Page 6 of The Truths We Find

“She was. Dani Russell. The one who had that little outburst.”

Well, shit.

I keep my face composed, which is impressive considering it feels like my heart is about to burst out of my chest. My first day is not the time to let Mr. White know about my history with Dani. If ever.

“You mentioned during my interview that she’s been here for a while. Is there a reason you didn’t hire in house for this position?”

“Already quitting on me, Baker?”

I chuckle. “Not at all. But if I am going to be working with her, I would like to know everything, and clearly there was a reason you didn’t promote her.”

Mr. White clears his throat. “Dani’s been with us for ten years. Hired her right out of college as a writer. She worked her way up to producer very quickly and then became our afternoon executive producer five years ago. She’s great at what she does, but we need someone who is authoritative in this role. That’s just not her.”

“I’ve heard about Dani. From her reputation, she is the definition of a leader.”

Fine, I’m lying through my teeth. I haven’t heard anything about Dani in a decade. But unless the tough-as-nails woman I knew all those years ago suddenly disappeared, Mr. White is completely off on this one.

He waves his hand dismissively. “Doesn’t matter. We have you.”

“And I’m grateful to be here.” I stand. “If you don’t mind, sir, I’m going to go walk around and meet some more of the team before the story meeting.”

“Good man. I’ll talk to you later.” Mr. White stands and walks out the door.

Instead of following him, I sink back into my chair, the air suddenly feeling heavier. What kind of sick, twisted joke is the universe playing? Dani and I haven’t seen each other in ten years, and now we’re in the same building. Worse, we’re working together. Even worse than that, I’m her boss.

The last time she saw me, I was running my repair business, dirt under my nails, and plans that felt solid. She was full of momentum, heading off to Sacramento for her first real job, convinced the world was finally opening up. That was supposed to be the beginning of everything. So how did she end up here? Mr. White said they hired her right out of school, which means she built a life I know nothing about, one that somehow circled back to me.

Questions pile up faster than I can process. I have a thousand for her. She probably has even more for me. Questions I don’t want to answer. Questions that all lead back to the same moment, when I promised I’d meet her in California after packing up our apartment in Pittsburgh, and then never did.

I force the memory down, jaw tightening as I shake it from my mind. Some things are buried for a reason. And whatever happens next, she can never know what really happened.

I stand and step back into the belly of the newsroom. The moment I cross the threshold, the noise hits me. Dozens of keyboards clacking in overlapping rhythms, people murmuring into phones, the low, constant hiss of police scanners bleeding in from somewhere nearby. It’s chaotic and alive, and it settles something in my chest. The sound has always felt like home.

I move through the room slowly, stopping at each desk to introduce myself, offering a handshake or a nod, making sure faces turn into names. I want them to know I’m present, that I won’t be the kind of boss who barricades himself behind an office door. If I expect people to trust me, they need to feel like they can talk to me, really talk to me.

That doesn’t mean I’m soft. I know the reputation I carry. When deadlines close in and the pressure spikes, I’m relentless. I don’t hesitate. I push, challenge, and if necessary, I go head-to-head with anyone standing between the show and excellence. That edge has built my career, but it’s not all of who I am. I hope this team learns that before they only see me at my most demanding.

By the time I’ve made my way around the room, one absence is impossible to ignore. Dani still hasn’t returned from wherever she disappeared to after the announcement. The unease I’ve been keeping at bay tightens again.

I glance down the hallway I saw her take and start moving toward it, my resolve hardening with every step. The longer this waits, the worse it will get. Whatever this conversation is going to be, I want it over with, before the past has any more time to catch up to us.

Chapter 3

Dani

Igrab Alexa’s arm and drag her down the hall, hopefully before anyone can see us.

“Ouch! What’s going on?” she yelps as I push us through the bathroom door.

I quickly look under each of the bathroom stalls to make sure we’re alone.

“So, there’s something you need to know about the new boss.” I’m almost out of breath from the sheer panic running through me.

“Is it that he’s single? Because I could definitely get on board with⁠—”

“I used to sleep with him!” I yell before she can finish, wincing the second the words leave my mouth. Why the hell did I say it like that? I can feel the heat rushing to my face.

Her face drops in shock, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her eyes get so big. “Holy shit! I need all the details. Now!”