Page 13 of Say Yes to the Nemesis

I bolt toward the street, desperate to escape. “Why didn’t you tell him I’m just filling in? That I’m still part of the crew?”

Elena smiles. It’s the kind of smile that holds secrets. “First of all, darling, you’re not a part of the crew anymore. You’re part of the cast now. But you’ll be my mole, my double agent. I’ll let you view the footage and brainstorm with you in private. We can craft your image accordingly.” She waves a hand in the air. “Think of it as acting.”

Part of me cheers. Finally, I’m visible! The rest of me? Terrified. Because being seen means being judged. And I’ve spent my whole life avoiding both.

I’m speechless. This woman is a genius. A manipulative, brilliant genius. Or a psycho. I’m not sure which.

“Trust me, Wren.” Her tone is confident. “This will be good for you.”

“Thanks,” I mumble. She squeezes my shoulder and then turns away, back toward the building.

I’m not ready. I was supposed to be behind the camera, blending into the background, not becoming some kind of on-screen drama magnet. But now it’s too late. The train has left the station with me chained to the tracks.

The walk to catch the subway is a blur. I’m wounded, or maybe just numb.

I pull my coat tighter, wishing I could disappear into the subway walls. The idea of people watching me, like, really watching me, makes my stomach churn. I’ve spent my whole life avoiding the spotlight.

Now they want to aim a floodlight straight at my face.

As I slide into my seat on the train, I just sit and stare into space. My brain practically overheats trying to process everything that has happened today.

Ryan is my tormentor. My almost bully. He’s also the guy I’ve never gotten over.

He was the first boy I ever thought about kissing. And now, somehow, I’m supposed to fake a romance with him on national television. I can barely look at him without flushing. How in the hell am I supposed to pretend to fall in love?

Thanks to Ryan being best friends with my brother, he’s been a fixture in my life since I was twelve years old. Jay brought him into our lives, and I never got a say. He’s everywhere. At holiday gatherings. In our group chats. Even now, when I finally try to build something on my own, he’s here. Again.

Ryan picks on me relentlessly. I’ve always suspected it’s because he knows how I feel. But if that’s true, his reaction to my secret yearning is inappropriate. Not to mention cruel.

Now, Elena is dangling some serious cash in front of me and telling me to play along.

The thing is, I thought taking this job would be a fresh start. I’d do it all on my own, work my way up the ladder. Stretch my wings and try to fly solo.

Now I’m not so sure. Ryan is the rotten apple in my brand-new barrel. If I’m not careful, he’s going to turn this opportunity to mealy, wormy mush.

Maybe I was never meant to leave the shadows. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me that I’m not cut out for this. That I’ll never be one of the shiny girls who belongs in the spotlight.

One thing is certain. I’m in way over my head. But worse than that… I think part of me wants Ryan to look at me. Just once. And mean it.

Filming starts tomorrow. I have less than twenty-four hours to figure out how to pretend I don’t care about him while competing for his fake affections on national television.

four

RYAN

When I walkinto the Tin Shed Pub, I’m already in a shitty mood. I couldn’t sleep last night after running into Wren atThe Last Kissproduction offices. Something about the way she looked at me before she left. Like I was already a disappointment. Like she’d written me off before I even opened my mouth.

I hate that she gets under my skin. That she looks at me like I’m exactly what she expected… nothing special. I don’t know why that bothers me, but it does.

It’s easier to tell myself she’s just Jay’s annoying little sister. That she’s always been there, wide-eyed and irritating, full of herself, stuck-up as hell, and annoying as all fuck.

It’s easier to remember her that way. Easier to justify keeping her at arm’s length. The truth is, if I let myself think of her as anything but a pest, I’ll lose every bit of control I’ve got left.

It’s been a long day, and the bitter topper on my cake? Finding out I have to work with Wren.

I don’t want to work with her. Hell, I don’t even want to talk to her.

Working with her means seeing her. Really seeing her. And being seen in return. That’s the part that makes my skin crawl. She sees things I don’t want anyone to see.