She texted back. If you say so.
Vik pulled his phone out and replied to her text while speaking. “Or something. A glossy celebrity gossip magazine has already offered a two-page spread announcing our formal engagement in exchange for exclusive photos of a lavish, well-attended wedding reception.”
“We’re engaged now?” Had she missed something between the text convo and their in-person discussion?
Vik didn’t answer, but waited in silence for her to come to her own conclusion.
“It’s the best way to stop any more dirty snow falling in this avalanche,” Conrad said unctuously.
“Dirty snow? Really?” she asked sarcastically.
“Do you have a better word for it?”
“Perrygate.”
“Appropriate, but don’t use it on your social networks,” Conrad instructed her. “It implies a negative rift between you and Mr. Timwater. We’re dismissing all this as a joke gone wrong.”
“Then you can play it off as the bad joke that ruined a friendship. I won’t play nice with Perry.” She couldn’t.
Conrad frowned thoughtfully. “It would be better for you to be seen as the forgiving friend. Waiting a few months to cut the man from your life will increase your popularity.”
“I don’t care.”
“Timwater isn’t coming within a hundred feet of Madison, not even to apologize.” Vik’s voice brooked no argument.
And Conrad proved he was more intelligent than other evidence to the contrary because he didn’t make one. “Fine. Fine.” He started taking notes. “‘The Prank That Ended a Friendship.’ I can use that. We can spin the angle even. ‘The Bad Joke That Almost Ended an Engagement.’”
Maddie looked at Vik. “Is he for real?”
Part of her knew this was the way things had to be, that Conrad was just doing his job, but having her life reduced to clichés and headlines was not fun.
“It’s going to be okay, Madison.” Vik pulled her cold hand into his own. “Trust me.”
He had never hesitated to invade her personal space, or to touch her, though she’d never noticed him being so free with others. It was one of the reasons she’d convinced her eighteen-year-old self that Vik might return her feelings.
She’d realized later that the small touches were probably the result of the way his Russian grandparents had raised him. Maddie had figured she hadn’t seen him behave that way with others because he had so few personal relationships.
None but his grandparents and her father that she’d ever actually come into contact with.
That was one thing she and Vik had in common.
A very small inner circle.
She didn’t comment on this now, just gave thanks for the fact he was willing to offer her the kind of comfort she needed and had never been able to ask for.
Vik squeezed her fingers. “Conrad is one of the best in the business. Before this morning I would have said the best.”
Conrad flinched, proving he’d been listening even as he typed.
“And our engagement is the only way to restore my reputation?” she asked almost rhetorically.
She didn’t see another way out, either.
Her father had more leverage for his plan than he could possibly comprehend. The realization of Maddie and Romi’s dreams relied on a reputation Maddie could not afford to lose.
Vik frowned. “I’m sorry, Madison, but nothing is going to make the story go away completely.”
“Why not?” Media fixers worked miracles.
Isn’t that what everyone said? If they couldn’t fix this, her and Romi’s dreams were going to crash and burn. There was no way Maddie was going to let that happen.
Conrad looked up from his tablet. “Some people will always believe that where there is or was smoke, there had to be some ember of fire.”
“But there isn’t one.”
The twist of Conrad’s lips said he was probably one of those people.
Vik’s hand moved to Maddie’s thigh, bringing her attention careening back to him and him alone. “I believe you.”
“No matter what the press has claimed, I’ve never even had a serious boyfriend,” she admitted painfully.
Something flared in Vik’s eyes, but he just nodded. “You’ve been too busy getting into trouble.”
“Not this kind of trouble.”
“I know.”
“And not even my usual in the last six months.”
Conrad’s head snapped up. “Is that true?”
“I haven’t done anything zany or even remotely newsworthy since I broke my pelvis in that botched skydiving landing.”
Conrad narrowed his gaze. “What about parties? Random hookups?”