Book 2: What Happens Here - Chicago (What Happens Here Series)

Chapter 46 - Shane

For the past several days Shane had attempted to contact Mackenzie. All of his calls were going straight to voicemail, and his texts were stuck on "delivered." He had no idea what the hell had happened, but he was struggling with not hearing her voice. The past several days had been hell, and as he sat with his cell in his hand staring at Mackenzie's number, a sense of foreboding filled him. Something must have happened, but without knowing what that "something" was, he had no idea what to do, or how to fix it. Fuck, Shane had no idea if there was even anything that needed to be fixed. The not knowing was killing him, and he tossed his useless phone on his desk and ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

In that moment, Cantrell knocked on his opened door, and said, "Hey. Are you okay?" Releasing a frustrated breath, Shane said, "No. Not really. I've been trying to reach Mackenzie for days, and all of my calls are going straight to voicemail. She's not even reading my text messages. I have no idea what the hell is going on right now Cantrell."

When Cantrell walked further into his office and laid a magazine with him and Coryn from the fashion show that he'd attended the weekend before on the cover on his desk in front of him, Mackenzie's sudden and abrupt, radio silence, started to make sense. "Fuuuuuck!" Nodding her head, Cantrell said, "Yeah...I think this is why she blocked you, Shane. Based on this article, you and Coryn have been dating for years, and they even reported her as your "longtime girlfriend." Rubbing a hand over his face, Shane said, "I'm not with Coryn anymore Cantrell. I ended things with her before the show. That picture was just something that I stupidly did, because there were cameras in our faces, and she'd asked me not to embarrass her. She's in line for the swimsuit cover for Sports Illustrated, and she didn't want to be involved in a "scandal", which might hinder her chances of getting the cover." Picking up the magazine and staring at the image of him and Coryn, Shane tried to look at it from Mackenzie's perspective, and when he did so, he could understand why she had decided to cut off communication with him. Hell, if this image was to be believed, he looked like a damn player, and like he'd been lying and playing games with her.

Shit. She must think that he had been in a damn "committed" relationship with Coryn, while texting, and calling her every night. When he looked at things from that vantage point, he looked like a lying, cheating, piece of shit. Tossing the magazine down, Shane ran a frustrated hand over his face as he said, "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! She must think I'm a piece of shit now. How the hell do I fix this shit Cantrell?" Shrugging, Cantrell said, "I don't know Shane. She's cut off communication with you at this point, so you can't reach out to her directly." When she paused, Shane frowned when he watched as a slow, thoughtful smile crossed her face as she said, "But...you can contact her "indirectly." Isn't her best friend in Chicago with Ethan? Maybe you can reach out to her best friend instead. But when you do, don't mention the magazine, because that may not be the reason that Mackenzie broke off contact with you. There might just be another reason entirely."

Nodding his head in agreement at Cantrell's logic, Shane said, "That's perfect. I don't know why I didn't think of that before now." With a smirk, Cantrell said, "Duh...That's what you have me for Shane." Chuckling for the first time in days, Shane smiled as he said, "Yeah, I'll definitely need to give you a raise if this works out." Laughing, Cantrell said, "No need. This trip to the auction in NYC this weekend will suffice. I'll get to hang out with my cousin while I'm there, and I'll also get to hang out with the "big wigs" and see how the other half lives." Shane chuckled as he said, "Well, you will definitely be in the room with some "big wigs", as you say." Leaning back in his chair, he asked, "Were you able to get the roundtrip first class flight that you wanted and a suite at the hotel?" Nodding her head, Cantrell said, "Yep, I did. I have my tickets and room all set. And also, I booked your flight for Saturday afternoon, and your suite at the hotel is all set for your arrival on Saturday and your departure on Sunday. I'm flying out of Miami on Friday so that I can hang out with my cousin to celebrate her birthday at this exclusive club in the East Village, so that we can enjoy the New York City nightlife. Then I will meet up with you on Saturday so that we can ride to the auction together. On Sunday morning, we're flying back to Miami together, because you have that photoshoot with the NHL client that just signed on with the Atlantic Division. When we land, we will need to head straight to the shoot from the airport. I already have a car lined up for us."

Smiling, Shane said, "Wow...I don't know what I'd do without you Cantrell." Standing, she smirked as she said, "Luckily for you, you won't ever have to find out." Shane laughed and shook his head as he watched her stride confidently from the room.

Once he was alone with his thoughts, Shane picked up the magazine and flipped it open to read the article. Unlike the ones that he was used to reading, and the ones that he was proud to have displayed on newsstands, this was one that he wished had never been published.

Scrolling through the article, he read how he and Coryn had been in a "relationship" for the past few years, and the reporter even went so far as to include other older images of the two of them from various galas and other outings from the past. Shit, based on the way the article read, he was in a "happy", and "loving" relationship with Coryn, when the total opposite was the case. What the article didn't include was how Coryn had been seen with various other men over the years. While he had never been photographed with anyone other than her since they'd started "dating", he had been seen with several women prior to meeting her. It also did not reflect the fact that their relationship was now over, and that he had been the one to end things.

The only reason that it would not state that fact, is because Coryn had asked him to continue with the ruse of their "happy relationship", until after the Sports Illustrated cover hit the stands. In other words, she did not want anything to hinder her chances of being selected as the cover model for the magazine's coveted swimsuit edition. Shane had ended things with Coryn right before the show, which she really hadn't cared one way or the other about, but once they'd left her dressing room, Shane had been caught off guard by the slew of reporters waiting outside in the hallway. Coryn had smiled as she'd slid her arm around his waist and whispered in his ear to keep the lie going while the cameras were rolling, and stupidly, he had. Now, Shane was regretting that damn decision more than ever, because if Mackenzie had seen the article, it may have ruined any chances that he'd ever had with her.

Thinking about what Cantrell had suggested about reaching out to Jasmine, Shane decided that if there was any chance of him ever having a future with the first woman that he'd ever fallen in love with, he'd need help winning her heart. And Shane just prayed that Mackenzie was willing to allow him the opportunity to fight for her.