Page 17 of Is It Casual Now?

Sure, she’d been angry and had stupidly let that affect the last edit of her post, but didn’t she at least owe some of the entertainment managers a chance to defend themselves? She had asked for their comments before she published but none of them had gotten back to her. Amusing that so many wanted to talk about her now.

Well, not so amusing from her end.

And not really to her, but to her boss.

“Ugh. Just do it,” she muttered to herself, forcing her thoughts away from the spiral she was creating and making herself crazy over. “Stop being a chicken shit.”

It was easy enough to find the number. She already had it in her files for the post to begin with.

Quickly, before she talked herself out of it again, she opened her files, found the number, and dialed.

“Good morning, you’ve reached Siena Frazee’s office. How may I direct your call?”

“Hi.” Jamie used all her charm even as she knew it would get her nowhere. The receptionists for these media managers were warriors in their own right. She would have been impressed if she hadn’t been so damn frustrated with the walls they put up to stop her getting through to the managers themselves. “I was wondering if Ms. Frazee was available?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“For a call?” Jamie wrinkled her nose and cringed.

“Yes.”

“No, I don’t.”

For a moment, all Jamie could hear was the click clack of fingers on computer keys. The sound washed over her and sent a pleasant sort of electric thrill over her skin.

“If you give me your name and reason for the call I’ll see if she’s available at her earliest convenience.”

“Um…” Ever articulate, Jamie rolled her eyes and mentally chastised herself. “My name is Jamie Kettlehouse, and the reason is—”personal“—regarding an interview.”

“Let me put you on hold.”

Music filtered through the phone, and Jamie blinked, pulling the thing slightly from her ear to get a better view. She wasn’t sure what she thought the plastic receiver might be able to tell her, but somehow, she expected an explanation for having gotten through the first gate of the manager barricade so easily.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” The voice came down the line a mere second after the hold music was abruptly cut off. “You’re calling my office regarding an interview?”

“Well, nice to hear your voice as well,Van.” Jamie knew she should have stayed professional. Kept their history, no matter how recent, pushed to the awkward margins of the conversation. But the tone in Siena’s voice had put Jamie’s defenses up instantly, and the pain and anger at being fucked and dumped burned fresh.

“Well,Julie, I wish I could say the same about you.” There was something in the petulant tone of Siena’s voice that made Jamie snort laughter before she could stop herself.

“Charming,” Siena muttered.

“Well, apparently not nearly charming enough to require an explanation, but that’s not why I called.”

“Ah, yes.” The way Siena said it, Jamie imagined the woman dressed to kill, legs crossed as she moved her chair back and forth with the heel of her pump. The queen in her domain. “The interview.”

“I was hoping to get on record?—”

“No!”

“You didn’t even let me finish.”

“I’m pretty sure I did. Several times.” Siena was quite fucking pleased with that response, Jamie could tell in her tone. Heat pooled between her legs—damn why did she like the icy ones with quick tongues and sharp wits the best? “But whoever it is you’re wanting to interview—forget it.”

“I want to interview you,” Jamie rushed the words out as quickly as possible. She had to at least get the ask out there before Siena hung up on her.

“Me?” The shock was genuine, and Jamie’s lips twitched slightly.

“Yes. Seeing as you and all of your entertainment friends have such an issue with my piece about the corrupt nature of the music industry, even though when I requested a comment from more than a dozen of you, they went without a singlereply, I thought I would offeryouthe opportunity to have your say on the matter.”

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