Modern Girl's Guide to Friends With Benefits (29 page)

"How bad is it?" Megan asked when Jackie answered the phone.

"Oh, honey. You have no idea. Our phones have been ringing off the hook all morning."

"I'm so sorry, Jackie. I never meant for any of this to happen. If you want to drop me as a client, I'd completely understand."

"Drop you?" Jackie said, sounding a bit perplexed. "Darling, I could only hope all my clients end up all over the media."

"But what they're saying about me—"

"It doesn't matter what they're saying. It only matters that they keep mentioning your books. Hell, Fox News even read a passage on-air. You can't buy this kind of publicity. Have you seen the book charts? Almost every one of your Alpha FBI series has hit the charts. I'm pushing through this next book. We'll get it out in eBook form, if nothing else, by the end of the month."

"That soon? It's scheduled for August."

"And miss an opportunity like this? Have you seen your rankings? Let me conference in Cece and we can talk about how to handle the media. After some of the hype goes down, I know she'll want to schedule some interviews."

Megan pulled into a Denny's parking lot and talked strategy for almost an hour. This was probably the best thing that could have happened. She'd made good money with her books, but the way Jackie was talking, this exposure was career changing. The rep from her publisher even called to make an offer on the rock band series. Jackie was going to shop it around, since they'd already refused, convinced that she could get Megan more money. She all but guaranteed her next advance was going to be in the six figures.

The only issue was they wanted her to do a couple interviews next week. It was right at the start of the new semester, so Megan was going to need some time off. Before she headed to Peter's, she needed to call the school and arrange for someone to cover her classes for at least the first week. Luckily, she was able to reach the dean.

"Cynthia, I'm sorry this is all last minute, but I'm going to be out of town for the next two weeks. Don't worry, I can get my TA Gretchen to cover my classes. The first week is easy stuff. I can email her the syllabus and the first assignments tonight."

"I'm glad you called, Megan," Cynthia said. She didn't have her usual chipper tone, and Megan had a feeling her request was going to be denied.

"I can see if Cameron can cover," Megan added, hoping that she wouldn't have to ask that pretentious asshat. The English Lit professor would likely lord the favor over her for years. "Gretchen should be able to handle it, but if you insist another professor cover, I can call him this morning."

"It's not about that," she said. "I just met with the board, and there's been a change in the courses for next semester."

"I can't take on any more classes," Megan said before Cynthia got any further. "I'm sorry, but I'm dealing with some personal issues. I don't have time to prep another subject."

"Personal issues?" Cynthia scoffed. "The front page of the paper isn't exactly personal. The board has decided that your
personal issues
are not the image the college wants to be associated with. We've reassigned your classes and are putting you on leave until a formal hearing on your competency can be arranged."

"Excuse me?" Megan said. She couldn't have heard her right. "You let Jeff Hover continue to teach even after you found out he'd been sleeping with his TAs, both of them, but you're questioning my competence?"

"Substance abuse. Public sex. Not to mention the fact that the books you've been writing aren't even allowed in our library."

"There was no sex in public and I don't abuse…" Was there any use arguing? Maybe Kim had been right. It was time to quit the teaching job. She liked teaching, but the administration and politics were a nightmare. Besides, there wasn't a need to have a cover anymore. "You know what, never mind. You can cancel the hearing because I quit."

Peter opened the door of his apartment to find a very pissed-off Simon. "I can expl—" That's all he got out before Simon's fist made contact with his eye.

"Simon!" Julia screamed. "You promised. You said you weren't mad about them getting together."

"I'm not." Simon swung again, making contact with Peter's jaw. "I'm pissed that he put my sister in a situation that got her photo in the paper. He knows better," Simon growled.

Peter put his hands up in surrender. If Simon wanted to punch him until he felt better, it was what he deserved. He wasn't about to fight back. Every single punch would be justified. Hell, if it had been Simon with his sister on the front page, Peter would have beat him bloody. He'd been responsible for putting Meg in that alley. It didn't matter that she'd been a willing participant. He was the one who'd dragged her out of the party and had his hand up her dress. He'd lied and broken the trust of one of his closest friends, his business partner.

"Simon, please. This isn't helping Megan," Julia said, trying to reason with him.

Simon grunted and pushed past him without saying a word. He went into the dining room where Naomi and Matt were set up.

Julia stopped on her way past and touched Peter's already swelling face. "I'll get some ice for that," she said sympathetically.

Peter shut the door and joined the party. He hated this. His personal relationship with Meg shouldn't have been any of their business, but the photos were another story. They did more than just damage her reputation. Millennium had lost four clients already this morning. So while they wanted to minimize the public crucifixion of Meg, Naomi thought it was more prudent for Simon and Matt to reach out to their customers while she came up with some talking points for the press.

