All She Needs to Know

by Maria Siano

  His gesture toward his friend warmed Summer’s heart. "And you enjoyed being in the show, right?"

  Kyle smiled. "It was a blast."

  With the tension between them lifted, Summer breathed a sigh of relief. "So, if Wreckless isn’t a hit, would it be so bad to go back to those types of theater parts? If it isn’t the blockbuster you want it to be, there are so many other things you can do. Even if the film does well at the box office, there’s no guarantee you’ll return to the same level of success you once had."

  His jaw tightened again. "Oh, I see." He glared at Summer. "You don’t think Wreckless will do well."

  "Of course I want the movie to be a huge hit," she assured him. "It’s just, there are so many factors out of your control. You can’t make the film a hit. It either is going to do well, and audiences will like it, or not. And you know, your other films were teen romances. Now you’re trying to break into the action genre. That can be a tough thing to do."

  Kyle threw his head back. "It’s just...I’ve been waiting for this opportunity, for this chance to get my career back, for twelve years."

  "And you did everything you could with this opportunity," Summer whispered. "If you can’t return to your celebrity lifestyle, it’s not the end of the world."

  "But to me," he pressed his index finger into his chest, "it is the end of the world. I’ve felt like such a failure for so long. I just don’t want to feel that way anymore."

  She reached out and grasped his hand. "You’re not a failure. This film was one job. If you aren’t able to keep acting in films, you’ll find something else."

  Kyle tilted his head. "Oh, so if you don’t get the job with the Tribune, you’ll just find something else?"

  Summer pulled her hand away at the thought. She’d be crushed if she didn’t get the job with the Tribune. For ten years, her sole focus had been on getting a reporting job at one of the most prestigious newspapers in the country. "You’re right," she acknowledged. "I don’t want to minimize how important it is for you to revive your film career. I just want you to be prepared, if it doesn’t happen."

  His eyebrow lifted. "I’ll be disappointed if the film bombs at the box office. Just like you’ll be disappointed if you don’t get the job at the Tribune."

  Summer stared into Kyle’s half-full mug of coffee. "And both of those things are out of our control." She lifted her eyes to him. "All the more reason to tell Justin’s story to clear your name. Control what you can control. Don’t let everyone think you’re a callous person who used Faith Sheridan to boost your film career."

  "Summer!" Kyle put his head back and closed his eyes.

  "OK. OK." She held up her hands. "I’ll let it go. All we can do now is wait. We’ll have to see what happens, with both of our careers. But at least we’ll be going through it together from now on, whatever happens."

  ***

  Drew bolted out of his office and stomped toward Summer. Her chest tightened as he approached her desk.

  When he reached her, Drew shoved a long piece of paper at her. "This editorial is running in tomorrow’s paper."

  Summer stood and grabbed the paper, which she recognized as one of the page proofs for the next day’s edition of the Observer. But why is he showing it to me? she wondered. He had never asked her to read an editorial before it was published.

  She read the headline: It’s All an Act. A chill ran up her spine as she scanned the first paragraph. Kyle Mills is your typical fame-obsessed celebrity. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she read further. He befriended Faith Sheridan during a vulnerable time in her life, merely to generate publicity for his career. Summer seethed. Kyle Mills has contributed little to Spring Valley after moving to LA fifteen years ago to pursue his acting career. She’d read enough. She threw the paper onto her desk. "You can’t publish this, Drew." He had gone too far this time in his attempt to capitalize on Kyle’s celebrity status. She couldn’t let the Observer publish an editorial full of inaccuracies.

  Besides, Kyle’s chances for a Hollywood comeback were already slim. He didn’t need this added obstacle.

  Drew picked up the page from the desk. "I don’t think you understand, Summer. I’m not asking for your permission. Since you wrote the other articles about Kyle and Faith, I just want you to confirm if there are any factual errors." He shoved the paper at Summer again.

