Page 100 of The Arrogant One

“Who cares what it is?” Colson said. “The result is everything we could have hoped for. The plate doesn’t matter.”

I slowly shook my head, unable to take my eyes off it. “It matters to me.”

TWENTY-SIX

Sadie

Iwas turning into Lockhart’s driveway, only feet from his gate, when my phone rang, and my boss’s name appeared across the screen of my dashboard.

Shit.

I quickly rolled down my window and hit the button on the call box to notify Lockhart that I was here. As I rolled the window back up, my finger hovered over the screen to accept the call.

The timing was horrible.

But if I sent my boss to voice mail, I wouldn’t be able to call him back until the morning, when I left Lockhart’s house, and I feared that would be too late.

I tapped the screen, connecting us, and the sounds of whatever he was doing in the background came through my speakers.

“Hi.”

“Good evening, Sadie. I’m sorry for the late call. Today got away from me, and this is the first chance I’ve had to reach out.”

I pulled into my usual parking spot, and as Lockhart appeared in the doorway of his house, I gave him a finger and pointed at my phone so he knew I was talking to someone and I’d be there in a second.

He nodded in response and closed the door.

“It’s no problem. What’s up?” I asked.

“I just wanted to update you with the results of the Charred article.”

I knew the results.

My social media had skyrocketed from the moment the piece went live. What helped was that The Weston Group had an extremely large following, and they’d shared my review, which then sent their followers to me. Days later, I could still feel the effects. Engagement was at an all-time high. My following was increasing by the hour.

If this was happening for me, I could only guess the same was true forSeen.

I held the steering wheel as though it were a set of fingers. “Are you pleased with the outcome?”

“Pleased?” He huffed. “It’s the highest-read article that’s been published inSeen. Ever.”

That should have been some of the best news of my career.

I should be dancing in my seat.

I should have this burning desire to go celebrate.

But all it did was make me ache.

I hit the back of my head against the cushion as the pain moved through my body. “So happy to hear that.”

“You don’t sound as happy as you should.”

“No, I am,” I replied, forcing my tone to change, hearing how flat it was. The last thing I wanted was for my boss to think I was ungrateful. “Sorry, it’s just … I’ve had a really long day too. I honestly couldn’t be more thrilled about this. What an accomplishment for all of us.”

“Indeed.” He paused. “You’re all set to go to Musik, yes?”

“I am, yes.”