Page 89 of Y'allywood Billionaire

I honestly don’t blame him one bit if he doesn’t give her another chance, but I understand why he might.

He exhales. “Fine. I have extra tickets for the Emmys. You can join us if you come sober. As you know, I’m up for an award: outstanding lead performance.”

She gasps. “That’s right. That’s so wonderful. I’ll do that. What night is it?”

“It’s this coming Sunday, October fifth.”

Her face drops and her lips tick, like she’s trying to say something but can’t get it out. It’s another few beats before she whispers, “So, I can’t make it that night. But just give me something else, anything else. Any other night.”

“What do you have that you can’t make it to the Emmys? When your only child is up for an award?”

She closes her eyes. “I have a super important gig.”

“Cancel it.”

She stands silent, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opens them, she says, “Maddie, I’d love to cancel it, but I can’t. My career’s been in a slump, and this is gonna be the start of my comeback. You don’t want to take that away from me, do you?”

His face pinches, and he takes a step back, her words like a blow. “I thought you were ending the tour because you didn’twant to live out of a suitcase anymore.” His face goes hard. “You know what? That’s fine, Kathryn. Have a good show. Really. I wish you well.”

She puts a palm up. “Okay. I’m sorry. I’ll reschedule the gig and come to the Emmys. Okay?”

Maddox stares at her, his jaw tensing. “Okay.”

“Great,” she croaks. “I’ll get my tickets to L.A. and see you at the Emmys. Sunday night.”

“See you there,” he grits.

31

Madness March

We walk into Maddox’s house, and that’s when I hear Skye’s voice on TV.

Obviously, Skye isn’t on TV. She has to be outside on the porch, and it just sounds like she’s on television.

Except when I look at the screen, sure enough, there Skye is with the words “Special Report” below her. My godmother is being interviewed live on CNN…and she’s naked.

“Again with the naked?” I scream at the screen glad her boobs are blurred out.

“Sweet Jesus.” Maddox snatches the remote off the couch and turns up the volume.

“I’m honored so many people came out to march today at St. Sebastian’s Nudist colony, where it all started.” Skye points behind her. The camera pans the crowd, revealing thousands of naked women standing on a beach holding flashlights. “This should send a message that women are tired of being silenced and treated unfairly. And this should send a message to Smith Cameron that he needs to let Riley return toUrban Dawn. Fans are demanding it.”

I put a hand over my mouth. “Oh. My. God.”

“We’re reporting live here,” the newscaster cuts in, “at a march being held at St. Sebastian’s lesser-known nude beach colony. Fans from all over are coming to bare it all in support of Y’allywood’s beloved Riley Glenn, who was fired fromUrban Dawnafter admitting her relationship with co-star, Maddox Winter, was a hoax for ratings. Women are outraged that she was punished while no one else was. And now, she’s started a movement coined Be Kind Online. Apparently, the announcement of this event on Riley’s Facesnap feed went viral, and now we’re getting reports of fans flying stand-by to get here.”

“How did Skye post from my Facesnap account?” I yell.

A brow arched, Maddox flashes me a bemused half smile. “You have to ask that?”

“No.”

Seventy-two hours. I wasn’t with Skye for seventy-two hours, and she managed to unite thousands in a protest march against cyberbullying. A naked march, no less. I thought nothing she did could shock me anymore. But here I am. Shell-shocked.

The good news is Skye hasn’t left me any time to sit around feeling sorry for myself. “I have to get there.” I start toward the door.

“Wait.” Maddox catches my wrist. “It says on the bottom of the screen that the roads are all blocked.”

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