“He’s very supportive and understands it’s highly likely.”
Morgan slowly stood. “Does he know your ex-boyfriend works in the New York office?”
There it was—that old stab of hurt at the mere mention of Taylor. “I assure you it won’t be a problem for Lachlan.”
Her eyes widened with faux concern. “But will it be a problem for you?”
“Turn on the Gamer Channel right now!” Celeste sailed inside my office, her heels clicking a frantic beat on the floor. “Open that laptop, Olivia!”
Celeste wore her Crisis Face, so I quickly complied. She rounded my desk and loomed over my shoulder. Morgan, of course, followed behind her like the queen’s handmaiden.
“Gamer Channel?” Elton appeared, and his dog trotted in to join the crowd. “What is that?”
I furiously opened a web browser as anxiety pooled in my stomach.
“They have a live feed.” Morgan held up her phone, where a familiar face occupied the screen.
“And a huge viewership.” Celeste glared down at me. “Why am I seeing Lachlan Hayes talking to Howie Benson, lead personality of the Gamer Channel?”
“I—I don’t know.”Oh geez, oh geez, oh geez.This could not be happening. My laggy browser finally loaded the Gamer Channel, and an expressionless Lachlan appeared live on my screen.
“Looks like an interview,” Elton said, as his dog meandered to Morgan and sniffed her skirt.
“Yes.” I couldn’t turn away from the catastrophe unfolding on the screen. “He’s certainly…attempting that.”
“The question is why?” Celeste asked.
“I…I didn’t approve this,” I stammered. “I knew nothing about it.”
Lachlan’s wooden smile wobbled as he fielded Howie Benson’s next question. Sentences poured from Lachlan’s lips like horses leaving the starting gate. His words held no regard for inflection or connection. Lachlan’s hands fidgeted in his lap, and he shifted in an office chair, a monstrous contraption squeaking with his every movement.
“His office is a terrible space for an interview,” Morgan said, shooing the dog away in vain. “I’m surprised you haven’t addressed this already, Olivia.”
I pulled my focus from the screen long enough to shoot Morgan a withering glare.Back off, you suck-up.“I haven’t had a chance. I’m still working on a giant punch list of other things to get Lachlan ready.”
Celeste regarded me with a look that would’ve made a weaker woman burst into tears.
Finally,finally, the segment ended, Howie Benson signed off, and a commercial for frozen pizza began.
I closed my eyes and inhaled, wishing Lachlan hadn’t gone off plan. “I’ll call him right now.”
Celeste’s hand swooped in a wide flourish before landing on her hip. She was a tableau of attitude and affront. “Lachlan is not to go rogue while under our care. Is that clear?”
“I assumed he knew.” I sounded like a meek child prepared to receive my punishment.
“He clearly isnotaware of the expectations.” Celeste held up her phone like a sacrifice to the gods. “For heaven’s sake, I’ve seen multicar pileups tidier than this. Absolute disaster! Let me remind you, Olivia,if Lachlan looks bad, we look bad.”
Specifically,Ilooked bad.
“Yikes,” Morgan said. I could hear her smirk, the absolute joy she was surely feeling at my dark moment. “You’d think he would’ve told hiswifehe had an interview. Who knew he would be this bad at it? Maybe you should cancel that appearance on your big morning show.He’ll never be ready in time.”
“Morning show?” Celeste asked. “Which one?”
I quickly updated her on my phone call.
Celeste rubbed her temples like she had a migraine with Lachlan’s name on it. “Morgan’s right. Your husband isn’t ready.”
“He can be,” I assured her. “I’ll make sure of it.” I couldn’t give Celeste numerical data like Morgan. I neededGMAto stay in the running for the promotion.
