idea
Reid: Sure it is. One happy outing in the face of those stories will put an end to them.
Me: You know I’m 400 miles from los angeles, right?
Reid: I’m visiting a friend in san fran tomorrow. Drive in, stay over. We’ll go somewhere cool.
Me: I’m not meeting you in san francisco, reid
Reid: Fine, i’ll come to you
***
Graham is as supportive as Emily, though far less violence-craving.
“I should have just backed out of prom,” I sigh into my webcam, scrubbing my hands over my face. “Marcus wasn’t going to be happy no matter what I did, and now the whole world thinks I’m a stuck-up bitch who wouldn’t lower herself to speak to regular folks.”
“I’m sure no one believes a word of that.” His voice is so warm and soothing that I almost believe him.
“People do believe it! And you know the most annoying part? Before now, I was a middle-class nonentity to most of the people from his school. Marcus and I have run into classmates of his several times, and every time I felt exactly like I do when Chloe eyeballs whatever I’m wearing and gears up to mock my entire sense of fashion—or lack of it.”
He smiles reassuringly. “I happen to like your fashion sense.”
I barely hear him. “And what about the rumors that I’m cheating on Reid with Marcus ? I’m not dating Reid, but the studio wants everyone to think I am… so of course I’m a cheater if I go out with anyone else. What will that mean when you’re here? We’ll have to sneak around. If we’re caught, I’ll look like the biggest slut in Hollywood.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Emma, love, you’ve got a long way to go to win that crown.”
I smile goofily at my screen. “You called me love.”
He smirks, chin tucked low, staring at his screen through his lashes. “You okay with that?”
“Yeah.” I stare into his beautiful warm eyes and wish for the hundredth time in two days that he was standing in front of me. “Are you okay with me meeting Reid for dinner?”
He nods and says, “As okay as I can be.” Which seems cryptic, but I don’t push him. I can’t expect him to be thrilled about it.
Chapter 7
Brooke
“This is the part where you’ll either start gaining her trust or you’ll blow it.” Obviously, Reid hasn’t gained my trust. I’m fully expecting him to blow it.
“Who died and made you all-knowing?” He’s barely got the words out before I want to strangle the ability to speak right out of him. I don’t know if Reid and I are capable of ever not wanting to rip each other to shreds. That desire lingers right under the surface of every conversation we have.
“I’m not kidding, Reid, if you touch her or pressure her in any way before I do my part of this, it’s over and we’re screwed.”
“Or not,” he quips.
“Ha. Ha.” God , I have had just about enough of his horseshit.
“Look, I’m not stupid.” He pauses and I know he’s thinking he left that wide open. I would dearly love to deliver the retort he expects, but it’s just too easy. “Everything else in my life is boring the shit out of me. This is the only thing remotely stimulating. I’m following your orders, because you’re the most successfully conniving girl I’ve ever known, plus I can smell how badly you want Graham.”
If it wasn’t true, how much I want Graham, I’d end this here and now. But Reid makes it sound like wanting him is dirty. It’s not. I’m simply ready for something more serious and meaningful than all of the faceless boys and men I’ve been with in the last few years. None of them were worth half of Graham, and I’m willing to be whatever he wants me to be to get him. What’s so wrong about that?
I’ve always been a crap judge of character. Graham was the only exception to that, though the existence of our friendship was all due to him. When I met him, I was reeling from Reid breaking my heart, and I just wanted to hook up. I was bouncing off of guys like the
Reid: Sure it is. One happy outing in the face of those stories will put an end to them.
Me: You know I’m 400 miles from los angeles, right?
Reid: I’m visiting a friend in san fran tomorrow. Drive in, stay over. We’ll go somewhere cool.
Me: I’m not meeting you in san francisco, reid
Reid: Fine, i’ll come to you
***
Graham is as supportive as Emily, though far less violence-craving.
“I should have just backed out of prom,” I sigh into my webcam, scrubbing my hands over my face. “Marcus wasn’t going to be happy no matter what I did, and now the whole world thinks I’m a stuck-up bitch who wouldn’t lower herself to speak to regular folks.”
“I’m sure no one believes a word of that.” His voice is so warm and soothing that I almost believe him.
“People do believe it! And you know the most annoying part? Before now, I was a middle-class nonentity to most of the people from his school. Marcus and I have run into classmates of his several times, and every time I felt exactly like I do when Chloe eyeballs whatever I’m wearing and gears up to mock my entire sense of fashion—or lack of it.”
He smiles reassuringly. “I happen to like your fashion sense.”
I barely hear him. “And what about the rumors that I’m cheating on Reid with Marcus ? I’m not dating Reid, but the studio wants everyone to think I am… so of course I’m a cheater if I go out with anyone else. What will that mean when you’re here? We’ll have to sneak around. If we’re caught, I’ll look like the biggest slut in Hollywood.”
He laughs and shakes his head. “Emma, love, you’ve got a long way to go to win that crown.”
I smile goofily at my screen. “You called me love.”
He smirks, chin tucked low, staring at his screen through his lashes. “You okay with that?”
“Yeah.” I stare into his beautiful warm eyes and wish for the hundredth time in two days that he was standing in front of me. “Are you okay with me meeting Reid for dinner?”
He nods and says, “As okay as I can be.” Which seems cryptic, but I don’t push him. I can’t expect him to be thrilled about it.
Chapter 7
Brooke
“This is the part where you’ll either start gaining her trust or you’ll blow it.” Obviously, Reid hasn’t gained my trust. I’m fully expecting him to blow it.
“Who died and made you all-knowing?” He’s barely got the words out before I want to strangle the ability to speak right out of him. I don’t know if Reid and I are capable of ever not wanting to rip each other to shreds. That desire lingers right under the surface of every conversation we have.
“I’m not kidding, Reid, if you touch her or pressure her in any way before I do my part of this, it’s over and we’re screwed.”
“Or not,” he quips.
“Ha. Ha.” God , I have had just about enough of his horseshit.
“Look, I’m not stupid.” He pauses and I know he’s thinking he left that wide open. I would dearly love to deliver the retort he expects, but it’s just too easy. “Everything else in my life is boring the shit out of me. This is the only thing remotely stimulating. I’m following your orders, because you’re the most successfully conniving girl I’ve ever known, plus I can smell how badly you want Graham.”
If it wasn’t true, how much I want Graham, I’d end this here and now. But Reid makes it sound like wanting him is dirty. It’s not. I’m simply ready for something more serious and meaningful than all of the faceless boys and men I’ve been with in the last few years. None of them were worth half of Graham, and I’m willing to be whatever he wants me to be to get him. What’s so wrong about that?
I’ve always been a crap judge of character. Graham was the only exception to that, though the existence of our friendship was all due to him. When I met him, I was reeling from Reid breaking my heart, and I just wanted to hook up. I was bouncing off of guys like the
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