Chapter 2
New York
The guys were all congregating in Jacob, Dan and Ashley’s hotel room. Jacob sat on the bed, his guitar in his hands, playing softly while the other guys sat around watching a movie and getting popcorn all over the room.
"Way to make a mess, fellas," Jacob said.
"Oh, and you’re Mr. Neat and Tidy?" Erik asked as he threw a handful of popcorn at Jacob. Jacob stopped playing and ate the popcorn that had landed on him. A knock on the door made everyone look up. Dan went over and let Mike C. into the room.
"Don’t we have anything planned for the rest of the day?" Ashley asked. "I’m, like, actually bored." Mike smiled.
"An interview is scheduled for 4:30. It won’t be long. It’s for a website. Then, after we get some dinner, you’ll come back here and pack. We leave tomorrow morning to go back to Orlando," he told them.
"Home sweet home!" Erik yelled and jumped on the bed next to Jacob.
"Yeah, but then you’ll have choreography and vocal rehearsals, as well as, four hour workouts. You have to get ready for all of the radio show performances that you’ve got coming up," Mike said. Erik groaned.
"It won’t be that bad, Erik…will it?" Trevor asked, looking at Mike. Mike just smiled.
"Mike, I don’t like that smile," Ashley yelled, as Mike turned to leave. "Mike!"
"Be ready by 4," Mike said as he left the room, the door slamming shut behind him. Ashley lay down on the floor and sighed.
"No rest for the weary, guys," he said and then sat up. "Plus that reporter, photographer, whatever person will be coming soon. It’s gonna be weird being watched, not knowing, like, what he’s thinking and stuff."
"Mike said that not everything will be put in the article," Erik told him as he rolled over and sat up.
"How do we know that?" Jacob asked. "Like Ashley said, who knows what this guy’s gonna be thinking. He’ll put whatever the hell he wants in that article."
"Don’t go getting all upset just yet. Let’s wait until we actually meet the guy. If we don’t like him, then we can always talk to the Mikes and get rid of him," Dan told them. Jacob leaned back against the headboard of the bed and smirked.
"Yeah, right. You wish we had that much control over things, Dan. Keep dreaming. Right now we’re told what to do and we do it," he said as he started to play his guitar again.
"That’s not true, Jake," Erik said. "We’re given a lot of freedom. The management and J Records, they care about what we think." Jacob looked at him.
"Right. Is that why I was taken off of almost every song on the album? Did they care about what I thought? They don’t even know my goddamn name, Erik. They don’t even know good music when they hear it and they’re supposed to be the ‘experts.’ That’s bullshit. We have no real control. They just make us think that we do. They do what they want and the hell with who’s actually doing all of the work," he said.
Ashley looked at Jacob and frowned. He knew that Jacob was often argumentative about things that he didn’t agree with, but badmouthing the record company wasn’t good. "Jake, you need to cool it when that reporter is here. You can’t go dissing the record company," he said to him. Jacob didn’t even look up. He was outspoken and opinionated. If he wanted to diss the record company, then he’d diss the record company. Everything he had said was true anyway.
The group was quiet. The soft strumming from Jacob’s guitar was the only sound in the room. Finally, Erik and Trevor left to go back to their own room to get ready for their interview. Ashley and Dan resumed watching the movie and Jacob continued to play his guitar, the frown still on his face.
Orlando
Maria sipped a glass of wine as she sat at the bar of a local club where she frequently hung out…when she had time, that is. It was almost 6 and she was meeting her best friend, Kathleen Burns, for a drink and Maria also wanted her input about the assignment that Kyle had offered her. Maria had been thinking about it all afternoon and her head felt like it was going to explode if she didn’t make up her mind.
"May I sit down?" a familiar voice asked. Maria smiled as Kathleen took a seat beside her. Maria had met Kathleen when she had first come to Orlando. They had met in a Laundromat and had laughed over the fact that Maria had accidentally put colors and whites together---ruining some very good clothing.
Kathleen was 22 and a drama student. She had the looks of an actress. She was tall, fit and very pretty. She had shoulder length, stylishly cut, blonde hair and blue eyes. What Maria liked about her was that she wasn’t full of herself. She was very down-to-earth and nice. She had a temper and was very opinionated, but she was one of the nicest people Maria had ever met. Maria loved her like a sister.
