Page 87 of Fan Favorite

“Well, that’s definitely not true.” She tried to step away, but his grip was strong.

“I’m sorry,” he pleaded, covering her hands with kisses. “I made a mistake. Zo was a mistake. I know you’re mad, but we can’t lose thirty years of connection over a mistake. I was confused. I took it too far. But, Edie, I—”

But before he could finish, she dropped to her knees in front of him. She put her hands over the microphones attached to their collars. “You’ve got to let this go.” She pressed her lips together and looked at him significantly, something he was supposed to understand. “I don’t want to embarrass you, but it’s over, Charlie. I’m not coming back.”

His eyes searched her face for a clue. He could feel Carole and the cameras boring into him. “But why?” he squeaked finally.

“For one, you don’t love me—”

“Don’t say that, you can’t say that—”

“—I’m not what you want, Charlie. I’ve never been what you want! You didn’t even want me here—”

Bennett jerked back, eyes wild. “Did Peter say that?” Bennett scanned the set, looking for that piece of shit traitor Peter Kennedy. “Because, Edie, you know Peter can’t be trusted. He’s been manipulating both of us, this whole time.”

Edie peered at him. “What are you talking about, Charlie?”

“I saw you come out with him. Just now. Whatever he told you, it’s not true, okay?”

Her brow furrowed, and for the first time he wondered what she knew versus what he knew versus what Production and America knew. He’d come on this show for an adventure. And now every bad decision, every fucking humiliation, would haunt him forever.

Redemption—respect—depended on Edie Pepper.

“Tell me the truth,” she said.

“You have to believe me.” He reached behind her and unplugged her mic pack before doing the same to his own. This was his moment to get his future back on track. “Yes, I was surprised when you showed up,” he whispered. “Maybe I was a little, I don’t know,scared. Because I was this different person, and you wereyou. But, Edie, any deal Peter and I made, or Carole and I made, or whatever, it’s all just symbolic, okay? It doesn’t mean anything. It never did.” He gave her a look, likelet’s talk about this off camera, but she shook her head and dug her fingernails into his forearm, insistent. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair again, finally landing on absolutely the wrong thing to say. “Edie,” he said, staring right into her eyes. “I would’ve always chosen you. Even if they didn’t make me.”

TAKE 5 PRODUCTIONS

THE KEY

OTF INTERVIEW: BENNETT CHARLES / CHICAGO LOCK-IN DATE

TAPE #902

____________________

00:00:00 BENNETT CHARLES CLUTCHES HIS BASS DRUM.

THE PLUME IN HIS CAP QUAKES WITH EVERY SOB.

32

The good news is, you’re an icon for single women everywhere,” Lauren said over FaceTime. Because Lauren was an adult, she was hard at work making a beautiful vegetarian paella.

Edie, however, was standing at her fridge with her nose deep in some old takeout. “This pad thai smells awful.” She’d been locked in her apartment for three and a half days. Ordering Grubhub again seemed impossible.

“Why didn’t you have groceries delivered like I told you?”

Edie rolled her eyes. Who could cook at a time like this? She tossed the pad thai in the trash and slid to the floor. Besides, she’d deleted all the apps except Grubhub and FaceTime off this old iPad she’d dug out of a moving box.The Keystill had her phone and her computer, so as soon as she plugged the iPad in, the notifications exploded. Texts, emails, Hinge, Bumble, Tinder, The League, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, Instagram. Edie stared in horror as even Brian Heart Emoji flashed a series of brief communiques—

I’m sorry.

I made a mistake.

I love you.

EDIE. CALL ME.

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