Page 50 of The Followers

“But kind of not as good,” the redhead finished, her voice taking on an edge that made Liv’s stomach tighten.

Molly’s smile seemed frozen on her face. “I appreciate the feedback, but—”

“I don’t want to be rude,” the brunette cut in, “but you used to be funnier. Nicole, you know what I mean, right?”

The redhead nodded. “It was better when you were single, you know? Less complicated and stuff.”

Liv’s muscles tightened with irritation. If these women were getting on her nerves, she could only imagine how Molly was feeling. Although it was obvious Molly felt like she needed to be nice to them.

“I know change can be difficult,” Molly said. Her dimple had disappeared. “But I do hope that—”

“It feels like a bait-and-switch,” said the redhead, one hand on her hip. “Like, this isn’t what we expect from the invincible Molly Sullivan, right?”

“Right,” the brunette said, pushing her stroller back and forth to calm her baby. “So maybe you could—”

“Excuse me,” Liv blurted without thinking. “How much do you pay to access Molly’s social media?”

The brunette’s mouth hung open for a second before she recovered. “I mean, I don’t pay anything. It’s on the internet. But—”

“Oh, so it’s free,” Liv said, struggling to keep her voice calm. Her blood raced furiously. She hated confrontation, but she hated this ambush even more. “Molly creates content that you get to read and view for free, and you think you should be able to tell her what to do?”

Nicole huffed. “We’re sharing our opinion. We’re fans; we’re trying to help.”

Liv could feel Molly’s eyes on her, but she didn’t dare turn her head. Maybe she should have kept quiet, but she had always been like this—shy and reserved on the outside; fiercely indignant when she saw someone being mistreated. The hidden claws came out, as Oliver said.

“I don’t know about you,” Liv continued, “but I think the only person who can tell someone how to do their job is someone who pays them to do it. So if you’re not paying—then you don’t get a vote.”

The two women glanced at each other, shifting their weight in their pristine Nikes. Liv would bet neither of them had worked up a sweat on a real run in their lives.

“Well,” said the redhead, rolling her eyes. “So sorry for caring.”

The brunette sniffed. “Seriously.”

They turned, pushing their strollers down the walkway, ponytails swinging as they bent their heads toward each other, their furious whispers echoing through the summer air.

Liv turned to face Molly, inwardly cringing. “I’m sorry—”

“That. Was. Badass!” Molly’s face broke into a smile—a real one, this time. “I wish I’d captured that on camera.”

Liv’s shoulders dropped in relief. “Does that happen a lot?”

Molly shrugged. “Sometimes. Most fans are supportive, but some have strong opinions about what I do. I want to make them happy, of course, but...”

“You have to be true to yourself,” Liv said, echoing Molly’s unofficial mantra. It wasn’t something she’d usually say, so it made her feel uneasy, like she was absorbing Molly’s personality.

“Exactly. I would never dare say what you just said, but that’s what I’m always thinking. Just because I share a big chunk of my life online doesn’t mean my followers own me.” Her face turned thoughtful. “They’re right, though. People are losing interest, and I’m not sure what to do about it.”

“What do you mean, losing interest?”

“My life’s different now. Scott doesn’t want to be online, and my followers can tell I’m holding back.”

Liv stiffened at the reference to Scott, but she forced herself to focus on the conversation. “Still, you’re not obligated to produce content for their enjoyment.”

“It’s how I make my living,” Molly said with another quick smile. “It’s a balancing act, figuring out how to keep everybody engaged, but also expressing my own voice.”

It sounded excruciating to Liv. The thought of putting her life online made her shudder, but even worse was the thought of strangers judging and commenting on all her choices.

The train blew its whistle, which meant it was time to load up and head down the mountain to Durango. Molly called to the girls, and they boarded.

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