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“My name is Natalie Hearst. I work for Austin Speak.”

I’m met by another telltale silence, which only confirms he’s aware his mother used to work here. It’s then I cling to the hope that he may know something that might help me fill in thewhyof the secrecy. Intuition tells me to follow my gut, just as fresh venom snakes over the line.

“What the hell do you want?”

“My father and your mother used to date. I didn’t know if you were aware of that—”

“If this is some ploy to get to my parents—”

“If I wanted your mother’s audience, I’m pretty sure I could get it considering . . . Look, I’ll be frank since that seems to be your love language, and I’m fluent. I’m only interested in interviewingyouon your upcoming debut album.”Lie. “I have to say, in the spirit of full disclosure, I’m a huge fan of your mother’s work and the Sergeants.”Truth. “But I’d love to get an exclusive with you before you release.”

“You have no basis—”

“You’ve already confirmed it’s true by calling me back.” I go all in. “Maybe we can even do a sidebar with you and your dad and his involvement in producing it.”

More silence, and it’s damning.

“None of this is public fucking information.”

“Look, I know you don’t want it out, but it’s happening, and it’s my job to fish out the details. Although help from your father isn’t exactly newsworthy, considering it would be expected support. But if you’re so adamant about it, we can leave that part out. Either way, we’re reporting you’re releasing a debut album because apparently, you won’t, and I think it’s only fair that we hear from you, especially regarding your reasoning behind—”

“This is blackmail.”

“Hardly. It’s a chance to get your view in print.”

“It’s fucking blackmail to grant an interview.”

“Tomato, toe-mah-toe.”

“Tell me this, how is an exclusive in a regional fucking paper going to help promote my album?”

“First of all, your mother’s illustrious career started with thisregional paper,and it’s about to celebrate thirty years in print, so a modicum of respect would be appreciated. A paper, by the way, which was ad-based and is now owned by a major media company that reportsnationallyand makes your point even more moot. I’m assuming the reason for your silence is that you don’t want the media’s help, but—”

“Doesn’t seem I have a fucking choice in the matter anymore, does it?” he snaps furiously.

“No. This is going to print with or without your say, so it would probably be in your best interest to put yourself on record with a viewpoint for your reasoning—speaking of which, we have a common goal. While you’re adamant about keeping your own father’s involvement with your career out of the story, I feel the same way. So, if you agree not to breathe a word of this to your parents, I’ll leave your father’s involvement in producing out of it altogether.”

“Pretty ridiculous, considering your fucking name will be on it.”

“That’s my cross to bear and my issue to deal with after the fact. However, this is my offer, and it expires in exactly one minute.”

This is where it gets tricky. If Easton disagrees, the lead ends here because if Dad catches wind, I’ll have to explain to him I was fact-checking for Rosie—after I found the emails. He won’t be happy, but he’ll be far less furious with me. I eye Dad over my monitor, hating myself briefly for the deception before pushing all my chips in.

“Easton, I really don’t want—”

Easton’s resigned sigh cuts me off before I can get any assuring sentiment out. “How soon can you get to Seattle?”

“How about tomorrow?”

“Don’t expect a fucking warm reception.”

My victorious smile is only dimmed by the pit growing in my stomach.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll text you once I lan—”

The line goes dead as I kick back in my seat, listing and mentally ticking off all the ways this can go horribly wrong.

If my father figures out that I am using his paper’s credibility or his past relationship with Stella to gain a false interview, he could very well fire me. Not to mention the damage it will cause to our relationship. My only cover for this is Rosie and will remain Rosie. But my advantage with Easton is I’m the only one who knows it.

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