“Yeah, I have no idea where those even came from.” I wag my head back and forth. “I doubt anyone believes that story.”
“I do,” he asserts. “You two looked lost and unengaged. Not like a couple at all. We have to do something to change this fast, or we’ll lose everything.”
“I think it’s time we admit we’re defeated.” I shrug, not willing to drag out this drama. “We can call it a rebound fling and say we both wish the best for each other, but neither one of us is ready for a relationship—”
“You need to kiss him,” Bill blurts out.
Triple blinking, I’m stunned speechless, which grants Bill ample silence to explain, “You need to up your showmanship a little more. Give the people something to swoon over so they believe you’re in love. Not those dopey expressions you had last night.”
I just stand there, letting my jaw hang low and pondering how I’m going to explain this to him, but it’s really not that hard. “Remember, we made a no-kissing pact.”
“Everyone knows those are meant to be broken,” he says quickly. “Listen, it’s only going to work if you lay one on him when he’s not expecting it. Otherwise, you’ll both be too nervous, and it won’t be believable. You’re a natural actress and he’s not. He’ll clam up and ruin the moment.”
“That is a violation.” I wave my hands in a wide sweep in front of me. “I’m not going to throw myself on someone who I promised I wouldn’t kiss.”
“It’s not a violation if he wants to,” Bill goes on. “This fake-dating thing isn’t working because you both know it’s fake, but if one of you starts to believe it’s real . . . then it won’t look so stiff.”
“What are you saying?” I mostly understand exactly what he’s saying, but I ask because I’m making sure we’re both having the same conversation. I had no idea Bill was so sneaky to even suggest I break the only rule we have.
“I’m saying, I want you to stop pretending like you’re dating. It’s not working. You two look awful together. Instead, I want you to startdatinghim for real.”
I fold my arms, crossing them over my chest as Axl’s comment on the plane about how we both know we would be bad at dating pulls to the front of my mind. Maybe he was fishing for my reaction? My little heart, which has been through so much these past few days, starts to pitter hard against my ribcage.
The thought of kissing Axl sends me into a place of bliss that I can’t explain. The mere suggestion of his soft, full lips pressing against mine . . . I bite my lip to avoid smiling. Ilovethe idea of it, but I don’t think it’s the best way to go about it. I’m not going to trick him into anything. If I ever kiss him, I want it to be for real. “This makes no sense.”
“It will once you kiss him.” His tone is easy, as if he’s deciding to order toast with his over-easy eggs and not at all like he’s running some scam.
“I’m not going to kiss him.” I pause, but then decide to remind him about my morals. “Agreeing to pretend you are something in front of people you don’t know is one thing, but Axl and I are friends now. Friends who agreed to not do certain things, and I’m not going to disrespect his boundaries.”
“Where should it happen?” He rubs his facial stubble on his chin, ignoring my rebuttal as he plots out loud. “The date looked so staged at the fundraiser. People are also expecting a show at the arena, but what if . . .” His eyes slide over my front porch, and I visualize the wheels turning in his head.
“I don’t think so.” I throw up my hand in a stop motion. “This is a bad idea—”
“It’s a perfect idea!” Excitement infuses his voice, and his smile spreads across his face. “It’s the most believable setting. Invite him over to spend time with your family. That will get him thinking it’s a genuine date, because it’s not in public. There’s no reason you’d ever have him over here unless you’d be interested in having some private time. Then maybe come out here to this nice porch to cuddle, and when things get cozy, you pucker up. I’ll be hiding in those bushes with my camera.”
“Absolutely not!” I shake my head violently.Bill has lost his mind!I recall when he first showed up on my porch and how I thought he was crazy then. He’s only gotten crazier. He doesn’t even have a normal setting. And how he comes up with these plans and voices them so easily makes me wonder what kind of business he’s running. I don’t know anything about owning a hockey team, but this isn’t how people act. “Why would I do that to him? It’s a breach of trust and so dishonest.”
“I was hoping you’d ask that.” Bill’s eyes widen as he yanks his phone out of his back pocket and proceeds to open some app. “This morning was interesting,” he narrates as he scrolls. “Not only did I see those photos of the two of you looking duller than lead paint, but I saw something about how your tour is in trouble.” He flashes the article at me. “Do you know anything about this?”
My heart tanks from its already defeated position.
How did that get leaked?
After scanning the first few lines, it sounds as if a disgruntled employee at one of the canceled venues leaked my lackluster ticket sales and complained about my inability to reimburse the tickets in a timely manner.
Of course, there is no mention of my management trying to reschedule the tour. They never mention any of the positive things I do.
“I know I can’t believe everything I read online, but is this true?” His eyes soften, smacking mine with a healthy dose of reality that I’ve been avoiding since I talked to Bailey this morning.
“Some of it may be.” Rolling my lips in, I contemplate how much of my personal business to disclose to Bill, but he already has more blackmail on me than any person on the planet. Maybe he can help. He is a billionaire, after all. “We’re trying to reschedule the concerts, but they aren’t even trying and are insisting on refunds. I don’t want to do that, because my team deserves bonuses for working so hard this last year. Most of them missed the whole summer with their families.”
“See, that's where we can help each other.” Bill winks as he tucks his phone into his back pocket. “We can make everyone happy if we work together. Refund all the tickets, and instead of rebooking at that venue, why not offer a free concert in a park or something? People love that sort of stuff. You can say you’re paying it forward for the inconvenience.”
“I can’t afford—”
“I can pay all their bonuses.”
“Why would you do—” My brain catches up to my words and I freeze. “It will cost you a hundred grand to refund all those tickets. You think me kissing Axl is going to help that much?”
