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“I’m sorry about that.”
“Not your fault. No one to blame but me and my big mouth.” I drop my flats to the floor with a thud and curl my legs under me.
“I’m sorting everything out, okay? Tomorrow he’ll be able to go back home.”
“Dan, what if all this happens again? I’m scared.”
“I can’t promise it won’t, but we’ll be better prepared. I’ll coach you about w
hat to say to the press. It’ll be easier dealing with them if you have some standard lines.”
I laugh out loud. “Oh, Dan, I think you forget who you’re talking to. When have I ever been able to stick to my lines? Wrong girlfriend for that.”
The laughter dies on my lips. I have no idea where those words came from, but now that they’re out in the open, I have to consider them. Maybe he really does need another girlfriend. One who can be coached into what to say, who wouldn’t just say what she felt, what was on her mind. One who can not only keep up with his lifestyle but also help him thrive instead of making life more complicated for him. My heart breaks a little at the mere thought that I’m not enough. “I don’t really fit into this part of your life, do I?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. If it’s necessary, I’ll work less with public personas, or not at all.”
Now I’m panicking. “You will not do such a thing. You run a successful business, and you won’t change a profitable strategy because of me.”
“We’ll figure it out, okay?” When I say nothing, he adds, “Why didn’t you call me, Caroline?”
“I knew you were asleep.” For the first time, though, I realize there’s more to it. I didn’t call because I didn’t want him to sense the fear and hesitation in my voice. The doubts.
“I’m getting on a plane in the morning, and—”
“No, no, no. We’re fine. Sealing the deal in Sydney is important. Look, Dad’s doctor is heading this way. We’ll talk later, okay? I have to go now.”
“Okay.”
***
Daniel
“Do you have all that down?” I bark.
“Yes, Daniel, I’m not hearing impaired,” my assistant says, displaying the first sign of impatience. I was wondering when she’d start picking on me. Truthfully, I want to pick a fight with someone. Maybe that way I’ll lose some of the frustration suffocating me.
“Okay. Keep me posted.”
“Sure thing. Want me to call Coleson and Stanhill?”
“No, I’ll call them myself.”
The skyline in Sydney is still pitch dark, but I feel wide awake. Partly because I’m still functioning on San Francisco time. My body usually needs two days to beat the jet lag. But I’ve been on high alert since talking to Blake. After talking to Caroline, my mind started to spin. My priority, for now, is to make sure no reporter dickhead bothers her or her family any longer. The never-ending to-do list I’m dictating for my assistant is the start. Then I’ll have to go through my own to-do list, call the right people, starting with Coleson and Stanhill.
“Are you getting any sleep?” she inquires.
“Got in a few hours. They’ll have to do.”
“So, you’re going to be working in both timezones?”
“Looks like it.”
“Well, have fun. I’m gonna start on the mile-long to-do list you just dictated to me. Bye, Daniel.”
“Bye.”
I’m going to call Stanhill first, then plow through the list of people I have to talk to. That should prevent me from replaying the conversation with Caroline in my mind over and over again.
