Page 119 of Ten Rules for Faking It
The energy in the building was immediately tangible when they walked into the station. Walking to the break room, Everly focused on breathing. Breathing was good. She could do this.
Stacey grabbed a coffee. “Did you read the email this morning?”
Everly gripped the countertop. What had she done? It was out there for all the world to see. Her heart wasn’t on her sleeve—it was on the internet!Breathe.“No. What email?”
“We’ve been bought out by some company called SCI. They’re sending someone in to meet the staff, but Mari is the new station manager, and they’re hiring another remote deejay. Mason is taking our spot because it’s easier to manage on his own. He’s not getting another producer. Evs. You and I are getting the morning spot.”
Everly’s eyes widened, and her heart rate galloped. Had Stacey known all of this and let her post, anyway? She gaped at her friend, her knuckles going white.Breathe. You did the right thing. You didn’t do it for him. You did it for you. Focus on the good. Goddamn it, Everly. Focus on the good.“That’s… fantastic.” It was. It was fantastic. Wonderful. Why couldn’t she breathe? Her chest was too tight. Women were more likely to have heart attacks, and they didn’t always present like people thought. Was her back sore, or was she imagining it? That could be a sign.
“Hey,” Stacey said, pulling her hand off the counter and gripping it. “It’s okay.”
“He’s really not staying,” she whispered.
“Oh.” Stacey put her arm around Everly’s shoulder. “Oh, Ev.”
She clenched her jaw and breathed deeply through her nose. Stacey looked at her. “Talk to him.”
Everly nodded. “After.” She’d waited this long.
Stacey grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door. Everly took one more deep breath, but it got caught in her throat when they walked into the hallway and Chris was standing right there.
“I’ll make sure everyone is in the room,” Stacey said way too loudly. She squeezed Everly’s hand on her way by.
Chris stood in front of her, quite close, actually, staring at her like she might not be real. His gaze swept her body, head to toe and back again, and Everly shivered.
“Hi,” he said. One syllable had her heart racing but her breathing evened out.
“Hi.”
He smiled, just one side of his lips hitching up. “It’s good to see you.”
She wanted to launch herself at him, but he gestured for her to go first, to go ahead of him. She felt him at her back and had to physically stop herself from turning and crashing into him. From wrapping her arms around him and telling him she didn’t care about any of the other stuff. That she wanted him. That she chose him. And would every time.
Chris stood at the front of the room looking at his entire staff, a soft smile playing on his lips.
“Hell of a week. Thank you for meeting with me again. First things first, Mari, congratulations on your appointment to station manager.”
Everyone clapped, and Mari looked nervously excited. “Thank you.” She looked at Chris, a subtle shade of pink coloring her cheeks. “Sorry about… you know, younotbeing station manager anymore.”
Chris laughed. Instead of his typical suit and tie, he wore a pair of jeans and a light sweater. He looked delicious. His gaze caught Everly’s, and he winked at her, sending a tremor through her veins. Stacey arched and then waggled her eyebrows.
“I’m good with how things are. Trust me. Managing this station was never what I wanted,” he said, looking at Everly. She held his gaze even though she could feel the sweat beading at the back of her neck.
“I came here because it was one more step toward where I wanted to end up—or where I’dthoughtI wanted to end up. Broadcasting isn’t my thing. I let my dad bounce me around because I didn’t really know what I was looking for.” He rubbed a hand over his face, then walked closer, putting his hands on the back of the leather chair in front of him. His gaze neverwavered. Everly knew people noticed. How could theynot? But she never broke eye contact.
“Turns out, what I wanted couldn’t be reached through any of my dad’s demands. As you know, the station has been sold. The paperwork is finalized. It was a quick sale. My father was eager to unload as one final way to show me he was in charge.”
Why was he still smiling? His father sounded like a jerk.
“We’re sorry to lose you, Chris. We really are a family here, and you’re part of that, man.” Mason leaned his forearms on the table.
“That makes me happy. Thank you.”
“Do you know who bought us? How can you be sure they’ll keep the station and not just…?” Jane asked, her voice tense. Her eyes darted to the table and then back up. “How do you know they won’t just dissolve the company?”
Chris sat down in the chair, looked around the table. “Like he did to the other company? I know how to hedge my bets. I’m confident the station will do nothing but thrive going forward.”
“Do you know who SCI is?”
