Page 27 of I Think He Knows

Maybe because I’m not sure I can answer that question.

“This could be our angle, Carter.” Elena’s steely eyes—which exactly match her steely suit—zero in on me. “You want this leaked footage debacle to go away, right?”

I’d do anything for that to happen, so I nod. “Yeah.”

Elena smiles, shark-like as ever. “So this is why you need to commit to the engagement. It’s the only way to sell it. If this girlfriend of yours can just wait a couple of months, you can marry her then, if you like. Just do this until they cast you inIf Only. By then, the media circus should have died down, you'll have your dream part, and you and Freya can 'break up' and go your separate ways."

Oh, damn.

I’m all out of moves. Because the only thing that really really matters right now is not my own wants or needs, but protecting Lana Mae from having any part in this.

The tabloids can be vicious. Fans on social media can be mean, even cruel, with their words, and who knows what they’ll make of the footage if it leaks. I can’t risk Lana Mae—or, God forbid, Allegra—to be dragged into this part of my world. All because of a stupid fight I got myself into.

“Do you think Lana Mae will mind?” Freya screws up her pert little ski-jump nose. “If I was her, I’d mind.”

Once again, I find that I like Freya as a person. I wish she didn’t have to get dragged into this either. She’s going to make some guy really happy one day, for real. I’m just not that guy.

“I don’t know,” I reply.WouldLana Mae mind if I was fake engaged to someone else? Would she mind if I wasactuallyengaged?

Right now, she’s probably getting ready for her date with the doctor, thinking only of how her night with him is going to go.

Not-our-waitress appears at Elena’s side and places her martini on the table. My manager barely notices. “So marry your friend-girlfriend-whatever when this is all over! Get her a rock the size of Everest to prove your love. Just commit to doingthisfirst. If she really loves you, she’ll understand.”

I glance at the waitress, who’s still standing beside Elena, and wait until she’s scuttled off before I say, “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“So in summary, we are good to proceed with the ‘Carter Callahan and Freya DiMauritz are getting hitched and moving into his Atlanta mansion’ storyline?” Elena asks crisply. “Both of you have commitments in Los Angeles next week, so we can schedule your official ‘move’ out east together for a couple of weeks from now.”

I look at Freya. “This okay with you?”

She nods.

So I nod at Elena. “Let’s do it. Just… give me time to talk to Lana Mae before breaking this, okay?”

“We don’t have long.” Elena’s eyes soften a touch as she looks at me. “I can give you the rest of the weekend.”

It’s already Saturday afternoon.

Guess I’m taking a little preliminary trip to Atlanta tonight.

10

LANA MAE

“Great. Excellent. Fan-freaking-tastic,” I mutter as red and blue lights start flashing behind me.

Because of course I’m getting pulled over.

This evening has been a complete dumpster fire from start to finish, so we may as well add some gasoline and roast s’mores on the flames to round out the festivities.

I pull over to the side of the road and wait, fingers tense on the steering wheel. It’s only when the cop raps on my window that I realize I’ve made no move to turn down the stereo, which is blaring“All Too Well” at ear-splitting volume—the ten-minute version, of course.

I quickly turn off the stereo and roll down the window while trying to determine what Carter would do in this situation. Probably charm the absolute pants off the officer in question. Maybe it’s time to see whether I’ve absorbed any of my best friend’s natural charisma via osmosis or something.

I peer into the face of a cop looking like he’s about to laugh. Is that a good or bad thing?

I take my chances and smile big, hoping it’s giving off more Julia Roberts inPretty Womanthan Heath Ledger inJoker. “Um, good evening, Occifer. Officer.”

Admittedly, not a great start.