My brother’s words ring through my ears as I toss and turn to get comfortable.
Keeping Mara close would benefit my career. She’s the hottest, most wanted actress in the world right now. She took on this jobas a favor to Jude, and I’m convinced it’s a role she could do in her sleep.
Is keeping her closereallythat good of an idea, though? I’ve never been the type of person to latch onto someone who I thought would help me go far in work and life. But I’ve also never been in a position to have it be an option.
Groaning, I pick up my phone and glance at the time, only to throw it back onto my nightstand when I realize I should’ve been asleep hours ago.
It’s late, and I’m fucking exhausted.
From an outsider’s perspective, we see actors on a movie set laughing and having the time of their lives in between takes, or on the red carpet looking lavish in their designer clothes, with expensive jewelry dripping off them, and a date hanging on their arms. All before they turn in for the night and head home to their mansions with chefs, cleaners, gardeners, and anything else that type of money could buy.
But doing this job isn’t lavish or luxurious, it’s fucking hard. The hours are long, but the days feel so short at the same time. It messes with your head.
I’m supposed to be spending hours and hours a day playing the love interest of a beautiful woman, so of course, everyone just expects you to fall in love and live happily ever after. But my time spent with her is doing the exact opposite, and instead, I’m falling for the girl who’s knocked me on my ass from the very first moment I met her.
Though, I don’t thinkfallingis the right word, because that would imply that it’s still in the process of happening.
Fallen, would be the correct term.
We arrived on set earlier today hand in hand, talking about what we’d each had for breakfast. Once our contact broke, we barely spoke. She playfully rolled her eyes at me and chuckled when Mara curled up on my lap in between takes. I shoved heroff quickly, but my co-star was too comfortable putting on a show for everyone else. She didn’t care what it could costme.I’m just glad the woman that Iwantknows I want her, and doesn’t seem to mind.
At least, I hope she knows. I haven’tactuallytold her.
She even watched as Mara followed me to my trailer after I told everyone I needed five minutes to myself. Mara took that as an invitation to join me. I held the door open and asked for her to leave right as Jenna and Tahnee were on their way back to their trailer, right next door to mine.
Tahnee smiled at me innocently with a shrug, and Jenna winked at a visibly disgruntled Mara Scott.
While I knew she wasn’t believing all the things said about Mara and me online, I also knew that there was a part of her that wondered if it was true. She was putting on a brave face, and I know that now more than ever. Knowing Jenna the way I do now, I think she spent her whole life wearing a mask to hide who she really is, but she’s slowly peeling it off.
I’d tried to tell as many people as I could that Mara’s stunt was all for show to boost ratings, but no matter how many people I’d said it too, they all rolled their eyes and told me they didn’t believe me.
So, now I’m torn between embarrassing my co-star in front of our colleagues by asking her to just leave me the fuck alone, or begging—pleading—with the girl that I know wants nothing more than sex, to give us a real shot once this is all over.
But Jenna Rogers has never given anyone a shot, has she?
Why should I be the first?
I let the thought linger, rolling around in my mind until everything finally settles, and sleep claims me once and for all.
***
I think this cupcake is a peace offering.
No hard feelings and all that.
I’m not sure what else to call it.
I just can’t be doing…whatever this is, with someone the public thinks is dating someone else.
I’m sorry.
Snow.
Frustrated and confused, I bunch up the piece of paper and shove it into my back pocket.
The first thing I spotted when I walked into my trailer this morning was a fluffy cupcake with a white buttercream swirl on top and a coffee cup placed beside it. I knew immediately who they were from.
The note only confirmed my suspicions, and it fucking pissed me off.
