Page 143 of One Last Shot

He frowned.

“It was Reynolds’s idea to involve Boo in the... romantic charade. I didn’t mean... I mean, I didn’t know you had actual feelings for her. I hope I didn’t mess that up too much.”

He frowned at her.

“The song? And the way she looked when I confronted you at the clinic. Beto captured it. But—we’re not using it. I promise.”

Everything inside him turned dark. “I want to see it.”

“Oh... uh...” She made a face. “Okay.” She reached into her satchel and pulled out her tablet. Opened up a file and scrolled through it. Then opened the file andclicked on a clip.

It opened on the screen. She’d kept the volume low, but he still heard her words, his retort—“Hux—that’s not—we had a deal.”

On the tail end of her words, Boo’s eyes widened. She gasped.

Aw.

“I told you, it’s not like that?—”

She put her hand over her mouth, blinking hard. Tears.

And then she closed her eyes.

Huxley looked at him. “Sorry.”

“Yeah. I sort of figured she heard us.” But watching it put a fist in his chest.

She closed the file. On the screen was his face, another shot still open. “Is that the footage we did on the shore, right before Mike’s accident?”

“Yeah.”

He reached out for the tablet, stared at himself. And then the man behind him.

Reynolds.

He pushed play. Ignored his words about hoping to live through it and focused on Reynolds Gray setting a couple packs on the ground.

“People who fear end up doing stupid things. They hurt people. Destroy lives.”

“Did Reynolds pack Mike’s chute?” He stopped the video and handed the tablet back to Huxley.

“I don’t know. He was at Air One when I arrived, talking with Moose. It’s possible—although Mike usually packs his own chute as well as the guest’s chute. Or gets them professionally packed. But Reynolds has packed a chute before, so maybe.”

“He skydives?”

“Oh yeah. He used to be in the military along with Mike, way back when they were young. Paratroopers. Mike got him into the television business, and they’ve been partners ever since.”

“Right into bankruptcy,” Oaken said, mostly underhis breath.

“Oh no, we’re doing great. Lots of ad offers after the teaser came out.” She pointed at the envelope. “Hence the check.”

Right.

“Although, Reynolds did record some footage of Mike jumping, and later, your interview about rescuing him, as well as some of the family in the hospital for the sponsors.”

“He has footage of Mike jumping?”

“Yeah. From your GoPro and the chopper cam. We’re not using it for the show. Or we weren’t. Don’t know now. Reynolds makes those decisions.”