Chapter 16
Ziggy chomped on her fingernail as she paced in front of Noah’s desk, staring at her black shoes as they sank into the plush carpet. She hadn't meant to keep pacing when she entered, but when she looked at the chair, she couldn’t bring her legs to stop moving.
Maybe it was because the office walls seemed to shrink inward from all sides.
Everything at the station seemed different today. The elevator had slowed to a glacial crawl. The coffee maker took twice as long to drip a full mug.
And now, Noah’s office had a weird vibe. It didn’t matter that it was the same desk, same chairs, same wall of framed accolades Noah pretended didn't matter—the Peabody slightly crooked because she'd bumped it.
In less than an hour, the announcement would hit the morning show.
Unfiltered with Noah Chase.
Live from prison.
Interview with Matias Salazar.
Even sooner than that, the interoffice memo would arrive.
There’d be no pulling it back after that. No version of this where the world didn't know. No version where Noah's carefully constructed life didn't crack open in front of a national audience, and whatever came out of it came out on live television. No safety net. No second takes.
She’d told him a million times she was on board, and she was. No more hiding. No more running from his past. And she’d stand there, holding his hand the entire time, because she loved and supported him.
She didn’t care what name he was given at birth. Who his father was had no bearing on her love.
Unfortunately, the realization that his viewers, the station, and their friends could have a different opinion suddenly hit her sideways.
Pivoting, she continued destroying Noah's carpet.
Noah leaned against the edge of his desk, arms folded, watching her carve a groove into the floor with the patience of a man who had nowhere else to be and had apparently decided her anxiety was something to observe rather than smooth.
“If our relationship hasn’t given people something to talk about, this behavior sure will," he said. “Just so you know, people are staring.”
She glared. “I can’t help it.”
His mouth twitched. It wasn’t a grin. It wasn’t a smirk. It was simply a twitch that indicated, at least to her, that he thought her nervousness amusing, or endearing, or anything but annoying.
She found it deeply unhelpful right now.
“Come on, Zig. Relax. Everything’s going to be okay.”
"Relax?" she repeated. "That's what you're going with?"
“Working a hole in my carpet isn’t going to solve anything.”
"It's helping me not lose my mind," she shot back. "So, I'm going to stick with it."
He pushed off the desk and closed some of the distance between them—not enough to crowd her, just enough to interrupt the loop.
“What’s got you so worked up?” he asked. “Is it the pending conversation with Claire? Or is it people knowing about the interview?”
“Jag one hundred percent believes that Claire’s the one who walked into that florist and had those flowers sent to me.
Brian showed a picture of Claire to a few of the nurses at the hospital, and more than one believes it was Claire who dropped off the card and arrangement for Monica.
For all we know, she’s also the one who beat Monica in the parking lot. ”
“Unfortunately, Jag and the Seattle PD haven’t been able to find enough evidence of anything to even question Claire—which they haven't done yet.”
“And you’re super happy they won’t until after this interview, which means we get to be alone with the crazy woman.”
“We’ll never be alone with her.” Noah took both her hands.
“We’re in a glass bubble right now. People are watching you act like you've either been abducted by aliens or your mad at your boyfriend, because you don't normally pace. But remember, when we leave, Cormac will follow us, and when Claire walks out of this building, Dakota will follow her. After tonight, if I do my job well, both Claire and my dad will be exposed.”
Ziggy held his gaze while her heart pushed into her throat like an out-of-control jackhammer.
“Do you think you can settle down? Claire will be here any minute, and I don’t want everyone out there to think that you’re upset over something to do with her.”
Ziggy snorted. “I wish the idea that I was jealous of that young woman was absurd, but hey, considering, I’m scared about everything…
And not my normal uptight anxious self that I get right before you go on air that I do my best to bottle in front of you that you always tell me I fail miserably because you can read me better than I can read myself.
” She reached up and fiddled with her earring while she tried to catch her breath.
Noah leaned in and kissed her. It was something he’d never done at work, and it should be considered totally inappropriate. But he honestly didn't care.
“I’m scared, too. Terrified of what I’m about to step into.
Somewhere in that courtroom at fourteen, I learned how to push certain emotions while I'm deep under pressure. It's both a blessing and a curse because you know what the critics say about me. That I’m not human. That I don’t care about people’s feelings, and that’s not true.
