Chapter 39
Chapter
Thirty-Nine
Kate felt rage coursing through her blood stream like Red Bull.
That would have been handy for Thomas to tell her before they threw her in front of these lions while wearing a raw meat bikini.
But the newswoman had also brought up Kate’s sealed file, from the dark San Clemente days, catching her off guard—and then had all but said that she was a whore, for the rest of the newspapers and news channels to gobble up and spread.
Mom’s going to see this on the six o’clock news, she thought, and something inside her snapped.
“I am not personally involved with Mr. Thomas Kestrel,” Kate said through gritted teeth. “I barely know the guy. I just started working here a few weeks ago. He offered me the gig, and I figured, it’s a living.”
“It’s a living?” the woman asked with amusement. “You’re working for one of the richest men in America. In the world. A man who has controlling interest in a number of lucrative, glamorous companies that cater to some of the most exclusive clientele in the world.”
“Yeah, but I’ve decided not to hold that against him. A paycheck’s a paycheck.”
Another appreciative chuckle from the crowd. The reporter’s smile faltered a little. “If you’re so indifferent to the man and the brand, and you’re not personally involved with him, why exactly do you think you got hired?”
“I’ve been a temp for a long time,” Kate replied.
“In this economy, it hasn’t been easy getting a permanent job, but I’ve done what I had to, making ends meet.
Along the way, I’ve learned a little bit about a lot of things, from technical to strategic.
My job is to make other people’s jobs easier.
You could say I have a very particular set of skills…
skills that make me a nightmare for time wasters and problems.”
The news pool laughed at her Liam Neeson impression. The reporter in question simply sneered.
“Do you really expect us to believe that a man in Thomas Kestrel’s position is going to settle for a nobody based on that?”
“Personally, I found it encouraging that a guy like Thomas Kestrel doesn’t care about inflated credentials and ass-kissing,” Kate added.
“He hired me because he knows I can do the job. Other people in his position might look for prestigious sycophants, and people like you might think that he’d only hire eye-candy.
But I got the job because I have skills and I can handle the job description. ”
She allowed herself to smile, a razor-sharp, vindictive grin.
“A job that includes covering what media gets access to him, especially since he may consider doing more press in the future. Good luck with that, by the way.”
Finally, the woman blanched.
“That’s all for questions.” With a quick turn on her heel, Kate strode out, ignoring the follow-ups being shouted at her. She stalked past Thomas, the publicist, the stylists, and headed back to the hallway.