Page 44 of Fan Favorite

ASPEN: … I can’t picture my life without Bennett! Don’t ask me to!…

EDIE: … is he okay? Is he okay? Is he okay???…

HOSPITAL SOUNDS, BEEPING MACHINES, ETC.

FADE TO BLACK

ADAM FOX IN FRONT OF THE KEY MANSION

00:30:00 ADAM FOX: All that and more, tonight onThe Key.

To: Carole Steele

From: Peter Kennedy

Subject: Quick Update

Hi Carole,

Hope you’re well.

Just wanted to loop you in on a small mishap we had in the field today. Bennett fell during a group date and sustained some minor injuries, but otherwise I can assure you he is fine and that, as they say, the show will go on. The doctor is patching him up as we speak.

We’re in contact with legal and will send a full report to Stacey once the risk assessment is complete.

Let me know if you’d like to hop on a call, but I can assure you that everything’s under control here.

Best,

Peter

Sent from my iPhone

16

What-the-fuck-what-the-fuck-what-the-fuck!”Peter yelled. “How could you let this happen?”

“Me?”Jessa yelled back. “How couldIlet this happen?”

“I knew this girl would ruin everything!” Peter kicked the vending machine and then hopped around the hospital corridor on one foot, his Prada loafer not designed to withstand such outbursts. “Fuck! This is why you can’t put regular people on the show, Jessa. You can’t have earnest love seekers all up in their feelings. How many times have I told you—”

“Peter, calm down.”

“Calm down?Calm down?Our lead is lying in a hospital bed with his face smashed in. Hisface, Jessa. What do you think this show is about? It’s abouthis face.”

“And also his abs—”

Peter stopped hopping. “Do you know how many people work on this show?” he demanded. Before she could answer, he continued, “Two hundred and fifty-three people. Butof courseyou don’t know that. You’re not the showrunner. You can makejokes and laugh it up while I worry about the two hundred and fifty-three people who are about to lose their jobs.”

“Seriously, Peter, stop. No one’s losing their jobs.” Jessa swiped her debit card through the vending machine PIN pad. “Let’s just get you a Coke and—”

“Sugar makes me anxious!” Peter said, throwing his arms in the air in exasperation. “Youknowthat. Seriously, do you ever listen to me?”

“When you say something interesting,” Jessa muttered, still facing the vending machine. She took a deep breath and turned to him with a soothing smile. “Have you eaten anything today? Exactly. So we’ll just get you a Coke—you love a Coke. Why don’t you just sit down for a second? And then we’ll come up with a plan.”

Peter looked around the hospital corridor vaguely before collapsing in a plastic chair outside Bennett’s hospital room. He held his head in his hands and stared at the faux wood floor. “We’re losing control of this thing, Jessa,” Peter said quietly. “Every time I think we’ve righted the ship, dealt with Wyatt Cash, found a new lead, placated the network, it all falls apart again.”

Jessa handed him the drink and sat down in a chair on the other side of the door. She sighed. “Accidents happen. And he’s gonna be fine. It could’ve happened with or without Edie. It’s not her fault.”

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