Page 134 of The Publicity Stunt

Parker is willing to fight for me. He’s willing to win me back.

I just don’t know if I’m worth all the trouble.

I’m stuck between not wanting to relive that pain and wanting to be loved by him.

“I didn’t know how broken I was till I saw her name on those divorce papers,” I tell Holly.

“Don’t you think he’s trying to keep it all together too?”

“You’re taking his side?”

“You know I’m not. I hope he falls on his face and breaks his dick or something. But he made a mistake. It’s what you do after that mistake that makes all the difference.”

“It’s not that black and white,” I say. “I wish it was, but it isn’t.”

“It is if you let it.”

“I’m just …” I take a deep breath, trying not to let my broken heart get the better of me. I’m just so scared. “I’m going to be fine, Holly,” I lie.

And she lets me.

Two Weeks Later

ChapterThirty-One

Present Day

APRIL

Ihaven’t seen or heard from Parker in more than two weeks.

Honestly, I don’t even know what I would say to him if he showed up to set today, but every time I hear someone’s voice other than his come from outside, all the wounds seem to open a little more. His absence is clawing at them, prying them open.

I asked Kripke, but apparently all scenes requiring Parker specifically as the stunt double have been shot. So he’s not needed to come in if he doesn’t want to.

So here I am.

In Tony’s trailer, sifting through the walls, searching for any trace of drugs.

Suffering at the hand of karma.

A normal day in the life of April Moore. Only that it’s still far from normal. Nothing is normal without Parker.

My fingers come to a halt when I hear someone knock on the trailer door.

“Yeah?” I turn my head around only to realize it’s locked from the inside.

I get up, straighten the front of my blue pantsuit, and reach for the doorknob, turning it and pulling it open.

As soon as I do, I wish I hadn’t.

The words don’t seem to form in my head, much less leave my mouth.

Shara Kendricks, in the flesh.

After five whole seconds, I manage to get her name out of my mouth. “Shara?”

I hope she doesn’t see the sour reaction on my face as her name forms on my tongue. If she does, she doesn’t make it apparent. She does nothing other than just stand there, not moving an inch, surprise and shock riddled all over her face.