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Two days until I have a few days off for the premiere ofThe Last Best Man. We’ve already filmed the big expensive action sequences and the next two days are in studio, not somewhere on location. At best I’ll be fined and my actual reputation as a reliable, dedicated actor will suffer. It’ll cause problems for the crew and put us behind schedule. At worst, I’ll be fired.
I care, but this is more important.
Christ, she might not even be in New York. She could still be in LA and merely went for a short drive up the coast. She could be on the road as long as she’d like, heading in any direction she’d like toward whatever destination she wants.
It might be my T-shirt she’s leaving at some highway rest stop.
I don’t care. She can have another one. She can have them all.
“I probably won’t make it to the premiere either.” Which will land me in more hot water and send the press into a frenzy of speculation that I’m hiding from Kate.
“I’ll take care of it. I’m calling Emma now,” David says. “Go home and pack, I’ll send you your flight info as soon as I’ve booked you.”
“Thanks,” I say, gripping his arm briefly.
He manages a smile and a shake of his head. “Go get her.”
Even if Ashley can’t forgive me, at least I’ll have put her first and offered her everything. I’ll have shown her and myself, and probably the world at this point, how I intend to live my life going forward.
“You’ll destroy your career,” Rose says, joining us. She’s overheard enough to be appraised of the situation. She doesn’t look like she cares one way or another, and I remember every time she’s said it’s nothing personal against Ashley. I think I believe her. She was just doing the job I asked her to do, giving me just enough space to make all the wrong decisions.
“Nothing personal,” I say, “but I don’t give a fuck.”
Rose doesn’t even blink. “Dashcombe and Teale will no longer be able to represent you,” she says. “It’s a bad look to keep you on as a client when your PR problems keep getting worse rather than better.”
“I understand,” I say, because I don’t want their representation and I’m anxious to get out the door. I turn my back on Rose and scoop Cora into a tight hug. “I’ll call you when I get to New York.”
“Good luck,” she says, squeezing me back.
I’ll take whatever luck I can get, but by the time I get to the airport, I have a plan. The perfect plan, because I’ve learned from the best.
Chapter thirty-five
Ashley
Istopforthenight in West Virginia, and as I check into my hotel, I notice I’ve missed a few calls from Jessie. As soon as I’m in my room, I call her back.
“Hey,” she says, barreling over my greeting in her excitement. “How soon can you be in New York?”
“Tomorrow,” I say, hesitantly. I suppose New York was my destination, but I don’t know what I’m going to do when I get there. “Is something wrong?”
“No! We all loved the script your friend wrote. There’s financial backing if you’re serious about producing and your friend is in. We can meet tomorrow in the city if you can make it.”
I’m too stunned to say anything, so I sit on the foot of the bed, staring at the black screen of the TV, my mouth ajar.
“Ashley?”
“I’ll have to talk to Wendy.”
Jessie promises to arrange for Wendy to attend remotely and gives me a time and location. She hesitates a moment, then asks in a soft voice, “Are you going to watch the interview tonight?”
She has to mean Gabe, and if he’s doing interviews, it’s likely about his upcoming release. “Probably not,” I lie. Now that I know about it, I’ll have to watch it.
“I think you should,” she says. Then adds, “For closure, or whatever.”
Right. Closure. Like that’s something I’ll get any time soon from that man.
But if Gabe discovered I didn’t sell him out before he taped the interview, there’s a chance he’ll apologize and it might be the only one I get from him.
