“I need you to leave me,” he said. “Because I can’t live with myself if you stay.”
The words were like cleavers against her tender heart. She knew there was nothing she could say that would combat that. He had left her with no other choice.
So she gave him what he wanted.
“I’ll be gone by the time you’re back from your concert tonight.”
He didn’t reply as she turned and walked out the door.
Chapter Forty-Five
Lily had never worked so hard in her life as she had in the thirty-six hours since the House of Archer premiere. Not only had she had to work with the PR team to respond to the outpouring of responses to Keith and Sydney’s publicly-aired relationship, she’d had to participate in interview after interview about her own.
She’d also had to sit down with the Ordinem team and give them a rather invasive detailed account about her life in case there were any holes they had overlooked in their research. She found it hard to believe that anyone from her past could be the person or persons stalking her. It seemed far more likely it was someone who had started following her in connection with her role with the band. In the event she was wrong, however, she answered all of their questions, even the completely embarrassing ones.
On top of all of that, she’d gone with Aria and Sydney to the airport the night before, trying to offer Sydney some measure of comfort. She knew her friend’s heart was in tattered and bloody pieces. Anything she said probably hadn’t helped much.
The truth was, Lily couldn’t fault Keith for what he had done. If anything, she thought there was something rather noble about it. Admitting that wouldn’t have eased any of Sydney’s pain, though.
Aria had decided to leave with Sydney, not wanting her to be alone in their apartment. Lily had been tempted to take the flight with them and stay in Long Beach for a few days herself. Only the knowledge that she could be bringing danger along with her kept her behind.
She worked throughout the four-hour drive to St. Paul, Minnesota early the next morning, responding to numerous e-mails and social media comments, recording and posting a Lily’s Quickie, and trying to put the finishing touches on a new story she had written with Christopher’s help about what it took for new artists to get noticed and succeed in today’s music industry. By the time the band off-loaded at their hotel, she felt like a barely functioning zombie.
“We’ll get some sleep after the meeting with the show’s team,” Dane said into her ear as they made the press walk with plastered-on smiles and waves at the flashing cameras.
They were heading right into a meeting with the House of Archer producers. Lily was a ball of nerves about it. She knew they were about to find out if the premiere had done well enough to justify keeping it on the air. She would soon learn if all of the band’s efforts—all that they had gone through this past month—had been worth it.
The meeting was held in a small private dining room in one of the hotel’s restaurants. Elijah and several of the show’s producers and other team members were already there as Lily and the band arrived. They rose from their seats around the long banquet-style table.
One of the men moved forward to grasp Dane’s hand. It took a moment for Lily’s foggy brain to recall that he was Craig Gibson, the Executive Producer.
“Good to see you again, Archer,” he said. He then reached for Lily’s hand. “And you, Lily.”
Was she imagining the false notes she heard? She hoped she was jumping to incorrect conclusions because Elijah was looking at them without a hint of a smile.
“You, too, Mr. Gibson,” she said.
“Please help yourself to some food and something to drink,” he encouraged them before he moved around the room shaking everyone else’s hands.
Lily just wanted to sit down and get to it. Was the news good or bad? She threw multiple glances at the people around the table as Dane angled her towards the buffet on the other side of the room. No one’s expression revealed a thing.
That wasn’t good, was it? Wouldn’t they all be wearing smiles and friendly expressions if they were happy about the ratings?
A headache started pulsing behind her eyes. She wasn’t hungry, so she occupied herself with dispensing hot water into a mug and choosing a bag of tea. Dane got himself some coffee and put a couple of muffins onto a plate. None of the band members spoke as they also gathered around the buffet.
Lily realized Keith wasn’t among them. She saw that he had already taken a seat. He didn’t look at or speak to anyone. The shadows under his eyes spoke volumes.
Dane followed her gaze. They had discussed Keith the night before, worrying that the split with Sydney might cause him to backslide. Judging by his haggard appearance, their concerns held some validity. They’d have to keep an eye on him.
Without speaking, they both moved over to the table. Dane sat beside Keith and Lily took the seat next to Dane.
Once everyone was seated, Craig finally addressed the room. “I’d like to begin by saying that I know how hard all of you have worked to try and make House of Archer a success.”
The word “try” had Lily reaching for Dane’s hand beneath the table. Her stomach did a slow roll.
“New shows are very difficult to get off the ground. We had a relatively short span of time to market House of Archer. We knew that our expectations were unrealistic. Still, the ratings weren’t even close to what we hoped.”
Tears pricked Lily’s eyes like fiery needles. Despite everything, she had let Dane and the band down.
She had failed.
Craig looked at her as though he had read her mind. His lips turned up into a slow smile.
“They were better,” he said.
She drew in a sharp, unsteady breath. Dane squeezed her hand.