  She pushed it away. "It isn’t true."

  Drew pointed to the paper. "What isn’t true? What’s incorrect?"

  "All of it." She raised her arms.

  "That’s your opinion." He threw the page down and it sailed across her desk, landing up against her computer.

  Summer plopped onto her chair and took a deep breath. "There are reasons he visited Faith," she whispered.

  Drew smirked. "Yeah, I know. That’s what the editorial is about. All the reasons Kyle thought Faith could help his career. He used that woman, and her family. He used you, too, Summer. Doesn’t that bother you?"

  Summer’s heart raced. "He didn’t use me, and he didn’t use Faith."

  Drew tilted his head and leaned closer. "He’s a self-centered actor, who only cares about one thing — himself. Can’t you see that?"

  She grabbed the page proof and handed it back to Drew.

  He turned and headed toward his office.

  "Oh, and won’t it be great for the Observer to print yet another piece about Kyle!" Summer called out to Drew as he was a few steps away.

  He stopped and swung around.

  She took a deep breath. "Haven’t you used Kyle to boost circulation figures? Who’s using who, Drew?"

  He stepped closer toward her desk. "My only concern is what’s in the best interest of the readers." He glared at her as he hovered over her desk.

  "You can’t publish the editorial," Summer repeated. "It will damage the Observer’s reputation if the truth ever comes out."

  Drew folded his arms and spread his legs into a wide stance. "What are you talking about?"

  "Kyle visited Faith because he had a cousin who died twelve years ago from Hodgkin’s."

  Drew’s eyes widened. "Well, that changes everything, doesn’t it?"

  Summer opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Oh no! What have I done?

  "That will be an even better story," Drew continued. "That’s your next assignment, Summer." He pointed at her. "You’ve got to reveal Kyle’s real connection to Hodgkin’s by writing about his cousin’s battle with the disease."

  "Wait!" Summer held up her hands. "Wait! No! I can’t. That’s not what I — I shouldn’t have said anything. Kyle doesn’t want this story to get out...But I needed to tell you. I couldn’t let you publish the editorial. But you can’t publish anything about his cousin either."

  Drew’s arms dropped to his side. "The story about his cousin is going to be told, Summer. You can be the one to write it, or I can assign it to someone else. It’s your choice."

  Summer rubbed her eyebrow as she tried to think of a way out of this mess. "But Kyle doesn’t want his cousin’s story to be told publicly," she pleaded. "You can’t."

  Drew’s face froze into a blank stare. "If he doesn’t want the story getting out, why did he tell you? He knows you’re a reporter. Didn’t he think you would write about it?"

  Summer lowered her head. "He told me in confidence." Her voice shook a bit as the words spilled out.

  "Ohhhhh, I didn’t realize."

  Summer looked up. "Didn’t realize what?"

  "I didn’t realize there was something going on between you two." He smirked. "I always suspected it, though."

  Summer shook her head. "There isn’t anything going on. But he told me off-the-record. And it would be unethical for us to publish the information."

  "Listen, Summer, legally we can publish the story as long as the information is true. We don’t need Kyle’s permission." Drew smirked again.


  Legally? Summer fumed. "I can’t write the article, Drew. And I don’t think anyone else should either."

  "I’m going to assign it to someone else if you refuse to write it." Drew’s voice remained calm and steady. "This story is going to get published. And you should be the one to write it. You wrote the other articles on Kyle. Plus, the article you wrote about Faith gives you the right background, since you’ve already done a lot of research on Hodgkin’s. Unless you’re going to let your personal feelings for Kyle get in the way of you doing your job?"

  Summer exhaled. Was Drew right? Was he being objective, thinking like a journalist, while she was too worried about the personal impact it might have on Kyle?

  If she wrote the article, at least she’d be able to maintain some control over the situation. She could minimize the fallout for Kyle and make sure the story wasn’t sensationalized. "OK, Drew." Summer lowered her head. "I’ll do it."

