Sharon pursed her lips as she read through the barrage of emails that inevitably awaited her at the start of each work day. Time to metaphorically roll up her sleeves and reassure everybody that contrary to their fears, the charity was running fine and nothing was on fire.

“Excuse me,” She heard Charlene say outside her door, “Sorry, you can’t go in—”

The door to Sharon’s office burst open and a tall woman with thick, dark hair and an oily smile stood there. Behind the woman, Charlene was glaring.

“So sorry to bother you,” the woman said in a tone that indicated she wasn’t sorry at all. “Do you mind if I take a moment of your time?”

“Are you selling Bibles?” Sharon asked. The woman had a very have you heard of our Lord and Savior tone.

The woman arched one eyebrow in a way that she probably thought was elegant. “My, my, I see he still likes the feisty ones.”

Something about that set off alarm bells in Sharon’s head. She looked over at Charlene. “It’s okay, I’m fine.”

Charlene nodded, then sent a final glare at the woman’s back before retreating and shutting the door behind her. The woman crossed the room to Sharon, her hand out to shake. “I’m Amanda. It’s lovely to meet you. Ross told me a lot about you.”

Sharon shook Amanda’s hand but stayed behind her desk. “You must be his ex. The journalist. What do you want?”

“Cutting to the chase, I like it.” Amanda sat on Sharon’s desk, thankfully not on top of any paperwork. “I’m here to have a little chat, girl to girl.”

“Will this little chat end up in newsprint?” Sharon replied. Normally when it came to break ups, Sharon liked to get both sides of the story. Oftentimes it was the fault of both parties, even though each tried to demonize the other afterwards to soothe their own wounded pride and broken heart. But she trusted Ross’s judgment, and even if she didn’t, she could smell a rat a mile away.

Amanda heaved a sigh, as if she were giving away a huge secret. “To tell you the truth, Sharon—do you mind if I call you Sharon? —you’re going to end up in newsprint whether you talk to me or not. Somebody found out that you were Ross’s patient and they’re going to expose him. I’m trying to do you a favor and get in ahead, so people know your side of the story.”

Sharon’s first reaction was to freeze as icy dread began to fill her limbs. No. Everything Ross had worked for, his entire life, was about to become fodder for gossip. Her second reaction was rage. She knew, without a doubt, that Amanda was the one behind this exposé.

She liked to think of herself as a calm and rational person. She wouldn’t be in public relations if she wasn’t able to keep her temper. It was her job to face the public, and that meant donors and reporters alike, no matter how daunting it might be. But every once in a while, her Irish roots came out and she found herself full of a burning fury that seemed to fill every inch of her. It made her hands shake.

Her hands were definitely shaking now.

“And who would be motivated to turn this into a story?” Sharon replied. She folded her arms to hide the trembling of her hands. She wanted to strangle this woman. “I don’t suppose Ross’s bitter ex would have any reason to drag his name through the mud, would she?”

Amanda’s lips started to curl back into a snarl, but then Sharon could see her visibly compose herself. “I go where the story is.”

“And there’s barely any story here. You’re not a very good actress, you know. Why do you hate Ross so much that you’d try to get him fired?”

“This has nothing to do with any feelings I may or may not have towards Ross. This isn’t personal. This is business. And it makes for a great story.” Amanda clucked her tongue. “Poor Ross. I went to warn him, you know, for old time’s sake. He just kicked me out.”

“Well allow me to follow his example. They say couples start to pick up each other’s habits, you know.” Sharon rose and swiftly crossed the room, wrenching the door open in her haste to be rid of Amanda. “Get out of my office, and don’t even think of setting foot in here again.”

Amanda stood fluidly, like a cat, and exited. “I just hope you’re worth it to him,” she called over her shoulder, “Seeing as you might cost him his job.”

It took every ounce of self-control that Sharon had not to slam the door in the woman’s face—or, even better, to chase after her and give her a black eye.

“Everything okay?” Charlene asked, looking up from her desk.

Sharon closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Everything’s fine.”

Or, at least she hoped that it would be.