“No, I will. You need to keep up the good guy image,” she said.
If the statement wasn’t oozing with contempt, he might have believed she meant it.
He tapped his thumb on the outside of the plastic bottle. “I’m not a bad person for wanting to help you.”
“No, you’re not. But you asked me to marry you on national television.” Setting her water bottle down, she began to pull the pins out of her hair, the mass falling about her shoulders. The dress hugged her chest at the action, the necklace dipping between her breasts. How had he gone from having sex with her in the SUV, to alienating her in the span of a week?
“It’s not real.” He finished off the water, the liquid cool on his tight throat. “I was trying to be a friend and help you out.”
She lifted her chin, her chest rising and falling with each deep inhale and exhale. “We’re not friends. We’re colleagues. And right now, I’m not sure if it’s such a good idea to continue our association.”
His hand clenched around the empty water bottle, collapsing it into a useless piece of plastic. “Are you quitting?”
“No, I am determined to see this through, but I let things go too far between us.” She turned on her heel and snatched up her suitcase. Purse strap slung over her shoulder, she glanced back at him. “I need to reevaluate my priorities and I can’t do that around you. I’ll honor my responsibilities for the show but no more intimacies. If you need anything work-related, email me, otherwise I’ll see you later.”
“Belle,” he called after her, stomach dropping, desperate to keep her from walking out the door.
“Good night, Erik.”
I love you, Belle. He stared at the closed door and raked a hand through his hair. Why hadn’t he told her the real truth? If he’d said those four words, there may have been a different outcome. Except instinct had stopped him, or perhaps it was sheer cowardice. Either way, he was in serious danger of losing her.
Chapter Forty-Three
Belle squared her shoulders, her stomach a jumble of nerves. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to Howler’s office and peeked her head in. “You wanted to see me?”
The second she’d received the text, dread settled in the pit of her stomach. She’d messed up by getting involved with Erik. The show had aired two nights before and she’d thrown herself into acquiring new clients. The only logical conclusion with her and Erik was to sever ties. She’d let things escalate to this level and although she wanted to put all the blame on Erik, she was equally culpable.
“Yes, sit down.” Howler was leaning back in his chair but he sat forward, adjusting the sleeves on his navy-blue suit. “How are you doing after the big reveal?”
“You watched it?” The lump in her stomach moved to her dry throat. She moved to the small refrigerator in the corner and retrieved a chilled coffee drink.
“Are you kidding me? Raina had a watch party at the house.” The sardonic twist to his lips calmed her a bit. “Grab me one of those, will you?”
“He was supposed to propose to Irina.” Even saying the words angered her all over again. She handed another coffee to Howler, slipping into the chair across from his desk. The same one where Erik had sat that fateful day she’d been given her promotion. Opening the lid of the bottle, she felt betrayed and raw. “You do realize it was an act? He’s not into me. He’s into the ratings.”
Silence hung in the air after her bitter comment. She’d said too much. This wasn’t about her. It was about his career.
“Which is our goal as agents, to get the best publicity possible for our talent.” Howler tapped his finger on the desk and pulled over a file folder. “I have to say, you’ve done a hell of a good job for your first client.”
“Thank you, I worked hard.” His words placated her somewhat, but she was still a hot mess and she wasn’t sure how long it would take her to get over Erik.
“The beer commercial was a huge win and endorsements are the name of the game. Because you’ve met and exceeded my expectations, I think you’re ready to take on Walter’s portfolio. That is if you’re interested.” The grin he cast her held a familiar gleam of mischief and pride. He pushed the folder in her direction.
Tucking her grief away, she offered an eager nod and accepted the heavy folder filled with notes about clients. “Walter wasn’t big on electronic filing.” She recognized one of the files she’d made for the guy over the years. Walter had over a hundred clients before his passing. The load would surely help her keep her mind off one key client. “He was such a character.”
“I still miss the crotchety bastard.” Howler released a heavy sigh and opened his bottle. He took a long drink. For all his bluff, when Howler cared, he cared deeply.
“I have a promising lead for a kicker out of Texas. Dallas Whitmore. He’s trying out for the Pioneers. Have you heard of him?” She’d been pleased with herself for recruiting the man.
“Yes, I have. The guy’s good but he has the reputation of being a hot head.” Howler crossed his leg, resting his ankle on his knee. “See if you can get him and we’ll reevaluate.”
“Sounds good.” She wasn’t anxious to leave and be alone with her own thoughts. “How’s baby Ash?”
The downward curve of his lips lifted and a real grin lit up his entire face. “He’s not a baby anymore. He’s starting to walk. You should come over this weekend. I’m sure Raina would love to see you.”
“I’d love to.” Belle rested back in her chair and relaxed for the first time since she’d entered. “Just let me know what time.”
“How are you dealing with all this?” he asked, removing his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeves. All pretext of work disappeared with the gesture. The man sitting behind the desk wasn’t asking as her boss but as her brother, and to be able to unload to him was a blessing. “You’re used to being in the shadows and now you’re in the national spotlight.”
