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Leave it to Val to make me brave even when he’s not here.
“Okay, well, I’ll reach out to the McKinnley camp and see what I can do,” Mae says in a cool voice. She’s mad but so what? She works for me, not the other way around. I have to remember that. I’m a person, not a commodity no matter how much they try to reduce me to charts and graphs.
“But, Larinda,” she continues in a grave tone. “Even if I express your resistance to the plan, I can’t guarantee Jarvis won’t go through with it. You know how he is.”
An unapologetic narcissist? Yeah, I know. The whole world does.
“Then I’ll talk to him directly. He wanted to meet this afternoon, probably about this. It’s the perfect opportunity to tell him not to do it.”
“Larry… I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Steve says. “Telling him not to do something is basically asking him to do it.”
“Steve’s right,” Bruce says. He’s still here? “Jarvis hates the word ‘no.’ Confronting him could backfire.”
I cross my arms and glare at the three traitors who are supposed to be on my side. “I guarantee it won’t backfire as much as if I turn down his pretend proposal in front of the entire world.”
“You wouldn’t,” Mae gasps.
“Watch me,” I say. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do and a show to prepare for.”
Plus, I’m hungry and will scream if I have to eat almonds for another meal.
“Fine. Then, I’ll be in touch,” Mae grumbles.
“Fantastic. Have a lovely day.”
I close my laptop and pull in a shaky breath.
“Larinda—”
“Thank you for your concern, gentlemen, but would you please give me some privacy? I have a lot to process before tonight’s show and not much time to do it.”
Bruce returns a stiff nod. “Of course. I have to check on the set construction and merch table, anyway. Oh, plus there’s a catering mix-up related to that brunch at our Dallas stop and the issue of where to put the four extra crewmembers in Pittsburgh.”
“And I have… walking,” Steve says.
I return a tight smile. “Sounds good.”
They peek back several times on their way to the door, but I busy myself with looking busy so they don’t stop and make me actually busy.
Once I’m alone, I release a long exhale, drop to the couch, and text Val.
Val
Larinda: We need to talk.
No shit.
I stare at the text for several seconds, not sure how to respond. On the one hand, her engagement to her longtime revolving-door boyfriend is none of my business. On the other hand, it’s none of my business.
On no hands is Larinda Scott’s romantic life my business. If anything, as someone who has a financial and career stake in her success, I should be supportive of any development that will contribute to that end. There’s no question an explosive headline to kick off an explosive tour will be, well, explosive.
I’m just hurt that I had to hear it from the Duluth Aquarium’s biggest fan instead of her. Yep, that’s definitely the only reason for the pain in my chest.
Sure. Where do you want to meet? I type back.
Larinda: Can you come to my bus? Everyone’s gone now.
Everyone. I’m not even part of “everyone,” apparently.
