Page 167 of Wild Blades

“New York is where I started my modeling career with Fame. I’m going back to my roots. Sort of. It makes sense to be in the world’s capital city of creative talent.”

Which she doesn’t sound too happy about. She’s not excited. She’s lying and running away. Like I have.

“If you were to choose, which one would you say was rewarding, being a model or being a publicist?” The host asks.

Kali smiles wide. “Publicist. My greatest achievement was the work I did with Wade Collins. The hockey player.”

“Your fiancé?”

“Ex.” Her reply is firm and to the point.

I lost her.

The host looks regretful. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

Kali sighs and looks straight into the camera. “I made a mistake. One I will never make again. I hurt him.”

“Please don’t say that, baby. It wasn’t your fault,” I say to the screen.

“How was it your fault?” The host pushes her for more detail.

“I carried a huge burden around for months.” Kali sighs again. “I learned something which, in hindsight, I should have told him about. But I didn’t. I genuinely thought I was protecting his feelings. His reputation. I wanted everyone to see he was a star first and foremost and nothing else. I messed up.”

The host then asks, “I think it’s okay to keep secrets to prevent other people from getting hurt, don’t you?”

Kali shakes her head in response. “I did. Until recently. Now I’m not so sure.”

“Which is why you’re doing the interview, right? Because you have something huge to share with us today? No more secrets.”

“Yeah.” Kali beams. “I’m expanding in more ways than one. I’m expecting my first child.”

“Pregnant?” I shoot up to my feet, the phone shaking in my hand.

And she’s moving to New York.

No. No. No. No. No.

There’s a loud knock at my door. “Wade, open up. It’s me, Lola.”

Lola?

Running, I barely get the door open as she barrels her way through it at the speed of light. “I found out she’s having a leaving party then flying to New York tonight. We’re crashing the party. You can’t let her go.” Huffing and puffing, she pushes out her words while holding a suit bag and shoe box.

“When, how, why?” I pull at the ends of my hair. She can’t leave.

“Party is in two and half hours, wheels up on the plane in six and she’s leaving because she thinks you don’t love her, you idiot. Let’s go.” Grabbing my hand, she drags me down the hall into the house.

“We’re going the wrong way.”

“Look at you. You’re a mess. Shave and shower now. C’mon, chop, chop,” she instructs, ushering me to the bottom of the stairs. “You have ten minutes. Run.” She hands me the suit bag and shoes.

“Did you give her my letter?” I thought she would call me straight away. I poured my heart out, told her how I felt about her and how sorry I was.

“No. She wasn’t in when I went over there this morning.”

Shit, well, there goes that plan. “But what if she won’t listen to me when I get there?”

Hands on her hips, Lola shoots daggers my way. “Why are you still standing here? Go.” She points up the stairs.

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