The moment I said Chase’s name, Theo’s face changed. I knew he had to be stressed about going back too. Theo didn’t like drama and there was no avoiding it once we went back in to shoot those final takes. Not to mention postproduction and promoting the show. We were a long way away from being done with Chase. Still, for Theo this seemed to be about more than that. He seemed distant. I didn’t like how he was avoiding my eyes, and a prickle of discomfort settled on the back of my beck.

“Is something wrong?” I asked as we met at the back of the Tesla and he handed me my bag.

He shook his head and I could see it took an effort to make himself face me. “Everything will work out.”

“That’s an interesting choice of words,” I told him and he still didn’t look at me. The prickle of unease intensified. Something was wrong and Theo was not telling me. Instantly the memory of my mother’s face when she got that call from the IRS telling her the mess my father had left for her to deal with came to mind. I knew this was not the same situation, and Theo wasn’t my father, but I couldn’t help it. Part of me wanted to have it out right there in the parking lot. Demand to know what it was that Theo wasn’t saying. I knew that me passing out had scared him and that he felt responsible for how shitty things had gone with the show, but not letting me know if something else was happening would piss me off.

The moment we got into the penthouse I knew for sure there was a problem. Theo didn’t try to kiss me or even look my way, just moved around the room without making eye contact. With a feeling of dread I turned on my phone and within seconds there were dozens of notifications popping up on my screen. It was so overwhelming, I almost powered it off again. Then I saw the messages from the twins from yesterday.

Mitzy Sturm: Honey, we just heard. I am so sorry that the producer was such a scoundrel. We had no idea. We’re sorry we weren’t here to support you.

I wasn’t surprised that they’d been notified about what had happened on the set before we went to Santa Fe. I hadn’t wanted to bother them on their trip to Europe and hoped they weren’t pissed that all this stuff had happened without them being made aware of it.

Muffy Sturm: Yes, we will make it work. We just wish you would’ve told us how poorly the man was behaving!