Chapter 447 - Paid Vacation

Chapter 447: Chapter 447 - Paid Vacation

Roxie pushed open the front door of the Brooklyn townhouse with her shoulder, kicked it closed behind her and dropped her bag onto the nearest chair.

"I’m on leave," she announced loudly.

Karen looked up from the couch while Angela lowered her phone.

"You?" Karen repeated, sounding genuinely offended by the idea. "On leave?"

Roxie rolled her eyes as she walked past them toward the kitchen. Karen was still in the charcoal gray suit Roxie had seen her leave in that morning, somehow looking just as immaculate after an entire day at work. Her long, straight hair from high school was gone, replaced by a sleek dark bob that curved neatly around her jaw. She still favored the same dark eye makeup, although she’d learned to wear it with a sophistication that made her sharp features look even more intimidating. Roxie had spent years wondering how Karen could sit, walk, work and apparently breathe without putting a single crease in anything she wore.

"Paid leave," Roxie added as she opened the refrigerator. "Apparently that’s supposed to make me feel better."

Karen slowly placed her cranberry juice on the coffee table. "What happened?"

Roxie pulled out the bottle of wine they had opened the night before and checked what was left. There was barely enough for a glass, which seemed about right for the kind of evening she was having.

She poured it anyway and took a long drink before walking back into the living room.

"They moved me."

"Moved you where?" Angela asked, following every move Roxie made with her eyes.

Angela was curled up on the other end of the couch in a fitted cream camisole with a low neckline and a short satin skirt that showed off her long legs. Her soft curls were still the same as Roxie remembered from high school, falling loosely around her shoulders, although her style had become considerably more daring over the years. A pair of expensive heels lay abandoned beside the couch, and several shopping bags sat near the stairs.

Roxie dropped into the armchair across from them.

"Sports."

For a moment, neither woman said anything. Then Angela’s mouth started twitching, and Roxie immediately pointed her glass at her.

"Whatever is happening in your head right now, keep it there."

"I didn’t say anything."

Karen ignored both of them. "What’s this about?"

Roxie lifted the glass before taking another drink. "Apparently being rumored to fuck the CEO is enough to remove me from the evening desk."

Angela’s expression changed. "They really said that?"

"They used nicer words."

"Was Harrison there?"

"Yes."

"And?"

Roxie laughed without humor. "And suddenly a man who can talk for forty minutes without breathing had nothing useful to say."

Karen winced.

"I wonder if his wife had a knife under that table," Roxie added.

Angela giggled. "Seems like he let you take the fall."

"He absolutely let me take the fucking fall."

Roxie leaned back and rubbed one hand over her forehead. Six years with Crestline, two of them behind the evening desk, and somehow one rumor had become more important than every story she had fought to get on air.

"They gave me two weeks paid administrative leave while they work out the reassignment."

Karen smirked. "You know, I happen to know a good lawyer."

Roxie looked at her.

"A really good one."

"Of course you do."

"We sue them, you get a giant settlement and retire."

Roxie stared at her. "I’m twenty-eight."

"Early retirement."

"To do what?"

Karen glanced around the townhouse. "Drink wine here full time?"

Angela laughed.

Roxie lifted her middle finger at both of them and finished what remained in her glass.

The irritating part was that she had already thought about calling a lawyer. She had spent most of the ride home thinking about it. Crestline had used her face in advertisements, sent her across the country for major stories and happily introduced her as one of their rising anchors whenever it suited them. Now the same network wanted to move her quietly because gossip around Harrison had become inconvenient.

She could fight them, and she probably would, but broadcast news was smaller than viewers imagined. Executives changed networks, producers moved between stations and everyone somehow knew everyone else’s business.

"What network takes me after I sue Crestline?" Roxie asked.

Karen frowned. "You haven’t even spoken to a lawyer yet."

"I will. I’m not signing anything before somebody looks at it."

Angela leaned back against the couch. "Maybe sports won’t be that bad."

