We obey.
“Great,” Jared goes on. “Now, this is very important. Thirty minutes ago, I ran into Carlton Park—you know, the guy who does ‘infotainment in under a minute’ and it’s always celebrity gossip he finds out at insider events?”
“Sure.” I can vaguely picture the scruffy dude’s head green-screened in front of celebrity photos while he talks about them. A few months ago he did a piece on me and Harmony, summarizing our feud up to that point; it got twelve million views.
“Well, it just so happens that he has a cabana right near yours and I’m watching him finish up a convo with the girls fromGame, Set, Matchabout fifty feet away. I just overheard himsay he’s headed back for a break before Party Riot goes onstage. Which means you two need to get ready to put on a show.”
“Wait, what?” Harmony says. “What do you mean?”
“I mean Carlton is going to go down the pathway with a clear view straight into your cabana—any minute now—and he needs to see you acting like you’re more than friends. Not everyone bothers to read tabloid articles, but a lot of them will scarf down those one-minute videos like Pringles. Please don’t waste this opportunity.”
“What exactly do you want us to do?” I ask in a sharp whisper as a man who looks like Carlton appears in the distance.
Jared sighs. “First order of business: scoot closer to each other.”
“Are you watching us right now too?” Harmony asks.
“Obviously. Now get closer, I’m not kidding. No space between you.”
I slide up right next to Harmony so that our bodies are touching. “Sorry,” I mutter.
“Arm around her,” Jared tells me.
“Permission to put my arm around you?” I ask Harmony.
“Yes, fine,” she replies.
I drape my arm along the back of the sofa behind her.
“Now,” Jared says, “if you could kind of stroke her thigh with your other hand …”
“No way,” Harmony tells him. She looks outside, though, and Carlton is nearing us. She gives me a warning glare. “Alright—briefly.”
I rest my hand on the saffron-yellow fabric of her dress that covers her thigh.
“Okay, now lean in,” Jared instructs.
Tentatively, I lean in.
Harmony’s eyes are dark and menacing. Her lips are tight. Her breathing is shallow.
Come to think of it, my breathing is shallow too. My pulse kicks up.
“Put a hand on his chest, Harm,” says Jared.
Her fingertips graze the buttons of my shirt.
Carlton approaches the cabana zone. He keeps walking, but he slows his pace and peers in, gaze lingering before he smirks and moves on.
“Don’t move a muscle,” Jared whispers, even though it’s not like anyone but us can hear him.
“Why not?” Harmony whispers back. “He’s gone. He’s not looking anymore.”
“Right,” Jared agrees, “but I also told one of the event videographers you two would be taking some ‘alone time’ in this area. I’ve got eyes on her right now; she’s panning her camera across the cabanas as we speak. Hypothetically if you guys wanted to do a little more ...”
Harmony grasps my shirt. I move my hand to her waist and get a little closer, like we’re about to kiss, but of course I don’t kiss her. “That’s as good as you’re going to get, Jared.”
“Fair enough,” he says.