"How was class?" Maria asked her as Kathleen ordered a glass of wine. Kathleen smiled.
"Okay. My scene partner had trouble remembering his lines, so it took twice as long to get through the damn thing," she said, smiling at the bartender as he put her wine down in front of her. "How goes things in pictureland?" she asked as she sipped her wine. Maria sighed. "Uh, oh. That good, huh?" Kathleen asked. "What’s wrong?"
"Well, Kyle offered me an assignment today," Maria told her. Kathleen frowned.
"That’s great. Why are you so down about it?" she asked.
"Because the assignment is, well, it’s not the best assignment I could’ve gotten," Maria answered, fingering the bottom of her wine glass.
"What’s the assignment?" Maria looked at Kathleen and took a deep breath.
"I’m supposed to spend three months with a boy band, interviewing them as a group, then doing individual interviews, as well as taking their pictures," she said.
"That sounds good. It’s like a whole feature article," Kathleen commented.
"It’s a cover story, actually," Maria said. Kathleen frowned.
"Then what the hell’s the problem?" she asked. Maria shrugged.
"It’s boring…a fluff piece. I want to do something serious, something that will make a difference and will make people really think," she said. Kathleen rolled her eyes.
"It’s your first assignment, Maria. You can’t hope to get an interview with the President of the United States or anything," she told her.
"But a boy band? Come on. Who’s gonna be interested in that?" Maria asked, finishing her wine and motioning to the bartender to re-fill her glass.
"Teenage girls will be interested in that…me too, actually. You know I like pop music. So, which boy band? N’Sync? Backstreet Boys? Or some group no one knows," Kathleen asked. Maria looked at her.
"Ever hear of O-Town?" she asked. Kathleen nodded and smiled.
"That group that was put together on that TV show? Sure. I even watched it a few times. Tell me again why you’re so against this assignment. If I remember the show and what the group looked like, you’re going to be hanging out with five very hot guys for…" she stopped and looked at Maria questioningly.
"Three months," Maria told her.
"…for three months and in that time, you get to interview them and take their pictures. What’s wrong with that?" Kathleen asked. Maria sighed. Kathleen didn’t get it. Maria was serious about her work and she didn’t see ‘assignment O-Town’ as anything special.
"Look, Maria, it’s a step in the right direction. You’re getting a cover story where you get to take the pictures and write the article. How long have you been bitching to me that that’s all you want to do? Write and photograph. This is a huge chance and you’d be stupid to not take it." Maria looked at Kathleen.
"Really?" she asked.
"Sure. If I were offered a part on a soap such as, say, ‘All My Children,’ I wouldn’t expect to be given material like Susan Lucci gets. I’d be happy with just a walk-on part with no lines. Like I said, you have to start somewhere," Kathleen told her. Maria sighed and sipped her wine. Maybe Kathleen was right. She couldn’t be picky. What Kyle was offering her was big: a cover/feature article and photo credits all in one. It’s what Maria had been waiting for. She couldn’t pass it up.
"Well then, let’s toast to my new assignment. I just hope that I won’t have to be drunk to get through it," Maria said as they clinked their glasses together and both laughed.
An hour later, Maria took a deep breath as she stood outside of Kyle’s office door. She knocked and was grateful when he answered right away.
"Come in," he called. Maria walked into the office and smiled. Kyle looked up, surprised to see her. "I didn’t expect to see you again tonight. Have a seat," he said. Maria sat down. She had only had three glasses of wine, but she was feeling kind of dizzy. She was glad that Kathleen had agreed to drive her to see Kyle. Kathleen had only had one glass of wine, which she hadn’t even finished, so she was okay.
"I’ve made a decision," Maria told him. Kyle nodded, waiting for her to continue. "I’ll do it." Kyle smiled.
"I knew that you wouldn’t pass up an opportunity like this. I’m glad," he said as he stood up. Maria did too, but she wasn’t too steady on her feet. "I see that you had a few drinks to help you make up your mind," Kyle said and laughed.
"Actually, my friend, Kathleen, convinced me. I can’t be picky here. I’ve wanted to write an article and take the photos for an article written by me forever. I have to accept your offer," she said.
