“I hate that guy. Don’t know how you can stand working with him.”
Austen didn’t dare ask why. She hoped the conversation would end there.
“Do you know the difference between on the record and off the record?” DeHardt asked rhetorically.
“Of course.”
“Well, your boss doesn’t, so maybe someday you can explain the difference to him.”
“Fine, I’ll bite. What are you talking about?”
“That whole thing about me not eating pussy? Your sleazy boss made it sound like I gave him that quote. Bullshit. I’d never give him something like that in a million years, because I never liked him, much less trusted him.”
“But youdidsay it, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I said it. I was horsing around with the boys in the locker room and your boss must’ve overheard me. The point is, he went and blasted that quote all over Twitter as if I’d told him that on the record.”
“No way,” Austen said with a wave of her hand. She didn’t believe it, didn’twantto believe it. The idea that Thayer would report gossip he overheard in the locker room and publish it as a direct quote was appalling.
“Ask him yourself if you don’t believe me.”
Austen chuffed. “Okay, even if what you were saying was true—why were you bragging about not,ahem,doing that in the first place? It’s just stupid and immature.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone else. It wasn’t meant for your ears, end of story.”
With an audiblehmph,Austen relented. DeHardt was right, if what he was saying was true. As dumb of a thing as it was to brag about, Thayer was in the wrong for reporting a private conversation without permission.
“Anyway, all I’m trying to tell you is that you should be careful around that guy,” DeHardt said.
“He’s not a bad person, Dane. He gives people chances. Like me. I got bumped up from intern to full-time staff in less than a year, simply because I had the idea for this show.”
DeHardt shook his finger as if making a revelation. “Ohh. I get it now. He has a thing for you.”
“Yeah, itmustbe that,” Austen said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “It couldn’t possibly be that I’m capable of doing a good job, right? Nope, the only reason I’m succeeding in my career is because my boss wants to bang me.”
“I didn’t say that. But I know guys like Thayer, and I know how they operate. A cute girl like you? Ha. Forget about it. He wants in your panties, that’s all.”
Austen’s nostrils flared. It was one thing for the hockey player to attack her boss, but now he was indirectly attacking her, too. She needed to put an end to the conversation.
“You’re out of line right now, Dane. Let’s get back to the interview questions, shall we?”
Chapter 12
Dane
The waitress made sure to say goodbye to the hockey player on his way out the door. “It was great meeting you, Big D! I hope to see you againrealsoon!”
The waitress extended her hand for a shake. When they shook, Dane felt a piece of paper brush against his palm. He clasped it tight in his hand to keep it hidden until he could stuff it in his pocket. He didn’t need to peek at the note to know what it was—this sort of thing happened all the time.
Dane headed outside. The sun was setting, and the puffy winter clouds were splashed with brilliant streaks of purple and pink.
On the walk to the car, Austen rushed to his side. “Did she just give you something?”
Dane played dumb. “Huh? Who?”
“The waitress! I saw her slip something into your hand. I know I did.” She stuck out her hand. “I wanna see it.”
“Nah, she didn’t give me anything.”
