Free One-Off by Lynn Galli

looks like a salad.”
    I chuckled as we loaded into my car. She really wasn’t that bad. If we’d met just for this, I’d actually like her. I might even enjoy this wedding planning thing. Okay, I wouldn’t enjoy it, but I wouldn’t loathe every second of it either.
     

Eleven
    As I waited for the laptop screen to signal the video call I was expecting, I went through the finance news show’s budget. Far less than the one allocated to Dallas’s cornerstone show, it still had some significant expenses that could be cut. I’d already saved the network almost a million by slashing the riders in the on-air talents’ contracts. Not even Dallas had the gall to ask for a daily supply of water sold exclusively in France. Like we’d fly it in every week just for one host while her entire staff didn’t even have a water cooler with American water to share.
    “Chief, someone here to see you.” Tori smiled from the open doorway of my office.
    I searched my calendar, wondering how I’d missed this meeting. When nothing came up on the screen, I shot a confused look at her.
    “She’s not in your book.”
    Sighing, I flipped my hand in a welcoming gesture. I could cut it short as soon as I got the call from Dallas, Colin, and Van.
    Ainsley’s face appeared over Tori’s shoulder. “All right?”
    I cringed, not ready to deal with her yet. We weren’t meeting until later tonight. I needed time to prepare myself to see her. “Hi, weren’t we meeting later?”
    “Colin emailed to say he’d be ringing today. I hoped for a chance to chat to him.”
    My breath pushed out as silently as possible. This was mostly going to be a work call, but I couldn’t really deny her the ability to speak to her cousin on the only secure line we had. “They are. You’re just in time. I expect them any minute. I do need to discuss business with them first.”
    Her eyes darkened and her jaw ticked. She’d start yipping at me any second. Instead she nodded slowly and tilted her head back toward the open door. “I’ll wait out there. I don’t need a lot of time. I just want to be sure they’re okay.”
    “That’s fine. I’m actually glad you’re here. You should be able to stay in touch with them, too.”
    “Cheers.” She backed out of the office and closed the door behind her. It was probably the most respectful she’d ever been to me. I could only imagine what she’d tell Tori about me while she was waiting.
    A series of bells sounded on the screen. I connected the call and saw Van’s face fill the screen. He looked tired and flushed. “Hey, Skye.”
    “Are you well?”
    “We’re good. Tense sometimes, but we’re getting what we need so far.”
    We couldn’t go into specifics of the story because, despite the secure connection, it didn’t mean it couldn’t be hacked. Talking specifics of the story while they were in the middle of it was asking for trouble.
    “Both teams?” I asked.
    “B Team is working hard to collect everything and is getting around okay. The extras were a good idea.” He spoke of Dallas working on the stories that would show the damage this general was doing in the country.
    “Are they noticeable?”
    “Yep.”
    I knew Dallas and Colin would be, two groups of mostly Caucasian reporters and crew, but I was hoping the security teams wouldn’t be so obvious. “Drawing the wrong interest?”
    He shook his head. “Not yet.”
    “The second that happens, you’re on a plane.” We couldn’t risk tipping off the general or any of his supporters to our true intent. If we had to get half a story to keep them safe, that would have to do.
    “Will do.”
    “Anything else to report?”
    “The twins are stressed.”
    I snorted at his nickname for Dallas and Colin. He called them twin beauties. “It’s a tough project.”
    “And the other project as well.”
    He was talking about the wedding. For a moment it gave me hope that I wouldn’t have to continue with this wedding planning torture. “They