"Great. You go home and get some rest and I’ll fill you in tomorrow about all of the little details. Also, you need to talk to Alexandra about accompanying you as the group’s stylist. I know that they have their own stylists, but I’m sure that you’ll know what kind of pictures you want…so having someone with you who knows you will make it easier. Susan, of course, will be going with you, too," Kyle said. Maria nodded. She said ‘goodbye’ and made her way out to Kathleen’s car.
"Well? Was he there? Did you tell him?" she asked as Maria buckled her seat belt.
"Yeah, he knows. God, Kathleen, what am I doing?" she asked. Kathleen smiled as she drove out of the parking lot.
"You’re just starting what is going to be a successful career doing what you love," she said. Maria put her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.
New York
"You’re done packing already?" Ashley asked Jacob, who was lying on his bed, his forearm over his eyes.
"Yeah," Jacob replied, not moving his arm. Ashley looked at the pile of clothes that was on his own bed and sighed.
"Maybe I shouldn’t bring so much stuff on these trips," he said. Dan laughed as he came out of the bathroom.
"Maybe, Ash," he said as he finished putting the rest of his things in his bag. Jacob moved his arm and looked over at Ashley.
"You’re getting as bad as Erik," he said. Ashley threw a shirt at him.
"I am not," he said. Jacob threw the shirt back and smiled as he propped himself up on his arms.
"You’re right. No one’s as bad as Erik when it comes to having a lot of clothes," he said. "I apologize." Ashley smiled.
"I accept your apology," he said. A knock at the door drew their attention and Dan went to answer it. The two Mikes, Trevor and Erik entered the room. Erik lay down at Jacob’s feet, while Trevor sat on Ashley’s bed.
"Hey, don’t sit on my clothes," Ashley protested, pushing Trevor off of the bed and onto the floor. Trevor shook his head.
"Only girls have that many clothes," he said.
"Dude, you just called Erik a girl." Jacob smirked. Erik sat up and pretended to be deeply offended.
"Excuse me? At least I have some fashion sense," he said. Jacob kicked him.
"Guys, can we please discuss some business here?" Mike M. asked. Erik hit Jacob’s leg before giving the Mikes his attention. "I spoke with Kyle Walsh again and it turns out that he won’t be the one doing the article or the pictures, but he says that the person he gave the assignment to is excellent and that you guys will be more than happy with her."
"Her?" Trevor asked, perking up. He looked at the other guys.
"A girl? How cool is that?" Erik asked with a smile. Jacob rolled his eyes and lay back down.
"Yes, ‘her.’ She’s Walsh’s star intern and he says that her work is above anything he’s ever seen from anyone who has interned for him. She’s been his right hand ‘man,’ as it were, for a while now and he swears by her talent. Both her photography and writing skills," Mike C. told them.
"How old is she?" Ashley asked. Mike shrugged.
"Walsh didn’t say," he replied. "Now, finish packing. You’ll get to meet her next week." The Mikes left the room and the guys all sat in silence thinking about the intern who would be spending three months with them.
"I bet she’s one of those geeky A/V types," Erik said. Jacob kicked him again.
"Shut up, dude. You don’t even know her and already you’re judging her," he said. Erik shrugged.
"I’m just wondering what she’s like," he told him.
"Well, just wait until next week when we get to meet her," Jacob said. Woman or not, Jacob still intended to keep his distance from her…after all she was still a reporter who would be sticking her nose into their lives for three months. ‘I don’t need anyone butting into my life right now,’ Jacob thought. The public’s ‘right to know’ had gotten out of hand. ‘My business is nobody’s but my own.’ Jacob closed his eyes. The other guys hung around a little longer before going to bed. They would be very happy to return home tomorrow.
Orlando
Maria entered her loft and closed the door behind her. She turned on the light and watched as the room spun just a bit. She saw Heathcliff sleeping in his cat bed beside the couch in the living room, which was straight ahead of her. Maria walked slowly towards the living room, stumbling a bit up the step that separated the foyer from the living area. She plopped down onto the couch and sighed.
"Where have you been?" Geoff asked as he came out of the bedroom and turned on a lamp beside the couch. Maria squinted at him. "Have you been drinking?" he asked.
"Just a little. I’m tired…and a little tipsy. I only had three glasses of wine. It wasn’t a big deal," she said.
"Who were you with?" Geoff asked as he stood in front of her. She looked up at him.
"Kathleen, if you must know. Who’d you think?" she asked him. He shrugged.
"Well, you do work late nights a lot. How am I supposed to know who you’re with?" Maria was shocked.