  ***

  Summer sat at her desk in the newsroom and stared at the computer screen. The article about the upcoming tricky tray at the local elementary school flashed back at her. The deadline to submit the article to Drew passed thirty minutes ago. And the school board meeting she needed to cover already started. But none of that mattered.

  She needed to call Kyle. He had a right to know the information about Justin would soon become public. Because of her.

  Her fingers trembled as she dialed Kyle’s number.

  Still unsure how she would broach the subject, she drew in a breath. Ring. The sound wailed in her ear. Ring. Maybe she could try one last time, make one last-ditch effort, to convince Kyle to go public with the story? Ri—

  "Hey, Summer."

  Her heart pounded. "Hi, Kyle."

  "Is everything OK?" He cleared his throat. "I didn’t think I’d talk to you again until tomorrow. Don’t you have a school board meeting to cover tonight?"

  She exhaled. "I’m on my way out now. But I need to talk to you about something. We need to talk about Justin."

  "Can we talk about this tomorrow, Summer? I just pulled into the parking lot at Rockafella’s. I’m meeting Tyler for a drink. Besides, we already discussed this."

  "Will you hear me out?" She didn’t wait for his answer and continued. "It could help others if you told Justin’s story, in the same way Faith agreeing to go public with her illness helped raise awareness about the disease."

  "I know, but —"

  "You could do some good."

  Kyle didn’t respond. In the silence, Summer regretted pressuring him.

  "Summer, people will always see everything I do as a way to get publicity for my career."

  He was right.

  But the information was going to be published.

  And Drew would only sensationalize the story if Kyle didn’t contribute to the story. He would treat it like a big scoop.

  Kyle had to agree to be interviewed so he would have a say in how the story was told.

  "What if Faith felt the same way?" Summer pressed. "What if Faith was reluctant to talk about her illness? Her willingness to talk about her diagnosis helped raise awareness for other young people so they would know the warning signs. And the twenty-four people I interviewed for my health series in the past six months all helped others by sharing their hardships, by talking about how they overcame their health problems."

  Summer heard Kyle let out a breath.

  Had she pushed too hard?

  But even if she did, she couldn’t let it go. Not yet.

  Not until he agreed to be interviewed.

  "Kyle, what Faith did by sharing her story possibly saved lives. You have a chance to do that, too. Why don’t you want to share Justin’s story? Why don’t you want to help others?"

  Kyle stayed silent.

  She had gone much too far now. Kyle had a right to keep the information private.

  She had to finally fess up and tell him everything.

  "OK." Kyle cleared his throat. "OK." He cleared his throat again.

  "Ah!" Summer sighed. "Kyle, I’m so glad you’ve changed your mind. Can we set up an interview for tomorrow, so I can get all the details right?"

  "Uh... Well..." He paused. "Don’t you think someone else should write the article?"

  His words stung. "If I write the article, I’m not going to treat it any differently because of our relationship," Summer bristled.

  "I know, Summer. I didn’t mean —." He hesitated. "I’m sure you’ll handle the story sensitively. I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Really."

  "We’ll set up an interview, very formally," she assured him. "Just like with any other story."

  "We’d better schedule it for tomorrow then... because after that I’ll be leaving to go to LA for the premiere of Wreckless," he said.

  "Right." Summer opened her Outlook appointment calendar. "How about over lunch tomorrow? Jake’s Grill at noon?"

  "Yeah, OK," he answered. "Listen, you better get to the school board meeting now. I don’t want you to be late. And Tyler’s waiting for me."

  "OK. See you tomorrow, Kyle." Summer’s heart sank as she hung up the phone.

  She had always followed a simple principle, professionally and personally: Tell the truth. But since Kyle came back into her life, she violated that principle. More than once.

  Her intentions were good. She needed other people to know Kyle would never use Faith for publicity.

  And she only pressed him about the interview because she always believed he should go public with Justin’s story.

