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Jack leaned over and whispered, “We need to hire you.”

Nate cleared his throat in an obvious effort to direct attention back to him. It mostly worked. “Miss Mitchell is right.What happened on my father’s set has nothing to do with this lawsuit. Next question?” He pointed at a female reporter seated in the back.

The reporter opened with, “I have two questions. First, since it appears your company’s biggest issue is with Black women, how do you propose to address it? Second, do you believe that because senior management within the company is predominantly white and male, their lack of personal exposure to women of color negatively influences their judgment when dealing with them in a professional capacity?”

The latter was a doozy of a question. Kennedy could only imagine how much Nate hated the situation he was in.

“The company has hired an external law firm to investigate the allegations. That’s the first step. We’re also urging both current and former employees from historically underrepresented groups to come forward with relevant information or complaints. In the meantime, the company has implemented new diversity and inclusivity training for the senior management team and all hiring managers.”

Kennedy’s eyebrows rose at that. She wondered if he wouldn’t mind letting her have a look at it. Not all classes were the same. And she had some ideas if he needed to have their résumé selection process redone.

Stay out of it,a voice in her head warned.

“Next question,” Nate said, pointing to another reporter.

But the reporter who’d posed the two questions refused to let him move on without answering the other one. “Mr. Vaughn, do you believe that lack of personal exposure to women of color has created a discriminatory environment within your company?”

Nate wasn’t close enough, but she knew him well enough to know his jaw was ticking. He had that stony, taut-jawed look on his face.

“Until the investigation is complete, I’m going to refute your assumption that the environment in the company is discriminatory. As for thepersonallives of the senior management staff, I’m not going to presume to know the diversity of their personal relationships.” He then directed his attention to the reporter he’d called on prior.

“Following up with Miss Garcia’s question—”

The reporters sure picked a fine time to tag team. Where was this sense of camaraderie when the world was on fire and answers were needed to more important questions?

“—do you believe that the diversity ofyourownpersonal relationships have a bearing on what’s happened to the company? You’ve surrounded yourself with men who look like you. Does that indicate something about you and the example you’ve set?”

Even Kennedy winced at that. No matter how bad they were making it look, they were wrong.

Jack leaned over again and muttered under his breath, “I’m surprised you have nothing to say about that.”

She did. And once again, loud enough that she didn’t need the amplification of a microphone. “The operative word here ispersonal, and I don’t think anyone here is entitled to know the details of Mr. Vaughn’s or any of his managers’ personal lives unless there’s proof of criminality or that it breaks the employment laws of the state.”

Good lord, now she sounded like a lawyer. Or an avid watcher ofLaw & Order—all one hundred seasons. She was the one who wasn’t required to attend law school or pass the New York State Bar.

Pressing his fist to his mouth, Jack muffled a laugh.

This time when the attendees turned to regard her, they appeared more speculative than amused.

“What are you, his spokesperson or something?” a male reporter called from across the room.

Kennedy glanced at Nate, who looked decidedly uncomfortable and had her wondering at the overall soundness of the intelligence she professed to have.

“Miss Mitchell is a friend,” Nate announced evenly. Nothing but the facts.

A derisive snort was followed by, “An African American female friend. Very convenient.”

It was the jackass provocateur at it again.

“What kind of friend?” a woman snarked.

It took only one or two to turn the whole thing into a spectacle and there were at least that many in the crowd. But she couldn’t blame it all on them. If she’d kept her big mouth shut, none of this would be happening.

“Is she a reporter? Why is she here?” someone behind her asked.

Kennedy didn’t bother to turn and see who was demanding Nate justify her presence.

“I believe it’s still a free country, or was I in France too long?” Nate remarked dryly.

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