Page 14 of A Little Bit Engaged
She jumped off the bed, only to receive an evil eye from Loki, who was awake, but he hadn’t raised his head. “Go back to sleep, Your Highness.”
The cat did.
Yawning, she padded along the wood floor.
Brody dragged his hand through his sleep-rumpled hair. He was as gorgeous in shorts and a T-shirt as he would be in a designer tuxedo. Standing against the far wall, he peered out the window that faced Beach Street as if trying not to be seen.
He muttered under his breath. Tension showed in the lines on his face. “No, I understand. Keep me posted.”
As he lowered the cell phone from his ear, Cara entered the living room. “More trouble?”
“Paparazzi.”
“Where?”
“Outside.” He peered out the window again. “That was my publicist. Someone posted I spent the night with you.”
“You’ve done that before. Slept on the couch. It’s not like we…” Cara’s voice trailed off. She couldn’t say the words. Not when they’d never kissed or done anything except hug and hold hands occasionally.
Platonically.
No one would ever think she and Brody were anything but friends. But once Caitlin’s lies were made public, his being at the apartment would bolster her story. He would be called a cheater. Cara would be known as a betrayer, the other woman, a home-wrecker.
Forehead throbbing, she rubbed her temples. “Who knows you’re with me?”
He sighed. “Caitlin.”
Cara’s shoulders sagged. Her suspicions appeared to be true, even if she didn’t want to believe it. “My sister sold you—us—out.”
“Unless the rental car person at the airport recognized me.” Though Brody didn’t sound convinced of that. Maybe he was finally questioning Caitlin’s behavior.
“Possibly.” Doubtful. “But they wouldn’t know where you were going. Caitlin’s trying to force my hand. She wants me to agree to be your fake fiancée.”
“You can say no.” He spoke quickly before the lines on his face deepened. The dark circles under his eyes told her he hadn’t slept much. “People will believe what they want.”
“Even if they’re believing lies?”
“That’s show business.”
She peeked out the window. Men and women stood with cameras and cell phones. Some chatted. Others tapped on screens. Most appeared bored, but that didn’t stop them from waiting.
For Brody.
And Cara.
Her heart dropped. No matter what she decided to do about the fake engagement, the evidence pointed to Caitlin’s lie. “They’ll believe her.”
Brody didn’t deny that. Cara hoped he would because she had no idea what would happen next or what this would mean for them.
Movie stars often bounced from relationship to relationship in plain view of the public eye, but she was a nobody. Other than attending the Oscars, she’d stayed out of the spotlight. No one cared about her reputation—spotless until now—or her boring, drama-free life with her cat and books. She’d dated, leading to one semi-serious relationship that ended with little fanfare a month after he was transferred to his firm’s New York office. As long as she continued to do her job, her boss, Cassie, who was a free spirit, wouldn’t care about gossip. The public library where she volunteered might, especially if the paparazzi invaded during story time. But the prestigious library she had a second interview with on Friday had stressed the importance of its employees being assets to the university. Negative press might not bode well for her—or her chances of being hired.
Brody started to speak but stopped himself.
“What?” she asked.
“A soundbite from Caitlin’s interview is being used to promo Auntie Shark’s upcoming show on Thursday. If you add that to me staying here last night, it looks…bad.”
The turmoil in his gaze suggested it was very bad.
