Page 56 of The Love Lie
But…what if it’s not?
Every single moment she spent with Cooper outside their bungalow plays through her mind. They were good. They weren’t perfect. But inside that room, inside those walls…
“California is a two-party consent state,” Sam says, trying a different angle. A desperate one. “That’s where you’re based. Those are the laws you have to follow.”
“Are you willing to bet your sister’s future on that?”
Sam chews on her lower lip. Nausea curls in her gut as the possibilities spin. She can’t lose the upper hand. “You’ve got nothing.”
“Maybe.” Nina shrugs. Her expression is utterly inscrutable. “Or maybe I have everything I need.”
“If you did, you wouldn’t be chasing me down like this.”
“I want to make you an offer before you leave.”
“Yeah, well, you can shove it up your ass. No matter what you try to threaten me with, I’m never going to willingly risk my sister’s reputation.”
“I’m not trying to threaten you, Sam.” Nina holds up her hands as if in truce. “I’m trying to help you.”
She snorts. “Help me right over the edge of a cliff.”
“I needed to get your attention. But now that I have it…” The hard lines across the producer’s face soften. Her body slouches, the tension leaving her all at once as a sigh slips through her lips. Sam doesn’t buy it. Nothing about this woman is real. “Jakeis my friend. And Emily probably wouldn’t agree, but I consider her a friend too. I don’t want to hurt them. But I need ratings. I need a sound bite for a ten-second promo. I need a big reveal to cap the season off, something to draw people in. And if you don’t want that to be the truth about who exactly Emily ran off with, then I need something better.”
“Em will—”
“Break things off with Cooper during the live finale?” Nina finishes with a scoff. “Yeah, I figured out your big plan. And having just spent every minute of the past six weeks with your sister, I can tell you that’s the opposite of what I need. We both know watching her amicably separate from Cooper will be about as interesting as watching paint dry. But you, on the other hand…”
“I what?”
“You have a natural affinity for the camera.”
Sam gives her a flat stare. “Wow, what a diplomatic way to say I’m a dramatic asshole.”
“I love dramatic assholes.”
“Well, we don’t love you.”
“Come on, Sam.” Nina grins. “I’m sure we could figure out a mutually beneficial agreement.”
“I don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
The producer rolls her eyes.
Sam crosses her arms and stares at Nina hard. The boat won’t wait forever. Time is ticking. And Cooper is used to waking up with the dawn. If she wants to get out of here, it needs to be now. She’s done playing games. “What exactly do you want, Nina?”
“I don’t know yet. But—” She cuts in before Sam can mutter the curse word playing on the tip of her tongue. “I know it involves you. I’m still working it out in my head. So for now, I just need you to keep this between us. Don’t tell Emily yet. Don’tget her involved. Give me a minute to parse through the options. And take my call.”
“What call?”
“The one I’ll make when I figure out what to do next.”
Sam doesn’t respond.
“Miss?” the employee behind her calls. “Are you—”
“Yes. I’m so sorry. I’m still coming,” Sam rushes to answer as she spins around and pushes her suitcase toward him. Before she can take a step toward the boat, Nina’s hand closes around her wrist.
“I need an answer before you leave, Sam.”
