The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)(88)

Reporter. News. This interview was originally supposed to have been a fluff piece in a millennial-and Gen Z–friendly format. When she walked out the door, her life would change.

Or it already had, she realized, as she caught side-eye from the crew backstage.

She deliberately didn’t pull her phone out of her purse. The show had arranged for a limo to take her to the airport, and she stared out the window at the garish neon lights, bright and colorful. She shivered at the blasting A/C in the car and turned it down. All she wanted was to be home on the left coast. Curled up in front of the firepit in Katrina’s backyard or gazing out at the downtown skyline from her loft.

Unfortunately, she was scheduled to fly from here to western New York for her brother’s engagement party. Her departure time was still a few hours off, but she could settle into the airline club at JFK and hide as best she could.

The lounge had small private offices, and one was blessedly empty. She closed the door and pulled out her laptop to start an email. She should call Lakshmi or her lawyer . . . but she didn’t know what to say to them. Hi, I know I set off a not-so-small public relations bomb.

Instead, she dug through her archives. She didn’t send the email, but attached every document she could find with meticulous attention to detail.

After she had that ready, she dug out her phone. She ignored all the calls and messages filling her notifications, and video-called Lakshmi.

“How mad is Suzie?” she asked, when Lakshmi answered. Her assistant had kept Crush’s colors in her hair and added a rose gold septum ring.

“Not mad.” Lakshmi’s tone was incredibly gentle. “You want to see? We’re at my place for a watch party.”

Rhiannon almost groaned. She’d forgotten that Lakshmi had arranged a watch party for the staff. “Fine. Yes.”

Lakshmi flipped the camera and walked her out of her kitchen. “Guys, Rhiannon is on the phone.”

Rhiannon nearly dropped the phone when the roar of approval came out of the speaker. The frame was filled with her people, smiling, misty-eyed, crying, but so . . . on her side.

She’d thought she felt like she belonged in L.A. because she was anonymous there, but no. She belonged because these people were her family too. Family she paid, but family.

Her cheeks were wet, and she almost covered the camera to block anyone from seeing her cry, but she was too tired.

Suzie came into view and took the phone from Lakshmi. The permanent frown on her head of marketing’s face was etched deeper, her short platinum hair standing straight up, like she’d run her hands through it. “Bitch,” she said, and her smoker’s voice was rougher than usual. “Don’t you ever go do something like that without me physically by your side to run interference. It’s my job to protect you. But you did an amazing job without me, come back soon so I can lecture you in person.” She handed the phone back to Lakshmi.

Rhiannon sank deeper into the plush seat. Lakshmi walked away from the crew, her tone turning brisk. “Peter’s lawyers have already called legal. They’re threatening to sue for defamation and theft of trade secrets.”

Rhiannon hit send on the email she’d prepared. “Tell them to go ahead. Show them a couple of the attachments I sent you.”

“What are they?”

“Every email Peter sent me telling me I’d never work in this industry again if I didn’t get back together with him. Calling me a bitch and a whore.” Rhi paused. “I’m still debating releasing them no matter what. But if Swype wants to go the lawsuit route, all those words are definitely getting released to the public. Tell them I saved my text history and voice mails too. Those are even better.”

Lakshmi’s grin was wide. “With pleasure. Chelsea’s gonna be so excited.”

“Any lawyer of mine should be. She ought to know that there might be some compromising photos of me in Peter’s hands. He didn’t use them, because he knew I had all this, but he might go nuclear now.”

“Girl, my nudes could wallpaper my house. We’ll take care of you.”

Rhiannon’s shoulders relaxed. “Thank you.”

Lakshmi brought the phone closer to her face. “You know we all believe in you, right? My living room is full of heart eyes right now.”

Rhiannon licked her lips and tasted salt. “I see that. Thank you. Can you let Katrina know I’m okay?”

“Of course. She was actually watching virtually in the living room through my computer, though, so she saw you. Are you sure you want to go to your brother’s right now? You could come home.”

She yearned to go back to California. But no. She couldn’t flake on Gabe’s engagement party, not when her family had undoubtedly seen this piece. “How many times has my mom called you?”

“Not important.”

“Yeah, I have to go to my brother’s.” Funny how she couldn’t bring herself to call the town she’d grown up in home. Her family, though, that was a home. “Only for the party. Get me out of there by late tomorrow evening.”

“Hang on.” The screen went blank, Lakshmi was silent for a moment, and then she was back and spit out some gate info. “Go there. Private jet. I’ll charter another one to be waiting for you tomorrow. You want me to intercept your calls and texts for now?”

“Yes. Actually . . .” she hesitated. She’d never said the following words before, in her life. “I’m going to turn my phone off for the next twenty-four hours. If there are any emergencies . . .”