“We waited to get both the overnight ratings and the twenty-four-hour delayed-viewing ratings before we met with you,” Craig continued. “Much as we thought, the ratings are continuing to climb as people hear about the show through the media and word-of-mouth and tune into their recorded shows to see what they missed.”
As he went on, Lily vaguely registered words and phrases like “Neilson ratings,” the “mid-ones” transitioning into the “low twos,” “international affiliates,” and what projections they could make based off what they’d learned so far.
All that really got through her numb brain was they weren’t going to cancel House of Archer. In fact, they were convinced it might ultimately become the station’s most highly-rated show.
Was this really happening?
“So this brings me to another item that was recently brought to my attention,” Craig said, finally pulling her out of her stupor. “The matter of your contract, Lily.”
She blinked, inadvertently releasing a tear she hadn’t realized was clinging to her lashes. Dane reached over and brushed it away with his thumb.
“What contract?” she asked.
“Precisely,” Craig said. “I’ve learned that you never officially signed one.”
That was because she hadn’t been offered one, but she supposed it didn’t help matters to say as much.
“We want to remedy that today.” Craig reached over as one of the men sitting beside him handed him a stack of paperwork. “In fact, we have addendums for all of you to review and sign. We’d like to extend the season from the seven episodes we initially funded to thirteen, with the likely option to extend to a second season if the ratings continue to grow like we predict they will.”
Lily released Dane’s hand to accept the contract handed to her as Craig walked around the table distributing them. “You’ll note that yours is retroactive,” the producer told her. “We’ve included a small signing bonus as a way to apologize for this oversight. We know how integral you are to the show.”
The idea of getting paid for her efforts was certainly of interest to her, but she was wary about signing anything after what Elijah had pulled on her with the releases. Before she even started reviewing the contra
ct, Dane spoke.
“We’d like to have our attorneys review these before we sign them.”
“Of course,” Craig said as he once again took his seat. “I would expect no less. You’ll find that there’s a seventy-two-hour legal review clause in each contract. If the timeframe doesn’t work for your legal team, I’m sure we can negotiate an extension.
“The point of all this, ladies and gentleman, is that House of Archer is showing tremendous potential. You’ve all done well in making the show’s premiere a success. I’m confident that things will only go up from here.”
Lily’s emotions couldn’t seem to figure out where to settle. Was she thrilled that the show had exceeded expectations? Was she dismayed that she was about to commit even more of her life to the public’s scrutiny? She supposed it was really a confusing blend of the two.
At least her stress had eased enough that she could eat some of the muffin Dane offered her. The rest of the meeting went rather uneventfully. The show’s team discussed a few upcoming events and made some comments about things they thought had gone over particularly well in the premiere. Lily wasn’t surprised that they wanted drama, drama, and more drama.
She was more than ready to nap by the time the meeting ended. Christopher approached her as she and Dane neared their room.
“I’d like to have a couple of minutes with you, Lily,” he said.
So much for napping, she thought. “Of course,” she replied.
They waited for Trey and Ryan to enter the room first and conduct their scan before they all entered. Dane gave Lily a quick kiss and said he’d give her and Christopher some time alone before he headed to the bedroom and closed the door. She watched him wistfully.
“I promise not to keep you long,” Christopher assured her with humor in his eyes. “I know you’re tired.”
“It’s fine,” she said, waving him over to the living area so they could sit down. Trey and Ryan discreetly stepped out into the hallway. “What can I do for you?”
“It’s more like what we can do for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean the band and I feel that we haven’t fully expressed our appreciation for all of the hard work you’ve been putting in on the show and our social media accounts.”
Her confusion eased. “Oh. Please don’t worry about that. Dane tells me all the time how much you appreciate it.”
He smiled. “While words of appreciation are nice, they don’t pay the bills. We all feel you deserve much more than what you’re being paid. And no, this isn’t Archer talking. I’m representing all of us here.”
“That’s very kind of you, but...”
“No,” he said. “I already know how you feel about accepting money, but this isn’t a gift I’m offering here. It’s well-justified compensation for a job done remarkably well. The money is going to be paid to your account whether you’re happy about it or not. I’ve already processed the paperwork for it.”
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “What kind of compensation?”
He told her. Her hand dropped from her face.
“Have you lost your mind?” she choked out.
“No,” he said calmly. “Lily, do you realize how much money you’ve helped the band make in the past month?”
She couldn’t even reply. Her mouth couldn’t catch up with her head, which was spinning with numbers that had no business being associated with her.
“Thanks to everything you’ve done to improve our social media following and to position House of Archer for success, The Void’s net worth has increased by millions of dollars in the span of four weeks. That’s mind-blowing. Do you understand that?”
Her head moved slowly from side to side. She was having trouble understanding or believing anything that had happened that morning.
“I haven’t discussed this with the band yet,” he went on, “but I’d like to offer you a full-time position. I’m confident they’d all agree with me.”
