Page 5 of Falling into Place
Sasha nodded. “We’re down subscribers both in print and digital, seeing less traffic on the website, and our social media numbers have plateaued. People’s inboxes are already too full, and new social platforms are popping up all the time. We’re trying to keep up, but something’s not working.”
That didn’t sound good. “Shit. I’m sorry.” He was invested now that he knew it had to do with the family business, but still didn’t know what it had to do with him. Did she need money?
Sure, he was a doctor now, but he’d just finished his fellowship and had a hell of a lot of student loans to repay.
“I’ve had two businesses pull their advertisements, and I’m afraid more will follow if we don’t make it worthwhile for them to stay. Which won’t happen if there’s not interest in our content. I need to do something new to bring people back and attract new subscribers.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good idea.” His gaze involuntarily floated to the doorway of Macy’s office, where three framedLiveOKCcovers hung in a row behind her desk: one of the inaugural issue, one of the issue that had featured their mom and the creation story of the business, and a rotation of the current cover. Even though Macy had broader oversight than just the magazine, she said she wanted the reminder of what it was all for.
Carrying on their mom’s legacy.
“So how can I help?”
Sasha hesitated. “Macy?”
Macy shook her head. “Nu-uh. You ask him. This is your thing.”
“It was your idea!”
“No, it wasyouridea. I just suggested we use Brooks as our subject.”
Whoa,subject?He’d marginally relaxed when he realized this might just be a group brainstorm to save a business they all cared about, but now? Apprehension crawled back up his spine.
Sasha crossed her arms. “This whole thing came up when you said you were worried about Brooks.”
What?
He held up a hand and directed his attention to Macy. “Worried about me? Why?”
His older sister sighed heavily, sinking deeper into her chair. “Because all you do is work. When’s the last time you went out with friends? Went on a date?”
“I see James all the time.”
“James doesn’t count.”
“Why not? He’s my best friend.”
“You only see him at work!”
“We went out for beers a couple weeks ago.”
“Okay, fine, so you have one friend you haven’t completely cut out. What about women?”
Brooks scrubbed a hand down his face. “What about them?”
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“Depends on what you mean by that.” Actually, regardless of how they aimed that question, his answer was the same. He’d had a perfect no-strings-attached arrangement with his old coresident, Ashley, but she’d taken a job in Minnesota several months back. Currently he wasn’t seeing anyone in any sense of the word ... But he didn’t like where this was headed, and they didn’t need to know that.
Sasha scrunched her nose. “Ew. We meant, like, dating. Going out. Getting to know someone.”
“I spent the last three years in a grueling critical-care fellowship. Before that, I was in residency. And before that, I was busting my assnot to fail out of medical school. Not a lot of time for dating, as you might imagine. What do you want from me?”
“Your fellowship ended almost a year ago,” Macy pointed out.
“Yeah, and I’ve been working in an overflowing ICU floor ever since. I’m the newest attending, and we’re down two FTEs. That’s how this stuff works.”
“Brooks.”
