Page 13 of I Think He Knows
“You weren’t even considering being an actor yet when they cast those movies,” I tell him with a grin. “And I know you saying you’d have played the role better is code for ‘I was the one who should have gotten to kiss Jennifer Lawrence’.”
“Exactly. You know I can’t resist a woman who’s handy with a bow and arrow.”
“That explains why we had to watchBravethree times in a row the last time you were home.”
“We did that purely for Allegra’s sake.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He shoots me a grin that I can feel crackle through my insides. “You shouldn’t.”
I laugh, trying my best to appear completely unaffected. “Now that we have your archery fetish out in the open, can you please unzip me?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Carter nods. As he moves behind me, he starts whistling and it only takes me a second to work out that it's the Mockingjay whistle. He genuinely thinks he’s hilarious.
Spoiler alert: he absolutely isn’t.
“Don’t make me hit you again.”
“Whistling doesn’t count as a comment,” he says firmly as he undoes the clasp at the top of the zipper. For someone with such big hands, he’s surprisingly deft and gentle while handling the delicate garment. Probably all that practice he mentioned he didn’t need.
Ew. That’s the last thing I want to think about.
“So, what time is your not-a-date?” I change the subject swiftly, turning around to face him with my hands on my hips before he can pull the zipper down. Because I don’t need a physical reminder of Carter’s garment-handling along with the mental one.
Carter glances down at his watch. “You mean mywork meeting?” He shoots me a look and I laugh. He’s probably the only man on earth who would label having dinner with Freya freaking DiMauritz a work meeting and not a date. Which, despite Carter’s protests, I’m sure it actually is. “5pm. Which seems crazy early, but she has a thing later in the evening. I’m hoping I have enough time after my flight to go back to my place to shower and change first.”
Carter splits his time between his luxury apartment in Los Angeles and the house he bought here in Atlanta a couple of years back. I’m not sure what possessed him to buy a big family home over another convenient penthouse condo, but I’m not complaining. Legs and I love visiting the immaculate, regency-style build in one of Atlanta’s ritziest neighborhoods. Mostly because it has a swimming pool and a movie room.
“How long are you gone this time?” I hope my question doesn’t sound as sad out loud as it does in my head. I’m always sad when he leaves. I mean, I’m used to it, but that doesn’t change the feelings that accompany it.
“I’m probably going to need to stay in LA for the summer, at least. Have to work with Elena on some PR stuff and trick theseIf Onlyproducers into believing I’m a decent human so they’ll still consider casting me for their lead role.”
I roll my eyes. “They’d be stupid not to consider you.”
“Dunno about that. Apparently, I’m a liability.” Carter’s smiling in his carefree manner, but I know that the recent tabloid spreads and gossip site clickbaits about him get to him more than he lets on.
Carter got into an altercation in a bar in Vegas a few weeks back. He hasn’t told me exactly what happened—is being uncharacteristically evasive, actually—but from what I can garner from him and what’s been reported in the press, it was a bit of a brawl. Which, again, is completely uncharacteristic. When Carter’s had a few drinks, he gets animated and goofy, not violent or angry. And when heisangry, he tends to clam up and radiate a chilly frostiness, not punch people in the face in the heat of the moment.
So yeah, strange all around. I’m assuming it was about a girl because Carter doesn’t take himself so seriously that someone ragging on him would make him snap like that, but I’m afraid I’ll never know. For all his stupid jokes, Carter doesn’t usually talk about his dating life. And I don’t usually ask. Because, well, I don’t want to know.
I’m aware that he dates a lot and he has a reputation for being a bit of a playboy, just as he did back in college when I first met him. For as long as I’ve known him, he’s been a serial dater who never engages in serious romantic relationships. It worked in his favor for a long time with the media—the gossip sites ate up and spat out every single nugget about his dating life with glee.
But since the bar brawl, the spin on Carter has taken a turn for the worse. Now, instead of reporting him to be the suave Casanova with a heart of gold, he’s the out-of-control wild child with women, substance, and rage issues. Which couldn’t be further from the truth.
Carter’s a great guy. A stand-up sort of person. And sure, he might be a total ladies’ man and heartbreaker, but he’s the sort of heartbreaker who breaks your heart then hugs you while you cry about it.
He’s considerate like that.
And anyway, all press is good press, right? Carter’s definitely got the swagger to be a beloved Hollywood bad boy. And we all know that the media is more forgiving to mishaps made by men than by women. The world in general, really. Hell, a huge part of the romance genre is built around the appeal of the morally gray, bad boy character. The Jess fromGilmore Girlsversus the earnest Dean (early days Dean, before the whole cheating debacle, of course) or the well-bred Logan.
But I get it. I mean, he’s…Jess.
“Well, even if you aren’t considered for the role, would it be the worst thing in the world?” I ask, “Surely there are a ton of other movies who’d want you to star in them?”
Carter frowns, giving a quick glance around for any onlookers before removing his ball cap and tossing his fingers through his hair. “I mean, yeah, but it would suck because my personal life would be interfering with my ability to do my job. Plus,If Onlywould be the biggest role of my career to date. It already has so much buzz around it; Elena’s sure the lead would put me on the Oscar route.” His expression is determined, if a little distant. “Which is kind of the pinnacle of the industry, isn’t it? You know, proof that I really made it.”
“I mean, of course it would be amazing to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” I start carefully. “But you know you’ve already achieved so much to be really proud of.”