Roxie slowly turned toward her, already suspicious when Angela tried to keep her face straight.

"Angela."

"What?"

"That stupid face."

Karen glanced between them and immediately started smiling too.

Angela shrugged. "I was only going to say you might enjoy the department."

"I’ve never heard you voluntarily discuss sports in your life."

"That doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it."

Roxie narrowed her eyes.

Angela’s smile finally broke. "You might meet someone."

"Shut up."

Karen laughed into her cranberry juice.

Roxie pushed herself out of the chair. "I need more wine."

"You finished the bottle," Karen said.

"We have another."

"We were saving it."

Roxie stopped halfway to the kitchen and looked back. "For what?"

Karen glanced at Angela. "Apparently this."

"Exactly."

She returned a minute later with a fresh bottle and started working on the cork while Karen reached for her phone.

"Speaking of things that are about to annoy you," Karen said.

Roxie groaned. "I’ve had enough today."

"You’re on paid leave for two weeks."

"Yes. Thank you for reminding me."

"So technically you’re free."

"Being professionally exiled is different from vacation."

"But your schedule is free."

Roxie looked between Karen and Angela. Both of them had the same expression now, and immediately Roxie knew something had been discussed without her.

"What?"

Karen opened something on her phone.

Roxie pointed at her. "Whatever you two planned, cancel it."

"Kendall’s wedding."

Roxie blinked. "What about it?"

"It’s next week."

"I know."

"In Italy."

"I also know where Italy is."

Angela leaned over the back of the couch. "Lake Como."

Roxie looked at her. "Yes, Angela. Still Italy."

Karen smiled.

Roxie slowly lowered her wineglass. "No."

"I haven’t asked anything yet."

"You’re about to."

"You’re on leave."

"No."

"You have nowhere you need to be."

"I have a lawyer to find and possibly a career to save."

"Lawyers have phones."

Roxie laughed. "That is your argument?"

Angela nodded. "Also, Italy has wine."

Roxie glanced down at her glass. "Finally, somebody presents a serious point."

Karen leaned forward. "Come with us."

"No."

"Kendall already assumed you couldn’t because of work."

"She was correct."

"You currently have no work."

Roxie stared at her.

Karen winced. "Bad wording."

"Very."

Angela started laughing.

Roxie took another drink. "I’m staying here."

"To do what?" Karen asked. "Sit around getting angrier every time somebody from Crestline emails you?"

"Yes."

"That sounds healthy."

Roxie shrugged.

Angela leaned forward. "Kendall will be happy. We’ll be there. You haven’t taken a proper vacation in forever, and Crestline is literally paying you to stay away from the office."

"That last part still hurts every time one of you says it. Besides, I already told Kendall I couldn’t go."

Surprisingly, Kendall had become something close to a friend over the years. Roxie still wouldn’t call her sweet because that would be a fucking lie, but she had mellowed. Slightly. Apparently finding a serious boyfriend and growing up could even make Kendall tolerable.

Karen waved that away. "She’ll get over the change of plans."

"We’ll have more fun if you’re there," Angela added. "Plus, the team’s going. It’ll sort of be a reunion."

Roxie paused with her glass halfway to her mouth.

"The team?"

Angela nodded. "A lot of them are coming. Kendall’s been talking about it for weeks."

Roxie hadn’t attended a reunion. She barely even went back anymore. At first she had avoided anything that might put her in the same place as Zac, then years passed and avoiding those things simply became normal.

Maybe going wouldn’t be terrible.

Italy was far enough from work that Crestline couldn’t ruin every morning. Kendall’s wedding meant free alcohol, good food and people Roxie hadn’t seen in years. It might actually take her mind off the bullshit waiting for her in New York.

Still, there was one thing she wanted to know before agreeing.

"Is he coming?"

Karen slowly lowered her phone.

"Oh my God, Roxie."

Roxie frowned. "What?"

"It’s been ten years already."

"I know how long it’s been."

"Then why are you asking about him?"

"Because you just told me the entire team is going."

