Page 12 of Before the Night Falls
Tyson couldn’t help but be impressed by Olivia. She had a real talent in front of the camera—a smooth grace and confident demeanor.
But he also couldn’t get that text out of his head.
He’d already slipped away to let the detective know about it. He’d been reporting these threats to local police so he could have them on record.
“I’ll be giving everyone weekly updates and showing my progress on the Forty Days to a Healthy Life program,” Olivia continued. “Meanwhile, millions of viewers at home have pledged to try this program alongside me. We’ll support each other throughout the process by sharing our progress on social media along with tips and daily motivational quotes. We’ll share success stories, exercises, and recipes.” She leaned in close to the camera. “Are you ready for this adventure? To be honest, I’m not sure I am.”
She pulled out a candy bar, seemingly from thin air, and took a huge bite.
Wes snatched it from her, muttering something about accountability as Olivia made a pouty expression.
TV gold.
Olivia’s comedic timing was impeccable and her demeanor friendly. She was quick to laugh—mostly at herself—and she didn’t seem to take herself too seriously.
This woman would definitely add some excitement to his life—excitement he hadn’t known he’d been missing. She could also be a huge distraction if he wasn’t careful.
“I think we should sit down for an interview segment.” Olivia’s voice pulled Tyson from his thoughts. “Does that sound okay, Chandler?”
Chandler pulled his gaze away from the screen where he monitored their shots and nodded. “Sounds great. Let’s keep the exercise equipment in the background.”
Wes readjusted his gear to capture the new scene.
A few minutes later, Olivia sat on an exercise ball while Tyson sat on the edge of a weight bench. Olivia gave Wes a thumbs-up, and the camera light came back on.
Olivia turned to him. “Tyson, this world is full of get rich quick schemes. It seems as if more and more ‘get skinny quick’ schemes are popping up also. Can you tell us why your program doesn’t fall into that category? What sets it apart from the rest?”
“Experts say if you do something for forty days then it becomes a habit. That’s exactly what I’m aiming for with my program. I’m not emphasizing just a diet. This is about a lifestyle change. That is what makes weight loss sustainable in the long run.” Tyson watched Olivia’s expression and could have been certain he saw admiration. “Plus, this isn’t about getting skinny. It’s about getting healthy. There’s a difference.”
“And how did you develop this innovative weight loss plan?”
“When I was a practicing psychologist, I loved studying the human mind. The ties between our physical well-being and our mental state are amazing. When I figured out that normal psychology practices weren’t always effective, I searched for a better method. That’s when I came up with my plan.”
Olivia went through a few more questions. Tyson explained how the program worked and what was expected of participants.
She kept her expression animated and made snide remarks to the camera several times. She did it in a heartwarming way, a welcome relief from the stiff reporters who usually graced the TV screen.
After Wes cut the camera off, Olivia had a suggestion. “It would be funny to show a clip of Tyson scouring my room and finding my hidden stashes of junk food in various places.”
Chandler nodded, his brows raised. “I like that idea.”
“Yeah, I can see it working for us.” Wes looked at Tyson. “You game?”
“Wait . . .” Tyson glanced at Olivia, a teasing expression on his face. “You smuggled in contraband?”
“What? You didn’t think all six of my suitcases were filled with clothes, did you?” She winked.
Tyson couldn’t help but laugh. “I should have known.”
His phone buzzed again. He’d decided not to turn it off after all just in case the detective called back.
He’d check it in a moment, but he hoped Detective Scarborough had been able to narrow down a list of suspects.
Because Tyson didn’t want to keep living like this, especially with so much on the line.
CHAPTERFIVE
Back in Olivia’s room,Tyson had enjoyed playing the part of Junk Food Cop. He waved his finger when he found the potato chips, put his hands on his hips at the package of cookies, shook his head at the candy bars.
