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Moments later, the door is being slammed shut in my face.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Danielle
“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you all day.”
I shift the phone from one ear to the other and drift closer to the window in the main cabin.
Through the glass, I see Adrian astride his horse, shirtless, his skin glistening with sweat. I try to convince myself to look away, but I don’t want to.
He looks carefree and vulnerable.
And it’s making me want to go outside and run straight into his arms.
It’s taking every ounce of self-control I have not to do that.
Instead, I continue to stand there, in the air-conditioned room, searching for something to fill the time.
With Savannah in a parent’s meeting, and the heat outside, I know there’s little for me to do.
Not unless I want to end up in a pool of my own sweat.
And I’m not ready to face Adrian, not yet.
“Yeah, I did tell you in my email that there’s a technology detox here. I’m only allowed access to my phone and socials for an hour each day.” I stop to run a hand over my face. “It’s why I’ve been communicating via email.”
Gina, my boss, doesn’t sound pleased when she speaks again. “I read the proposal you sent over, about the ranch, but it’s missing something.”
I hold my breath and pulled the phone away from my ear.
Gina Tate is the kind of woman who knows exactly what she wants. Having risen through the ranks shortly after her promotion, I know she’s not used to being told no.
She’s left no stone unturned, no party unattended, and it’s all part of her carefully crafted image.
My boss likes staying ahead of the game, and she’s got killer instincts.
“I read up about the ranch,” Gina continues, a strange hissing sound in the background. “I think a piece about it is a good idea. But I feel like you need to include a few paragraphs about the owner and founder.”
I swallow. “Adrian Steele?”
“There has to be some good juicy facts about him. The tabloids would love that,” Gina adds, her voice rising toward the end. “I’m thinking this could be an expose.”
I let the curtain fall back into place and take a step back. “That’s not what I’m trying to do here.”
“You should. Anyone who's that rich surely has lots of family drama to unpack.”
I frown. “Gina, I’m really not comfortable writing the article from this angle. We’re not some trashy gossip magazine.”
“Scandal sells,” Gina reminds me, after a brief pause. “It sucks, but it’s the truth, and if you don’t write about it, someone else will.”
A flicker of unease races up my spine. “Adrian Steele is a person. I’ve met him. And I’ve gotten to know him. He really cares about this place and his family.”
“Good, so you can use all of that in your article.”
“I don’t want to write about him, or his family problems.”
Because that’s a line I’m not willing to cross.
Adrian and I might not be on the same page sometimes, but I’m not going to use whatever information I’ve gleaned to get my fifteen minutes of fame.
