Page 20 of Ten Rules for Faking It
She arched her brows but said nothing. Everyone in thisroom knew this was so far out of her comfort zone, it might as well not exist.
Chris continued, “You don’t have to talk on-air. Though you could. You have a great voice. You and Stacey can add it to your segment if you feel comfortable. I was thinking you could do a blog post after each date, or we could get a hashtag going. We utilize Instagram and Twitter to give people a rundown. Stacey can be your wingwoman. If you want, and you’re comfortable, she can talk about the dates, share what you say on the blog, be the on-air voice. People are going to love this. They want you to be happy. This brought fans out of the woodwork on your behalf. It’s powerful.”
He really had thought about this a lot.
Her brain was a natural devil’s advocate. “You might have heard, but I’m sort of just getting out of a relationship that didn’t end so well,” Everly said dryly.
His eyes softened, and so did his tone. “You did. I know. I also know you’re one of the best producers I’ve met. Think outside the box here. If it were someone else, not you, what would you think of the idea?”
She’d think it was fun. Entertaining. She wanted to pace. The room was too hot, and her clothes were too tight. Heck, herskinfelt confining.
“I’ll do it,” Stacey said.
Both Chris’s and Everly’s heads turned in her direction.
She smiled. “Why not? I like going on dates. I like people and socializing. I’m happy to let you foot the bill for me to eat at some fancy restaurants. I mean, I don’t have to marry the guy. There’s nothing that binds us together if we decide to go our separate ways after the six or seven weeks, right?”
Chris nodded, shifting his gaze back to Everly, but she looked to Stacey. Her heart filled with fierce gratitude. “I think I take it for granted how good a friend you are.” Stacey would do it, even though she feared serious commitments like Everly did an unannounced party.
Stacey smiled. “I love you. You know that.”
Chris cleared his throat, shifted in his seat. “I appreciate you being so supportive, Stacey. And that you guys are so close. Part of what makes you such a good team is your genuine friendship. But that won’t work.”
Everly nodded. He’d asked her to think outside the box—take herself out of the equation. If the audience fell for Everly’s story, they’d want to see it through. Part of her heart swelled with appreciation. The other part shriveled with worry that she knew she was really considering this. “He’s right,” Everly told Stacey quietly. Her voice was much calmer than her pulse.
Chris scooted his chair a little closer, and their knees accidentally brushed against each other. She sucked in a breath at the unexpected contact and the jolt of electricity that woke all her senses.
“The audience fell foryou,Everly,” he said. “They want you to get your happily ever after.”
Hearing him say her name in that soft, almost whispered tone had a funny effect on her heart. It couldn’t decide if it wanted to race excitedly or slow to a responsible pace. It didn’t help her indecisive heart any that he’d said they’d fallen for her; she didn’t feel like she was someone anyone would fall for right at this particular moment. She felt like two people right now—one who thought this idea was great and another who feared having to actually go through with it.
“Can you give us a minute?” Stacey looked at Chris as she stood up and went to the door, opening it.
He didn’t answer; he just went through it, closing it behind himself.
Stacey came back and sat across from her, took her hands. “Hey. Look at me.”
Everly stared at her friend, who, clearly, had already bounced back from the effects of the explosion.
“This is your chance,” Stacey said.
Everly pulled her hands back so she could stand. Move.Something. She opted to be obtuse. She wanted Stacey’s thoughts. “My chance for what?”
“The list. Your rules. Ev, this is perfect. Doing this will check, like, every box.” Stacey stood up as well, her eyes bright with excitement. “Try something exciting outside your comfort zone? Check. Finding guys who get under that shell? Check. Awesome new segment? Hell yeah. Be bold? What’s bolder than this? Find your happy? Well, my birthday gift for you should have helped with that but, hey, double check. How was it, by the way?”
Everly laughed. “We aren’t discussing your birthday gift.”
Stacey’s eyes widened with absolute delight. “You tried it, didn’t you?”
Everly’s cheeks felt like red coals. “I didn’t say that. Could you focus? We could lose our jobs.”
“You didn’t have to say it, and I’ll say again—you’re welcome. We’re not going to lose our jobs. You’re going to do this. You know you are.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Everly eyed Stacey. “How do you know whatI’mgoing to do?”
Stacey pointed at her, the teasing expression gone. “You love your job. If we’d come up with this for someone else, we’d be calling ourselves geniuses. The fact that it comes at a time when you’re ready to slip into the driver’s seat of your own life is perfection.”
Unable to help herself, Everly tipped her head to one side. “According to Chandler Bing, it’sgumthat is perfection.”
