“Is it true?” I demand, standing in front of him.
“Iswhattrue?”
“That you got the movie role,” Braden says. “She’s worried you might be leaving.”
I look over at Braden. He shakes his head at me, signaling me to keep quiet. Brock has his back to him and doesn’t see.
Do I ask Brock if my dad was adopted, or keep quiet like Braden wants? I want to ask, but if I keep quiet, I’ll stay on Braden’s good side, which is what I need if I want to stick with the plan to take him down and do whatever possible to make sure his team doesn’t make it to State. Then again, that plan might be over now. He’s angry I rejected him. He may not even talk to me anymore.
“Rumor, why didn’t you say something?” Brock says, seeming surprised.
I look back at Brock. “I didn’t want you not taking the role because of me. It’s just that with my mom gone I really want to be around family right now, so the thought of you leaving . . .” I lower my gaze to the ground. “Never mind. You need to take the job. I understand.”
“Hey.” He puts his hand on my shoulder, and my eyes lift to his. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“You’re not?” Braden says, sounding disappointed. “You didn’t get the job?”
Brock stands up straighter. “The role went to someone else. Someone the writers had in mind when they wrote the part.”
“But you’re dating the star,” Braden says. “Morgan couldn’t talk them into giving you the role?”
“Apparently not.” He clears his throat. “I wasn’t going to announce this to anyone yet, but I might as well. It’ll be public knowledge soon enough.”
He proposed to Morgan. He said he was going to wait, but I guess he decided not to. What does this mean? He’ll be moving in with her and Liv? Or will they move here?
“No fucking way,” Braden says. “You said you’d never get married again.”
“Braden, that’s not—”
“I’m telling you right now there’s no way I’m living with her psycho daughter. If she tries to get in my bed again I’ll—”
“Liv tried to get in your bed?” I ask.
“She has a little crush on him,” Brock explains. “But that—”
“Little?” Braden says, getting out of the hot tub. “She tried to pay me to have sex with her. She’s a damn kid. She doesn’t even have breasts yet.”
“Okay, enough,” Brock says. “Liv will not be coming over here again. Neither will Morgan.” He takes a breath. “I ended things with Morgan earlier today. With her traveling all the time and me living here, our relationship was suffering. We’ve let our managers know. They’ll put out a statement sometime tomorrow.”
“You have to put out a statement that you broke up with her?” I ask.
“Of course,” he says, like I should know this. “But we’ll make it sound as if it were mutual, per our agreement.”
They had an agreement for how they’d announce their breakup? I don’t understand Brock’s world. It’s so fake. I don’t know why my dad ever wanted to be part of it. Maybe if he’d chosen a normal career, he wouldn’t have become an addict.
“I’m going to bed,” Brock says. “Keep it down out here. That includes your music, Braden.”
“Yeah, got it.”
When he’s gone, Braden walks up to me, a towel around his waist.
“I’m going inside.” I turn to leave.
He grabs my arm. “Wait.”
“What?” I spit out, yanking on my arm so he’ll let go.
He smiles. “You didn’t tell him you knew.”