Finally, Lily’s head cleared enough for her to think. Christopher’s offer wasn’t something she could accept or reject lightly. While it was steady employment, this whole social media thing was supposed to be an interesting summer job and an opportunity for her to learn something new. If she moved into it full time, she risked losing sight of the writing career she really wanted to pursue.
Of course, it would also continue to allow her to work closely with Dane.
“I really appreciate all of this, Christopher,” she said at last. “The money is too much, but I’m thankful for it. I’m flattered by the job offer, too. Can I have some time to think about it?”
“Sure.” He got to his feet. “You’re with us through the end of the tour in any event. Why don’t you take these next couple weeks to see if it’s the right fit for you? If you think you want to go in another direction, maybe you can help me screen new candidates for the role when you leave.”
She also rose. “That sounds fair. Thanks again. I’ve sure got a lot to take in right now.”
He smiled again. “No kidding. Should be an exciting few weeks, shouldn’t it?”
She thought about the show and the increased expectations on her and the rest of the band to keep the ratings high. She thought of the media frenzy that had started weeks ago and continued to rise in pressure on her and Dane. She thought of the impact the show had already had on her and her friends, including a wedding she now had to plan. She thought of the pending lawsuits and having to deal with Johnathan again in the near future. She thought of the terrifying stalker—or two—out there with highly questionable intentions towards her. And she thought of this new job offer that promised financial security and continued proximity to Dane but departed so drastically from her personal goals and ambitions.
“Yeah,” she murmured. “Exciting.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Two days later, Keith sat alone in the hotel lobby café nursing the now-flat remains of a bottle of Coke. He’d opted for a table nearly entirely surrounded by tall, leafy potted bushes, not wanting to interact with anyone. Even Iván the Shadow was keeping his distance, eating a sandwich at a table within sight of Keith but far enough away to be unobtrusive.
A group of people walked past him on the opposite side of the bushes. Carefree laughter and the scent of sunscreen followed them as they headed to the revolving door leading outside. Their red, white, and blue attire and the large Styrofoam cooler they carried reminded him that it was the Fourth of July.
Independence Day.
One of the males in the group clasped the hand of one of the females. She had blonde hair and wore a white sundress displaying lightly-bronzed skin.
Keith’s gaze returned to his drink. He’d almost gotten used to the indescribable grief that gripped him at odd times like this. It wasn’t any less painful, but he was learning to anticipate it so it didn’t completely rob him of breath.
When he looked up again, it was in the direction of the lobby bar. It wouldn’t open for another half-hour. That meant he had another thirty minutes to talk himself out of trying to drink the pain away.
The past few evenings had all started this way. What he really wanted was the sweet release from reality that drugs gave him. He’d go from struggling with that craving to convincing himself that alcohol would be a less consequential way to achieve the same thing. From there he’d grip his phone while debating whether to contact his NA sponsor to talk him down. So far, he’d manage to do it himself by remembering the consequences if he slipped up.
It was a dangerous precipice he’d barely managed to avoid toppling over. The way things were going, he wasn’t going to make it another night. He even had his phone on top of the table with his sponsor’s number at the ready. All he had to do was press his name and the call would initiate.
His nightly calls with Lex helped keep him in line. He continued to call her even though he consistently had to explain—in a general way—that Sydney wasn’t with him.
It had surprised hi
m to learn that Sydney hadn’t been in touch with Lex herself in the past few days. He knew it was a lot to expect of her, but she had always been in regular contact with Lex before. He had never considered that he might be taking Sydney from Lex, too.
Just one more thing to add to his growing shit list.
His call with his sister the night before had gone differently than usual. It was one more reason he was looking at the bar with more frequency now.
Before he disconnected with Lex, Megan had gotten on the video call and asked to talk to him. He had seriously considered hanging up on her.
She must have seen that in his expression because she just started talking. “Please don’t hang up. You don’t have to say anything, okay? I just have some things I need to say to you and they’re way, way past due.”
Even though she had told him not to reply, she had paused as though giving him the chance to hang up. Something he saw in her expression had him remaining on the line.
Her breath left her in a relieved sigh. “Thank you.” She paused and seemed to collect herself. “I’ve tried to have this conversation with you many times over the years. I don’t think either of us was ready to have it or I would have succeeded.”
Once again, he considered disconnecting. He knew what she was going to say. She was going to once again try to explain her past decisions...decisions that had left him at the mercy of his abusive father. He wasn’t any more interested in hearing it now than he’d ever been.
It was a testament to his desperation not to be alone with his wretchedness that he stayed on the line.
“I shouldn’t have given up on you, Keith,” she said plainly. “That’s the whole of it. I could give you all kinds of reasons and justifications why I allowed your father to take custody of you. I could say exactly why I thought it was the best decision at the time. But none of that matters now. What matters is that I was wrong. I shouldn’t have given up on you. Do you understand that?”
Her eyes shone with unshed tears. He didn’t reply.