“No, I’m not.” He grabbed the photo of him and Amelia.
“Have you read today’s paper?”
“I’ve read enough from the press.” If he heard another word against Chantelle, he may rant on Facebook like everyone else was doing. Why shouldn’t they get a piece of his mind?
“I think you should, son. It explains everything.” His father cleared his throat. “It explains things I never understood. I guess... I didn’t want to.”
His father was getting personal? On the job? What article was he talking about?
“For what it’s worth...” His father paused. Was that remorse in his eyes? Lance had never seen him this vulnerable. “Your mother and I are sorry.”
He stepped back out into the hall, but Lance called out to him.
“Dad?”
His father pivoted to face him. “Yes?”
“Thanks.” That’s all he had, and it seemed to please his father. The moment shocked Lance. He didn’t know what else to say.
His dad disappeared into the hallway, and Lance rubbed his eyes. Did he hear correctly? His father apologized. Perhaps he needed to pull up the article and read it. He looked outside his office window, noting the grayish cast to the light. People with umbrellas walked up and down the sidewalk, and a few holes and hollows formed puddles.
Then his phone jumbled on the table. Andrea?
“Can I call you back?” He asked. “I’m packing up my office.”
“Have you been on social media? This is a mess.”
“I’ve seen a few comments. It’ll blow over.” The thought sounded good.
“I think you and I need to issue a statement.”
“Who leaked the story, Andrea? Do you know?” He asked.
Silence.
“Andrea?”
“I fired him so it’s over,” she said.
“Fired whom?”
“It was my agent, Lance. He said he did it to boost my career. He thought the public would sympathize with me,” Andrea said.
Adrenaline rushed through Lance’s body. Then he pushed his rolling office chair back, only for it to hit his bookshelf. He paced the floor with his phone in hand. “Have you said anything?”
“I’ve gone off the grid. The comments are too much. Someone even commented that it was my fault and I’m too independent. Ugh! People!”
“Calm down. I know the feeling.” He rubbed at his chin. “When are you talking about releasing a statement?”
“I have a new agent and she thinks the sooner the better. She thinks a live interview on my page will work. I have more followers on Instagram so I can turn the comments off.”
“I don’t care to be on camera.”
She sighed. “What else can we do?”
Lance rubbed the back of his head. “What about a regular interview? I’m sure there are tons of magazines wanting your statement.”
“They do.”