Matt’s phone rang and Natalie looked up in time to see him check the caller ID. “Shit,” he said and answered. “Matt Walsh.”

There was silence followed by, “Any point in pleading my case?” then more silence until he said, “I see. Sorry to hear that. Yes? Got it.”

He hung up and turned to Natalie, “I just lost my job.”

Natalie blinked, horrified. “Who was that?” She hoped he was joking.

“Bibb,” he said. “She said I should have made sure they got the exclusive on your FLOTUS interview, and she’s right.” He stared out the window for a minute before laughing. “Anyway, I’m fired, but you are expected back in the office tomorrow.” He turned to face Natalie. “The Chief probably wants to give you a promotion.”

She felt awful. She’d been so consumed with her own issues she hadn’t considered how this might impact Matt and Dasha. “What are you going to do?” she asked him.

He gave her a sly look. “Actually I have an offer from a station in Iowa. They want to put me on camera.”

Natalie looked at him, jaw nearly on the floor. “You can’t be serious. Why the hell would you want to go on camera when you’ve seen everything I just went through?”

“Because I’m not a woman,” he said, as in duh. “I don’t have to deal with any of that shit. No one’s going to ride my ass about my hair or try to trip me up because I’m a younger version of themselves. Actually, dudes like to promote younger versions of themselves.” He considered this. “Interesting. That’s true. Anyway, gotta leave this town to get some work-life balance, right? I have friends in Iowa. Laura’s family still likes me.”

“Laura?”

“The ex-wife,” Dasha said with a sly glance in the rearview mirror.

“How about you, Dasha?” Matt asked, poking the camerawoman in the arm and changing the subject. “Want to come with me to Iowa, cover the presidential? Get away from Handsy Hal?”

“No, I stay,” Dasha said, looking at Natalie in the rearview mirror, her eyes glittering fiercely. “Bibb and I have conversation. She wants I should work with Greasy. I say, okay, I make deal. I work with Greasy. You pay me double. Report to Bibb, no Hal. Is good. I stay and cash check. Fuck Hal.”

Natalie reached forward to give Dasha a squeeze on the shoulder.

Matt looked at Natalie. “You don’t have to go back to Bibb, you know. You could go to any network now. Hell, you could get an anchor job. Write your own ticket. You want to do a morning show? It’s all wide open for you.”