Page 20 of Love on the Byline
“Tell her that.”
The phone pinged, startling them both.
“What did she say?”
Jesus, suddenly Ollie was a first-year college studentagain. He swiped open Bran’s messages.
BLAKE DILLON: Are my eyes deceiving me? Is that anapology from Mr. I didn’t do anything wrong and, if I did, it doesn’t countbecause I don’t remember?
“That woman gets off on busting my balls, I swear.”
“This is good,” Ollie said. “She’s opening the door.”
“Ask her to tell her bosses to burn the photos they have.”
“It’s too soon.” He knew Blake’s answer would be go tohell, and he didn’t want to jump the gun.
BRAN: Yes, it is. And I don’t expect you to accept it, Ijust wanted you to know that I see the error of my ways.
“What are you typing?” Ollie read him the text and receiveda frown. “Why apologize if the other person isn’t going to forgive you?”
“Apologies are always more about the giver than thereceiver,” Ollie said. “The receiver owes the giver nothing, and thereshouldn’t be an expectation of forgiveness. Only an acknowledgment ofwrongdoing.”
“Sometimes, I forget you majored in English Lit. Then youopen your mouth.”
Ollie put the phone down. “I don’t have to do this, youknow?”
Bran laughed, grabbing his knee and squeezing it. “I’m sorry.Alright, alright, we’ve got her talking to me. Now what?”
When his phone pinged again, he picked it up.
BLAKE DILLON: That sounds like a line. Probably from oneof your scripts. Do you have dialogue in your movies, or do you just grunt and punchpeople?
“See?” Bran tossed the phone on the couch between them.“She’s not gonna cut me a break. Can’t we get someone else to do this interviewthing? Someone hot and agreeable?”
“I trust Blake to do it right, and so does Noelia.”
Bran pushed to his feet. “Yeah, well, we might need amiracle.”
“Where are you going? You’re in the middle of a conversationwith her.”
“Correction, you are in the middle of aconversation.” He stripped off his tee and dropped his shorts to the floor, leavinghim in his boxers. “I’m going for a soak in the hot tub. All this shit has mestressed.”
Ollie stared after him. Sometimes, he wanted to strangle theguy. Bran was the kind of person anyone would want in their corner. But he wasalso every bit the entitled asshole Blake believed him to be.
The phone pinged, and he took a deep breath. “I didn’t signup for this.”
BLAKE DILLON: Did I insult your craft?
BRAN: I know I should be insulted by that dig, but Ithink I’m more upset knowing you haven’t seen any of my movies.
BLAKE DILLON: Don’t be. I haven’t been to the movies inyears, and I don’t own a TV.
Ollie frowned.
BRAN: Years? That’s a crime against fun. Do you not likefilm or…?
BLAKE DILLON: I did when I was younger.