Page 30 of Scandal
She shakes her head, disappointment painting her face. “It may just be a title, but you are the one who made it a spectacle.”
“Me?”
She furrows her brow in frustration. “You left to get away from all of this, and instead of living a simple life, you became one of the most famous people in the world. Now, when you take your father’s title, the whole world will be watching. So yes, Asher, we might as well be royalty, thanks to you.”
Christ, I can’t argue with her on that.
This is a mess of my own making.
“It’s going to be a shitstorm. You know that, right?” I warn her. “If I suddenly show up at a gala or a private function, all hell is going to break loose.”
“We’re prepared for that.”
“Are you?” I ask her, raising a brow. “The tabloids in Hollywood are bad, but they’re even more brutal in the UK.”
“We have strategies in place. Of course, we hadn’t accounted for a girlfriend we knew nothing about.”
“Why does that matter? She’s not part of this.”
She slowly shakes her head from side to side, just like she used to when I was young and said something dumb and naïve.“Do you not remember what I said earlier?” I give her a blank stare. “No more hiding, Asher.”
She can’t mean…
“No. Absolutely not. Our relationship has been kept private for a reason,” I say, lying through my teeth. “There’s no reason it needs to be made public now.”
I am fairly certain my mother knows our relationship is fake. My suspicions are confirmed a second later when she calls my bluff. “Fine. But you will let me choose someone else for you, even if it’s for show.”
“Why?”
“Because those photos your publicist leaked did a lot of damage, Asher, and the only way—the fastest way—to repair it is to put a good, decent woman at your side. If you’re not confident that your relationship with Mercury can withstand public scrutiny, then?—”
“I am,” I say far too quickly. “It can.”
She eyes me suspiciously. “And she’ll be okay with the press?”
I swallow hard. “I’ll talk to her.”
Shit, what am I doing?
This morning, I was trying to come up with excuses to end this charade before it got out of hand. Us going public is the definition of getting out of hand…
Her lips curl into a cruel smile. “Wonderful. You have twenty-four hours. Because tomorrow, the two of you will be making your debut at the charity gala in Edinburgh.”
Wonderful.
“And Asher?” I turn to her, eyes glazed as I contemplate the mess I’ve gotten myself into. “This has to go off without a hitch. We can’t afford another scandal. Do you understand?”
Yeah. I understand perfectly.
I just agreed to publicly date my best friend’s little sister—the one woman I swore I’d never touch.
I am so fucking screwed.
MERCURY
I don’t think Asher has said more than ten words since he came back from talking with his mother.
Theodora—that’s her name, by the way. Not that she ever bothered to tell me. I just remember it from my research on the plane.
