Page 90 of Sapphire Storm

As the crew broke down, Melanie removed his body mic. “Nicelittle improv you did there,” she whispered. “That was sweet.”

But as he strolled past her, Diana said quickly, “Upstairsonce you’re unhooked.”

As soon as he stepped inside the house, a guard fell intostep behind him, tailing him all the way to the staircase. Once the open doorto his cell-like bedroom came into view, he saw Diana standing right inside thethreshold, hands on her hips, blue eyes blazing. When he stepped into the room,she pushed the door shut behind him. “That was unwise.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Everyone said itwas—”

“That was a story about you and that whore, wasn’t it?”

Roman answered by looking at the hardwood floor betweenthem.

“Great. That’s just great, Roman. Now anyone who saw you twotogether in La Jolla could come forward and question everything about thisinterview. All of that work down the drain.” She started for the door.

“Well, maybe if you’d let me talk to him I—”

Diana’s eyes blazed with an anger he’d never seen in thembefore. “I said you could talk to him once we saw how the interview wasreceived. But now that’s all in doubt, thanks to your childish little stunt.”

“I’m sorry,” he muttered.

“You’re not sorry, Roman. You’re ungrateful.”

He raised his eyes from the floor. “You’re right,” he said,even as he told himself to shut up. “I’m not sorry. It wasn’t a stunt. It was amessage, and he deserved to hear it after the way you made me leave him in SanDiego.”

He burned with a desire to confront her about the textmessage she’d ordered Hank to send Ethan, but Rachel was his source for thatone, and he didn’t want to get her in trouble.

“That man belongs nowhere near you, and someday you’ll thankme for all this.”

“Oh, I have something to thank you for already.”Don’t,Romy,he heard his best friend saying in his head. “You know, I used to judgemy mom for not always hugging me and giving me nice presents and saying sweetthings to me all the time. Then I met you and I realized someone can do allthose things and still be a terrible person. So, thanks, Diana. Thanks forgiving me myrealmom back.”

Diana’s face turned to stone. For a second, he thought shemight slap him. He also thought that the mask had finally dropped and he wasseeing the natural expression of the woman who’d lived underneath all thesmiles and pet names. And it scared him.

“And what would yourrealmother think about yournew boyfriend?” she asked.

Roman was shamed silent.

“That’s what I thought.” She turned for the door. “Fingerscrossed the interview comes off. Otherwise it’s going to be a very long monthfor us all.”

Donnie drove up the night of Rachel andRoman’s widely hyped20/20interview so Ethan wouldn’t have to watch alone. To make up for the thank youdinner he’d never treated Donnie to in San Diego, Ethan knocked himself out inthe kitchen. Beef Wellington, Donnie's favorite. By the time his apartmentfilled with the show’s blaring theme music, they’d stuffed themselves likepigs. But they’d both left enough room for a beer as they settled down onto thesofa to watch.

Only those who knew Roman would have been able to tell howuncomfortable he was. To the rest of the world, his reticence and poise andreserve—such a far cry from his restless and joyful spirit—would have seemedlike rehearsed maturity. All Ethan wanted to do was step through the screen andput his arms around him.

Then, suddenly, Roman was describing to an audience ofmillions the moment they’d shared above the La Jolla cliffs, no names or genderpronouns included. Ethan set the beer aside, brought his hands to his mouth,and sat forward.The people I love…The words closed the vast distancebetween them in an instant, as if suddenly it was just him and Roman, speakingto each other across the thousands of miles and millions of dollars being usedto keep them apart.

“I take it that’s something you guys did?” Donnie asked.

Ethan nodded.

Donnie nodded, but his jaw was quivering. “Sounds like hejust used the L word on you, dude.”

“You’re crying?” Ethan asked.

“Bite me,” Donnie croaked.

“Don’t go soft on me, Sex Monster.”

Donnie shot him the bird, then downed a slug of beer. AsEthan glanced to one side, he saw his best friend reach up and flick a tearfrom his cheek with the side of one fist.

The last portion of the interview was devoted to Diana, whowas—of course—interviewed on her own and in a better location and with betterlighting. She talked about how her betrayals at the hands of various men overthe years—Sure, Jan,Ethan thought—had endowed her with reservoirs ofwisdom she could share with her daughter during this trying time. File footageof department store displays featuring her various, top-selling products—allbranded with her image—were used as B roll.

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