My phone rang, and I cringed when I saw it was Madison.
“Time to go face the music. Be right back.”
“Give ’em hell!” Mollie called as I went upstairs. When I was in the guest room, I filled my lungs with much-needed air before answering.
“I hope you’re ready to see sense now,” Madison said without any sort of greeting.
“Iamseeing sense.”
She let out another groan, which didn’t mean anything good for me.
“You’re under contract,” she said. “Which means you do as I say.”
“Did you give Jude this lecture when he kissed someone else?”
“He said that wasn’t serious.”
“And yet he started all of this. Henry and I connected when that happened, you know.” It was a version of the truth. Sure, we hadn’t actually gotten together, but Henry was one of the few who got me to open up.
“I don’t care about Henry. I care about making this show what it should be.”
“And as the star of the show, I’m telling you I can’t be with Jude this season.”
“Renovating with Loveis based on you and Jude. You have no choice.”
“I’m with someone else,” I snapped. “So it’s a no!”
“I don’t care who you’re with. You have an obligation, so whatever’s going on can be put on hold.”
Anger flooded me. Even though I wasn’t with Henry, the idea of putting a real relationship on hold to act for a camera was ridiculous. “Are you serious?”
“Obviously, you don’t know how show business works, but this is it. You do what’s best for the show. Your personal life can wait.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll sue you for contractual breach. And considering you just wasted your money on a run-down library, I highly doubt you’d have the money for what I’d do to you.”
My jaw dropped. “You have to be kidding me.”
“Try me, Wren. I’ll do what it takes to make this show successful. No matter the cost.”
13
HENRY
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Kerry Winsor:Anyone seen the lovebirds? I still have questions!
Comments:
Tammy Jane:They haven’t been at the diner. I have some too!
Jade Clark:They’re probably enjoying some alone time. *eyes emoji* Let’s give them space. (Do you think they’ll get married at the square?)
Kerry Winsor:Oh, that would be so pretty! We need to figure out who does all the flowers. I bet they’d decorate for the wedding!
Dale Garrett:Do you wanna take bets on when they’ll get married now?