Page 39 of Camera Stays On

“What’s going on? Let’s go to your favorite store, let me buy you something nice.”

“I don’t have one,” she confessed. “I can’t afford this stuff. Never have been able to. I don’t need more.” She pointed to the bags in my hands. “Thank you, but it feels like a handout.”

I blinked. What?

“No, not at all!” I stood and pulled her up with me. “A handout would be me not expecting anything in return. You owe me, big time,” I teased. My joke seemed to relax her.

She smiled for the first time since we entered. “Oh yeah, and what do I owe you exactly?”

Without missing a beat, I dropped to my knees in front of all the passersby. I took her hand and stared up into her wide eyes. She looked around, her cheeks growing rosy.

“Andi Marin, it would be an honor to pretend to make you my wife. Will you fake marry me?” People paused to watch us. She pressed her lips together tightly, then rolled her eyes.

“Get up, you goof.” She smacked my shoulder playfully, and I stood. Reaching for her hand, I pulled her to standing and we continued walking through the mall.

“Sorry, I wanted to practice ahead of my on-screen debut.”

“Yeah, well, I think you’re one hell of an actor.” She laughed and put her head on my shoulder, and then, finally, she turned to go into a store of her choosing. I paused to read the sign, and she turned and raised an eyebrow.

“And, word of warning, I will never agree to marry someone again because they think I owe it to them.”

A smile spread across my face, and I hurried to join her in the store.

Atta girl.

Chapter 17

Andi

WITH EACH STORE we went into, a layer of embarrassment was shed, piece by piece. I began to pick things out and willingly try them on. Despite having very little growing up, one thing Angel did have was pride. Accepting things, nice things, did not come easy.

We passed by a lingerie shop, and Ash pointed inside. “You want to grab something for the fake honeymoon?” he teased. While we shopped, we’d been discussing the movie, and how ridiculous the script and its writer were. Sawyer, having imagined me for the role, had made sure to include three separate sex scenes in it. I was extremely grateful that Ash had stepped in and fought to play alongside me in place of Sawyer. There was no way I could act well enough to sell I was still in love with that man.

“I don’t think the groom is supposed to be there when I pick that stuff out. It’ll ruin the surprise.”

“I’ve never been a fan of surprises. Come on, let’s get you something nice.” He dragged me inside, and I tried to protest on the prices alone, but he insisted, even going so far as to turn around and pretend to cover his eyes until I picked out some lace panties from the bin. I grabbed white, red, and black pairs and hurried to the counter. Finishing up our last purchase, I stuffed the small bag into a larger one, and we started toward the exit.

“Why are you so shy? It’s not like I haven’t seen you in less,” Ash teased as we left the mall.

I gave him a pointed look.

“People talk, Ash. I don’t want people telling your brother we were buying lacy underwear together.”

“Why, because you two used to do stuff like that?”

“Ash,” I warned. “Don’t be that guy.”

“What guy? The jealous one?” A look of pain crossed his face as he considered me buying and wearing those things for his brother, and he slammed his mouth shut and got into the truck. I joined him, and he started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot.

The first few moments of the ride back to the soon-to-be movie set were uncomfortable, but Ash eventually mumbled an apology and turned the radio up. He then began singing loudly to The Chicks.

“You want to stop for a drink?” he asked as we passed Tilly’s. I opened my mouth, my pulse quickening as I recalled just how great that night had been. Something had started that night, something…right.

It was exactly how I felt about last night. Something between Ash and me was growing, and it was…just right.

My eyes went to his hands gripping the steering wheel, and I sighed. If only things weren’t so wrong.

Why did Ash have to be my ex’s brother?