Page 34 of Reckless
I’m stunned silent for a second before my lips part, and I sputter a broken, “Wha—what?”
Catherine’s sigh is explosive. “Mr. McNalley has pulled out of the film at the request of Mr. Oswald. Lawyers are involved, so no one knows any details other than filming has been temporarily suspended. The press has been having a field day. We’ve done damage control, but from a publicity standpoint, having you out of the public eye and radio silence from the studio is about as good as we can hope for.”
I heard her. I swear I did, but my brain is just having a hard time comprehending how he just walked away from the project.
“Griffin was fired?” I’m so stunned that I forget to call him Mr. McNalley. She hasn’t brought up the fact that I was at his apartment at five in the morning . . . yet.
“That’s what I was told. Is something wrong?”
“Catherine, I have to be honest with you. Griffin and I . . . we are . . . well, wewerein a relationship of sorts. I know it’s against CJJ policy, and I know this puts you in a terrible position. You’ve given me so many opportunities, and I squandered them at the first chance.”
Her expression is grave, and my stomach sinks. “I can’t deny that I’m disappointed. I explicitly told you not to get involved with a client. While I can empathize with loving someone to distraction, blatant fraternization can’t be abided.”
My heart joins my stomach at my feet. “I’m so sorry, Catherine. I understand if you need to ask for my resignation. It’ll be on your desk this afternoon.”
It wasn’t going to be easy returning to Florida with my tail between my legs, but the truth is, I’ve failed. My first assignment and I did the one thing my boss warned me not to do and, as a result, got the movie paused and the star recast. So far, I’m batting zero.
Catherine tilts her head to the side and smiles patiently. “That would be unfortunate, considering Mr. McNalley has informed production he’ll no longer be working on the film.”
I blink at her. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am. He told Oswald he was through, even though it may mean the end of his career.”
“He did not.”
“While I’m not thrilled with your decision to flout company policy, as he’s no longer affiliated with the project, I’d like to have you see it through to its completion. Oswald seems to have a sweet spot for you now. He wouldn’t hear of letting you go.”
“I hope this doesn’t come out the wrong way, but I find that hard to believe.”
Catherine smiles. “Believe it. And show me I’m not making the wrong choice keeping you on. I’ll see you back here once you’ve healed up. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
* * *
“No, Mom, everything’s great, really.”
The lie rolls easily off my tongue. My parents don’t watch the news because, according to my dad, it’s too negative, and according to my mom, it’s too political. So they have no idea what happened, and I have no interest in ever telling them. The last thing I need is to have the entire Hart family camped out in my apartment. I wouldn’t put it past my dad to sit outside my front door with a shotgun in his lap, daring whoever hurt me to try him.
I’d been putting off calling them until I wasn’t a train wreck, but they were insistent. I managed to convince them to call instead of video chat, but barely. I’m still sporting a bit of a hunch and a big bandage, so video chatting is out of the question. The doctor says I should be able to ditch the bandage and officially go back to work next week if I take it easy.
Next week can’t come soon enough. As I end the call with my family, I turn up the TV. I’m hoping the sound of the game show I’m watching will drown out my thoughts enough so I can go back to taking it easy, but it doesn’t. No amount of improv comedy can distract me from the fact that I haven’t seen Griffin since the hospital. Hell, he never even called to check on me or tell me he was quitting the movie.
It doesn’t seem like him.
Or at least, it doesn’t seem like the man I thought I knew.
But can you ever really know someone? I thought I did. The Griffin I knew was strong and stubborn and kind. He’s the kind of man who’d drive a woman home at night, even though he’d been working like a dog all day. The kind who wouldn’t think twice about paying for an expensive hotel room to make sure she was safe. He’s also the kind of man who falls asleep with his arms wrapped around you like you’re the most important woman in the world.
I couldn’t have been making that up.
As though I conjured him by wishing alone, my doorbell rings. I check the app on my phone and see Griffin on the screen. My heart beats double time. Is this going to be more bad news? The expression on his face doesn’t bode well.
I limp carefully to the door and open it. He stands on the other side in a T-shirt and jeans with his hands in his pockets. It wasn’t just the grainy video feed. He looks about as bad as I feel.
“Hey,” he says without smiling.
“Hey.” My voice is dry and cracks, but I’m too caught up and emotional to care. “What’s up?”
“Can I come in? I won’t take long.”