Page 105 of Fake It For Glory

“I think that is a very generous, kind response,” the host said, smiling. The guy looked like a kid on Christmas morning. He knew he just had the interview of a lifetime. The clip from the interview was going to go viral.

The host gave me a final nod, and the camera lights dimmed. Merida’s words hung in the air, a reminder that sometimes, the path to redemption was paved with honesty and a willingness to face one’s own shortcomings.

I couldn’t bear to stay on that stage a moment longer. As soon as I was off stage, I knew what I needed to do. Hattie’s voice snapped me out of my daze. She was right behind me, already in action mode, arranging for a car to whisk me away from the studio.

As I climbed into the waiting car, I instructed the driver to take me back to my penthouse. The city streets passed by in a blur, the familiar sights and sounds of New York offering a strange comfort in the midst of chaos.

Hattie sat beside me with a huge smile on her face. “That was unexpected.”

“No shit,” I muttered. “You should have got me off that stage.”

“Do you know how good you looked?” she asked with a huge smile. “You just changed the narrative. You handled that very well. They love you.”

I rolled my eyes at Hattie’s comment. I knew what she was doing, trying to cheer me up and build my confidence. But the truth was, I didn’t care what “they” thought. There was only one person I cared about.

I asked about someone else instead. “What has Carl said?”

“He said he would let me know tomorrow. He’s doing what he does.”

“Good,” I said, nodding. “I hope it’s over. I never want to do that again. I’m done parading myself across stages.”

Hattie gave me a knowing look. “I understand. But you have to admit, you did look good up there. And the audience loved you. You were vulnerable, honest, and real. That’s what people want to see.”

I sighed. “I know. But all of this attention, it’s not me. It’s not who I am.”

Hattie nodded. “I get it. But you have to embrace it, at least for now. This is your moment. And who knows? Maybe this will lead to something bigger and better.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want anything bigger or better. I just want to figure this shit out with Merida.”

“Drop me off at my building and go handle your business.”

“I’m not sure she’s going to want to talk to me,” I said. “I was a dick.”

“She’s no saint in this either.” Hattie grimaced. “But I was horrible to her. I’m going to go home and find the biggest fruit basket to send to her. Fruit, muffins, chocolate, whatever. I jumped to conclusions.”

“The evidence was pretty damning,” I said. “She did write the article.”

Hattie sighed. “I know. But we shouldn’t have assumed the worst without giving her a chance to explain. Look, you need to apologize to her and make things right. And who knows? Maybe she’ll forgive you.”

I nodded, knowing deep down that it would take more than a simple apology to fix things between me and Merida. But I had to try. “I know.”

“I guess the bigger question is, can you forgive her?”

As the car pulled up in front of Hattie’s building, I thought about her question. Could I forgive Merida? The answer wasn’t simple. On one hand, she had betrayed me and exploited my vulnerability for her own gain. On the other hand, I had been a dick to her and had treated her unfairly. Most importantly, I cared about her. I loved her.

“I don’t know,” I said to Hattie. “I want to, but I’m not sure if I can.”

Hattie put a hand on my shoulder. “Just take it one step at a time. Apologize first and see where it goes from there. You guys have something special.”

“I hope so,” I said, feeling a knot form in my stomach. “Thanks for everything, Hattie.”

“Anytime,” she said, giving me a quick hug before getting out of the car. “Good luck with Merida. I am going to have a big-ass drink and take a long hot bath. My work is done.”

“You deserve it,” I said with a laugh. “You worked your ass off on this. Let’s hope this is the end of it. I really don’t want to hold back the launch.”

“Me either,” she groaned. “Do you know how much time, money, and energy went into planning that launch party?”

“I don’t but I know you busted your ass on that too.”

“Good luck,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”