“Caroline, you look beautiful as always. How are things at CNN?”
“Eh. Can’t complain. For every day I have to take my producer’s dog to the acupuncturist, there’s a day I get to interview Clark Rhodes.”
Emma poked her head into the fridge and retrieved a bottled water.
“I take it today is an acupuncture day.”
Caroline nodded her head in big deliberate moves, urging Emma to process to the rest of her comment.
“Wait. You seriously get to interview Clark Rhodes?”
She squealed so loudly the dog winced. “He hates Christine because, on the Black Dawn press junket, she basically told him his wife left him during the interview. His manager told Frank he wanted a completely non-confrontational interview with someone new.” She brushed her hands down her body from head to toe in a that’s me gesture.
Jack looked at Caroline with a raised brow. “Is non-confrontational a good quality in a reporter?”
“It’s good that’s how they think of you. The scariest shark is the one you don’t see.” She winked at Emma’s father, and he gave her an uncomfortable smile. He knew the truth of that statement all too well.
“I thought you hated Clark Rhodes.”
“You know our love story, bitch. Sorry, Mr. Web. At first, I loved him. In tenth grade, I wanted to invite him to winter formal. Actually, Mr. Web, you were the one who pointed out that a twenty-nine-year-old man might not look too good going to a school dance with a sixteen-year-old girl.”
“Not to mention, I was a little concerned he would accept.” He winked back.
“Then, when he attacked that bartender in the Meatpacking District, I hated him. I mean of all the spoiled temperamental things.”
Emma chimed in, needing her to hurry up the story. She had heard it a dozen times and was actually surprised Caroline was giving her father the edited version. There were at least three more bouts of love and hate in the full story. “Land the plane, Caroline.”
“Right. Anyway, since I started at CNN... I mean, not Clark Rhodes specifically... I’ve just learned things aren’t always as they seem. We can’t judge a situation unless we know the whole truth.”
The whole truth.Emma stared at her dad. The truth was practically a stranger to her. Her dad loved her, and he was doing whatever it took to keep her safe, but he was also keeping her from having any meaningful connection to another person. How could she even contemplate a relationship when she wasn’t even a real person?
“Stop spinning out, Em.” Caroline knew the look on her face all too well. “Your situation is... unique.”
“I’m not truthful.”
Her father checked his phone.
“You’re not a liar, either. You’re like a superhero with a secret identity.” Her eyes lit up. “You’re Incognito!” Emma rolled her eyes at Caroline’s proclamation, so Caroline continued. “Just stop whining or I’m changing it to The Incredible Sulk.”
Jack Webster chuckled and finally acknowledged the dog who was currently chewing on one of Emma’s stray flip flops.
“Can that beast survive an hour on his own so I can take my two best girls out for dinner?”
As if understanding the question, the dog moved to the couch, curled into a ball, and stared at a pigeon perched on the sill outside. Emma plopped next to him and scratched under his collar. He voiced his approval with a contented grumble.
“His name’s Wendell. I just have to drop him at the place. The trainer is picking him up.”
Her father rolled his eyes. He was one of the richest men in the country in his own right, but even he could see the absurdity of extravagance. That, and he disapproved of substituting money for hard work. “That dog needs a ball and a park.”
“I know, Mr. Web, but I’m just a lowly newbie. All I can do until I climb the ladder is smile and nod.”
“Come on. I’m starving.” Emma gave Wendell a parting pat and pushed up off the couch.
“How ‘bout that burger place on Mott?” her dad asked.
“Perfect,” she and Caroline chorused.
“Jesus, finally.”