I care very much. But right now, if I show a drop of nervousness, my father, and those who adore him, like Claire, will smell it like a wolf sniffs out its prey.
That happens, and we lose control of everything we've set up. "
Ziggy couldn’t respond to that. There was nothing to say.
Because that part was true, and she hated that fact.
She'd spent years helping Noah build a show on the principle that you didn't go on air until you had something solid.
And here she was on the other side of that, and it felt exactly as awful as she'd always imagined it would.
She dragged her fingers through her hair, dropped her hand to her side, and forced herself to stand still.
“I’ll work on my acting skills,” she muttered.
“You only need to be yourself.”
“But—”
He pressed a finger across her lips. “Heather is telling everyone that I harassed her. She even said she was going to say it on air loud enough that you’d hear it.
She did that to rattle you. And now that I’ve taken away Hugh’s interview with Matias, you've been put in an uncomfortable position. Any producer who was dating her talent would be acting off. There’s no need for you to change how you’re approaching this. ”
“Sometimes this calm, cool part of you drives me bonkers.”
“I know. And I don’t want to be this version around you.
This is the version of me that was created out of necessity, and it's great for television. But it’s only a small part of me.
” He ran his hands up and down her arms. “You know the real me. You always have. You told me that five years ago when you walked out of my house, and I was too stupid to listen.”
“Yeah, you were.” A smile tugged at her lips.
But a knock at the door ruined it.
Ziggy's stomach dropped—not dramatically—just enough to make her wish she’d had another ten minutes of the real Noah before the pre-show began.
"Come in.” Noah waved Claire in.
Claire stepped inside, pausing just long enough to glance around the room as if cataloging everything. She smiled at Ziggy and wider at Noah.
Considering the rumors around the office, Ziggy assumed Claire would want to keep her distance from him, but she actually stepped closer, reached out and squeezed his forearm.
Bold move.
“Good morning, Noah.” She glanced over her shoulder and said, “Ziggy,” like she was an afterthought.
Claire was put together perfectly—pressed blouse, hair down, the careful presentation of someone who understood that looking the part was the majority of the job. On most people, Ziggy would consider it professionalism. But she wasn’t sure what to call it when it came to Claire.
"You wanted to see me?" Claire asked.
“Please, take a seat.” Noah pulled out his big leather chair and sat behind his desk.
Ziggy plopped herself down in one of the chairs across from Noah, and her leg started rattling the second she did—a steady, relentless bounce she tried to kill by pressing her heel into the floor. It lasted three seconds.
Claire slowly eased into the chair next to Ziggy, where she smoothed down the back of her skirt, moving her hands to her thighs as her ass hit the front part of the chair.
Gracefully shifting sideways, she crossed her legs and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, tilting her head away from Ziggy.
Noah leaned forward, clasped his hands together, and rested them on his desk like this was just another meeting—no big deal.
Ziggy wanted to scream, and her leg kept rattling.
"I've got a situation, and I need someone who can think fast,” Noah said.
“What kind of situation?” Claire asked, leaning in toward the desk.
“One of my regular researchers called in sick. Normally, it would be fine. My team’s top-notch, but we made a switch on tonight's programming.”
“I hadn’t heard about the change,” Claire said. “Who’s the guest and what’s the topic?”
Ziggy’s foot stopped bouncing.
Claire hadn’t quite responded the way Ziggy wouldn’t have expected a green researcher who had been throwing herself at Noah’s show—and Noah—to respond. Ziggy would’ve thought the young woman would have jumped at the chance regardless of the story.
But that told Ziggy everything she needed to know.
"In about ten minutes, everyone's going to know," Noah said. "So, it's not exactly a secret."
“But it will upset certain people,” Ziggy added.
"Who?" Claire asked.
"Hugh Enders and everyone on his team.” Noah leaned back, dropping his hands in his lap.
“Since you’ve been working with him on a specific program, he might take it personally that Noah and I poached you for this.”
Claire shifted as if she were uncomfortable. And maybe she was—Ziggy didn’t know her well enough to make that judgment call. However, Ziggy figured everything was calculated.
“I’m sorry. I’m a little confused.” Claire glanced between Ziggy and Noah.