"Are you accusing me of cheating on you?" She asked, laughing. Geoff frowned.
"What’s so funny?" he asked. Maria stood up. Suddenly, she was feeling much more sober.
"Why the hell would you suspect me of cheating on you? You know where I spend my nights. I went out with Kathleen to discuss my new assignment. That’s all," she said.
"What new assignment?" Geoff then asked. Maria took a deep breath. She went into the kitchen and put on the teakettle. Geoff followed her and stood with his arms crossed, looking at her. Maria looked right back.
"I’m going away for a few months. I’m going to be traveling with a band and I’m going to write a cover story and take the photos for the story during those three months," she said.
"I don’t think so," was Geoff’s response. Maria glared at him.
"Oh, I think so," she said as she waited for the water in the teakettle to boil. Geoff looked furious."We never see each other as it is and you’re going away for a few months? Are you crazy?" he asked.
"No, Geoff. I work. I know that you’re still taking classes, but who’s the one who is working her ass off to pay for this loft? Who’s the one who is basically supporting us right now? Me, that’s who. Besides, this is an opportunity that I can’t pass up," Maria told him as the kettle started to whistle. She poured the boiling water into a mug and put a tea bag in it.
"If you don’t want me living here, then why don’t I move out?" Geoff asked. Maria looked sharply at him.
"I never said that I wanted you to move. Geoff, you have to support what I do. I do it to pay for everything," she said.
"Dammit, Maria, no kidding! You keep reminding me of that. When I get a job, I’ll help you. Why do you have to be such a bitch about it?" Geoff yelled. Maria stared daggers at him.
"Why are you being such an asshole? It’s only for three stupid months. You’ll survive without me," she said as she picked up her mug and started to walk by him. He swung out his arm to stop her and accidentally hit her arm, causing the boiling tea to spill all over her hand. Maria almost screamed from the pain. Geoff looked shocked. Maria dropped the mug and ran to the sink, putting her burned hand under cold running water.
"Maria, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to…" Geoff stuttered.
"Get away from me. I don’t want to see you right now," Maria growled at him. Geoff looked worriedly at her before he grabbed his jacket and left, slamming the door behind him. Maria fought back the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes. She saw her hand turning a bright shade of red as she held it under the cold water.
After putting some ointment on her burn and wrapping it with a bandage, Maria changed and got into bed. Heathcliff managed to climb up into the bed with her and she held him, letting his warm, furry, purring body soothe her frazzled nerves. She and Geoff had had their share of arguments, but he had never lashed out at her. Even if he was just trying to stop her from walking away, he had still hurt her…physically. Maria was strong and she would never put up with a guy hurting her that way again. ‘Do I love him?’ she asked herself and sighed. She thought that she did, but maybe she was just kidding herself. Or maybe she was just angry right now and things would be different in a few days or so.
Maria’s relationship with Geoff was an odd one. They had been together for almost two years and he had yet to tell her that he loved her. Then again, she hadn’t told him that she loved him either. They had fun together and it was nice to have someone there when she needed him, but when she didn’t want him there, it was awkward. Maria was terrified of ending up alone, though. She didn’t think that she was the marriage type and she wasn’t ready for kids---but who at her age was? She didn’t even want to think about kids right now. Maria had her career. That came first, even before Geoff, which was probably why he was acting the way that he was. Well, that was too bad. Geoff knew when he had first started dating Maria that she was serious about a career in photography and writing. He had accepted it. Why all of a sudden was it such an issue with him now? To Maria, he was acting selfish. She wasn’t going to be tied down or told what to do. She wanted her freedom and if Geoff refused to give her that freedom, then Maria wouldn’t think twice about breaking up with him.
Maria pet Heathcliff gently until he fell asleep. She then lay down and closed her eyes, falling asleep with the light on.
The next day
"Oh, man, it is so good to see the house again!" Erik exclaimed as the limo pulled into the driveway of O-Town’s estate.
"I never realize how long we’re gone until we come home," Ashley said as the limo stopped and Mike C. opened the door.
"What?" Dan asked, looking at Ashley with a confused look on his face. The guys all followed Mike out of the limo and stretched their aching muscles.
"I can’t sit that long," Jacob groaned as he stretched.
"You getting soft in your old age, Jake?" Trevor asked as he hit him on the back.
