I have an uneasy feeling about this.
***
Emily spent ten minutes scolding me about my recent dumbass decisions: first, trying to placate Marcus by going to his prom, and second, breaking my own rule about checking gossip sites. She’s right, of course. I can’t unsee the photos of me—alternating between miserable and pissed—standing beside Marcus, being snubbed by everyone at that dance. I can’t unread the stories claiming that it was my choice to isolate myself, or the bonus rumors that I’m cheating on Reid Alexander.
My best friend stomps back and forth across my room while Derek and I look on silently. Finally, she stops and glares at the laptop screen. “What a bunch of jealous pricks!” Emily will never be accused of beating around the bush.
“Marcus’s friends or the gossip sites?” I’m not sure which infuriates her more.
“All of them.” She’s so angry she’s growling.
“Calm down, baby,” Derek says, tugging on her hand as she paces by him.
“I will not calm down!” Stopping suddenly, she slides onto his lap. “Derek, please do me a favor.” She nuzzles the side of his closely-shorn blond head and his eyes close.
“Anything.”
“Please beat the shit out of Marcus.”
“Except that.”
Sitting straight up, she folds her arms over her chest and glares at him. “What the hell good is having a muscly boyfriend if he won’t beat people up for you?”
I’m glad the text from Reid comes after they’ve gone.
Reid: You went to prom with some other guy? I’m hurt.
Me: Very funny
Reid: Our little act is a success. I’ve already been contacted for comment.
Me: Crap
Reid: It would help if we go out to dinner and look happy
Me: I don’t think that’s a good idea
Reid: Sure it is. One happy outing in the face of those stories will put an end to them.
Me: You know I’m 400 miles from los angeles, right?
Reid: I’m visiting a friend in san fran tomorrow. Drive in, stay over. We’ll go somewhere cool.
Me: I’m not meeting you in san francisco, reid
Reid: Fine, i’ll come to you
***
Graham is as supportive as Emily, though far less violence-craving.
“I should have just backed out of prom,” I sigh into my webcam, scrubbing my hands over my face. “Marcus wasn’t going to be happy no matter what I did, and now the whole world thinks I’m a stuck-up bitch who wouldn’t lower herself to speak to regular folks.”
“I’m sure no one believes a word of that.” His voice is so warm and soothing that I almost believe him.
“People do believe it! And you know the most annoying part? Before now, I was a middle-class nonentity to most of the people from his school. Marcus and I have run into classmates of his several times, and every time I felt exactly like I do when Chloe eyeballs whatever I’m wearing and gears up to mock my entire sense of fashion—or lack of it.”
He smiles reassuringly. “I happen to like your fashion sense.”
I barely hear him. “And what about the rumors that I’m cheating on Reid with Marcus? I’m not dating Reid, but the studio wants everyone to think I am… so of course I’m a cheater if I go out with anyone else. What will that mean when you’re here? We’ll have to sneak around. If we’re caught, I’ll look like the biggest slut in Hollywood.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Emma, love, you’ve got a long way to go to win that crown.”
I smile goofily at my screen. “You called me love.”
He smirks, chin tucked low, staring at his screen through his lashes. “You okay with that?”
“Yeah.” I stare into his beautiful warm eyes and wish for the hundredth time in two days that he was standing in front of me. “Are you okay with me meeting Reid for dinner?”
He nods and says, “As okay as I can be.” Which seems cryptic, but I don’t push him. I can’t expect him to be thrilled about it.
Chapter 7
Brooke
“This is the part where you’ll either start gaining her trust or you’ll blow it.” Obviously, Reid hasn’t gained my trust. I’m fully expecting him to blow it.
“Who died and made you all-knowing?” He’s barely got the words out before I want to strangle the ability to speak right out of him. I don’t know if Reid and I are capable of ever not wanting to rip each other to shreds. That desire lingers right under the surface of every conversation we have.
“I’m not kidding, Reid, if you touch her or pressure her in any way before I do my part of this, it’s over and we’re screwed.”
“Or not,” he quips.
“Ha. Ha.” God, I have had just about enough of his horseshit.
“Look, I’m not stupid.” He pauses and I know he’s thinking he left that wide open. I would dearly love to deliver the retort he expects, but it’s just too easy. “Everything else in my life is boring the shit out of me. This is the only thing remotely stimulating. I’m following your orders, because you’re the most successfully conniving girl I’ve ever known, plus I can smell how badly you want Graham.”
If it wasn’t true, how much I want Graham, I’d end this here and now. But Reid makes it sound like wanting him is dirty. It’s not. I’m simply ready for something more serious and meaningful than all of the faceless boys and men I’ve been with in the last few years. None of them were worth half of Graham, and I’m willing to be whatever he wants me to be to get him. What’s so wrong about that?