The television on the wall comes to life, and I see my pa sitting in a chair, back to the barn.
Might Be Meghan:So, tell me, what was it like having your daughter back at the ranch.
I blink, disbelieving my eyes. “What’s she doing on my farm!”
My pa looks like a deer caught in headlines as his mouth begins to move.
Hank:It was nice, we were happy to have her, not that we didn’t have our struggles. She works slow. Our sweet cow Annabelle damn near had her udders explode on account of her negligence. We’re also worried she may have poisoned us. In all my years, I have never had to call a plumber in the middle of the night, but that changed when Ali came to visit.
“What the hell is this? Are they launching an attack against me? What the fuck—can I trust anybody?” I scan the room and see that everyone on my team is smiling widely.
“They’re making you likable,” Jenna interjects. “They’re doing exactly what we asked them to do—only better than we ever expected.”
“Yeah, your dad’s a natural,” Ted says. “He’s where you must have gotten your acting gene from. He might have a career in film.”
I snicker.
“They’re expecting you to fly out. The plane’s ready to go,” Ted says.
“And I’m supposed to what? Just go back and act like nothing happened?”
“Let me break this down for you: You’re gonna go back with Alistair and film a show about your life. Something of a docuseries. It will be several short segments, filmed on the farm with Might Be Meghan,” Jenna says.
“Then, we’re going to bring you back to Hollywood and film segments of your life here. We have to start at the farm, because anything filmed in New York or Los Angeles will look fake and like you’re pandering,” Ted says. “We have to show them the farm life first.”
“We’re gonna merge Hollywood you with Hillbilly you,” Jenna says.
My brow furrows. “Excuse me? Did you just say—”
“Look at it as an evolution,” Jenna interrupts. “For so long, you’ve been a big mystery, never talking much about your childhood or family. This is the time to let your fans in. Shatter the image they have of you, and rebuild it into the person you want to become.”
“And why are you going?” I ask Alistair.
“What can I say, I love a good trainwreck!” Alistair chuckles.
I shake my head, my nostrils flaring in anger.
“He actually helped us get Meghan onboard,” Jenna says. “He’s there to draw viewers. We won’t say that you’re dating, but people will assume it.”
I furrow my brow. “Seriously, though,” I say to Alistair. “Why do you even care?”
“I may not know you well, but I’m a good judge of character. You’re a good girl, America’s Sweetheart—through and through. Eva, however—well, let’s just say something felt off about that night, and I’m not one to say no to a good mystery.”
“Off?”
“Yeah, the way Eva was looking at you was telling.”
“Really?”
“She was brooding. Something was on her mind. I didn’t think she had anything to do with your bar fight until Ted here told me of Jenna’s suspicions. I scanned the feed myself but didn’t come up with anything, but Jenna here might be some kind of super-sleuth.”
I look to Ted. “And you’re sure my family will agree to this?”
“They’re being coached by professionals right now. So, yeah—they’re on board.”
Things could be worse. They could have somehow found out about Garrett and tried twisting that to their advantage.
I think about him more times a day than I care to admit, wondering if he ever thinks of me.
Part of me thinks there could have been something there, but the way he let Eva wrap her arms around him was telling. It’s not that he was malicious, it’s that he was just like any other guy.
I don’t know how I could have thought he’d be any different. I wish him well, though, and hope that he finds whatever it is he’s lookin’ for in life.
I exhale, swallow my pride, and say. “So, Mr. Whent, will we be taking your private jet down to the farm, or is Ted going to have to order one?”
