Page 92 of Leading the Blind
“They’re not going to believe that.”
“Doesn’t matter. They can’t prove it.” Emmy squeezed his fingers. “Coke knew. Andy knew. Dillon has an ironclad contract. You rode. Stick to that.”
“I will.” Jason could do that. That was a simple-ass story, and as far as not keeping Coke out, everyone would believe he wasn’t gonna let something pass by. And Dillon knew if Coke knew. But they could keep it at that.
“I’ll be in the meeting with you, Jason,” Daniel said. “Emmy needs to stay out of it, as much as she can. She has a job to protect, and Cotton is still riding.”
“Of course. How are the babies?”
“Beautiful. They’re beautiful, and tomorrow I want you to meet them both. Adam and Brandon.”
“I will. What does Taggart think of that?”
“Adam is tickled. Brian is mad at me.” She chuckled. “Cotton’s daddy was an Adam.”
“That’s sweet, honey.” He was going to throw up again, and he knew he couldn’t—not until after the press conference.
“You need a Coke, Mini?”
Maybe a little sugar would do him good. He was feeling shocky.
“Sprite?”
“I’m on it.” Daniel moved fast. The man’s shoes clicked and the door shut.
“You trust him, Em?” Bax asked.
“Yeah, so does Balta, and Balta’s a biggie-wow.”
“I know.” Jason tilted his head. “What were y’all doing?”
“When?”
“With the smashing and the flushing.”
Bax snorted. “Earpieces.”
Oh. “Was that cheating? It didn’t keep me on the bull.”
“It’s not, but we’re not giving anyone anything, Jason.”
“Okay.” He nodded, making his head ache, and nausea burned again.
There was a soft knock at the door, Daniel coming back with drinks, he reckoned.
“Here, Mini.” Bax handed him an open Sprite, and he took a grateful sip. The bubbles burned all the way down, clearing away the acid.
“When this is over, Daniel can set up interviews, all the complicated shit. You can go home. Get a dog. Learn braille. Enjoy your house. This is a blip, man. A little blip. Remember that. It seems big now, but…a little hiccup. You won.” Emmy’s voice was like an amazing preacher’s, ringing with power and faith. “You fucking won, man. Blind and hurt and everything, and you kicked their asses. Remember that.Youdid this.”
He took one deep breath, then another. Right. This was his. His and Bax’s, and they couldn’t take it, even if they tried. He was a fighter.
“She’s right,” Bax said quietly. “I’m right here. We got this.”
“We do.” They did. “I can’t wait to go home and celebrate.”
Bax gave him a one-armed hug. “So, Mister Daniel, do we let you do most of the talking?”
“Yep. Let me get the lay of the land. We can see what way the wind is blowing, since the big dogs have also had time to talk. But we stand firm.”
