Page 104 of Never To Be Mine

Dad pulled out his phone. “I’m calling our legal team. We need to review the partnership contract and see what our options are if this continues to spiral.”

“Dad, you can’t do that.”

“I’m not canceling anything yet. But I need to know what our position is.” His expression softened slightly. “I’m sorry, Juno. I know this partnership has worked well for the two of you, but I can’t risk our company for his. Business has to come first. Always.”

I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. I hadn’t explicitly told him Hollis and I were seeing each other. I had a feeling he suspected there was someone in my life, but he chose to keep it to himself.

My father left the conference room, phone already to his ear again. I sank into one of the chairs and stared at my phone like I could will Hollis to call me back through sheer force of desire.

This couldn’t be happening. Not when everything had been going so well. Not when we were finally building something real together, both professionally and personally.

I pulled up the video again, watching it on repeat like I might find some clue I’d missed the first ten times. Hollis sat there, completely unaware he was being filmed, eating that burger like it was the most natural thing in the world. He didn’t look guilty. He didn’t look like someone trying to sabotage his own business.

He just looked like a guy eating a burger.

Which somehow made it worse.

I tried calling him again. And again. And again. Every time, voicemail.

Kari came into my office, took one look at me, and immediately went to make coffee.

When she returned, she had coffee and a breakfast burrito that promised all kinds of health benefits. All were bullshit, but I didn’t care. Hollis had eaten a Curly burger. I could eat a moderately unhealthy burrito.

“Okay,” she said, setting a mug in front of me. “Have you talked to him?”

“No. He’s not answering.”

“Maybe his phone died.”

“For three hours?” I shook my head. “Something’s wrong. He would have called me back by now if he could.”

“It’s trending on every platform,” she said finally. “Twitter, Instagram, TikTok.”

“Great.”

“There’s also a bunch of think pieces already being published. People are writing about why we shouldn’t listen to wannabe celebrities. Or influencers.”

“They’re not wrong, but Hollis is neither of those things.”

“He’s the son of famous people and you know people don’t like that. Bitter Betty’s.”

I put my head in my hands. “This is a disaster.”

“It’s not great,” Kari agreed. “But it’s not unfixable. We just need Hollis to say something. To use some of that charm to people to chill the hell out.”

“I can’t give a statement if I can’t reach him. Does he know? Maybe he’s hiding out.”

“I would be,” she muttered.

My father popped into my office.

“Our PR team has drafted three potential statements depending on what Hollis says.” He handed me his tablet. “Read through these and tell me which one you think works best.”

I scanned them. They were all variations of the same theme. Young at Heart stands behind our partnership with B Well. Choosing a Curly burger over his own burger doesn’t show a lack of confidence in his own product. This video doesn’t represent the full picture. Standard corporate damage control.

“They’re fine,” I said, handing the tablet back.

“Just fine?”