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The week from hell played on while I watched in horror, willing it all away. Carrie put out a heartfelt statement on her social media, announcing her departure from the station after over a decade on air. Her goal was to get ahead of what would surely be a sensationalized version of her firing that would hit the rumor mill soon. Once word was out, calls from her loyal viewers flooded in for a day or two before the world forgot and moved on.

I hadn’t.

We had three days left as colleagues when I got a dreaded call from Tam, too. “Skyler, can you come down to my office when you have a sec?”

“Oh. Of course,” I said, closing my eyes, my palm to my forehead. I hung up and stared, numb and nervous. My stomach turned over, andI wished I’d eaten a lighter lunch. Surely, just a check-in of sorts. I’d been with the station a few months now, and he probably wanted to work in an impromptu performance review. I’d had a couple of stories go to air that, honestly, could have been fleshed out more. I knew that. I’d been distracted this week and would be ready to own up to that in the meeting. I considered texting Carrie before walking down the hall. She was in the editing bay, consulting on her domestic violence cut. Something told me to let her be. Why send her into a similar panic?

Ty’s eyes went wide when he saw me approach Tam’s door. I passed him a silly look, which was every bit aimed at putting me at ease as it was at him. I couldn’t come up with any reason for Tam to fire me. In fact, I was well aware that they were more than happy with the attention I’d brought to the station with my viral video. Ratings had gone up after I’d been punched, and I’d scored points with the viewership. Tests had determined all of it. So what was it?

“Yeah, come on in,” Tam called, following my knock. He wasn’t on an overly intense multitasking mission today. In fact, the busy monitors were all off, the treadmill was silent, and a very calm version of my news director sat in front of me. He wore a tie and smiled the smile one offered before the kill. Fantastic. “Skyler. Let’s move to the conference room. Have a talk.”

“Okay, sure,” I said and followed him down the hall. Something big was happening. My brain made a list. “The conference room.”

I wondered if Kristin would be joining us as she usually did. Instead, sitting at the rectangular table was a redheaded gentleman with a folder, a silver thermos of coffee, and a pleasant enough smile. “Who is this?” I quietly asked Tam.

“Ted Bellows from Human Resources. He’s going to sit in with us today.” HR. That had my attention. Flashes of make-out sessions with Carrie all around the station bounced through my memory. I thought we’d been discreet enough, but now I had my doubts. This was a TV station. Maybe they had cameras everywhere. But no. Caroline was leaving. If they’d seen us kissing, it wouldn’t involve this level of intervention.

I raised a hand in greeting, my adrenaline already firing. “Skyler Ruiz. Hi.”

He smiled. “I’ve caught you on air. Sorry about that punch.”

I pretended to check on my jaw. I was getting good at fielding these comments. “Me, too.”

A knock on the door. What in the hell? I looked behind me as awoman I’d never seen before entered. She was pristinely put together—jet-black hair pulled back to a knot, a green starched business suit—and carrying a folder in one hand and a Starbucks venti in the other. I was popular today.

Tam folded his arms and sat on the corner of the table. “Skyler, this is Evelyn Ramirez from Sylvan.”

I blinked. The Sylvan Broadcast Group owned the station. I began to understand what was happening. There was an anchor slot available. I’d recently filled in. Was it possible they wanted me to apply? Audition? There weren’t currently any Latina anchors in the San Diego market. Only reporters. This could be a big chance for me. Was it really in the realm?

“Nice to meet you. Skyler.”

I nodded. Evelyn accepted my handshake with a warm smile and quietly took a seat.

Tam didn’t delay. “You’re aware of the changes we’re making to the five and the ten?”

“Yes,” I nodded, my left leg bouncing beneath the table. I hadn’t been wrong. This was about the big chair.

“I know you and Carrie are…close.” That was code. He knew everything—that little pause he’d taken said so. Now what?

I eyed him. “Also true. I don’t think that breaks any rules that I know of. I’m not a direct report of hers.” I looked from Tam to Ted to Evelyn for some sort of reaction or confirmation.

HR Ted shook his head and slipped his coffee. Another weekday for him. “No policy violation there.”

“Good.” My curiosity could no longer contain itself in the name of good manners. “Okay, so what’s going on? Can you just tell me?” The room felt too cold, and I wondered distantly who had cranked up the air-conditioning and had it been on purpose to torture me? I watched Ted scribble a note and frown. About what? We’d been in the room three minutes.

“Fair enough.” Tam leaped in. “You may have already guessed this.” I had. “We want to give you a shot in the studio. Move you up to anchor for the five and ten.”

“Really?” I played it cool, unsure how to feel. Part of me wanted to leap from the chair and dance on the table. It was all I’d ever dreamed of. The other half of me knew the larger implications of stepping into a job that the person I cared about still very much wanted.

Tam pressed on. “You’re still green. And it’s a risk, but I’m goodat picking the right risks. I think you might be exactly what those broadcasts need right now. New blood, but familiar to our viewers. It’s a great combination.”

My eyes shifted to Evelyn, who beamed at me like I’d just been crowned Miss America. I wondered if there was a bouquet of roses under her seat. “You’re saying you wantmeto anchor?” I had to be sure we were all on the same page. There were so many choices out there that made more sense. They could do a nationwide search. In fact, they should. “Me?”

Tam nodded. “Here’s the thing. The viewers really responded to you when you filled in for Carrie, and that’s the kind of engagement we’re looking to recapture.”

“It’s a leap, but one we’re ready to take,” Evelyn supplied.

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