Call Me Vi | ONC 2024

Chapter 11 | Edited

Baxter adjusted his suit with a huff. "Those nasty paparazzi never know when to quit, do they?"

I eyed him carefully. The last time I saw him, Violetta had been yelling and threatening his job. Still, he'd just saved me.

"Thank you, Baxter," I said.

He dipped his head in my direction. "The least I can do. Now, if you hurry away, you can get where you need to before the paparazzi show up again. Is Violetta up in the room?"

I hesitated, unsure if I should tell him the truth. "All due respect, Baxter, the woman needs a break." From you, I wanted to add.

Baxter chuckled. "I appreciate your concern for my client, Reagan. In all honesty, I'm pleased that I ran into you this morning. Your record is quite impressive, if I do say so myself."

I stayed quiet, waiting for the catch.

"So impressive, in fact," he continued, "that one might question your motives with Violetta."

My eyes widened then narrowed as I pursed my lips, trying to figure out what to say to him. "I'm just a girl on vacation who happened to befriend a celebrity."

"Except it wasn't just happenstance, was it?" He paused a beat, likely to judge my reaction. "No, I'm afraid it goes a little more beyond that."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you do. 'The story that will make you the next best thing in all things journalism'. Right?"

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. "H-how did...how did you know that? Did you bug my phone or something?"

"It's a publicist's job to stay on top of things like this. I have my contacts," he replied.

I crossed my arms over my chest. "So you saving me from the paparazzi right now. That wasn't you being nice, that was you keeping me reeled in?"

"I'm doing what I have to for our girl to be safe. This vacation was supposed to be a chance for her to get her mind off romance. She wasn't supposed to meet you." He said it with such disgust in his voice that my heart sank.

"It's not my fault," I argued, planting my hands on my hips. "I can't control who I fall in love with just because it goes against your 'schedule' for Vi."

Car horns beeped around us.

I blinked. Had I just...I really needed to be more careful with my words. I knew in this business one false slip of the tongue could mean the difference between being an icon and being frowned upon.

Baxter cleared his throat. "You...well I guess this has happened more rapidly than we expected." He took out a device from his pocket and his fingers flew over the screen. "We've dealt with rumors in the past, some even claiming of her cheating on Jessup. None were true, of course. I suggested this R&R trip for her to get her mind off of all of the stress. Clearly, that was my mistake."

"Wh-what are you saying, Baxter?" I asked. My throat constricted.

"I'm saying maybe work is a better distraction than the simplicity of Asheville." He glanced up from his device. "I think it's time for her to start her next project. Away from here."

Away from you, the unspoken words hung in the air between us.

"No!" I shrieked. A few people walking out of the hotel jumped at the sound of my voice. "No," I said quieter. "Please. Let me...let us have this last day together. I have to be gone tomorrow anyway. And then you never have to worry about me again."

Baxter pursed his lips. "I guess it wouldn't be fair to cut her vacation short when today was going to be the last day anyway. Fine. I will give you eight hours. She has to leave then."