A Thousand Miles

Part 27

The elevator door slid shut, separating them the same way it had on the day of their first meeting. But this time, no silently issued challenge showed in her eyes. All he saw was dejection and defeat. He had destroyed her. Though it hadn't been intentional, his presence in her world had brought all her hopes and dreams down to nothing. And now she wouldn't speak to him—wouldn't even look at him.

Shane expelled a heavy breath and looked at the document in his hand as he turned toward Truman's office. He didn't blame her. She had done nothing wrong...nothing to deserve this. This was all his fault—her shattered world and broken heart—and he'd do whatever it took to make it right.

"Good morning, Mr. Quinlan." Truman's secretary sounded puzzled as she greeted him. "Do you have an appointment?"

"No." It was probably highly unusual for someone to turn up at Truman's office who hadn't been summoned by the boss man himself.

"I'll see if he's available." She stepped softly through the door, emerging moments later, frowning. "Go right in."

Shane entered to find Truman seeming to peruse the contents of an open file folder, but the impression that he wasn't seeing any of the information in front of him prevailed. Finally, Truman glanced up over the frames of his glasses and motioned for Shane to sit.

"Well? What's on your mind?"

"I figured you'd wait to let JoLynn go until after I'd agreed to take her place."

"I didn't let her go." Truman took his glasses off and set them down with deliberate care. He sounded peeved. "She resigned."

Shane reached for the arm of the chair behind him and sat slowly, placing the addendum to his contract on the desk. Truman reached for it, stared at it for a long moment, and pressed his lips into a thin, angry line. His brows knitted together and he looked sharply up again.

"It's not signed."

Shane shook his head. "No, it's not."

Truman assessed him for a long moment, then tossed the page aside. "It doesn't matter. No need to sign it. JoLynn asked to be let out of her contract and I agreed, so that makes you the new host by default."

"I don't want the job."

"You already have the job."

"I'll agree to stay on if JoLynn stays on, as well."

    "You'll agree to stay on...?" Truman straightened, his face reddened, his breathing rasped in and out like he'd just sprinted up two flights of stairs. He jabbed a finger in Shane's direction. "You have a contract that says you work for me."

"But this is JoLynn's show."

"Not anymore." Truman's fury simmered beneath the surface, yet he managed to contain it. Clearly, he wasn't accustomed to people questioning him. "And it was floundering on its deathbed before you signed on. It was two shows from having the plug pulled completely when you responded to my offer. And JoLynn knew that. And more than she wants to be the host of this little show, she wants it to succeed, whether she's at the forefront or not."

Shane blew out a breath and looked at his knees. That was probably the truth. Whatever happened to JoLynn, she'd want the show to continue. She'd want Mel and Curtis to keep their jobs. She might not care what became of him, but she'd want what was best for the show, even if that meant he took her place.

He set an elbow on the arm of the chair and raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. So now what? He could take her place, ensuring that her vision for the show was maintained and executed, in which case she'd hate him because he was ousting her. Or he could break his contract, and let Truman find someone else to do the job. Or he could break his contract and let Truman cancel the show altogether, in which case she'd still hate him—possibly even more.

The answer to this situation seemed so clear the other night. He'd break his contract, JoLynn would still have her place, and maybe she'd be able to forgive him. But now...  She'd already resigned, and Truman sounded ready to give up on the show altogether if he didn't stay on.

If he stayed, at least some part of what she'd worked so hard for would continue on, and possibly thrive. But if he left, everyone lost.