Page 134 of Love on the Byline

He set down his bags and removed a light meter.

“Will this work?” Ollie asked sounding unexpectedly nervous.

She gave him a smile and a half-shrug. “This is perfect.Whether our little scheme will work is a different story, but what other choicedo we have?”

Ollie frowned. “I’m so sorry you were dragged into this.”

“It’s not your fault, or Bran’s,” she said. “Besides, if Ihadn’t been tasked with the story, we might never have...” She broke off,unsure how to finish that sentence.

Ollie gave her a look that said he understood anyway. Hestepped closer. “Blake...”

“After,” she said, cutting him off. “We’ll figure it outafter.”

She gave his arm a squeeze and walked over to join Noelia andBran by the faux window. Simulated daylight streamed through the gauzy curtain,flooding the floor with a warm glow.

“Good to see you again, Blake.” Noelia said. “Thank you foragreeing to do this here.”

“Thank you for agreeing to do it at all,” she replied.“I know it’s a risk.”

“The only real risk is to you, my dear. Brandon might loseout in the short term, but he would eventually recover from any scandal.”Noelia looked over her shoulder to where Bran sat in the makeup chair, atechnician powdering his forehead.

She turned back to face Blake. “We women aren’t afforded theluxury of flaws. If it weren’t affecting Val the way it is, or you for thatmatter, I think Brandon would just power through. But he’s a better man than Isometimes give him credit for.” She paused. “Don’t tell him I said that.”

Blake grinned. “I won’t.”

“And if Brandon weren’t going to do this on his own, Ibelieve Oliver would disown him. And we both know our Bran would be lostwithout his Ollie.”

“They’re the very definition of brothers.”

“Indeed. But I hope Oliver realizes someday soon that hislife doesn’t need to be tied so closely to Bran’s.”

This surprised Blake, and it must have shown on her face.

“Don’t get me wrong, Oliver is a godsend when it comes tokeeping Brandon in line,” Noelia said. “But that’s not his purpose in life.”

“No, it isn’t,” she agreed.

“Blake,” Stewart walked towards the two women. “I’m readywhen you are. I set the recorder on the tripod just over there.” He pointed atthe end of the couch. “I can set up another, if you want to be in frame.”

“No, the recording is more for reference than anythingelse,” she replied. “Thanks.”

“I’ll get Brandon,” Noelia said.

And Blake was left standing alone.

Ollie had gone to the door to greet Clark, Noelia wasundoubtedly giving Brandon some last-minute instruction, and Stewart waschecking his equipment.

She took a moment to breathe.

There was so much riding on this, but she couldn’t thinkabout that. She zeroed in on the interview itself. As a cub reporter, she’dbeen given the opportunity to conduct an interview that would be read by morepeople than anything she’d ever written in her life. The nerves in her stomachwere a mixed bag—anxiety, anticipation, and apprehension—but she shoved themdown as far as they could go and pulled out the green leather-bound book thatcontained her notes and questions. She stared at the worn leather. She hadprepared for this moment her whole life. So, when Bran walked over and asked“Are you ready?”

Blake squared her shoulders and nodded. “Let’s do this.”

31

No More Pictures, Please: the Trajectory of aShooting Star by Blake Dillon for the L.A. Gazette

Blake: Brandon, you have a history of being caught incompromising situations. Would it be fair to say this has shaped the public’s perceptionof you?

---