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I shrug. “Easy. I have lots of time on my hands, if you haven’t noticed. I needed an outlet to escape all the dark shit that fell on me after Luke disappeared.”

“But now that he’s back, does that mean Night Shifts Black is?—”

“Dude.” I hold up my hand to stop him. “I just gave you three big stories. That’s all you’re getting.”

His shoulders droop, but his expression quickly recovers. I just handed him a goldmine, and he knows it.

“I have to run,” I say. “Remember, the Callie story first. Give me at least two weeks on the Jana and Penchant stories. I have personal shit to take care of before that breaks. Can you just give me that? No one else will get the scoop, I promise.”

His eyes bore into mine, scouring for deceit. Liars always expect lies, but I’m not a liar. Well, not a malicious one.

“Deal, but I want an in-depth on-site interview about the Penchant story so we can do a major feature. Cameras and a full spread. The whole deal.”

I grit my teeth. “Fine. We done?”

His greedy stare scans my face. A sly grin slices into me. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Casey.”

I give his outstretched hand a quick shake before exiting his suite.

Once I’m safely in the hall, I take a deep breath and bracemyself for the real storm that’s about to come. My afternoon from hell is just getting started.

TJand the Label aren’t thrilled I went rogue with Orin Cantea and do their due diligence in making sure I understand how much I screwed up and should never, ever,everdo something like that again. I wait patiently through the hours of getting yelled at, lectured, and berated, knowing once they had their fill, they’d come around.

Beneath the righteous indignation, they’re just pissed I acted without looping them in. They know what I did was best case scenario. I don’t tell them about the Penchant secret or that I leaked the Jana setup. I’ll let the dust settle from this brush fire before igniting another one. Still haven’t exactly figured out how I’m going to do it yet.

When the last call finally ends, I feel like I just ran back to back marathons while stabbing myself in the eye.

I toss my phone on the table where Callie and Luke are eating takeout. I’m really starting to hate that annoying little device.

Pulling my hands through my hair, I try to shake off the previous five hours. When I look up, they’re both staring at me with entirely inappropriate amusement on their faces.

“Oh, I’m glad you guys think this is funny,” I grunt.

Callie waves toward a chair and an unopened container. “Eat something. It’s bar food. Not a single vegetable.”

My tired brain actively fights the smile creeping from my soul, but Callie’s expression is just…

“I’ll get you a beer,” she jokes, ending any chance of avoiding it. Should have known she’d remember my previous reference about the proper way to say “thank you.”

The funniest part is, I’m not even the biggest fan of beer, or much of a drinker at all anymore.

“What’d they say?” Luke asks.

I lean back in my chair, trying to organize an answer to that question.

“Alright, so here’s the deal. Lawyers are pretty sure there isn’t much legal risk. The leaked footage clearly shows the restaurant manager giving you permission to take the chair. The only person endangered was Callie when you took a swipe at her, and I’m going to assume she doesn’t intend to press charges.” I laser an accusatory glare at Luke. “Really, man? You swung at Callie?”

His eyes broadcast his guilt before he lowers them to the table.

I’m still pissed about that, but what’s done is done and there’s no point blowing it up further since he clearly knows he fucked up.

“Anyway, legally we’re good,” I continue. “Publicity-wise, they actually think we’re good, too, as long as nothing else comes out and we lay low. While the blow up part with the chair isn’t great, we can spin it as a painful outburst of a hurting icon on the mend. With no laws broken, the public is going to like that Luke is back out of hiding and clearly reconnecting with people again, even if it is with his best friend’s girlfriend.”

I direct my attention to Callie. Not only did the Label ultimately sign off on Rhinehearst leaking the truth about Callie and me, they added their own demands to commandeer the narrative.

“Which, for the record, now means you have to be seen with me at at least two high profile events in the next month. Sorry, but it was non-negotiable. We need to prove that you and Luke were just hanging out as friends, and you and I are madly in love. If they see the three of us together, even better.”

Her expression looks about as concerned as it does when Ieat greasy food. Does she really not care that we’ve just changed her life forever?