California Girls(100)

The kick in her gut was sharp. She grabbed the back of a nearby chair to keep from stumbling. It was happening, she thought, even as she wanted to scream she wasn’t ready. Normally she didn’t care when her assistants left her, but this was different. She was so vulnerable right now, so exhausted from the roller coaster of emotions she’d been on. She couldn’t do it on her own, and hiring a new person was always so much work. It wasn’t the training that sucked up her energy, it was figuring out if she could trust the person. That took time.

She looked at her beautiful assistant. Rochelle was smart, savvy and ambitious. They had a deal and Finola knew she was going to have to abide by it, no matter how much it hurt.

She sat in the chair she held and motioned for Rochelle to take a seat opposite.

“So what’s the job offer?” Finola asked.

Rochelle’s dark brown eyes widened. “I have no idea what you’re—”

Finola raised her eyebrows. “Don’t start lying to me now. You know someone is going to call me for a reference.”

Rochelle ducked her head. “Associate producer on Late Night LA.”

“Impressive. That’s a big job.”

Late Night LA was a fast-paced, hip show about the city after dark. Some of the segments were devoted to hot spots and great dining, but there were human interest segments along with some investigative reporting. The ratings were excellent, especially in the 18 to 34 demographic. The network paid attention to the local show. If all went well there, Rochelle would quickly move up the food chain.

“How long have you been sitting on this?” she asked.

Rochelle drew in a breath. “A few weeks. I didn’t want to leave when everything was going down like it was. You needed me and you’ve given me so much. I wanted to be here for you.”

Finola smiled. “I appreciate that. I couldn’t have gotten through this without you, but it’s time for you to go. Take the job.”

“But if you and Nigel aren’t getting back together then—”

“Take the job.”

Of course Finola wanted her to stay, but she wasn’t going to have someone she cared about give up the opportunity because Finola’s heart was still shattered. That would be ridiculous.

“You have names for me?” she asked, because part of Rochelle’s responsibilities would be helping her find a replacement.

“Three.” Rochelle’s voice was soft. “But we don’t have to—”

“Call them today and we’ll start interviewing tomorrow. We’ll get the list down to two by end of day. After that, I want you to talk to my lawyer to get the background checks started.”

Rochelle stared at her. “You ran a background check on me?”

“Of course and one day you’ll do the same when you have an assistant you trust with your life.”

“A background check. I never knew.”

There was a lot she didn’t know, Finola thought enviously. She had so much life ahead of her. So much to learn and experience.

Impulsively she grabbed Rochelle’s hand. “Listen to me. This is a tough business. Be strong, be smart and be determined. Watch your back. Make people earn your trust, but don’t be a bitch about it. And no matter what, always remember to be a decent human being.”

Tears rolled down Rochelle’s cheeks. “I can’t do this. I can’t leave. I’ll stay.”

“No, you won’t. It’s time. Past time. I should have noticed. That’s on me, but with everything going on, I forgot our deal. I’m sorry.” She released her hand. “Tell whoever’s interviewing you that they can call me whenever they’d like. I’m happy to talk about you.”

Rochelle nodded and stood. She crossed to the closed door, then looked back. “I can never thank you.”

“I know and you don’t have to. Just pass it on. Do for someone else what I’m doing for you. And when you’re incredibly famous and I’m just someone you used to know, take my call.”

More tears fell. “I’ll always take your call.”

Rochelle left. Finola did her best to ignore the sense of dread sweeping through her. The start of training a new assistant was overwhelming, but she didn’t have a choice. She’d screwed up nearly every other part of her life. She wasn’t going to screw up her career or her deal with Rochelle.

She glanced at her computer and thought about replaying the video. Nigel still loved her. She was fairly confident she still loved him. And while that should be enough, deep in her heart she knew that it wasn’t. Not anymore.





Chapter Twenty-Six


Ali enjoyed the feel of the bike racing around the track. She’d taken the first couple of laps slowly, wanting to get a feel for what was happening, but as she gained confidence, she picked up speed.

Even with ear protection and a helmet, she could still hear the roar of the engine. Dust blew around her as some of the more experienced riders passed her. She wanted to increase her speed to keep up but reminded herself this was a practice session, not a race. She still didn’t know exactly what she was doing.

She completed another lap and decided she could go a little faster. As she went into the turn, she remembered what the instructor had said about leaning into the curve rather than turning the bike. She experimented by shifting her weight and was shocked when the bike moved in a smooth turn.