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“A specialist. Get Maggie.” She’s our marketing director. She’s good at what she does. She’s been with the company for years, and she’ll definitely know how to handle this, but Patrick shakes his head.

“I mean someone legit.”

“Maggie’s legit.”

“Maggie has been on your payroll for years,” he agrees. “She’s an expert in selling things to people, but not blatant lies.”

“Meaning?”

“She sells products. She can’t save your reputation.”

So, who can? What am I supposed to do now? I have a vision of everything I’ve tried to build coming down around me. I don’t want to have this vision, but I do.

The worst part is that these rumors are true. I did want to destroy Toni. Part of me still does. I could buy her company up in a damn heartbeat and make her regret hurting me. The problem is that I’m starting to get tired, and revenge is starting to sound less appealing than it used to.

Am I getting old?

Or am I starting to grow up and realize that I don’t have to buy out someone’s company just because they pissed me off?

My phone rings. I pick it up without looking at the number. A terrible choice.

“Miss Mortimer? This is Juniper Jackson with The Times. I’d like to talk with you about-“

I end the call. I don’t even say a damn thing. I just end the call.

“Why would you do that?” Patrick chastises me.

“I don’t know.”

“I think you do know.”

“I don’t.”

“You can’t answer your phone until we talk with someone about what you’re supposed to do next here.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. It’s not like they teach you this at business school.”

Patrick stares at me like I’ve grown three heads.

“Yes,” he says. “They do. They literally teach all of this.”

“Oh,” I whisper. “Well, I didn’t know.”

“Because you didn’t care to.” He sighs. “Look, I didn’t want to be the one to tell you this, but you’re in a huge pickle.”

“A pickle?”

“A huge one,” he nods.

“Patrick, I don’t have time for your double entendres tonight.”

“You don’t not have time for them.”

“What?”

“Call this lady.” He places a business card on the table. “She’s my sister. She’ll help you.”

“I don’t think this is the time to be calling your family members.”