Page 41 of Anti-Player

“What?” I ask in a daze.

Taylor pries the iPad gently from my grip. I cling onto it briefly before releasing it and looking at his grim face. He says, “This was risky. I tried to tell you that, Mr. Hause. But no one could know how poorly this would go. It's not just about the review, these fans of Fawn are furious with her and you. They're already bombarding every product this company has ever touched with false bad reviews. Our reputation means the world to the shareholders! That's why your father wants to talk to you.”

I'm spinning from the inside out. But there's one thing I reach for to give me focus. “No.”

Taylor balks. “No?”

“No,” I repeat, turning away, striding towards the elevator. “I don't have time to talk about the company reputation.” I have to talk to Paige! She must be frantic, she needs me!

“Mr. Hause! Mr. Hause... Mikel, wait!”

Ignoring Taylor and all the other people on the floor watching me, I keep rushing to the elevator. Before I get there the doors split open. The man inside is tall, broad, and wearing a custom fitted pewter colored suit that matches the fading hair along his temples.

“Dad,” I say, pulling up short.

Though his voice is cool, it isn't angry. “We need to talk.”

“I don't have time,” I say, scowling. “Reprimand me, fire me, whatever you have to do, just please make it fast.”

He sizes me up. He's always done that, and while others wilt, I never have. I definitely won't now. My dad motions for me to join him in the elevator. “Indulge me for the ride down, then. That's all I'll ask.”

He's not firing me on the spot? I'm confused, but happy he isn't slowing me down. I enter and press the button for the bottom floor. Through the gap of the closing doors Taylor and the others look at us. Do they think I'm a failure as a boss? Do they worry about where my head is at, the way my father clearly does? Because why else is he here, looking for me, seeking to talk to me, when he normally leaves me to my own decisions?

He must regret it big time. For a good reason. I've ruined this company, I'm sure of it.

“Mikel,” he begins.

“You don't have to tell me,” I say crisply, “I messed up. I should have listened to Taylor and sent the Secret Reader to a bunch of money-seeking sell-outs who'd say whatever we wanted to the media, right?”

He isn't taller than me, but when he looks at me, I feel smaller. The sympathy in his eyes makes it worse. “Yes, that would have been the wisest move for the company.”

My insides contort; I clench my fists.

“You've always been intelligent,” he goes on, “but naive.”

“Thanks,” I chuckle sourly.

To my utter shock, he begins to chuckle, too, but it isn't sarcastic. It rumbles from his gut with genuine humor. His hand clamps down on my shoulder hard. “Mikel, you guided our product into a ditch. Everyone thinks you paid off this Fawn of the Dead girl and had a secret relationship with her.”

I cringe violently. He saw the photos. “Do you think that, too?”

“Not at all.”

“What?” I blurt in surprise.

His eyes crinkle at the corners. “I know your heart, Mikel. If you wanted easy, fake reviews, Taylor had you covered. You chose another route. Yes, a dangerous one, but it's obvious you really wanted to change this influencer's mind by improving your product. Even if everyone is slinging mud at us, your soul stays clean.”

“But the bad publicity... you must be furious at me!”

“It's not like I didn't know what you were doing. Taylor has been keeping me in the loop. If you came to any of our meetings, you'd know I was paying attention.”

Heat slides along my neck. “I've been too busy for meetings.”

My father squints at me, his lips in a thoughtful smile. “Not too busy to walk your dog again, though. Gardenia told me you paid her for an extra month's work, then asked her to stop coming around.”

My neck gets hotter. “I missed taking Beanie out.” I don't add that I've been bringing Paige along for the runs. He probably knows, since the photos are out there. She was amused when I explained to her my ability to multi-task time with my dog and time with her, especially if she stayed overnight.

Waking beside me in my bed, our bodies tangled together in the blankets, was glorious. She always complained it was too early to do anything, but none the less, she'd follow me down to Starbucks, get a coffee and muffin, and join me in chasing Beanie across the sand.

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