"Yeah, he’s almost 21 you know?" Erik added. Jacob just shook his head. They collected their luggage and dragged it into the house. The place was stuffy from being shut up for so long, so the Mikes went around opening windows to air it out. Dan, Trevor, Erik and Ashley all headed upstairs to their rooms, while Jacob went out past the pool area to the guesthouse, which was where his room was located.
Jacob dropped his things onto his bed and smiled. It was good to be home. He looked around his small room. There was a mural of an underwater ocean scene on one wall. A huge octopus was right in the center. It was a little piece of California that Jacob had wanted with him. His guitar collection hung on the walls. The acoustic guitars, which he used to build before the auditions for the band came about, were his favorites. Jacob sighed as he looked around. It was good to be home. Unfortunately, they’d be leaving again for three months. ‘Enjoy it while it lasts,’ he thought. He picked up his cell phone and dialed his mother’s number. He missed his family painfully. He missed California. He missed…his old life. But, he was doing what he wanted: he was making music and he was becoming successful, despite what the critics said.
"Hello?"
"Hi, mom, it’s me," Jacob said. He could practically hear his mother smiling through the phone.
"Jacob! Are you home?" Mechele Underwood asked her son.
"Yes. We just got back to the house. Our schedule isn’t gonna get any easier though. We have practices and rehearsals until we leave again on the 27th," he told her. He sat down on his bed and kicked off his sneakers.
"Oh, well, you knew that it wouldn’t be easy. I just wish that I heard from you more often," Mechele said. Jacob sighed.
"I know. I try, but…"
"Oh, honey, I understand. Don’t feel guilty. I can’t say that I know what you’re going through and I miss you, but I know that God is watching out for you," she told him. Jacob nodded. He came from a very devout, Christian family and he did his best to maintain his strong religious beliefs and keep his faith. That’s why he carried his Bible with him on every trip that the band took. He’d be lost without it.
"I know that He is, mom. I miss you, too. How’s Janie? Have you seen her?" Jacob asked, his heart hurting as he said her name.
"Yes, she’s fine. She hopes that you’re doing well and she’s glad that the two of you are still friends and always will be," Mechele told him, trying her best to make him feel better about the breakup.
"I just couldn’t do that to her anymore, mom. It wasn’t fair. I really tried, but the more that she got pushed aside, the more it hurt me to see her hurt by that. I couldn’t watch it happen anymore," Jacob told her.
"I know, Jacob, and so does she. Really, she’s glad that you can now focus only on what you want to do with your life, which is make music. Love will come later. If not with Janie, then with someone else," Mechele said.
"Jacob!" Erik’s voice called from somewhere below him.
"Mom, I gotta go. I love you," Jacob told her.
"I love you, too. Thank you for calling."
"I’ll always find time to call you, don’t worry," Jacob said. After she said ‘goodbye,’ Jacob hung up. Erik appeared at the doorway to his bedroom.
"Dude, the Mikes want to see us," he said. Jacob nodded and stood up. "Are you okay?" Erik asked, concern on his face for his band mate. Jacob smiled.
"Yeah, I’m fine. Let’s go," he said as he followed Erik down the stairs of the guesthouse.
Maria entered a room that looked like her old high school home economics room. There were a couple of sewing machines, a few long tables, and material scattered throughout the room, both on the tables and the floor. Pins littered the floor and there were tape measures, scissors and spools of thread lying about. The room was located at the back of the building, opposite where the photo studio and lab were. Clothes thrown on both the tables and the floor completed the mess.
A pretty, petite young woman was in the middle of the messy room, her arms around a naked, male mannequin. Maria smiled.
"Are you really that desperate, Alex?" she asked. Alexandra Hernandez turned around quickly at the sound of Maria’s voice. She had pins in her mouth and a tape measure around her neck. Pulling the pins from her mouth, Alex glared at Maria.
"Shut up, Maria. Not everyone has a hottie like you do," she said. "I’m measuring, so get your head out of the gutter." Alex was a stylist that worked for Star Power. She was 23 years old and she had dark brown hair with blonde highlights that reached down a little past her shoulders. Her skin was a light, caramel color and she had big brown eyes. She also had a slight Puerto Rican accent. Maria considered her another one of her best friends. In fact, Maria often consulted Alex when Kyle gave her a photo shoot to set up for him. Alex had an amazing eye for fashion that Maria admired. She seemed to know exactly what looked right and what didn’t on certain types of people.
