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But Everly wasn’t ready to dismiss the comment. “I thought you were back on the whole James thing after last episode.”
“The more footage we have, the more we can play up the love triangle, which viewers are living for.”
Everly’s muscles clenched. How could Logan not see that this woman’s motive was ratings or bust? “I think you’re doing plenty with the footage you’ve got.”
Cocking her head, Sady folded her arms over her chest. “What do you mean?” Even with sunglasses on, her expression was innocent, like she truly had no idea what Everly was getting at.
“Sunday night’s episode was more fiction than reality, don’t you think?” Everly mirrored Sady’s stance. Logan rested a hand on her arm, but she ignored it. She was not about to settle down.
Sady smoothed her hands over the front of her black-and-white-striped sheath dress. “All of that happened.”
“But not in that order, or in that context. People think James and I are a thing now—”
Sady’s face brightened. “Isn’t it amazing? Don’t you see what we’re doing here? How huge this is?”
“We’re lying to people.” As if the only way for Everly to be happy and feel good about herself was to have as many guys chasing her as possible.
“We are doing something so much more important.” Sady’s phone pinged, but she shoved it in her purse. “When have you ever seen a fat person in a love triangle? As the point of that triangle? With two hot guys?”
Unless Logan and James were also hot for each other, it was more of a V than a triangle, but this didn’t seem like the time to point that out. Especially since this so-called triangle was actually just a straight line between Logan and Everly.
“I know we’re going in a different direction than we’d planned, but think about how revolutionary this is. Fans of all shapes and sizes are invested in this. You’re their Lara Jean and Peter and John Ambrose. Their Nick, Kaitlyn, and Shawn. The purpose ofOn the Plus Sidehas always been to show that fat people have all kinds of stories, and you’re having one that the world has always insisted we couldn’t.”
God, Logan was right. Sady’s passion was infectious. Everly could already feel doubts pinching at the back of her mind. Making her wonder if she was overthinking this. If she was missing the point.
Still, she tried to hold her ground. “But what always drew me to this show was how real it is. How much it spoke to me. Your guests’ lives are my life. They say the things I’m feeling, have lived through the same shit I have.”
Sady’s lips flattened into a line. “A lot of those moments were edited,too. But that doesn’t make them any less authentic, right? It spoke to audiences regardless. Spoke toyou.”
Everly’s defenses faltered a little more. She’d bought into the reality of the last two seasons, but maybe that was naïve on her part. She should have known better than to believe the truth in anything the media produced.
Was she making a bigger deal out of this than she should? Logan seemed to think so. He trusted what Sady was doing. And Everly trusted him. So shouldn’t she trust Sady, too, by extension?
“James and I barely speak anymore, after his confession about nominating me.” It was the last vestige of an argument Everly had left.
“I promise no one cares about that.” Sady rested a hand on Everly’s arm. “This will end in a way that looks good for all of us. You’ll have an amazing booth at the Cape Cod Collective to show your art, you’ll end up with an incredible guy, and we’ll have taken the audience on a ride they won’t forget. I think you’ll be happy with it. And the fans will be, too.” Sady gave Everly’s forearm a gentle squeeze. “We can all get what we want here.”
Everly glanced at Logan, who nodded in encouragement. He was obviously on her side. He wouldn’t let her do anything that would reflect poorly on her.
She sighed in resignation. “I’d be more comfortable if you’d at least stop fabricating stuff. What if James sued?”
“The contracts he signed—happily, at that—don’t let him.” Sady gave her arm one more squeeze before dropping it. “If we wanted to, we could make him look like a serial killer and there’s nothing he could do.”
The right to defame clause. Sady had taken it out of Everly’s contract, but not James’s, it seemed. Did that mean she’d had this plan from the start?
“Well, don’t do that.” Everly tried to make her voice light.
Sady laughed. “I promise, we’ve got you.” With a wave for them to follow, she headed out of the alley. “Now let’s go. Your mom and Stanton are finally here, and that fresh gnocchi you’re making will wait for no one.”
Logan and Everly trailed behind her. His palm slipped into Everly’s, and his fingers tightened reassuringly.
Before she disappeared around the corner, Sady glanced back at them. “You know,” she said, “we could lighten the James side of the triangle if you two would give me a little more to work with.” Her eyes narrowed, dancing with mischief. “No more hidden make-out sessions.”
Everly snuck a look at Logan, and they shook their heads in unison.
Never going to happen.
CHAPTER 29
