“I respect anyone performing at that level.”
She smiled. “Very diplomatic.”
“That’s football.”
It was also the safest possible answer Piper could give this woman. The conversation drifted to broadcast deals and numbers that sounded important and felt empty. Piper nodded at the right moments.
Vivienne appeared at his elbow twenty minutes later. “The underwear brand wants to extend. Extra million. We have final cut.”
“Fine.”
“One more thing.”
“Yes.”
“They captured behind-the-scenes footage at the shoot. You and Reyes goofing off between takes. Laughing and being annoyed by each other. It’s good footage.”
“Okay. Let them do whatever.”
Piper turned his head a fraction. “You said we have final cut? I don’t even remember a camera crew.”
“Apparently it was a lot of iPhone footage.”
“Viv. Make sure they don’t embarrass me.”
“I will watch the footage frame by frame. I will pull anything that is questionable. Did anything questionable happen on that shoot?”
“Nope,” Piper replied.
She glanced around the room. “Unless you’ve developed a sudden interest in this, you can get the fuck out of here.”
“I haven’t.”
“Good. I’d hate to think I dressed for this for free.”
***
He was in the car by nine-fifteen. The freeway was clear. Late enough that the worst of the traffic had passed. Piper drove without music, both hands on the wheel. The city moved around him, large and indifferent. He replayed the conversations at the party. Nothing had gone wrong and the VP had been satisfied. The media rep had gotten what she came for so Vivienne had let him leave early. Everything had been handled and he was going to get an extra million from the underwear brand for no extra work.
***
The weight room was nearly empty.
Piper finished his set on the bench press and racked the bar. Tank was supposed to be spotting, but instead he had pulled up a stool and was sitting off to the side, watching him.
“Go ahead.” Tank tilted his head.
“Go ahead what?” Piper asked.
“You’ve been making that face all day.”
“I have a lot of faces.” Piper laughed.
“Not useful ones.”
Tank let out a short breath and looked down, then back up.
“What do you want?” Tank asked.
