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"No, it really isn't. When I'm with my friends, it's personal. When I'm at a club following a player in a public setting to report gossip, then it's news. I'm not exploiting my friends for your benefit or the benefit of our readers. You know that, Lyla."
"So now you have to bring a player along to help you fight your battles?" she asked, her voice snippy.
Eli crossed his arms. "No, I volunteered. Holly informed me that you have been harassing her for these notes, and if she didn't give them to you, that you were going to send over your own questions and guide the tone of the feature. That wasn't our deal, Lyla. The deal is that Holly writes it, and you get your exclusive. Leave her alone to do her job. It's her piece, not yours. And without me, you've got nothing. So back off."
Lyla sniffed. "I don't understand why you chose her for this assignment, Eli. It's my blog. It should be my feature."
"Because she's in my circle of friends. I trust her. That's all the reason I need."
Lyla gave Holly a cool stare. "This article better be worth every single penny I'm paying you, Holly. It better be beyond good."
"Ready to go?" Eli asked Holly. "I need to take off. West's party starts at 2:00. I've got to go pick up Shaw. I'll see you over there later, I guess."
She kept her expression neutral. West wasn't having a party, and he was trying to give Lyla the impression that they'd come separately. It was smart, but then again, so was Eli.
"Yeah, I guess. Penn asked me to pick up extra ice, so I've got to go do that first."
"Later, Lyla," Eli said, walking out of her office.
Holly didn't even bother saying goodbye. Lyla was in a snit, and she'd probably just say something bitchy anyway.
They walked past a flustered Landon on their way out without so much as a word.
Once they were out of the office and safely out of earshot, Holly started to laugh. "Man, that was fantastic. I loved seeing Lyla put in her place."
"She's a piece of work trying to boss you around like that." He glanced at the elevator. "Do you mind walking up a few flights to the parking garage? I am not getting into that shit box again."
"Yeah, sure." She followed him over to the stairwell.
"Christ, it's hot in here," he complained as he started climbing the stairs. "I wish I would have brought a bottle of water."
Holly went to take a step and froze.
Oh, fuck. Oh, no.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't lift her leg up onto the step. Panic set in as beads of sweat formed at her temples. She gripped the handrail and stared down at her feet.
This couldn't happen now.
Not in front of him. Not like this.
"Holly?" Eli paused at the small landing before the next set of stairs. "Are you coming?"
She turned around, sinking down onto the bottom step as she willed herself not to cry. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and she blinked hard. Too bad she was fighting a losing battle.
* * *
"Holly!"
Eli jogged down the stairs, alarmed and confused when he saw her sit down on the step. He knelt down in front of her. "Hey, what's wrong?"
Tears streamed down her face, and fear gripped him hard. "Wilkes," he said gently, putting his hands on her knees. "Baby, I need you to talk to me."
"I can't do it."
He frowned. "You can't do what?"
"I can't walk up the stairs."
