AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What? I’m almost done with the—”
“Leave it,” she snaps in a loud whisper. “You need to get over here.”
That was how I found out about the tabloid article—a couple of whispers over a working lunch, bouncing back and forth between my cubicle and Kenna’s desk. I should be thankful she’s the one who caught wind of it first, and that everybody else was still out to lunch when the story broke. At least I had a few minutes to get my shit together.
After that, I didn’t have a minute to catch my breath. Between trying to get my usual work finished and the emergency meetings to “clean up this mess”—Ty’s words—I’d run all over the building this afternoon.
At least I still have a job. At the moment. Greeley wanted to fire me on the spot, but Archer Burke of all people pointed out that despite the salacious nature of the tabloid write-up, it’s free publicity and the network could use it to springboard the launch of the competition finale.
“Ride the wave as long as we can,” advised Archer. Legal was still trying to get the post taken down, but Ty and Archer suggested playing it up, even going so far as mention cutting together a special ad for the competition finale featuring Bailey and Cooper and me.
“That’s despicable,” said Kenna when I told her about the idea. I agreed, but the network had to spin it somehow and I had zero control over how that happened.
After the second hour of nonstop notifications, I’d set my phone to silent mode, picking it up only every now and then to see if Bailey or Cooper had checked in.
I check it again now, just in case. Still nothing.
I do have a new missed call from my mother, whom I haven’t heard from since before her anniversary party. My stomach drops just thinking about it.
I didn’t expect an unconventional relationship like ours to be all smooth sailing, but I really thought we had more time to sort things out. We never even talked about this, about what to tell people. I sprang it on Cooper and Bailey at my parents’ party, coming out and claiming them both like I did. After that, I thought we’d be solid. We were on the same page.
So I thought. After today, I’m not so sure.
Cooper denied everything after that picture of the three of us was posted, and he hasn’t been seen online since. He’s not answering my texts. I don’t know what to make of that.
Bailey’s supposed to be at the bank this afternoon and I don’t want to bother her at work. If her day’s been anything like mine, she’s had enough to deal with. I’m worried, but no news is good news, right? I figure to check in with her in a couple of hours, after I’ve had a minute to decompress.
Only when I pull up to my apartment, Bailey’s already beat me there. She’s sitting in her car with the engine running. When she sees me park, she shuts the car off, meeting me at the door.
“Come on in,” I say, guiding her inside. “It’s freezing out here.”
I shut the door behind us. Bailey’s quiet. It’s a far cry from the last time we stood in my hallway alone together.
“I guess you’ve seen it,” I say.
Bailey laughs without humor. “Yeah,” she says. “Evie sent me screenshots at lunch.”
I nod. “Kenna showed me at lunch, too.” I shove my hands in my pockets to keep from reaching for her. Tense as she is, Bailey might as well be wearing a flashing neon sign that says Do Not Touch.
“Have you heard from your family?” she asks.
“I’ve got some voicemails. I haven’t listened to them yet,” I admit.
“You should,” she says. Her reaction is dulled, like she’s closed in on herself. Considering Bailey’s had no trouble speaking her mind the last couple of weeks, her behavior surprises me. But what she says is probably right, so I pull out my phone and play the message from my mom.
“Andrew… I saw the article. Your grandfather is absolutely furious with you. Perhaps it would be best if you stay away for the time being. At least until this… situation dies down. Of course, that man in the photo with you says there is no relationship. He claims the article is all wrong. If that’s true, please call me back. We’d like to believe this whole thing is just some ham-handed PR stunt for your job, but your father tells me you confirmed the relationship yourself. If that is the case,” Mom takes a deep breath. “Well. I can only tell you that I sincerely hope you’ve had time to reconsider your position. I know you think we expect too much from you, but I hardly think it’s too much to ask that you keep your private life private. Consider what you’re putting your family through, Andrew. I’ll be in touch.”
I set the phone down on the coffee table, not looking at Bailey.
“What are you going to do?” Bailey asks, her voice soft in the quiet of my apartment.
I don’t know what to tell her.
“What can I do?” I ask, voicing the very question that’s been on my mind all day. “It’s out. There’s no hiding it. Even if the internet wasn’t forever, Sizzle is going to spin the story to help launch the show.”
Surprise registers on her face.
“Spin it how?”
