Page 36 of Love Unexpected
I stopped in my tracks. “Do what? I don’t know how much you know, Diedre. I only found out about Isaac’s video seconds ago.”
“Jade is going to ask you to go to Kansas. Because it will be better for the show, better for numbers. But that isn’t on you. It isn’t your job to saveRandom I, and I just wanted to make sure you had a friend who told you as much.”
My heart warmed from her concern. “Thank you for saying so.”
“If you want to go to Kansas and put yourself out there, then do it. But if you don’t, that’s your right. Don’t let anybody guilt you into feeling like you don’t have a choice. Especially not Jade. I know better than anybody how persuasive she can be. She could persuade people the sky was purple if she had to. But this decision isn’t about her. Or the show. Or even Isaac. You’re the one taking the risk here. You make the decision that’s best foryou.”
It was a lot of information to process. I hadn’t yet considered the possibility of going to Kansas—of letting the road trip play out. I’d just assumed I would confront Isaac, tell him the truth, and that would be that. No road trip necessary. But logically, it made sense that Jade and the others would want the road trip to happen. Especially with the way the show’s numbers had been sliding lately. If the video was already getting a good response—and my quick review of the comments after watching it made it seem like it was—it wouldn’t be good to abandon the idea now. Of course, that wasn’t my fault. Isaac had been the one to presumptuously assume he could evenfindAna in Kansas when I hadn’t yet responded to his message telling him I was willing to meet.
“Rosie? You there?” Diedre asked.
“Yeah, I’m here. Thanks for calling. I didn’t know it until you said it, but I needed to hear someone remind me it’s okay to make this decision about me.”
“I’m on your team, Rosie. Call me again if you need moral support.”
“Thanks, Diedre.”
I hung up the phone and walked slowly toward Greta and Jade.
Jade shook her head as I approached. “That was Diedre on the phone, wasn’t it?”
I lifted my shoulders. “Good guess.”
“So what are you going to do?” Jade asked. Clearly, she knew exactly what Diedre had told me.
“I walked up here thinking I was going to go find Isaac and tell him the truth.”
“And now you know why I think that’s a terrible idea.”
I nodded. “And I get it. It’s your job to think about what’s best for the show.”
“The reaction to his video has been huge,” Jade said. “Online forums are full of speculation about who this mystery friend is and about whether or not she had anything to do with his breakup with Bridget.”
“Sponsors have also been reaching out,” Greta said. “Food, drinks, restaurants, hotels. They all want in.”
“I know you don’t pay attention to the numbers because it isn’t your job to do it, butRandom Ihas been in a little bit of a slump lately.” Jade folded her arms. “We haven’t seen this kind of excitement in a long time.”
“People think it’s romantic,” Greta added.
I shook my head. “It isnotgoing to be romantic when he gets to Kansas and he findsmeinstead of Ana. He’s going to be disappointed, and that will not translate well to viewers. Has anyone thought aboutthatpossibility?”
A new wave of nausea washed over me at the thought of ten million viewers watching Isaac learn that I was the person on the other side of his online relationship.
Greta was silent for a beat. “Is that really what you’re afraid of? You’re amazing, Rosie. Isaac is going to see that.”
I wanted to believe that they were right about Isaac. But insecurities aren’t always rational. And the reality was that no matter how things played out, this would mean change. And I’d been spiraling from that realization even before I’d watched Isaac’s video.
I looked from Greta to Jade. “I’ve made some really good friends lately,” I said. “I like my job. I like the life that I’ve built for myself here.”
Jade nodded. “Okay.”
I shrugged. “Messaging is easy. It’s safe. What if I tell him who I am, and it screws everything up?”
Jade’s face softened. “We’ll still be your friends no matter what. You know that.”
“I know. But if things don’t pan out with Isaac and me, there’s no way it wouldn’t make work weird.” My eyes dropped to the pavement at my feet. “Besides, I...” The words stalled in my throat. After the ruckus I’d made about wanting to reach out to Isaac in the first place, I wasn’t sure my friends would understand what I’d been about to say.
“Besides what?” Jade prompted.
