key, and she slides it over to me. “Put that in your pocket.”I do as she says, slipping the plastic keycard into my pocket. After we exit the elevator, we follow several steps behind the bellhop to the room. I try to hand the keycard to her mom, thinking it’s for her, but Aspen covers my hand. I frown in confusion.

“You can stay with us until the bellhop leaves; then you need to go to your own room.” She whispers.

My heart sinks. Today has literally gone to shit. I wait as the bellhop places our luggage inside Aspen’s suite. She walksdirectly to a bedroom and closes the door quietly behind her. I sigh deeply and pick up my suitcase.

Tossing the luggage onto the bed in my lonely ass hotel room, which is five floors below Aspen’s, I pull up my agent’s contact. The phone rings once before he answers.

“Cal?”

“It’s Mr. Miles today.”

He sighs on the other end. “Shit. I’m sorry, man. I left you a voicemail, but I’m guessing you didn’t get it. How bad is it?

“Bad enough your job is in jeopardy.”

“It was my new personal assistant. She was in my office when I was talking to you the other day, and she must’ve run to the media.”

“She works for you, right? So, she’s obviously signed an NDA. We’ll just—”

“It’s a little more complicated than that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I said, and before you ask, no, I can’t sue her.”

“Why the fuck not—?” I release an exasperated breath and pinch the bridge of my nose. “For fuck's sake, Nate, please tell me when you say personal assistant, you mean the kind that actually works for you in a professional manner.”

I’m met with silence. “Goddamnit, Nate!” I roar.

“I wasn’t thinking, Cal. I’m sorry.”

“We’re going to chat about what this means for our professional relationship later. In the meantime, this is your mess to clean up, and I expect it to be squeaky fucking clean within the next two hours. I swear to God, Nate, if this fucks things up with Aspen, I will fire your ass with no hesitation. I don’t care how far back our friendship goes.” I click the red button.

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