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“Do not speak to Callie Thompson if she contacts you. Tell Dad.”
I pull up the documents Aiden sent me when Callie started for me. I sign them with quick strokes of the stylus on my tablet. One paper to dissolve the LLC that owns the New York Star, one signature to cancel the trademark. Pain slices through my stomach. Another stroke of my pen to pull her press pass. Another to shut down her website.
I slump over the table when the papers are sent. It’s done. It’s all done. Now I just have to survive.
53
Callie
I throw myself into the paper with unmatched dedication. If my dad is surprised at the fact that I’m doing nothing but working, and on a weekend, he doesn’t say anything. I still haven’t decided what to do on Monday.
We still need the money, and I hate being a quitter. But I don’t know if I can see Jonah and not break down. Part of me is tempted to give up everything for him, and I hate it. I hate how tempting his offer was. Love me, and everything will be okay. I find myself taking deep breaths every time I think about how lost he looked as I walked away.
Fuck, I love you.
I love you too. I’ve imagined being brave enough to say it back a hundred times. I’d fall into his arms and he’d kiss me like he was never going to let me go.
Did I just ruin the best thing I’ve ever had?
Maybe, maybe, says each beat of my heart. But my brain still says I was right to stand up for myself, right to reject Jonah. My terms or not at all. It’s what he would do, isn’t it?
I feel like I’m slowly going insane. Sunday rolls around and I’m still in Saturday’s clothes. My hair is messy and my skin feels dirty, but all I want to do is lay in bed and watch movies until I fall back asleep.
Tomorrow. I’m going to see him tomorrow.
I press my palms to my eyes and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. When I walk quietly into the kitchen, I see my dad’s keys aren’t on the hook, and I let out a sigh of relief. He’s gone, but he’s going to start asking questions, especially if I don’t go to work tomorrow.
Focus, Cal. If I get fired, we need a backup plan. I need photos for the Post, and they need to be better than ever. I need to get my head in the game. Today, I’m going to get outside and take photos, whether I feel like it or not. But first, I have to check the website and make sure the printer got the money I sent.
I yawn over my computer, gulping my coffee in hopes it will kickstart my brain. When I log into the bank account for the paper, it shows a sizable refund from today. A refund? It’s from the printer. That’s odd. My hand hovers over my phone. I should call and ask, but a selfish part of me wants to keep the money and not question it too much. My payment bought us time on the loan, but it still hasn’t been paid off. It’s an axe hanging over my head, waiting to slice.
With a sigh, I dial the printer. Matt, the owner, is usually there on Sundays.
“Callie, what’s up?”
Matt is a straight shooter, and I like him for it. He’s easy to deal with.
“Matt, I hate to say this, but I see a refund in the account from you guys. I think your accountant made a mistake.”
“No mistake. Let me see.” Rustling noises come over the line. “Yeah. You guys terminated the contract. Last edition runs this week. I thought you knew?” He sounds apologetic, but certain.
“I didn’t cancel it. Did my dad?”
“Nah. The cancellation was signed by someone named Jonah Crown. Says here he owns the LLC that owns the paper. We thought it was weird, so we checked the public records for you guys and realized he was telling the truth. I didn’t know you were owned by a larger company.”
Time slows to a drip. My heartbeat is loud in my ears as my mind races. Jonah canceled the contract. Jonah.
“When?” My voice is hoarse and I clear my throat. “When did the cancellation come through?”
“Ah. This morning, it looks like. Yep, the document is signed and dated for this morning. Weird that the bank actually processed a refund on a weekend, but yeah. We’re sorry to see you go.”
“Us too,” I say woodenly, even though this printing contract has caused nothing but trouble. Jonah. Jonah. Betrayal makes my insides crumple. I can’t believe this. Can you not? With the way you rejected him? The way he always gets what he wants?
If he was determined before, he’s going to be even more determined now. Maybe it’s a mistake. I don’t want to jump to conclusions. But when I refresh our email, I see a notification from our domain provider saying the domain sale has been accepted and the transfer has begun.
Sale? What the fuck? The loss of the printing contract is one thing, but losing our website? I frantically click into our site and get a red notification that the domain transfer is in progress. I can’t publish any new content.
I sit back against my chair, stunned. He did it. He killed the paper. He was holding back this whole time, and when I gave him enough incentive, he ruined us. It probably took him five minutes.