  So why did it all feel so wrong?

  ***

  Kyle hung up the phone and turned off the car engine.

  Tyler’s car sat parked a few spaces away, but Kyle remained frozen, filled with regret. Again.

  He never should have agreed to another interview with Summer.

  All day, he intended to tell her he made up the story about Justin. He intended to tell her the truth about everything, including his own diagnosis.

  But at the coffee shop, as she implored him to go public with his cousin’s story, so everyone would know he was an honorable person, he couldn’t admit he made it all up.

  If he told her Justin didn’t exist, she’d never forgive him for lying to her. He’d lose her forever.

  He had no choice but to agree to the interview, to fix this whole mess. The mess he created.

  CHAPTER 8

  One of only a few reporters in the newsroom that early on a Monday morning, Summer welcomed the quiet. It wouldn’t last long. Others would soon pile in, so she needed to sort through the complicated research on foreclosure proceedings while the calm lasted.

  She turned on her computer and flung open her bottom desk drawer. She reached in and grabbed the bulging folder.

  When her real estate agent mentioned Mr. Lightner’s foreclosure proceedings, she knew she had to try to help. As a child, whenever she peered out the living room window early on Saturday mornings, she’d see Mr. Lightner across the street, mowing his lawn. Every Saturday morning. Like clockwork.

  Summer skimmed the dense explanations about bank foreclosures as she glimpsed the time in the bottom corner of her computer screen: Noon.

  It’d been twenty-four hours since she interviewed Kyle about his cousin. And there had been no word from him since.

  She tried to push away the concerns that began to build as she dove back into the research. But it didn’t keep her mind from drifting.

  Kyle must be in the air by now, probably somewhere over Arizona.

  She’d be joining him in LA on Friday for the premiere of Wreckless.

  In the past few weeks, she tried to imagine living in Los Angeles, if she didn’t get the job at the Tribune.

  But Los Angeles would never feel like home. And not getting her dream job in New York? Unthinkable.

  S
he glanced back at the pile of research.

  Too distracted to continue sifting through it, she turned to the computer screen and pulled up the article she had written about Justin.

  The article covered two-thirds of the Observer’s webpage that morning.

  She scrolled to the end to review the comments from readers. Hundreds of glowing messages filled the screen.

  She clicked on the paper’s Twitter feed. Reader after reader had retweeted the article, with comments praising Kyle.

  Then she opened the paper’s Facebook page and found similar comments.

  But none of it put her mind at ease. And she wasn’t sure why.

  Noelle plopped down on the corner of Summer’s desk with a thud. "Do you want to get some lunch?"

  Summer plucked her purse from the bottom desk drawer. "That sounds great."

  ***

  As the waiter delivered their salads, Summer noted Noelle’s watchful eye.

  "Is everything OK?" Noelle asked as the waiter wandered away. "You seem distracted."

  "Sorry." Summer stopped fussing with her Cobb salad.

  Noelle tilted her head. "I saw all the comments on the paper’s website today. Everyone is praising you, and Kyle, for the article on his cousin. It seems the timing couldn’t be more perfect, with his new film about to open."

  Summer forced a smile. "I’m relieved people understand Kyle better now. They know why he visited Faith, and they know he wasn’t using her to get publicity for his career."

  Noelle stabbed a piece of romaine lettuce with her fork. "Didn’t you say you’re going to LA this week for the premiere of Wreckless?" She gobbled the large leaf.

  "Kyle’s on a plane right now, on his way to LA," Summer confirmed. "And I’m going there on Friday... I think I’m just feeling a little guilty."

  "Guilty?" Noelle placed her fork on her plate and pressed against the back of the padded leather booth. "Why would you feel guilty? The articles in your series have helped so many — and they are really popular with advertisers, too. In the past few months, the weeks your series didn’t run, the advertisers were all asking me when it would return. I didn’t know what to tell them."