“I know how to separate my personal feelings from my role. It will only be acting, babe.”
“It’s not you I’m worried about. It’s whoever they cast as Abby.” I chew on the corner of my lip. “I still want to punch Marnie Gibson for shoving her tongue down your throat during Romeo and Juliet,” I admit, my fists clenching as I recall how she used to paw at him during rehearsals. Everyone knew we were in love, and Reeve told her time and time again to cut it out, but she loved pushing my buttons, and we almost came to blows on several occasions. She still smirks at me whenever I pass her in the hallway, and I still want to throat punch her until I wipe the smug grin off her face.
Reeve has taken a leading role in every school play, but that was the only part that required him to kiss his leading lady. I was jealous as fuck, and it doesn’t bode well. I hate that I’m worrying, because I trust him completely and it shouldn’t be a big deal. I need to trust in him and our love and accept this is the way it will always be.
He tucks my hair behind my ears, dotting kisses along my cheeks. “Her breath smelled like rotten farts, and I almost puked every time I had to kiss her.” He grimaces, and I grin, his words helping to ease some of my tension. He cups my face, locking eyes with me. “It wouldn’t matter if they cast Gal Gadot opposite me. I’d still have zero interest. You are all I see.”
I purse my lips. “Now I know you’re lying. I’ve seen you drooling over her. Don’t deny it.”
“That was the Wonder Woman costume, and trust me when I say every red-blooded male got hard watching that movie.”
“Gross.” I place my hands on his shoulders, exhaling loudly. He looks troubled now, and I’m not doing this to him. I just need to get over myself. “It’s fine, Reeve. Don’t mind me.” I kiss him softly. “I know I can trust you. I’m just being silly.”
“You can trust me.” Lifting my hand, he kisses the soft skin on my wrist. “You can trust me one hundred percent.”
I do trust him, but I have a sixth sense it’s not him I’ll have to worry about.
4
I bury my head in my hands, tossing my cell on the couch in my living room. “Ugh. Why her? Of all the actresses in the world, why did they have to cast Saffron Roberts as Abby?”
“It sucks, babe,” Audrey says. “I hate it and Reeve isn’t even my boyfriend.”
Lifting my head, I exhale heavily. “I’ll just have to grin and bear it. It’s not like I can do anything about it, and I understand why they hired her.”
Saffron starred in a couple of popular Netflix movies. She’s beautiful and a decent actress. But they are a dime a dozen in L.A., and if it wasn’t for her scandalous affair with a high-profile married film director, she would not be so famous.
Usually, the woman fares unfavorably in such situations, but the director’s wife made a statement saying they had an open marriage, even alluding to a threesome with her husband and the then twenty-year-old actress. Saffron signed with a new agent and PR firm, and for a time, you couldn’t turn on the TV or scroll through social media without seeing her pretty face. Roles have been pouring in, and she’s now being touted as one of the future stars of the big screen.
“I get that she has an edgy vibe that works with the plot, but I still think it’s risky,” Audrey says, and I love how loyal she is.
I stand, stretching to loosen the kinks in my shoulders. “I hate thinking of Reeve kissing, touching, and faking sex with her, but I’ll just have to get over it. The truth is, it’s a good thing for the movie that she’s come on board. It means more investment and more publicity. I want Reeve to succeed, and I trust him. It’s her I don’t trust.”
Audrey kicks her shoes off, pulling her knees into her chest. “She might not be as bad as we think. You know how the media twists things.”
“True,” I agree, feeling a little guilty for instantly hating her. I’ve seen how the media has twisted things with my parents over the years. How they have made innocent hugs and kisses on the cheek seem more. How they have tried to manipulate the truth to suit their own agenda. Saffron has never publicly commented on the affair, so, for all I know, it might not have even happened. “Reeve said she was great. Friendly but professional and very excited for the project.”
The door bursts open, and the guys come in, laughing and shoving each other. “Hey, babe.” Reeve reels me into his arms, kissing me slowly, and I melt into his arms.
“Fuck, you’re all so nauseating,” Nate drawls, and we break apart the same time Alex and Audrey do.
“Then maybe you should stop hanging out with us.” Audrey slants him a fake sugary-sweet smile. I know he gets on her nerves, but he’s on the football team with Alex, and their families are super close, so he’s always hanging around.
“Or get yourself a girlfriend,” I suggest. Nate isn’t my type, but he’s a honed slab of muscle, and he’s not ugly. I know he has his fair share of willing bed partners, but he needs a personality transplant if he expects any of them to stick around for a relationship.
“What an awesome idea.” He rocks back on his heels. “I was just telling Reeve he should introduce me to his sexy co-star.”
Saffron was papped entering the studio last week, so the PR people issued a press release the second she signed on the dotted line, confirming her and Reeve for the parts. Now everyone knows, and it’s becoming real. The books are popular, and social media is going crazy right now with talk of the movie.
Audrey snorts with laughter, while I try to curb the jealous fluttering in my chest.
“Unless you plan to fly to the East Coast, you can forget that plan,” Reeve says, rubbing a soothing hand up and down my back. “I told you we’re filming in Boston and other parts of Massachusetts.”
“I’m sure you can invite her to come and party with us sometime.” He waggles his brows.
Over my dead fucking body.
“I don’t think you’re her type,” Reeve says, and I frown. How the hell would he know her type, and why does it even matter?
“Reeve’s right,” Audrey cuts in, leaning her head back against Alex’s chest. “You’re not rich enough. Old enough. Or powerful enough. Unless you’ve got something she can gain, she won’t even give you a second glance.”
“I didn’t realize you were so judgmental,” Reeve says. “And you shouldn’t believe everything you read online. She’s a nice girl and really fucking talented.”
Audrey purses her lips, and an awkward silence engulfs the room. I don’t disagree with my bestie, even if we are being a little judgy. What bothers me is how quickly Reeve jumped to Saffron’s defense. It’s not like he knows her either.
“I’d still do her,” Nate says. “I’ve never had any complaints about Woody,” he adds, grabbing his crotch.
We all burst out laughing, and it helps to offset the growing tension.
“Butthead is throwing a party on the beach tonight,” Reeve says. “You want to go?”
“Sure.” I could use a drink or ten after the press announcement today.
“Let’s grab dinner at The Shack first,” Alex suggests, and we all nod, agreeing to meet in an hour.
“Feeling better?” Audrey asks, as we dance in front of the fire. Butthead may be a butthead, but he sure knows how to throw a proper beach party. It helps that this strip of beach is private and his palatial home is behind us. It means we have access to toilets and chilled drinks, and the line of chimineas spread out on the sand was kindly supplied by his parents so we don’t freeze our asses off.
“Much,” I agree, shimmying my hips to the pulsing beats pounding from the freestanding speakers. “I just need to get out of my head. This is such an amazing opportunity for Reeve, and I’ve got to quit the jealous girlfriend routine.”