“Okay, love, what’s going on?” Lila asked as we settled around the island with glasses of flavored bubbly water. “SOS means it’s serious.”
I wrapped my hands around my glass. “The marketing head from Hawthorne called. They saw Hunter’s interview. And all the rest of it. They want to exploit my relationship with Hunter to boost my visibility.”
“She should talk to Dana for tips,” Delphine said dryly.
Lila’s expression sharpened. “Visibility?”
“They want photos,” I went on. “A spread. Interviews. Romance author finds love with a country songwriter. Brooke Gaines seems to think it’s marketing gold. They have an in-house PR person who can get us various interviews and all of that. You all know how it works.”
Esme’s eyes widened. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her no.” I looked down at my hands. “Very clearly.”
“And?” Gillian prompted.
“She told me to think about it,” I said. “Which means she’s not taking no for an answer. She even suggested they send photographers to Tyler’s game—to take photos of Hunter and me together. Can you believe that? I have no idea how to handle this. What do I do?”
Lila pushed off the counter. “Oh no. That’s how it starts. You do not want this, trust me. Pretty soon your whole life’s a circus.”
“That’s what they did to Lila,” Gillian said.
“I know,” I said. “I’ve been thinking about that all day.”
Esme frowned. “But she told them no.”
“They tell you it’s harmless,” Lila said. “Just a little attention. Just a few pictures. Nothing you can’t handle.”
I swallowed.
“But it gets out of control fast. Do you remember when they showed up at Bella and Annie’s soccer game?” Lila asked.
We all nodded. How could we forget that day?
Another flicker of unease unfurled low in my stomach. “I told her I didn’t want this anywhere near Tyler, but I don’t think she heard me.”
“People hear what they want to hear,” Delphine said.
I stared down at my hands. “She said my sales are declining and that this would be a way to boost them.”
“Is that true?” Lila asked.
“I didn’t think so, but maybe. They keep a lot of data from me,” I said.
Lila’s expression darkened. “That’s how they get you to say yes.”
I pressed my lips together, trying not to cry. I’d worked so hard. If my career went south, how would I take care of Tyler?
Esme leaned forward, her voice gentler now. “The real question is—how do you feel about Hunter?”
“I’m in love with him,” I said without hesitation. As soon as I said it out loud, I knew it was true. “I’m in deep.”
“Oh, Seraphina, I can’t believe it,” Esme said. “This is so wonderful.”
“I agree,” Gillian said, shifting slightly to accommodate the sleeping baby against her chest. “This other stuff is just noise. Live your life on your own terms. If you don’t want to talk about your relationship with Hunter, then don’t.”
“That’s right. You’re just going to have to be firm with Hawthorne,” Delphine said. “You want your private life to remain just that. No leaked photos or whatever other garbage she suggested.
“You’re going to have to be strong, though,” Lila said. “Hawthorne won’t go down without a fight.”
