“Sure.”

She holds up her phone and hits Call. After a ringing sound, I hear Lyle’s voice as he picks up. She turns the speakerphone on and places it between us.

“Hey, Lyle. It’s Shelb. I got an interesting email from my agent today.”

Lyle’s smarmiest voice echoes off the empty walls of the kitchen. “Yeah, sorry about that. I meant to reach out first, in person, but things got crazy.”

“Sure, they did,” she soothes. “I guess I’m a little confused. After the article came out, I was under the impression we’d somehow offended you. It seemed like our pilot might be dead in the water. Again,” she finishes blandly.

“Yeah, about that article. That was bullshit, Shelb. I didn’t want it to go down like that, but you know these Hollywood gossip rags. They’re like dogs at the proverbial bone…”

Shelby makes a derisive snort. “So, you’re saying it was an accident?”

“Yeah. A miscommunication.”

“And you didn’t arrange for Hollywood Hotwire to do a write-up making Cam and me look bad?”

“Well…”

“Because I spoke with my old friend Jocelyn Bennett over there at Hotwire and she said you were the one to tip them off.”

Lyle’s tone is flat. “It’s business, Shelby. I wouldn’t expect you to understand—”

Shelby cuts him off. “I want you to listen to me, Lyle, and then I will tell you our decision about the order.”

Silence.

“Lyle?” I prompt, annoyed.

“Jesus, fuck, you’re both there? Of course you are. Fine. Go ahead and say what you need to say. I’m listening.”

I grin at Shelby and settle back on my stool. This is all her and I’ve been waiting years for this moment.

She presses closer to the speaker, her fingers tapping on the wooden countertop. “I am tired of your bullshit, Lyle. Exhausted. I made some mistakes when I was a kid, but so did you. I know you don’t believe me, but I never cheated on you. I never loved you the right way, though, and that’s on me, but that’s where my apology ends. I’m sorry I didn’t love you. But I’m not sorry I left, and I’m not sorry that I grew up and made something amazing of myself, and I’m especially not sorry for falling in love with Cameron. And you don’t get to take credit for any of that, do you understand me? I did that on my own, despite you and your fucked-up sense of importance. We built this beautiful house and this incredible show, and it was despite you.