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Hours pass and I'm left alone in the near-dark office. The only light is the glow from the city outside my office windows. Tired and frustrated, I finally hang up the phone. It's been an endless day of conversations and I'm no closer to a solution than I was this morning.
Then it hits me.
I pick up the phone and start dialing.
"Bennett," I greet, my voice heavy with exhaustion and worry.
"Hunter?" Bennett's familiar, confident voice fills the line. "What's up, it's late. Everything okay?"
"No. I've got a mess on my hands," I confess, running a hand through my hair. "You're the best in the business and I need the best right now."
"What happened?"
"Rumors about me being with Maya. It's all over the tabloids."
Silence on the other end. "Maya? Fuck... I see." I can hear the gears turning in his head over the phone. "It's not going to be easy, Hunter. But I think I have a plan that could work."
"I need this to go away, for everyone's sake."
"I'll take care of it. Let me get back to you."
"Thanks, Bennett." I hang up the phone and let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding. I'm not sure what Bennett has planned, but if anyone can fix this mess, it's him.
I drag myself home, exhausted from the day. The house is quiet, the only sound is the echo of my footsteps on the polished marble floor.
As I make my way to the kitchen for a much-needed drink, I freeze at the entrance.
"Kaitlyn? What are you doing here, sweetheart? It's late."
Kaitlyn doesn't answer my question. She's seated at the kitchen island with this morning's paper spread out in front of her.
Shit. She knows.
She lifts the news and gives it a little shake. I can see the headline, bold and brutal, screaming back at me. And I can only imagine the storm of emotions wreaking havoc in my daughter's mind as she looks at me.
She's waiting for an explanation, a denial... something, anything.
But nothing is coming out.
16
MAYA
The following two weeks are a blur of endless meetings, deadlines, and sleepless nights. Hunter and I work like machines, our days filled with back-to-back tasks leaving us with barely any breathing room.
As I'm scurrying towards the copy room, a strong hand grabs my arm and pulls me sideways. I nearly drop the stack of papers in my hand. I glance sideways and find myself staring into Hunter's deep blue eyes.
"Hunter!"
"Hi, beautiful."
"You scared me!" I hit him in the shoulder. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were in a meeting."
"Just taking a break." He wraps an arm around my waist and places his other hand on the small of my back.
I blush.
Lately, we've been so busy. It's almost as if we’re two ships passing in the night, our schedules never coinciding. We only manage to catch fleeting glimpses of each other in passing, short exchanges, a silent nod here, and an acknowledging smile there.
