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He grinned. “Been reading up on me?”
I shook my head. “Georgia called you that last night.”
“The producer of the movie isn’t interested in an actor in rehab. He had an issue with his last male lead and won’t go through that again.”
“You mean they won’t hire you because of what the tabloids are saying?”
“I’m not speaking up or clapping back on social media. In fact, I’m pretty much hiding here in Hunter Valley. Usually, I don’t care or pay it much attention, but my agent has been all over me about this one. I want this role. I’ve earned the chance and if I have to deal with the tabloids to get it, I will. It’s not fair, but I’ll do it.”
“By having me as a girlfriend.”
“Right. I need someone now. Right away. To share with the world, I’ve been quiet because I’ve fallen for someone. That it’s the real deal and not a fake LA thing. By doing that, it’ll make it obvious I’m not in rehab but having fun on my vacation with a beautiful woman. And that Lacey and I definitely aren’t an item.”
I shook my head. “This was supposed to be casual, Luke. I don’t do relationships. I told you I have no expectations from you, and I don’t want you to have any from me.”
“Why? We’re good together.” He grinned a little wickedly.
“You’re a movie star. I’m a small town, single mother, yoga instructor.”
“I like all of that about you,” he admitted.
The fool was endearing. “I’m a realist. This isn’t going to work.”
He sighed. “Fine. Then be my fake girlfriend.”
“What?” Why on earth would Luke need fake anything? “Just find yourself a real girlfriend.”
“One, I’m not going to go find some other woman when you’re naked right now. I’m not an asshole.”
“How long is this supposed to last?”
“The screen test’s next week. I need to clear the rehab rumor and get Lacey out of the girlfriend role for good. Once I get the part, we can casually break up. Distance and all that. I know you don’t really want a relationship, so yeah.”
“Right.” I looked down at the cell. “I don’t really want to be in the media spotlight.” I knew what that was like. My mother loved it. But I knew what Luke was saying was true. Mother required everything about herself, my father, me to be perfect because anything less would be a flaw. An imperfection that the media would use as a weapon. Mother’s senatorial campaign couldn’t handle any kind of weakness.
And an opponent? They’d use anything they could get.
The last thing I wanted to do was be like my mother and fake something for the media, but this was what Luke was asking me to do. This wasn’t about me; it was for him. Could I do the one thing I tried to avoid?
“I’m not perfect, Luke. I have–”
“I don’t expect you to be perfect.”
“What do I have to do?”
“Go to LA with me. Be my girlfriend.”
I shook my head. “I can’t go to California! I have Sierra.”
“She’s at camp.”
I sighed. “I have my studio. Classes to teach.”
“Can’t someone fill in? Have you ever closed for a few days for vacation?”
No, I hadn’t, but I didn’t like the way he was shooting down every possible excuse I had for not going. Besides the obvious. Pretending to be his girlfriend? While I didn’t know him all that well, I did like him. The chemistry between us was insane and I wanted more with him, but I knew better. He was a famous actor trying for a film role. A movie!
He had a larger-than-life life. He was fine with pretend? Of course, he was fine switching from real to fake girlfriend. It wasn’t like a guy like him would want a legit relationship or anything real with someone like me.
