Page 115 of At the Heart of It
Amy shook her head. “You’re one of the few compassionate professionals I’ve met in this business. Don’t beat yourself up. This field is filled with people whose idea of compassion is making sure the knife is extra-sharp before slipping it between your ribs.”
She shook her head, not mollified by Amy’s words. “I knew there was a line I shouldn’t cross,” she said. “And I hurled my whole body over it like the damn thing was on fire.”
“You didn’t exactly throw yourself at him,” Amy said. “The two of you were equally gaga for each other. He’s just as culpable as you were.”
Kate clenched her hands in her lap. “Maybe if I hadn’t slept with him. If I hadn’t fallen in love with him.”
The words caught them both by surprise. Even Amy looked startled. “Wow. I knew you really liked him, but—wow.”
“Goddammit.” Kate shut her eyes. Now that the truth was out there, it didn’t hurt any less. It hurt more, if that was possible.
The buzz of an incoming text from her phone on the nightstand sent a jolt of adrenaline through her. Kate opened her eyes and fumbled for the phone, hands shaking so hard she knocked it off the edge.
“I’ve got it.” Amy scrambled off the bed and dropped to her hands and knees, wedging her arm into the space between the bed frame and the nightstand. “I can almost reach it?—”
She sat up in triumph, handing the phone over to Kate without glancing at the screen.
Kate loved her friend more in that moment than she ever had.
“What does it say?” Amy asked.
Jonah.
Kate studied the words, lips moving as she read them silently to herself once, twice, then one more time to be sure. Her heart squeezed into a tight, painful knot as tears clogged her throat. She knew she’d never be able read the message aloud, so she handed the phone to Amy without comment.
“According to my contract,” Amy read, “I’m entitled to five days of sick leave per season and ten days of vacation time. Effective immediately, I’m taking all fifteen consecutively. My attorney has reviewed the contract and assures me that’s legal, and that he’ll be working around the clock to figure out how to get me out of this ridiculous sham of a show. Have a nice life, Kate.”
Amy handed the phone back, and Kate felt a tear slip down one cheek.
“He’s angry,” Amy said, sliding an arm around her. “Give him time to cool down.”
Kate shook her head. “It’s not that simple. Think about how many people’s livelihoods are on the line. How many people are depending on the whole team to show up on set tomorrow.”
“So what are you going to do?” Amy asked.
Kate took a steadying breath, trying to get her bearings. Trying to decide whether to throw in the towel or keep flinging herself at the wall.
She looked up at Amy, and felt emboldened by the earnestness in her expression.
“Same thing I always do,” Kate said. “I’m going to take Dr. Viv’s advice.”
Chapter 20
Kate stood on Jonah’s doorstep breathing in and out, watching raindrops spatter on rhododendron leaves that looked silver under the streetlight. She clenched her fists at her sides, steeling herself to knock.
“There’s nothing braver than facing your own fears. Having the difficult conversation instead of running away.”
The words echoed in her head, and it annoyed Kate to be standing here in the rain with Viv’s voice in her ears. She tried to recall which book they’d come from. On the Other Hand? But Not Broken?
Hell, maybe she’d made them up herself.
She was still trying to figure it out when the door flew open.
“Jonah.”
She swallowed hard, and looked at him, trying to remember the speech she’d been rehearsing in her head. Something about forgiveness and professional obligations and?—
“I said I didn’t want to talk, Kate,” he said. “I know you don’t have a helluva lot of respect for other people’s boundaries, but this is flat-out trespassing.”
