Off the Record (Off #3)(12)

I plop down on the couch beside Nix and sigh. Staring at the wall, my mind is spinning with anger, disbelief, embarrassment and downright mortification.

“Are you okay, buddy?”

I glance at Nix. “Do I look okay?”

“No, you look like you are ready to blow a gasket. What’s your game plan once you meet with the Editor?”

I shrug my shoulders. “I guess the only thing I can do...demand an apology, a retraction, and most importantly, demand they shit-can Ever Montgomery immediately. I want her career ruined before it can even get started.”

“Harsh, dude.”

“You think?”

“Nope. Not really. Not for writing lies about my little bro’.”

I give Nix a smile. Besides my dad, he’s the one person in my life I can always count on to have my back. Just the thought makes the pressure in my chest ease a little.

My phone starts “dinging” in my hand. I look down and I’m getting a slew of text messages from my teammates. Just f*cking great!

Dude...you bagged four women at the party? Why didn’t you share?

UR the man! Horn dog!

Those were some pretty awesome fireworks, huh?

Man-whore! Linc’s a man-whore!

I groan. I can take the teasing from my teammates, because that’s all it is. But I’m not going to kid myself. This is what most of New York will be thinking today after they read this article.

Maybe getting a retraction isn’t enough. Maybe I need to do something more proactive to rehabilitate my image after this brutal smackdown.

A pounding on my door interrupts my thoughts. I walk to open it and Emily storms in.

“I’m going to kill her, Linc. I swear it...I’m going to kill her. Then Nix will help me bury her body where it won’t be found.”

I can’t help but smile at Emily. She’s so feisty and protective. My brother lucked out with this one. “I appreciate the offer, Em, but I’m going to handle it a bit more subtly.”

Nix snorts. “There’s nothing subtle about what you’re getting ready to do.”

Emily looks at me questioningly, even as she drapes herself across Nix’s lap. His arms go around her to squeeze and my heart warms just looking at the love between those two.

“What are you going to do?” she asks.

Taking the last sip of my coffee, I head back to my room to take a shower. “I’m going to destroy her and when I’m through, she’ll wish she never met Linc Caldwell.”





My stomach is in knots. My lifestyle editor just called me at home and told me that the Senior Editor, Glenn Selly, wants to see me in his office immediately. She wouldn’t say what it was about, but I could tell by the tone in her voice she knew. And that sort of pisses me off that she won’t give me any information that could help me get prepared for this impromptu meeting.

It’s a Sunday and no one gets called in to see the Editor on a Sunday unless trouble is brewing. I make it to The Post in record time and walk inside with lead feet, knowing in my heart of hearts that this has something to do with the article I did on Linc. I need to be tough and prepared to stand my ground though. I’ve done nothing wrong.

As I near Mr. Selly’s office, the glass walls reveal him in serious discussion with another man. His face looks grave and the other man’s back is to me, but I can tell from his build and hairstyle that it’s Linc Caldwell sitting in there.

No surprise there.

Mr. Selly waves me in. I throw my shoulders back confidently and enter the lion’s den. Linc actually politely stands up when I enter. The look on his face is impassive and reveals no clue as to why he is here. But I’m sure he’s pissed.

“Sit down, Miss Montgomery.”

I take the seat beside Linc, who sits down after I do.

Nice manners...for a pig.

“Miss Montgomery...Mr. Caldwell is here because of the article you did on him. He’s very upset and says your allegations are unfounded. He is threatening to sue the paper.”

Oh, boy. Here goes.

“I stand by my piece, Mr. Selly. My facts are accurate and my opinion is my own. I made very clear that this was an opinion piece.”

I hear Linc snort beside me but I don’t take my eyes off of Mr. Selly. I need him to stand behind me on this.

Mr. Selly picks up the newspaper sitting on his desk and starts reading it out loud, “Just a few minutes before meeting me, I watched as Mr. Caldwell kissed on a half-naked woman. Then just a mere half hour into our interview, he had the temerity to hit on me, which I politely shut down. Not to be deterred, he moved on to a third woman who claims they got pretty down and dirty with one another. I finally witnessed him finishing off the night with a fourth woman in a very compromising position.”

He puts the paper down and pinches the bridge of his nose with this fingers. “Mr. Caldwell says this is completely untrue the way you spun it. And even though this article was an opinion piece, you still have to have your facts to support it.”

“What doesn’t he think is true?” I ask.

Linc finally pipes up. “Well, let’s start with your first lie and I’ll continue on from there. I kissed the knuckles of a woman who was wearing a bathing suit at a beach party. I did not hit on you but asked you out to dinner, which you declined and which I did not bother to follow up. I have no clue what you mean by getting down and dirty with a third. The fourth woman you reference is true. There was only one woman that night in my bed.”