Page 16 of Caught A Vibe

So he hadn’t ghosted me completely. But no note? No text? No nudge on the shoulder, thanks for an amazing night, let’s do this again, bye? An interesting development, but no way is this why my phone battery is ticking down percentages before my eyes.

The next five texts are from friends and employees asking if I’m all right. I may have a small community, but the grapevine is alive and thriving. I should have known better than to think I could keep this under wraps until I figure out plan B.

The next slew of texts stop me in my tracks, much to the chagrin of my fellow travelers who swerve around me and my bags. I open my email, ignoring their curses. That’s flooded too.

Requests for statements from major news outlets. All wanting details about the MiO and my perspective on the gendered bias of T-Con.

How did this break so quickly?

I’m still trying to get my head around what I’m reading when my phone rings in my hand. “Hello?”

“Hello. I’m looking for Penny Maxwell.”

“Speaking.”

“I’m Irina Mendez’s booking agent. We want you to come and do a live segment on her morning show to talk about your product and what happened.”

Irina Mendez!TheIrina Mendez? If I get on this show, the visibility would be huge. But…

“Isn’t your show filmed in New York?”

“Yes, it is. We are happy to reimburse you for your travel expenses. Do you think you can get here?”

I pivot and make my way back into the airport to find out.

Chapter5

Penny

And that’s how I end up back on an airplane, hustling through Kennedy Airport, and then girding myself for the battle to save my Phase One launch in a hotel room instead of scheming on my couch with my cat. Much better plan of action. Thank God I packed the extra prototype in my luggage!

My evening disappears in a flurry of replying to emails and phone calls telling my story to anyone who asks to hear it. Suitcase abandoned at the door, I set up camp on a hotel bed with my laptop, my phone, and my tablet, all plugged in and charging. News sites are already coming out with articles. I make sure our website is up and ready to handle traffic. I also check the XPTech website to see if Dash filed his story. There are four articles of his published today from T-Con, but not one featuring my product.

My rage from the plane rekindles. He’d been lying the entire time. He never planned to write a serious article about a sex toy. He’d just been using the article as an excuse to flirt with me. Every lingering good thought I’d tried to resurrect about our time together burns to ash in the flame of my anger. I funnel my energy into a flurry of TikTok story time videos about my removal from the con.

My computer dings as another email hits my inbox. I automatically click over in spite of the fact it’s nearly midnight, and I have to be up soon.Just one more,and then I’ll go to sleep.

Subject: Dinner?

From: [email protected]

How are you holding up? Want to have dinner with me?

-Dash

The byline at the bottom includes his phone number, and I am tempted to call him and ream him out. Instead I center myself with a deep breath. I am an adult. I am in control of my emotions, not the other way around. I can use my words to express my feelings. Instead of ignoring it like I want to, I send a measured, thoughtful, carefully worded reply. I should get major adulting points with my therapist for this.

Subject: Fuck You

From: [email protected]

I’m fine. And no. I don’t have dinner with liars and users.

-Penny

In less than a minute, he replies. I am really tempted to not read it, but curiosity gets the better of me.

Subject: Re: Fuck You

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