"Well, I might not have a hottie anymore," Maria told her. She hadn’t spoken to Geoff since he’d left the loft last night. She suspected that he went to stay with Kevin, but he had yet to call her and she sure as hell wasn’t going to call him.
"What happened?" Alex asked as she walked over to stand in front of Maria. Maria looked down at her bandaged hand that throbbed. The skin wasn’t blistering, but it still hurt…a lot.
"We had a disagreement," was all Maria said. "Listen, I came here to ask you if you want to come along on my first assignment." Alex frowned.
"Kyle gave you an assignment? Do tell," she said as she sat down on the edge of one of the tables.
"It’s for the August issue’s cover story. I’m going to hang out with a band for three months and interview and photograph them for the feature. It’s going to be interesting, I hope. Anyway, Kyle told me to ask you to come as my stylist. Susan’s also coming as my assistant," Maria explained. Alex’s eyebrows raised and she nodded.
"Wow. I’m impressed. Kyle must think very highly of you to give you such a big job," she told her. Maria just shrugged.
"It’s not much---just some article about a boy band. No big deal," she said nonchalantly.
"Boy band?" Alex’s face lit up. "As in cute, perfect-looking, boys?" Maria rolled her eyes.
"You can follow them around panting with Susan. I’m going to be concentrating on my job," she said. "I have a boyfriend, remember. At least, I think I do." Maria looked at the floor. Alex shook her head.
"Mr. ‘Macho Geoff’ loves you, girl. Don’t be worrying about him," she said. "Sure I’ll go with you. It sounds like fun." Maria looked up at her.
"Really?" she asked. Alex looked at her like she was dumb.
"Um…yeah. Boy band, Maria. Boy band. Now does it sound like fun?" she asked with a smirk. Maria stared at her blankly.
"No," she said, honestly. Alex shook her head again.
"You’re crazy. Fine, you work while Susan and I play," she said as she walked back over to her mannequin.
Maria turned around and walked slowly back to the photo lab. She went in and sat down on the couch. Susan appeared a minute later and smiled at her.
"Kyle told me that you decided to do the article. Good for you. Is there anything that you need?" she asked. Maria nodded.
"Get me as many pictures of O-Town as you can find. I want an idea as to how I’ll go about shooting them before I meet them," she said. Susan nodded.
"I hear that Popstar! magazine loves those guys. I’ll be back," she said as she left the room.
"Popstar!? Great," Maria said out loud. She had mixed feelings about this assignment. But, she’d just do her job and get it over with.
O-Town sat around their recreation room waiting until one of the Mikes said something. Jacob and Erik sat on the couch, while Ashley was on a chair. Trevor and Dan sat on the floor in front of the couch at Jacob and Erik’s feet. Finally, Mike M. looked up.
"I just spoke with Kyle Walsh again and it’s been finalized. His assistant has decided to do the article and take the pictures, so Walsh will be arriving with her in a couple of days so that she could meet you," he said.
"Wait. She just ‘decided’ to do it? What? She didn’t want to or something?" Jacob asked. What kind of a woman was this? She got to choose who or what she wrote about and took pictures of? It didn’t make sense.
"Relax, Jacob. Walsh kinda surprised her with this offer and she was hesitant to do it at first, but she’s since thought about it and it will be a good opportunity for her, so she’s agreed to do it," Mike C. told them.
"She doesn’t even know who we are, does she?" Jacob asked. Erik looked at him.
"Jacob, calm down. We’ll meet her in a couple of days…then she’ll know who we are," he said with a smile. Jacob shut up. He wasn’t going to argue about it. It wouldn’t get him anywhere anyway.
"Please try to be respectful and courteous around her," Mike M. told them.
"But still be real, right Mike?" Ashley asked. Jacob sighed.
"Either we act like ourselves or not. Which is it?" he asked, exasperated.
"Guys, just act like you usually do. Just like you did when the cameras were around. There’s no need to get uptight about this. She’ll be on the sidelines mostly watching you. The only time that you’ll have to talk directly to her is during the interviews," Mike C. said. Trevor laughed.
"Yeah, and the rest of the time, what? We ignore her?" he asked. Jacob smiled. That had been his plan all along. Mike just shrugged. The meeting appeared to be over.