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Authors: Lizzie Shane
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the feel of his arms as he swept her into them, the low words of reassurance.
The reality was much harder to swallow.
His confusion. His hesitation. The way he calmly managed the situation with no emotion.
The tent flap moved and Trina jumped, moving guiltily away from her eavesdropping post. She wrapped her arms tight around her middle and turned to face Chris as he paused just inside the flap, studying her face.
“You heard,” he said.
“Some,” she admitted—and she hadn’t heard every single word, but she’d certainly heard enough. “Canvas walls.”
He eyed the tent. “Right.”
“I’m happy to get a paternity test,” she volunteered. “It’s probably a good idea. I haven’t been with anyone else, but you don’t know that—”
“I trust you.”
“Then we’ll get it for Marty. I don’t think he trusts me.”
Chris snorted. “Marty doesn’t trust anyone.”
“Occupational hazard, I guess,” Trina murmured. “What did he mean? That the network won’t want you if you have a kid?”
“It’s an image thing,” he said dismissively. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Marty seems awfully worried about it.”
“That’s what I pay him for.” When she frowned at him, he relented, explaining, “My show’s popularity depends on me being perceived as being available, if unattainable. Marty worries that if I’m in a relationship with a kid on the way, I’m doubling down on being off the market and my viewers will flock to whichever sexy single contractor they find to fill my time slot.”
Unease fluttered in her chest. She’d anticipated one of two outcomes—either he would want her and everything would magically fall into place or he would want nothing to do with her and she would at least get closure. This in-between uncertainty made her stomach roil. Or maybe that was morning sickness deciding to hit in the afternoon.
“I didn’t realize it might affect your career.”
“Welcome to show business.”
The flap rustled again and Marty entered. “I have a security team ready to escort you to her car whenever you’re ready. I’ll be in touch as soon as we have your flight change finalized. Your bags will be waiting for you at your hotel in New York,” he rattled off efficiently before turning his attention to Trina. “Your friend Ellie already sprinted off the premises, and no one is talking about pressing charges.I’ll arrange to have a fruit basket and autographed photo sent to her as an apology for her inconvenience. Was there anything else?”
“Thorough as always,” Chris said, clapping his manager on the shoulder before turning to Trina. “Ready to go?”
She nodded, feeling that strange disorientation again. This was the stranger. Chris the Celebrity. She’d fallen halfway in love with Chris the Man, but she hadn’t seen him yet today. Chris the Celebrity was the only one present. But maybe if she could just get him away from Marty, all that would change. Maybe when he wasn’t at a mall, where he’d just greeted several hundred adoring fans, he’d be himself again—and she wouldn’t have to be so scared that she was going to go through this alone.
Because even as they walked together, flanked by a security team and shouted at by fans, even next to him and surrounded by people, she’d never felt so isolated.
Chapter Seven
Trina’s car was approaching retirement age, but it was spotlessly clean and the maintenance reminder stickers on the windshield indicated she kept it well-maintained. The hallmarks of someone who cared about her possessions, but couldn’t afford anything resembling the tricked out Land Rover he was almost never home to drive.
She’d handed him the keys in the parking lot, explaining she was tired of driving—and he noticed the shadows under her eyes.
“Did you drive all night?” he asked as he climbed into the driver’s seat and slid it back as far as it would go.
“I caught a few hours’ sleep at a rest stop.” She
The reality was much harder to swallow.
His confusion. His hesitation. The way he calmly managed the situation with no emotion.
The tent flap moved and Trina jumped, moving guiltily away from her eavesdropping post. She wrapped her arms tight around her middle and turned to face Chris as he paused just inside the flap, studying her face.
“You heard,” he said.
“Some,” she admitted—and she hadn’t heard every single word, but she’d certainly heard enough. “Canvas walls.”
He eyed the tent. “Right.”
“I’m happy to get a paternity test,” she volunteered. “It’s probably a good idea. I haven’t been with anyone else, but you don’t know that—”
“I trust you.”
“Then we’ll get it for Marty. I don’t think he trusts me.”
Chris snorted. “Marty doesn’t trust anyone.”
“Occupational hazard, I guess,” Trina murmured. “What did he mean? That the network won’t want you if you have a kid?”
“It’s an image thing,” he said dismissively. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Marty seems awfully worried about it.”
“That’s what I pay him for.” When she frowned at him, he relented, explaining, “My show’s popularity depends on me being perceived as being available, if unattainable. Marty worries that if I’m in a relationship with a kid on the way, I’m doubling down on being off the market and my viewers will flock to whichever sexy single contractor they find to fill my time slot.”
Unease fluttered in her chest. She’d anticipated one of two outcomes—either he would want her and everything would magically fall into place or he would want nothing to do with her and she would at least get closure. This in-between uncertainty made her stomach roil. Or maybe that was morning sickness deciding to hit in the afternoon.
“I didn’t realize it might affect your career.”
“Welcome to show business.”
The flap rustled again and Marty entered. “I have a security team ready to escort you to her car whenever you’re ready. I’ll be in touch as soon as we have your flight change finalized. Your bags will be waiting for you at your hotel in New York,” he rattled off efficiently before turning his attention to Trina. “Your friend Ellie already sprinted off the premises, and no one is talking about pressing charges.I’ll arrange to have a fruit basket and autographed photo sent to her as an apology for her inconvenience. Was there anything else?”
“Thorough as always,” Chris said, clapping his manager on the shoulder before turning to Trina. “Ready to go?”
She nodded, feeling that strange disorientation again. This was the stranger. Chris the Celebrity. She’d fallen halfway in love with Chris the Man, but she hadn’t seen him yet today. Chris the Celebrity was the only one present. But maybe if she could just get him away from Marty, all that would change. Maybe when he wasn’t at a mall, where he’d just greeted several hundred adoring fans, he’d be himself again—and she wouldn’t have to be so scared that she was going to go through this alone.
Because even as they walked together, flanked by a security team and shouted at by fans, even next to him and surrounded by people, she’d never felt so isolated.
Chapter Seven
Trina’s car was approaching retirement age, but it was spotlessly clean and the maintenance reminder stickers on the windshield indicated she kept it well-maintained. The hallmarks of someone who cared about her possessions, but couldn’t afford anything resembling the tricked out Land Rover he was almost never home to drive.
She’d handed him the keys in the parking lot, explaining she was tired of driving—and he noticed the shadows under her eyes.
“Did you drive all night?” he asked as he climbed into the driver’s seat and slid it back as far as it would go.
“I caught a few hours’ sleep at a rest stop.” She
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