Page 2 of The Publicity Stunt

“You can see everything from here,” I say.

The tapering glow of the distant skyline, the faint white shine of the Getty, the tiny specks of light scattered across the city of Los Angeles like a million fireflies. This is breathtaking. Totally worth the hike. Well, for Parker, at least.

He tugs on my hand, pulling me to the gravelly edge overlooking the city. “We missed the sunset because of your stupid whining.”

I’m too mesmerized by the view to smack his arm, so I use my words instead. “I thought it was the stupid kissing.”

“That too.” He sits down and pulls me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me in that trademark Parker way. Like he’s shielding me from all the bad in the world. Might not be very practical, but it is where I feel safest. I recline into his chest and smile. Maybe that’s what matters more. The feeling of being safe, rather than the actual state. And with him, I feel truly safe. He’s like my very own superhero. Protecting me from everything, even the things that hurt me from the inside.

Especially those.

Sometimes I wonder what makes Hayden Parker feel safe. He doesn’t like talking about stuff like that—you know, stuff that makes him feel vulnerable. And I don’t force it out of him. But that doesn’t thwart my curiosity. What is his safe place?

It’s okay if it isn’t me; I’m not intimidating like he is. I can’t scare people off with a single look or run up a hill with a girl in my arms.

But I do hope it’s something. Everyone deserves a safe place. He does too, more than most.

“Hey.” His voice vibrates against my hair. “I have something for you.”

I tilt my head back. “What?”

Reeling in his right arm, he reaches into the pocket of his sweatpants and fishes out a small package, delicately wrapped in light blue paper, tied together with a red ribbon. The way I snatch it from him, you’d think I’ve never even seen a present before.

“Whoa, slow down there, Chere.” Parker laughs, nestling his chin into the crook of my neck. “You’re going to break what’s inside.”

Ignoring his caution, I paw at the paper and quite literally tear it to shreds. He groans.

I feel a heavy, infatuated jab to my heart as I pull off the last piece of wrapping paper. It’s a simple necklace with a gold ring as a pendant. The ring has tiny green vines around the top.

Yellow and green.

“What is this?” I ask, holding it up between my fingers.

Parker takes it from my hands and pushes my hair to one side. The click of the clasp is followed by a kiss to the back of my head. “I told you I’d get you a ring eventually.”

“How did you pay—”

He cuts me off. “Do you like it?”

“Like it?” I shift to face him. “I love it.”

“Yeah?”

“Mm-hm. And I love you too.”

A tender expression spreads across his face as he looks down at me, his eye twinkling with tiny mischief. “More than the ant-infested boulder?”

“We’ll see.” Laughing, blissful, I stretch to kiss him again, hoping it tells him all the things I can’t say sometimes.

I love you more than anything.

ChapterOne

Present Day

APRIL

Finding a seat on the New York subway is like taking part in the Hunger Games.