The host on the left spoke brightly. “While River has been unavailable for comment, sources close to the actress say she’s in good spirits despite her ordeal. More to come soon. Rill, can you imagine being stuck on a mountain in the freezing cold? I can’t even leave the house if it dips into the seventies—”

As they began to talk about sweater weather, Bree paused the screen.

“The internet is worse,” she said. “It’s everywhere. You need to get someone on this. Your agent and your publicist, maybe? Someone will have to put out a statement.”

“Will they?” Sighing, River leaned her head back against her pillow. “Bree, do you remember what it was like to not have anyone care about all this crap? What we eat, what we wear, what we make faces at because it’s stupid?”

Crossing her legs beneath her, Bree winced, then changed positions. “No one ever cares what Jessie and I do. River, do you mind if I speak honestly with you?”

“It would be preferable to lying to me and letting me bop along clueless to the truth.”

“When we first got here, and even when we got to Mount Veil, you were playing a part.” Bree shrugged. “Like every other movie we’ve made together, you were acting. The scenery was different, and the drama on set was far scarier—”

“Except for the torture barn.”

“Yes, that was horrifying. Anyway, you were playing the role of actress number one, director and coproducer number two. At times, it didn’t feel like a documentary. It felt like you were going through the motions.”

River tried hard not to be insulted by that. “I care about this project, Bree.”

“I know, but it’s like muscle memory. You’re so used to going through the motions, you didn’t know how not to do so. But when we started to climb, you stopped playing a part. You were you. The footage we got then was better than anything I’ve ever filmed before.”

“What does this have to do with anything?”

“We’ve been keeping this documentary close to the cuff. No one knew we were up here. But that picture of you and him…it’s getting attention. People didn’t even know you and Sweeny had broken up. And now you’re with some sexy Alaskan hunk in a hospital bed? This could drum up the kind of publicity that would really help the documentary be a success.”

River couldn’t see her own face, but she must have not looked happy.

Bree set the remote down next to River’s hand. “Or not. It was just an idea. Either way, someone is going to have to say or do something. Jessie’s talking to the hospital staff on how to manage things, but I think you need some backup.”

Bree handed River her cell phone.

“Why?” But River already knew the answer.