Peter sat in his living room, listening to them strategize, with an ice pack pressed against his swelling eye, grateful that was the extent of his injuries. All their ideas were great, but they didn't go far enough. A lot of this could be solved with a very simple proposal. If they were married, all the crazy stories about Meg being out of control would lose their bite. Now he just had to convince Meg that it was the right thing to do.

He shared his plan with them all, and Simon was satisfied enough to leave with Matt for the office to touch base with their employees and draft the press statement. Naomi waited with him at his apartment so she could talk with Meg. If she ever showed up.

He spent the rest of the morning trying to get in touch with her. Beth had said she'd left her house hours ago, and there was no sign of her anywhere.

By the time lunch rolled around, Peter was pacing the apartment like a caged animal. Naomi, having graciously taken the earliest flight she could get out of Las Vegas, was napping in his spare bedroom. The waiting was killing him. Peter was about ready to start searching the streets when she finally showed up.

"Where the hell have you been?" he asked before she even stepped through the door.

"Hello to you, too." Meg breezed passed him, letting Benny off his leash. The little dog ran up to him, wagging his tail so hard his entire rear wiggled. "What happened to your eye?"

"Your brother happened."

Meg frowned and touched the side of his face. "I'm sorry, Peter. I'm sorry for all of this. I'll have a talk with him."

"Don't bother. We've already settled things. That's the main reason why I've been trying to call you. Beth said you left the house hours ago."

"I turned my phone off. You wouldn't have been able to get through anyway." Meg opened the fridge like it was any other visit, either unaware or uncaring of his current state of distress. "I'm starved. Do you have any of that pasta left?"

Peter pushed the refrigerator door closed. "After everything that's happened, you're concerned about lunch? We've spent all morning trying to come up with a plan to fix this."

Meg straightened and crossed her arms over her chest. Finally, some response from her. "I've heard all about your little brain trust. Don't you think you should have included me, since it's my name that's being smeared in the media?"

"Of course we were going to include you," Peter said, pulling her into his arms. "We just couldn't sit around doing nothing. We'll fix this. I promise."

She stiffened in his arms and pulled away. "I'm not that fifteen-year-old who needs to be rescued anymore. I thought you, of all people, could see that."

"Peter, is there a problem?" Naomi came out of the bedroom. The usually polished woman was showing wear from the rushed travel. She stopped in the living room when she saw them in the kitchen. "Oh. Is this Meg? I'm so glad you're here. We can really get down to business now."

"Naomi? Just a second." Megan pulled Peter deeper into the kitchen. In a low, but obviously pissed tone, she asked, "What is Matt's friend Naomi doing here?"

"She's here to help." Peter grabbed her hand and kissed it. "She's fantastic, and we have this whole plan worked out. Naomi's company specializes in media crises. She's a spin doctor."

Naomi came around the corner. "Spin doctor is such an ugly term. I prefer media interventionist." She smiled, but her charms seemed lost on Meg, who was still frowning. "Let me grab my laptop, and then we can discuss our next step. Don't let Peter talk you into taking the first flight to Vegas. I still think it would be better press if we could get your father to attend the wedding. A few photos of the senator with his daughter in a white gown would go a long way toward shutting down the talking heads. Just further proof that the relationship is real."

"Wedding?" Meg yanked her hand away and stepped back. "What the fuck?"

"I thought you said she was on board with the plan, Peter?"

They were both staring at him now. He knew Meg would be on board. He just hadn't asked her to marry him yet.

"I don't know what Peter has told you, but there's not going to be a wedding. He seems to be suffering from this delusion that I need him to rescue me."

"Well, I'll leave you two alone, so you can talk," Naomi hedged, backing out of the room.

"Let me explain," Peter started.

"Don't bother," Meg said, holding up her hand to wave him off. "I don't need my father or my brother to rescue me. And I especially don't need you to marry me out of some misplaced obligation."

"You're jumping to conclusions. I don't want to marry you out of obligation."

"You're right. You don't want to marry me, period. So don't worry. I can handle this without you sacrificing yourself. My own publicist has already issued a statement." She bent down and picked up Benny and shoved him into his arms. "As a matter of fact, I was just stopping by to drop off Benny. I'm leaving town for a while. I'm going on a press tour."

"Meg, please don't do anything rash."

"Oh, like run to Vegas and marry you?" Meg grabbed her coat and headed for the door. "You were right. This whole thing ended up being a disaster, and it's my fault. Don't worry, you're off the hook now."

Peter dropped the dog and chased after her. Benny slipped around him and went running up the hall after his owner. Meg was standing at the elevator, smashing the down button. He rushed toward her, determined to stop whatever crazy plan she'd concocted, but Stephanie stepped out of her apartment.

"Whoa there, boy," Stephanie said, scooping up Benny, and stepped right into his path. "I think you lost something."

The puppy wiggled and yipped, desperate to get to his owner. Peter could relate. He stepped around Stephanie just in time to see the elevator doors close. She was gone, and now he didn't know what to do.

Chapter Eighteen