Page 176 of Lavender Lake
“It’s at a million views now,” Hadley said, swallowing. “And in the comments, people are tagging Bowman’s sponsors’ accounts.”
The back door to the house opened and Cas stepped out onto the deck. “Sorry to interrupt girl time. But I need to talk to Salem.”
Nodding, I hurried toward him.
We went inside the house and closed the door to give us privacy. He raked a hand through his hair. “My manager just called me.”
“Oh.” I nibbled my lip. “What about?”
“Seems you and I are both kind of famous now,” he said.
I winced. “That’s what Poet and Wyn wanted to talk to us about. The news is all over town, and in the town paper, and on social media.”
He nodded slowly. “Yeah. I know. I’ve been tagged I don’t even know how many times.”
His phone rang and he fished it out of his jeans pocket. “It’s my manager. I’ve got to take this.”
Nodding, I turned to leave and give him privacy, but his fingers clasped around my wrist to stop me from leaving.
“Hey, Danny,” he said into the phone. “What’s up?” He listened, his expression braced for bad news. “Oh? Oh, really? You’re shitting me. Okay, yeah. Thanks.”
He hung up and lowered his hand, still clutching his cell phone.
“Bad?” I whispered.
“The owner of Cowboy Coffee saw the video.”
“Cas,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
He frowned in confusion, and then he cracked a smile. And then he began to laugh.
“What?” I demanded. “The implosion of your life because I have an archnemesis is funny?”
“No,” he said, his laughter quieting. He cradled my cheek in one hand. “He saw the video and he loves the fact that I’m now a family man with a woman and a baby on the way.”
I blinked. “You’re kidding.”
He shook his head. “Nope.”
I let out a deep breath. “So, you’re not in trouble?”
“I’m not in trouble,” he said.
My phone rang and I glanced down at the screen at my boss’s name.
“Yikes,” I murmured.
“What?” Cas asked.
“Imight be in trouble.”
“Won’t know until you answer.”
With a deep breath, I pressed the screen and put the phone to my ear. “Jack. Hi.”
“Salem Powell,” my boss greeted with a chuckle. “I’ve been talking about you all morning.”
“Oh?” I asked, my eyes shooting worry at Cas.
