Sure it was.
Seb greeted more new arrivals, and once everyone was present, Brenda began the tour of the building, which was currently in the final stages of renovation.
“This will be the gym,” he told the reporters now, describing what the room would look like once all the equipment was installed. “And next door here is the studio. It’s a community space that can be rented by the hour.”
Seb answered questions and talked animatedly with each reporter, except Grice, who kept his distance from the group, his disinterested gaze often drifting toward the yard at the back of the building where landscapers worked to clear away the area that would eventually be used for outdoor training sessions.
When the tour ended, Seb and Brenda led the group back to the library. The room was still sparsely furnished with empty bookshelves, two tables, and a load of chairs that Freddy had laid out for the press Q and A session.
“This room,” Seb announced, “will be used for study. Not all classes offered here will be practical. Get Living will also offer programs and workshops about anatomy, fitness, diet and nutrition, as well as examining the role exercise plays in maintaining positive mental health.”
Seb walked to the recently fitted bay windows and glass bifold doors that had replaced a brick wall and now offered a view of the yard—which would look a lot nicer once the lawn had been laid and new shrubs planted.
“Thank you all once again for coming today,” Brenda said as the reporters settled into their chairs. She then briefly referred to Michael’s absence and Evie’s well-being, as well as Daniel Jones’s condition. “Dan is recovering slowly but surely. He’s got a long, hard road of physio ahead, but we all know what a fighter he is, and we ask again that he and his family are given the privacy they need and deserve at this time. And of course, we are absolutely delighted to welcome Sebastian Clarke as the interim sports ambassador this summer.”
“It’s a pleasure to be here,” Seb said. “I’ve got big shoes to fill. I hope I do a good job in helping Get Living thrive like it deserves.” Powering up his charm, he launched into a summary of the campaign. “It’s all about motivating and inspiring children and families to get fit.”
He reeled off statistics of poor health that many people face and the solutions that the Get Living Campaign were trying to implement. “And it all starts up here.” He tapped his forehead. “People have towantto get fit and healthy, and that’s what we’d like to help people achieve, a positive attitude and enthusiasm for health and fitness.”
Seb then read out the lowdown of the events he’d be taking part in across the summer, then invited questions, nodding to the first journalist who raised a hand.
“How does the campaign expect lower income families to travel into the city to access the Get Living Center?”
“We’ve been speaking to schools and bus companies and are negotiating passes for those requiring financial assistance,” Seb replied smoothly, dipping into everything he’d learned from his crash course in the campaign. “We were kindly donated this building by George Hampton, owner of K-Brand and a generous Get Living benefactor, and rest assured, we’re working hard on making it as accessible as possible.”
Seb answered more questions, and as he eased into his new role, his shoulders relaxed.
Until Grice raised his hand.
“They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. How qualified are you to preach about healthy living when you were drunk and unconscious last month?”
The reporters’ eyebrows raised and their gasps circulated around the room. Brenda drew breath to jump in, but Seb headed her off. He didn’t need anyone speaking for him.
“It was an honor to step in for Dan Jones, and I whole-heartedly, one hundred percent believe in the Get Living Campaign and its fundamental message.
“Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone should have a chance to prove they’re truly sorry for those mistakes. Reform should be accepted, not dragged up time and time again. I had issues which I’ve now overcome. I hope I can inspire others to do the same.”You asshole.
Brenda did step in then, expertly steering the room’s attention toward the smell of fresh coffee and biscuits that Freddy had just wheeled in.
The shuffle of chairs and clinking of cups quickly dissipated the atmosphere. Seb small-talked his way around the room, thanking the guests for their support, answering a few more of their questions, all the time conscious that Grice stood alone by the bay windows, coffee in one hand, a cookie in the other. Was he waiting for Seb to join him?
Okay, I’ll bite.
Seb excused himself, grabbed his own coffee, and made his way to the window. After Vegas, he’d learned two things about hacks like Grice. One, they eventually tired of scavenging for stories that didn’t exist, and two, they had to be dealt with head on.
“Did you get all the information you needed today?” Seb asked.
“Not quite.” Grice took a bite of cookie, wiping crumbs off his lips with the back of his hand. “This is a beautiful old building, and the gardener is doing a great job out there.”
Seb glanced to where a woman wielded a pair of shears, cutting back overgrown shrubs. “A lot has been done in a short amount of time,” he said, taking a sip of his lukewarm coffee. Grice hadn’t come here today to talk about gardening. “So, what other information do you need?”
Grice turned to look him in the eye. “I didn’t catch your girlfriend’s name yesterday. She’s a very attractive woman, but you know that already, otherwise you wouldn’t be dating her.”
For sure, Fake-Cassie had been very nice to look at. Seb couldn’t deny that any more than he could deny her entire existence—but that didn’t mean he had to admit she was his girlfriend. Aware the room had hushed behind him, and some reporters had shuffled closer, Seb chose his words carefully. “The woman you saw me with yesterday is just a friend.”
“Of course, she is,” Grice said, doing nothing to keep his voice down. “And will yourfriendbe accompanying you to the inaugural dinner tonight?”
“Actually …” Seb swirled the sugar that had collected at the bottom of his coffee cup. “She’s not feeling very well.”
