Page 91 of Cosplay & Consequences

“We’re at three hundred and two thousand now, Danny,” Paige called out.

“And I mean, I don’t want it to be just a title,” he continued, his eyes locked on me. “Nobody knows Tyrant better than the Queen of the Valley. Plus, with her input, you’ll make the book fans very happy.”

Donna sighed. “Agreed. I’ll reach out to Ms. Richards and put together an offer.”

“Is that all, Daniel?” Roger asked.

My eyes watered as I looked at this man who had just handed me the ability to protect my family’s legacy. My throat tightened, and something in the center of my chest clenched, taking my breath away. Then it suddenly popped.

In my head I heard Paige’s voice.

Danny’s greatest quality and fault is that he’s always putting other people first over his own needs.

“Production and shooting of the show have to move to Toronto!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Paige and Faye’s heads swiveled to stare at me. Danny fumbled and dropped his spoon of ice cream on the carpet. My hands quickly popped back over my mouth.

Roger’s eyes glared at the camera. “Who was that?”

“Uh. That’s my new publicist,” Danny said, trying to keep his cool with the wrench I just threw into his plans.

“We’re at three hundred and twenty-one thousand, Danny!” Paige shouted.

Donna and Roger frowned. “I’m drawing the line here, Finnegan. You and I both know that’s a tall order,” Roger intoned. “We agree to all points, but the production move is contingent on Isla Coppola and Miles Mueller agreeing to the move. Understood?”

Danny nodded silently, his eyes never leaving me.

“Fine. That's the end of this negotiation. Welcome back to the MaxFlick family, Danny.”

Danny fumbled for a second, but he recovered with a smile. “Thank you, Roger.”

The studio dropped off the call. A second later Paige, Faye, and I piled on top of Danny. Everyone began shouting all at once, and for a good five minutes nobody made any sense.

At some point in the chaos, the television caught my attention. The top of Stella’s head was still on the screen. I couldn’t see her mouth, but her eyes showed definite amusement.

“I told you everything would be fine, Woobie.”

“And you were right, Stella,” Danny said, laughing. Paige threw her arms around his neck in a near chokehold, and Faye gave him a rare teenage side hug. I slipped under his arm and rested my head against his chest.

“Publicist, huh?” I teased.

“All I could think of,” he admitted.

“And the creative consultant role?”

“I thought it might be something your Nana would have wanted.”

There was so much to say in that one moment. This man who I had dragged online had in a space of a few days turned my life upside down. More than that, he had somehow managed to bring part of my grandmother’s legacy back to me and my family. I reached up to stroke his face before I pulled him into a long soft kiss.

“Okay, I’m done,” Faye said, repulsed by any kind of affection. She pulled away.

“Yep, moment’s over,” Paige agreed. Then she snatched Danny’s pint of ice cream off the coffee table.

“Hey!” he protested. “Where are you going with that?”

“You start filming in four weeks,” Paige reminded him as she put the tub of ice cream under the faucet in the kitchenette and turned on the hot water. “Plus, you have a session with Jorge this afternoon.”

Danny let out a sad whimper as she filled up the container with water and poured the ruined ice cream down the sink.