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Grant laughed. “I guess you’re right. Not my thing either. Still, you can’t go wrong with chicken.”
A laugh escaped Lance’s mouth. “According to Andrea, maybe chicken or fish. No beef.”
Grant choked. “What! No beef?”
“That’s what I said. A man needs a burger sometimes. Even your sister eats burgers.” Did that slip out of his mouth? He and his best friend didn’t talk much about his past with Chantelle. Grant and he had only grown closer in the last few years. Lance didn’t blame him for wanting to protect his sister. Though they buried the hatchet, Lance treaded lightly when discussing Chantelle with Grant.
“What’s up with you and my sister?” Grant asked.
“Nothing. We ate today at Jasper’s Diner. Nothing major.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.” What more did he need to do? Get his word in writing?
His fr
iend bobbed his head. “Cool, but do me a favor.”
“What?”
“Don’t hurt her.”
More sweat formed on Lance’s brow. He wiped it away. “Shouldn’t you worry about her hurting your best friend?” It was a long shot, but Chantelle wasn’t the only one who suffered heartbreak. He may not have expressed it as she did, but he blamed himself for years. Was the stress too much for both of them? They’d gone behind their parents’ back after both families had decided what to do.
Grant watched him. “She’s my sister. I’m not getting into who’s right and who’s wrong. Just be careful—both of you.”
“Will do.” The message from his best friend was obvious. Lance was to stay away from her.
***
Chantelle held her cell to her ear, dreading to hear Brenda’s comment on her notes so far with Lance. He was such a private person and there was no way he would spill details on him and Andrea. She felt sorry for him.
How was he supposed to feel with his life under a microscope? Living in the spotlight wasn’t easy, especially in a small town like Delta Heights. What could Chantelle say? They loved that a local was getting married.
“Any good news?” Brenda asked, not bothering to say hello.
“Hello, Brenda. Did you get my email?” Chantelle rubbed the back of her neck.
“This is not what I expected. There’s no romance in this. Does he even love this Andrea?”
Chantelle swallowed. “He does. Lance Taylor is just very private. This is still his relationship.”
“I understand, but he is a celebrity. Celebrities give up those rights once they become famous. Lance Taylor is no different.”
Blowing out her cheeks, Chantelle shut her eyes for a moment. She never condoned exploitation. It was not acceptable in her eyes, but it didn’t matter to her boss. At least Brenda was better than Edward Lyle.
She could see his sky-blue eyes. Working at The Hillside as a reporter proved to be an exciting task. Being fresh out of graduate school, Chantelle loved every minute. Though in his late fifties, the man ran the newspaper like an assembly line. There was a downside. He didn’t care about the talents of his employees. It was about the circulation numbers. When Chantelle came at the height of the newspaper, she caught the eye of Edward.
“Do you think you can make it out there?” He had asked, with his deep raspy voice. The corner of his eyes crinkled with his smile. “It’s better if you let me help you get there.”
Chantelle despised him. She shivered, bringing her mind back to the present. “I understand, Brenda.”
“So, where does that leave the story? You have a few weeks left. If anyone can pull this off, you can. Don’t forget why you’re doing this.”
Nodding her head, though relieved Brenda couldn’t see her rolling her eyes, Chantelle breathed. “I’ll do my best not to let you down.”
Brenda hung up without a goodbye. Chantelle placed her phone on her mother’s kitchen table. Where did she go from here?
