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“I need you to react as a lawyer right now, not as my best friend,” she said.

Evelyn didn’t hesitate. “Okay,” she said. “Hit me.”

“Emma and I kissed Saturday night,” Jo said, and ignored Evelyn’s intake of breath. “A photographer sent me pictures of it, asking for comment. I need an NDA.”

There was a pause.

“I can get it to you in an hour,” Evelyn said.

Jo heaved a sigh. “Thank you.”

The only sound was the clacking of Evelyn’s keyboard.

“Can I react like a friend now?” she asked.

“Evelyn...”

“I want to know how you are.”

Jo scrubbed a hand through her hair and didn’t know how to answer. “I need to handle the photographer.”

“Okay,” Evelyn said. “I’ll get back to you.”

Jo continued to listen to Evelyn type for a few minutes before ending the call.

—

Jo kept her doorclosed. She asked Emma for nothing. Evelyn, true to her word, called back in an hour.

“I emailed it to you,” she said. “How much money is he asking?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Jo said. It wasn’t like she wasn’t going to pay.“Your contract ensures there’s no other copies? No chance it will get out?”

“I know you’re stressed, but you know better than to underestimate me.”

“You’re right.” Jo pressed her palm to her forehead. “God, Evelyn, this is...”

“Fucked?” Evelyn offered. “How does Emma feel about it?”

Jo steeled herself for Evelyn’s frustration. “I haven’t told her about it.”

“What?”

“I haven’t talked to her today except to thank her for my coffee.”

“Aiyah.” Evelyn dragged out the last vowel. “What are you doing?”

“She doesn’t need this, Evelyn,” Jo said. “She doesn’t need any of this.”

“How is ignoring her helping?”

“I’m not ignoring her,” Jo said. Avoiding her, yes. Ignoring her, no. “I’ll talk to her after I figure this out.”

Jo could tell Evelyn was annoyed by the way she breathed over the line. Her exasperation didn’t bleed into her tone when she talked, though.

“What happened?”

“She kissed me.” Jo’s voice was so small she wished it weren’t her own. “And that would be confusing enough without someone having pictures.” She sighed, then continued before Evelyn could cut in. “She just has to get through the week. Then she’ll be associate producer whenInnocentscomes back and I’ll be on Agent Silver. We’ll both move on. It will be fine. She won’t have to deal with any more of this paparazzi shit.”