Page 28 of The Grumpy Billionaire
Our friend and fellow reporter had surprised us both by giving up her TV career to move back home to Atlanta. Her long-time boyfriend Mark had gotten sick of the long-distance romance thing and given her an ultimatum. We would be attending their lavish wedding in a month.
“Not for a couple of weeks.” Heidi said. “I just assumed Mark probably wouldn’t let her out of bed long enough to get the phone. Why? You sound worried.”
“Kind of. It’s just, she never calls, and when I call her, it’s all small talk. You know how she is—when something’s wrong she goes all incommunicado. She’s chatty when things are good.”
“That’s true,” Heidi said. “I’ll try to call her again. I’m sure it’s fine, though.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right—when you and Aric get married, I’m sure we’ll never hear from you again—you’ll be lost in your vortex of love.”
Heidi giggled and denied it, and I hoped it wouldn’t be true. I suddenly missed her and Kenley fiercely. “Well, I’d better go. I’m sure the twin grizzly bears are ready for their next feeding. Thanks for letting me whine.”
“You’re not whining. I understand, and you know I do. It’s really hard to take a risk when your heart’s been broken.”
“Reid didn’t break my heart,” I insisted, troubled that it was so important to me to make the distinction. “I broke his.”
“I meant your dad,” Heidi said.
My lungs constricted. I literally couldn’t think of anything to say. I was kind of sorry at the moment that I’d told her about what my father had done.
At my lack of response Heidi added, “I really think you should do the story. At the very least, you could wind up seeing your work on the network news. Any of us would kill for that.”
“True.”
Heidi was right—I’d always dreamed of a career-making story like this one. But could I handle it?
Could I go for what I’d always wanted professionally if it meant spending time with the onlyguyI’d ever wanted?
“I’m just not sure. I’m ninety-nine percent sure when I go in tomorrow, I’m going to tell my boss, ‘no.’”
“Well, do what you think is right,” Heidi said. “You have good instincts. If you feelthatsure about it, then that’s probably what you should do. What’s he gonna do? Fire you?”
NINE
Old Pictures
Mara
“I’ll have to fire you.”
Rob sat behind his desk the next morning, wearing a warning on his face though I could tell he didn’t like what he was saying.
“You just hired me,” I protested. “And I do good work.”
This wasnothow I’d anticipated the conversation going.
I had come in and rationally explained that I didn’t feel I was the best person to cover this particular story, assuring Rob the station and our viewers would be better served if he gave it to a different reporter.
“Well, of course I don’twantto let you go, Mara,” he said. “You know we love you—you’re a great reporter and usually very tenacious. And you have local knowledge. But this is the story of the decade. We can’t risk him going to one of the other stations. Would you like to explain to me what’s really going on between you and Mancini?”
My heart jumped up my throat, attempting to merge with my molars. “What do you mean?”
“I talked to Sheldon. He told me you two ran into the guy this week. Sheldon said you knew him already.”
I stiffened in my chair, gripping the upholstered armrests the way I wanted to grab Sheldon’s throat.
Traitor.
“Now don’t go getting all bent at him,” Rob said, taking in my expression. “I was digging. I used to be an investigative reporter myself, you know.”
