Page 26 of I Think He Knows
Elena’s face is pinched, like she’s mentally chastising herself. “Who is this woman then? Are you and Sierra Duke a thing again?”
Before I can give a resounding “no” to that, Freya—who is apparently the biggest cheerleader of mine and Lana’s “relationship”—pipes up. “It’s a girl from Atlanta. And he’s clearly obsessed with her because he’s never once looked at my mouth when we’ve been out together. Or my boobs.”
Thanks for that, Freya.
“Hmmm.” Elena taps a pointy fingernail to her bottom lip, eyes glazed in thought. “But it’s a new relationship, right? She’d understand a publicity-based agreement between yourself and Freya?”
“No, they’re, like, ten years serious!”
Thanks again for that, Freya.
Elena arches a sky-high brow at me and I shake my head.
“No, we’re not. I mean, we haven’t been dating for ten years.” I attempt to do some damage control. “We’ve just known each other that long. We’ve been friends forever.”
“Okay.” Elena sighs heavily, like I’m causing her deep, deep pain. “I will need to think about an angle for this. And it’s your job to tell me about your relationships, Carter. Way to drop the ball on this one. So before we revisit the engagement idea—whichisour best plan of attack, by the way—let’s turn to the other matter I have to discuss with you both. Which, I believe, will illustrate how correct I am about this plan in the first place.”
I look at Elena steadily. “What’s the other matter to discuss?”
“It’s come to my attention that the bar in Vegas where the, ahem,altercationhappened has security footage of the incident. And now, someone is threatening to leak it.”
“NO!” This time there’s nopracticallyabout it, I yell for real.
“Shh,” Elena chides, looking sharply around the restaurant before focusing on me. “I’m dealing with it. But we want you both to get out of town for a bit.”
“Ooh, where to?” Freya chirps, but I barely hear her. That tape can’t leak. I can’t let Lana see it. Maybe I can pay the bar off or something.
Elena looks at me. “Don’t you own a family home in Atlanta?”
I nod mechanically. “I bought a place in the Buckhead area a couple years back.”
“Good, good. We want you to go there for a couple of months. Together.”
“Ew,” Freya says with a wrinkled nose. “I don’t want to live in Atlanta.”
“It’s temporary.” Elena’s steely eyes are now on Freya. “Your little model friend was photographed leaving your apartment the other morning, so in order to make this thing between you two believable, you both need to cooperate.”
“I don’t understand how us leaving town helps anything,” I supply.
“Well, it goes back to my original point in all this: the two of you being seen living together in your family home will divert media attention from your outburst and from Freya’s other romantic dalliances. We can even throw in baby rumors—”
“No,” Freya gasps, horrified.
“No,” I echo solemnly.
“I’m telling you, this is a much better, bigger story than a random hookup with a nobody model or a fight that’s old news. Everyone wants a couple they can root for, and together, you two will be America’s newest sweethearts. A modern day Timberlake and Spears. Without the patched denim and ramen hair.” Elena makes a triumphant hand gesture before delivering the closing line of her argument. “Hello Carter Callahan starring inIf Only, and Freya DiMauritz releasing a number one platinum album.”
Freya, for some reason, is nodding again. “Kinda makes sense.” She looks at me. “And if you’re in Atlanta for a few months, you could spend more time with your real girlfriend. In secret, of course.”
Just like that, I finally see the potential positives.
Time off of work, staying in my own home, spending time with Lana…
Lana.What’s she going to think about all this?
She’s always been a passionate supporter of my career, cheering me on and encouraging me to get back up and try again whenever I’ve failed.
And I think she understands thatIf Onlyis the next logical step in my career, even if it means going to these crazy lengths. This is what I’ve always done over the course of my career, used logic. I’ve never stopped to ask myself if it’s what Iwantto do next, or what Ishouldwant to do next.