Autumn Flame (Seasons #2 )

Chapter 15: Bounce

The day has finally come. I get to present my marketing project to the Tagilvy judges.

I wanted to go big and bold and unforgettable, which is how I find myself in my apartment surrounded by boxes upon boxes. If someone walked in, they'd think I'm starting a cardboard production facility.

Preston helps me load up all the boxes on two shopping carts we borrowed from the local grocery store.

"How are you feeling?" asks Preston.

I wipe my hands on my jeans. "Queasy. I need everything to go without a hitch."

"Queasy's not... terrible," he muses. "It means you're not thinking about your girl problems."

I give him a droll look. "Thanks. Now I am."

He looks away. "Oof. Sorry."

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I jump. "Oh no..."

Preston is at my side instantly. "What happened?"

"A message from the reporter," I say. "They won't run the segment about my brand project."

As part of the publicity for my project, my dad put me in touch with an old friend of his working at a local news agency. They were going to have my project be a short highlight on the local 5 o'clock news, which is when I told Mr. Beau to switch on the channel. Without it, I'm going to look like a loser.

"He says there's a breaking story about a dog that rescued a cat from drowning," I read.

"That's a good doggo," says Preston.

"I agree, but..." I sit down on the boxes, my head in my hands. "What am I going to do?"

"Don't worry," says Preston. "We'll come up with something. Take five, and we'll head out. It'll all work out."

I'm not as convinced as him. I needed the publicity for my idea. Frustrated, I land on the sofa and to distract myself scroll through social media. And there, between puppies and stupid pranks and dancing videos is a photo of Olivia from last night. She's with two people, one of whom I recognize.

I sit up. "Hey, come see this!"

Preston comes and leans over my shoulder. "Is that Olivia with DJ Blaze?"

"'Night out with my childhood bestie,'" I read the caption. I recall the night when we all went to see DJ Blaze. Olivia was in the private section next to the DJ booth. I slap my forehead. "They're friends."

"Do you think she'd do you a solid and ask him to post about your project?" asks Preston.

I cackle at that. "Olivia? Do me a solid? Why would she do that?"

"Because it's the least she could do after everything she's done to mess with you?" says Preston.

It's not like Olivia to do things for others. But he's got a point. She has been a pain in my side.

I scroll through her more recent posts. Thank heavens, she's a social media addict and has to document her every moment. Her last post is from literally ten minutes ago. "She's at that pop-up brunch place in Central Park."

"Go, go," he pushes me. "I'll drop off some of these on my way to class. But you'll have to do the rest."

I grab his face. "I could kiss you."

"Please don't."

I smooch his cheek anyway and run for the subway.

****

Olivia is sipping mimosas with a group of girls I've never met when I approach their table.

Her smile instantly drops when she sees me, replaced by an expression that hates my guts. "Rhys? What the hell are you doing here?"