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The moment Sakura stepped out of earshot, Chris spun on Daphne. “I think I just saw Stephen King.”
“Oh, so you actually do know who that is?”
“Sure, he wrote the It movie, right?” Chris grinned, and it was a blaze of a grin that set her pulse racing. “Yes, I know who Stephen King is, and I’m fifty percent sure I just saw him. Would it be wrong to sneak off? Stalk him, just to be sure? Maybe get a stealth selfie?”
She waggled her finger. “Stealth selfies are always wrong, sir.”
“Is it also wrong that I kinda like it when you call me sir?”
He waggled his brows, and she had to stifle a laugh.
He stepped closer. “It is very crowded. Maybe we can accidentally get separated from Sakura and stalk possible Stephen King?”
“And then have Sakura panicking thinking you’re lost and won’t make it to your panel?”
He sighed. “Killjoy.”
“It’s my job, sir.”
He grinned again and seemed about to speak when Sakura hurried back, looking flustered.
“Everything okay?” Daphne asked.
“A bunch of our authors are here today, and it’s just me and another publicist. I’m assigned fully to you, because of the tour and because it’s your first-ever event. But there’s another author, a really big name—” She stopped short, flushing. “Not that you aren’t a big name.”
“I’m a debut author,” Chris said. “However well Edge is selling, I’m still new. I presume this other author has been around longer.”
“Yes. She’s… a bit… That is to say, she’s understandably aware of her standing and…”
“She has certain expectations,” Daphne supplied.
Sakura exhaled. “Exactly. She was supposed to come with two assistants, so she didn’t need a publicist, only they apparently both demanded a raise this morning, and she fired them.”
“Ah,” Chris said. “Strategic negotiation timing, which failed because it neglected to take into account the fact that their boss is an ass.”
Sakura coughed to cover a laugh. “Something like that. But now she doesn’t have anyone, and she’s demanding a publicist, and my colleague is there now, but the author doesn’t know him and she knows me.”
“And she’s insisting on you,” Chris said. “Go on. We’ve got this.”
Panic sparked in Sakura’s eyes. “I can’t. It’s your first time. If anything goes wrong…”
“Tell me where to go and what to do,” Daphne said. “We have this. Really.”
Sakura still hesitated.
Chris lowered his voice to a stage whisper. “Between us, I’m not quite as helpless as I seem. I’ve even been known to find a restroom and return to Daphne all on my own.”
“Mmm, there was that one time, sir.”
He mock-glared at her. “And you will never stop bringing that up.”
Daphne said to Sakura, “He’s right. He doesn’t need my help half as much as he pretends to.”
“I’m just lazy,” Chris drawled. “And Daphne is very good at taking care of me. Seems rude not to let her.”
“We have this,” Daphne said when Sakura hesitated again. “Give us the rundown and go.”
CHRIS