Angela rolled her eyes. "God, imagine having to deal with that guy’s irritating confidence again."

Roxie gave her a look. "I was asking a simple question."

"And I’m giving you a simple answer," Angela replied. "Who knows? He’s some big NFL star now. I doubt he’s going to fly all the way to Italy just for a wedding."

"He’s his close friend," Roxie muttered.

Karen stared at her.

"What?" Roxie asked.

"Oh, for God’s sake. That man has been photographed with more women than I can count, and you’re still keeping track of who he’s friends with?"

Roxie felt herself getting irritated.

"I was friends with him too, Karen. I know they’re close."

"Apparently you know quite a lot about him."

"He’s a fucking NFL quarterback. His face is everywhere. What do you expect me to do, close my eyes every time he appears on television?"

Angela snorted. "That might actually be a good idea."

Roxie pointed at her. "You’re supposed to be on my side."

"I am on your side. That’s why I think seeing him again would be a terrible idea."

"Thank you for finally understanding why I asked."

Karen sighed and placed her phone on the coffee table.

"Roxie, seriously. You’re twenty-eight. You have a great life, a successful career, and you haven’t had to deal with that asshole for ten years. Why does it matter if he’s there or not?"

"I don’t want things to be awkward."

Roxie took another drink, wondering how a simple question had somehow turned into an interrogation.

"Look, I just don’t want to show up and suddenly find myself sitting across from my ex-boyfriend at dinner," she explained. "Especially after the day I’ve had."

Angela’s expression softened slightly.

"Okay, that’s fair."

Karen leaned back against the couch. "Well, as far as I know, he’s not coming."

"As far as you know?"

"Roxie."

"What?"

"Can you please stop interrogating me about that man?"

Roxie stared at her before laughing in disbelief.

"You’re the one who brought up the reunion!"

"And I’m beginning to regret it."

Angela laughed, then reached over to take Karen’s phone.

"Let’s just ask Kendall who confirmed."

"No," Roxie said immediately.

Angela looked up. "Why?"

"Because I am not having Kendall think I’m checking whether Zac is coming to her wedding."

Karen gave her a look.

"What?" Roxie demanded.

"You’re literally checking whether Zac is coming to her wedding."

"Oh, fuck off."

Angela burst out laughing.

Roxie sank farther into the armchair and rubbed her forehead. She’d spent the entire evening arguing with Harrison and his wife, and now she was arguing with her two best friends over a man she hadn’t spoken to in ten years.

She really needed that vacation.

Karen picked up her phone again.

"So, are you coming or what?"

Roxie looked at her.

"You’re still inviting me after all that?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Kendall’s expecting the rest of us, and Angela has already been planning what we’re going to wear."

Angela smiled. "I found the prettiest dress."

"You’ve been talking about that dress for two weeks," Karen said.

"Because it’s pretty."

"You said the same thing about the other six."

"They were pretty too."

Roxie laughed despite herself.

For a moment, she imagined spending the next two weeks sitting around the house, checking her email every hour and getting angrier whenever she remembered Harrison’s silence.

Then she thought about Italy, Kendall’s wedding, and the possibility of finally taking an actual vacation with her friends.

She’d already missed enough things because of work.

"Fine."

Angela straightened. "Fine?"

"I probably need the vacation anyway."

Karen smiled. "Monday."

Roxie looked at her. "Monday?"

"We leave Monday."

Roxie groaned and sank deeper into the chair, wine in hand, while Karen and Angela looked far too pleased with themselves.

"At least tell me we have a decent hotel."

Angela looked offended.

"Roxie, please. It’s Lake Como."

"That answers absolutely nothing."

"It’s gorgeous," Angela assured her.

Karen was already looking at her phone. "I’ll send you the details. And tomorrow, you’re calling that lawyer before you start packing."

"Yes, Mom."

"You’re welcome."

Roxie raised her glass toward her before taking another drink.

A few hours ago she had expected to spend the next two weeks fighting to save her career.

Apparently she was going to Italy instead.