“You may not be aware of this, but Matias Salazar has wanted to be on my show for years. I’ve always said no because his story has been told, but I changed my mind. I agreed to it, and he’s coming on tonight. Live from the prison.”
Claire clutched her chest and gasped. She tilted her head back and forth with her lashes fluttering wildly over her eyes. It came off as genuine surprise, not a rehearsed reaction.
But Ziggy still didn’t buy it.
“Oh my God," Claire said. "Are you serious?"
“We are,” Ziggy said. “And since you worked on some angles with Hugh, we thought you might bring some color into the show tonight.”
Noah held up his hand. “Only if you’re comfortable doing so. We’d understand if you said no. Loyalties and all.”
God, he was good. Scary good.
"That's—that's huge. Yes. Yes, of course, I'll help." Claire inched closer to the edge of the seat. How she balanced her tiny little butt that far off the base of the chair, Ziggy did not know.
Claire rested her fingers on his desk. “I’ll do whatever you need, and I have some solid notes on Matias.”
“Wonderful. You can send them to Ziggy’s email. She’ll sort through them.” Noah slid an envelope across the desk. “This will get you up to speed with what we’ve been doing and what our angle is. You can make your own notes, and if you can, get them back to us before lunch.”
Claire grabbed it so fast Ziggy barely saw her hands move. "I won't let you down," Claire said. "I promise."
"Be ready to leave with the crew at one," Noah added. "We'll meet you there."
Claire jumped to her feet. “I can ride with you and give you my comparison. That might make the process go faster.”
“Ziggy and I have some things to do, so we’re heading out early. Just send what you can to her ASAP,” Noah said. “We’ll chat more at the prison.”
“Perfect.” Claire moved to the door. “Thank you so much for this opportunity.” And with that, she was gone, the door clicking shut behind her.
Ziggy leaned back, letting out an audible breath. She flattened her hand over her stomach. "It's too bad she can't actually call Matias,” she said. "Tell him everything we just fed her. The bullshit angles in that folder.”
“I’m glad she can’t because my dad would see through it. I’m not so sure she… shit. Here comes Hugh, and he doesn’t look too happy.”
Noah pressed his hands on the desk and stood.
Ziggy wasn’t even out of her chair when Hugh stormed into the office like a twister tearing through a cornfield.
His face was flushed, his jacket was open, and his fists were clenched at his sides.
“Who do you think you are? You have no right to steal my interview. You can’t just take this from me because you believe you’re some big fucking deal.
” He pounded the center of his chest. “I landed Matias. Me. Not you.”
“Let’s calm down and discuss this like—”
“You want me to calm down? Are you fucking kidding me?” Hugh’s face turned a brighter red. His eyes narrowed to tiny slits, and he leaned closer to Noah. “And now I hear you’re poaching one of my researchers from that story. Not cool, man, not cool.”
Ziggy inched closer as something unexpected tugged at her heartstrings.
She didn’t believe Hugh was the architect here.
He'd probably been used the same way Monica had been. Moved around on a board by someone sitting in a prison cell who’d always been good at finding people who wanted something and giving them just enough of it to make them useful.
She reached out and gently touched Hugh’s shoulder.
He jerked his arm, pushing her off.
“That wasn’t necessary.” Noah inched closer. "This isn't about you."
“Like hell it’s not.” Hugh cocked his arm back, and before Ziggy could open her mouth to say anything, he swung. It wasn’t pretty, but he threw his entire body into it.
Noah jumped back and ducked. Hugh’s fist missed his face by maybe an inch.
“Don’t make me call security.” Noah quickly and swiftly moved around Hugh, stepping in front of Ziggy. “I understand you’re upset, and I would be too,” Noah said softly, holding out his arms out as if to shield her. “But there are things at play you don’t understand.”
Hugh held his fist in the palm of his other hand. “Right,” he said quietly. "You're fucking unbelievable." He turned and walked out, the door slamming hard enough to make Ziggy grabbed Noah..
Noah turned. “Are you okay?”
“He didn’t take a swing at me,” Ziggy said. “Not sure I’ve ever seen you move that fast.”
He chuckled. “I was more impressed he had it in him.”
“Of course you were.” Ziggy rolled her shoulders. "I can’t wait for this day to be over."
Noah brushed his thumb over her lower lip. “I can’t wait for us to be able to start our lives together.”