“He makes me happy, too,” I say with a smile.
More than I can say.
“How long are you going to be in town?” Amy asks tentatively, her expression apologetic.
“As of now, the day after Christmas?” The statement comes out more like a question, but it’s all I can manage.
Casey cocks his head. “You say it like you’re not sure.”
I shrug. “Guess I’m still figuring out what comes next.”
Amy puts her hand on Casey’s arm. “Alright, let’s leave the poor girl alone. We’d better head out so we can finish our last-minute shopping.”
I sigh in relief. If I had the answers, I’d gladly share them, but as it stands, it’s unclear what the future holds for us.
“It was so nice to meet you,” I say to Amy. “And it was good to see you again, too, Casey.”
“Same here. Take it from me. Shep is crazy about you. If the feeling’s mutual, I think it’s going to work out just fine.”
His confidence softens the uncertainty I can’t shake.
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” Casey says, tipping his hat.
They wave goodbye, and as they disappear around the corner toward the bustling town center, my phone buzzes with a new notification. I must have forgotten to turn on Do Not Disturb before we left the cabin this morning. I’ve made a point of avoiding distractions so I can soak up every minute with Shep.
My stomach drops when I see it’s a new email from CoreFuel Labs. They’re ending our partnership once the contract expires at the end of the year, citing my “failure to meet obligations.” I scroll furiously, reading about how they appreciate the working relationship we’ve shared over the past few years, but want to put their marketing dollars into “more reliable, performance-driven partnerships.” They expressed disappointment over the last-minute notice that I’d be taking more time off from postingpodcast videos than my team originally indicated, even though I explained it was due to circumstances beyond my control.
I shouldn’t be surprised—they’ve been our most demanding sponsor from the start, always pushing me to do more than is reasonable. Even though I know taking some much-needed time off was the right choice, I can’t shake the disappointment.
I’m pacing back and forth, fidgeting with my hands, when Shep steps out of the diner. He furrows his brow, immediately picking up on my unease.
“Noelle, what’s wrong?” He nestles me into his side, guiding us away from the window and toward an outdoor heater by the diner’s entrance.
I’m grateful no one else is out here, not wanting an audience as I process this news.
“Remember the podcast sponsor I was telling you about who was unhappy with my recent posting schedule?”
I filled Shep in on the situation earlier when he sensed I was stressed. It’s incredible how attuned he is, picking up on the smallest shifts in my mood.
He steps in front of me, pulling me into a hug. “Yeah.”
“They’ve decided to discontinue our partnership,” I say into his chest, his coat brushing against my cheek.
He grunts his disapproval as he rubs soothing circles on my back. “That’s pretty shitty to do on Christmas Eve.”
I take a deep breath as I sink further into his embrace. “That’s corporations for you—no loyalty or leeway if they think it could hurt their bottom line.”
I’m guessing they didn’t hit their Q4 projections, so management scrambled to find places to cut the budget. I was likely an easy target, since they’re apparently unsatisfied with our partnership even though it was profitable for them.
“Do sponsors normally try to run the show? You’re the boss. They have no business controlling how you run things orwhen you take time off, particularly around the holidays,” Shep grumbles.
“Most are easy to work with. I could use a third-party agency, but Gemma and I like handling them ourselves to preserve creative vision.”
He tips my chin to meet his gaze. “How big of an impact will losing this sponsorship have on your revenue?”
“It should be minimal. Companies contact us every day, many offering higher rates as our audience grows.” Warmth creeps up my neck, suddenly feeling a little sheepish about my initial reaction. “But I’ve worked with this sponsor since my podcast took off, and it feels like I’ve let a friend down. I just wish I could make it right, even though I know it’s not in my best interest.”
