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CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

ANNALISE

T aking my “relationship” public last night is all anyone seems to be talking about today. There’s an excited buzz in the air as those on set speculate on the details. When did it start? How serious is it? It’s all very high school—absurd.

Everyone is professional enough to keep their interactions with me focused on work, for which I’m thankful. Well, all except one.

“Seriously, Anna… where did you meet initially? I heard he was at the charity event, but you obviously met prior, right? You never go out, and up until last night, I didn’t picture you as a sports fan. However, I guess it makes sense now why the cast teamed up with the team for the event. I didn’t get it until now.” Simon tosses a loaded nacho chip into his mouth as he stands behind me at the food table.

Metal serving tongs in hand, I snap them toward Simon. “You didn’t team up with anyone at the event because you didn’t go, remember?” I finish building my salad and place the tongs down before drizzling some dressing over my plate.

“That’s not the point of my question.” He scoops some mac and cheese next to his nachos and follows me.

“You had a question? It must’ve gotten lost in all that rambling.” I grab a bottle of water and make my way to one of the tables.

Simon sits across from me. “Come on, Anna. You have to give me something.” He gives me a flirty smile, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes.

While it’s true that Simon and I came to a sort of truce yesterday, I still find the act of sitting across from him, eating lunch, and conversing like friends—odd. Very odd. The annoyance I possess for Simon holds a special place deep within my soul. It feels impossible to let it go. He’s not a good person, and I’m no fool. The only reason he’s being kind is because he wants something from me, an introduction to a respected director. He doesn’t truly care about me. Though, I’m sure his curiosity involving Jaden and me is genuine.

“I like to keep my relationships private.” I shrug and fork a piece of lettuce.

He laughs. “Right. I can tell. Super private.”

He’s referencing the pictures and video making the rounds on the internet. What was Jaden thinking?

After the kiss, I spewed one angry question after the next Jaden’s way on the limo ride from the arena to my hotel. Initially, I was mad. The whole stunt was so unlike anything I’d ever do. I’m not lying by telling Simon that I like to keep my personal life private. Normally, I do. I just didn’t have much of a choice last night.

What was I supposed to do? Once Jaden’s lips touched mine, I couldn’t just push him away. That wouldn’t convince anyone that we’re dating. I had no choice but to play in to the show. Maybe I got a little wrapped up in it. He’s a damn good kisser.

Licking my bottom lip, I stare off, remembering the feel of Jaden’s mouth on mine.

I’m brought back to the present by the annoyance of Simon’s hand snapping in front of my face. I blink hard and refocus on my costar across from me.

“There you are. Lost you for a second. Where’d you zone out to?” He shakes his head. “Never mind, I don’t think I want to know.”

“You don’t,” I quip.

Miranda slides into the empty chair beside me and leans back with a sigh. “You’re finally free.” She pins me with a stare, and I know exactly what she’s thinking.

As my publicist, she’s been fielding calls all morning about the kissing stunt last night, yet she doesn’t know any more than anyone else who has seen the photos. It’s been such a crazy morning. I was in makeup by the time she found me this morning, and there hasn’t been a second to catch her up.

I shoot her a coy smile. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be. I’ve had to avoid nineteen calls from your father, Anna. Nineteen.” She threads her fingers through her thick auburn hair. “That man is persistent.”

Simon grunts, a grin on his face. I suppose no one at this table is immune from my father.

“I’ll catch you up on everything. Just not now,” I tell her.

“Anna!” she whisper-shrieks. Leaning forward, she splays her palms against the table. “That is not good enough. I have to make a statement and at the very least call your father back or he’s going to fly back from LA and storm the set.”

Looking around, I take in the cast and crew sitting at the tables around us. They’re all pretending as if they’re not hanging on every word being said, but most of them aren’t very good actors.

I steal a glance at the time and push my salad away. Truthfully, I’m not very hungry anyway. “Fine.” I lean toward her and whisper, “We have ten minutes. Let’s go somewhere more private.”

Miranda pushes up from the table and scurries out of the room as I follow. We hide away in the costume closet.

“Spill it,” Miranda says, hands on her hips.

It doesn’t take long for me to give her all the important details, and as I finish telling her everything, I feel bad for making her wait all morning for an explanation. “I’m sorry. It felt bigger than it is, I guess.”

“No, Anna… it’s big.” She chews on the inside of her cheek in thought. “So…” She taps her lip with her index finger. “We’re just spinning this as a real relationship. One built out of love, respect, and trust.”

“Sure.” I shrug.

She shakes her head and forces a laugh. “I don’t know what I’m going to do about you. You’re so serious all the time, and now that you’re on camera making out with your fake boyfriend, you’re just all… ‘sure.’” She imitates my voice with a scrunched-up face.

I chuckle. “What am I supposed to do? It’s done. That genie is not going back in the bottle. I’m ‘dating’ Jaden.” I move my fingers in air quotes. “Now, I don’t have to fake it with Simon. There’s nothing my dad can do about his Simon proposal, but maybe he’ll be a little happy that now that I’m ‘serious’”—I use the air quotes again—“with someone else, I won’t be perceived as a whore. Right?”

Her eyebrows furrow. “Your dad can go fuck himself.”

“And that, too.” I laugh.

“Seriously, you’re not the one who has to talk to him,” she grumbles.

I shrug. “I can call him back tonight if you want me to.”

“No. It’s my job. And honestly, it’ll be fun to hear him all riled up. So I’ll release a statement to… TMZ?”

I nod. “Yeah, they always get the word out.”

“That’s what I was thinking. Thirty seconds after I inform them, everyone else will know the scoop and move on.”

“Right.”

“Okay,” she sighs. “So not so bad.”

“Not so bad.” I grin.

“We still need to discuss how this whole fake dating thing will work. You two will have to be seen in public at least a few times, you know?” she says.

“Yeah, I figured at the very least we can go to all his home games while we’re here filming.”

“Oh, for sure!” She claps her hands. “But I’ll have to set up some other photo ops, too.”

“I definitely want to go back to that Italian restaurant that my father took us to. They had the best calamari I’ve ever had. As a bonus, it will piss my father off.”

“Consider it done.”

“Can you request Bethy be our server again? I miss her.”

Miranda laughs. “You’re so weird sometimes.”

“Ditto.”

Her eyes light up. “Alright, this is going to be fun.”

“Right? I think it might be.”

“Plus, you’ll get to kiss those lips again.” She wags her eyebrows.

I swipe my hand through the space between us. “Oh, I don’t care about that.”

“Sure you don’t.” She scoffs. “You can lie to everyone else, Anna. But don’t forget that I know you.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You have to get back, and I have calls to make, but I expect a full breakdown of that kiss over dinner tonight. I want all the details.” She throws me a wink as she exits the closet.

Without thinking, I bring the tips of my fingers to my lips, and thoughts of Jaden rush into my mind. And not just of Jaden but of his lips. His beautifully full and competent lips.

I know that Jaden and I aren’t truly compatible. In the real world, we’d never work out. But in this faux reality I find myself in… maybe there’s room for a little fun. I mean, why not?

Miranda’s right. This is all very strange behavior for me. I don’t even know who I am right now. Yet that’s one of the great things about being an actor. There’s no rush to figure myself out because in a couple of minutes, I’ll be expected to be someone else. And that I can do.