She laughed. “No, just that you’d raided a sweet shop.”
“What time is it?”
“Ten a.m.”
“Come on, come and sit down and I’ll make you some breakfast.”
I walked over to the island and sat on a stool. “Actually I’m not hungry, but I’d love some cold water.”
I put my head down on my arms just as a buzzing started up. I raised my eyes to see my phone vibrating across the worktop and grabbed it before it stopped.
Work. This wasn’t going to be good.
“Hi, Emerson, it’s David.”
David was the big boss, owner of the studios, and I’d worked for him for six years, both in L.A. and in New York. But if he was calling, then this definitely wasn’t going to be good.
“Hi,” I croaked.
I looked at the screen, thinking we’d been cut off… But no, it was just an awkward silence.
He let out a sigh. “Look, I’m sorry to do this. Do you know why I’m calling?”
“I have an idea.”
“Are you okay?”
My throat grew thick and scratchy again. “No. I’m not actually.”
“I bet. I’m sorry to hear that, Emerson. Look, I think it’s better if you lay low for a few days. We’ve had some calls from customers who’ve complained.”
I started fiddling with the corner of my laptop, which was still on the counter. “What does that mean?”
He sighed again. “It means take a little break until this all blows over. We’ll cover your classes.”
I could feel my anger levels rising again.
“David, none of this is true!”
“I know, but people know that the players have been in the studio and they’re connecting the dots.”
I ground my jaw hard. This was a fucking joke.
“Wow, you can’t have it both ways, you know. You enjoy the waitlists they’ve created and the publicity, something I’ve had nothing to do with by the way, I never asked them to come.”
“I know, Emerson, and we support you. Just take a few days off, that’s all. It’ll calm down. This is best for everyone.”
“Fine.”
I hung up and slammed the phone back down on the counter, Freddie expectantly waiting for me tell her what just happened.
“I’ve been told to lay low. They don’t want me coming into the studio.” My chin started trembling before the tears fell again.
Freddie moved surprisingly quickly, considering the size of her giant belly, and put her arms around me. “Oh, Emerson, that’s such bullshit. I’m so sorry.”
“He said it was just for a few days, but…” I didn’t have the energy to get through the rest of that sentence. “This is so unfair and nothing can be done. I’m helpless. I’ve worked my ass off, and now it’s all gone to shit because my ex-boyfriendcan’t handle that I don’t want to be with him anymore, and my company is more concerned with its image than standing by me.”
I wiped away my tears of rage.
