Page 62 of The Last Dance

‘Then why not just run it? What’s wrong with it? Does it suck?’

‘It can’t suck because I never even wrote it. I couldn’t do it because it hurt someone I lov—’ I stop mid-sentence, shocked that the word would even surface let alone come out of my mouth.Love?I donotlove Henry. He’s lucky I even like him. Damn it, heart, control yourself. ‘Like.It hurts someone I like, and I can’t do that to him.’

‘You make no sense. Who cares? Do you never listen when Jimmy constantly reminds us that the juicier the story, the better? It’s not like it hurtsyoupersonally. Write it up.’

‘Actually, itdoeshurt me personally, Trevor, so Ican’twrite it.’ That’s not even a lie.

Even knowing I know and am keeping it from him hurts me. In all the years I’ve known him, I’ve never lied to him or kept something from him. Even when he left. I had nothing to say at that moment in time. No words seemed to sum up what I was feeling when he was gone. That’s why I never answered his calls or texts. I wanted him to learn the hard way what it was like to lose your best friend. I had to.

‘I can’t even believe Jimmy would put all our jobs on the line by having you as the lead.’

I sit up suddenly, staring over at Trevor.

‘He told you the site is in trouble?’

He nods, a smirk on his face I’d like to slap off him. ‘Yup. He made the big announcement when you were gone covering The Bite of Oregon the other day. We had a meeting,without you. He even asked for everyone to make sure you feel the pressure, so you won’t fuck it up.’

I can’t believe he went behind my back. Well, OK, it’s Jimmy. I believe it. But still. He knew I was working on a story and yet he has that little faith that I can pull it off? I mean, granted, Ididn’tget the story but it’s for a good reason.

‘I’mnotgonna fuck it up. I need the job too, ya know?’

‘AMBRI!’ Jimmy screams my name from his office. The office scrambles to look busy if they weren’t.

Trevor immediately pointing to me as if where I am is any kind of secret.

‘Come in here!’

‘Doesn’t sound good…’ Trevor says, an evil grin on his face.

‘If you told him… so help me, God, Trevor…’ I say as I pass him, resisting the urge to shove the pen I’m holding right through his skull.

‘Yeah?’ I ask, hesitating to walk all the way into Jimmy’s office for fear of him closing the door and letting me have it for something.

‘You have a meeting in twenty.’

‘With who? For what?’

‘I have no idea. Someone called, requested a meeting, I said OK. I assume it has something to do with the story I’m waiting on.’ He hands me a sticky note. ‘Here are the details. Don’t be late and make me look bad.’

Yeah, me being late is what will make you look bad. Thank God I didn’t say that out loud.

‘OK…’ I stare down at the address written on the paper. It looks familiar but I’m not exactly sure why.

I type the address into the Google search bar when I get back to my desk. Imperial. Who wants to meet me at Imperial? It better not be Henry. I can’t have another heart-to-heart with him after this morning. I still gotta cool off from that one.

I grab my bag from my desk and make my way out of the office, avoiding all the prying eyes as I do. Each one of them depending on me to make sure they can continue the life they live now with a continual paycheck.

I stop short of Imperial’s front door, nervous as to who might be sitting inside. It’s just a business meeting. It could be anyone. I pull open the door and see her immediately. Karmen. I should have known from the restaurant alone.

‘What?’ I ask as I approach her, not even greeting her with a hello. She doesn’t deserve it. “Did Jimmy know it was you requesting to meet me here?”

‘No. I had someone else call. I was afraid if you knew it was me you wouldn’t show up. Please sit. I really want to talk.’

I pull the chair out and sit across from her, my arms crossed over my chest.

‘Talk.’

‘About last night, I know it looked bad, but it was just one of those moments that got away from me. I hadn’t seen Matthew in a while and I wasn’t thinking clearly. Despite the way he made it sound him and I are not sneaking around behind Henry’s back.’

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