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I glanced at Theo who hadn’t said a word. He only shrugged, and that wasn’t much help.
“It pays seventy-five thousand dollars,” Georgia said, sweetening the pot.
“Holy shit,” Mallory whispered. “That would–”
“I know,” I groaned.
Fuck. FUCK!
I closed my eyes, took a cleansing breath. I needed that money to pay off Duncan for the ring. While Theo was being amazing and organizing a group to go on the search for it, I didn’t have much hope we’d find it.
This show? The money was a guarantee. I could do it. Right?
Maybe. Ugh.
“Fine,” I groaned. “Fine! I’ll do it.”
Now I was going to be the one who was acting.
What the hell happened to my life?
46
LUKE
* * *
I wasn’t sure if coming to Theo James at work was my smartest move. Okay, it was really fucking stupid. I made a lot of dumb ones lately, so what was one more? I felt like an idiot sitting on the exam table waiting for him. I gave a fake name to the receptionist, but she recognized me. Gave me a wink when she left me in here to wait. The paper under my ass crinkled as I turned when the exam room door opened. Fucking finally.
Yeah, based on the look on his face, this might not go well.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he asked, glaring. He had on khakis, button-up shirt, and his white doctor coat. A stethoscope slung around his neck. It was pretty much what I wore on set, but he was the real deal.
I was a fucking fraud.
“Just because we did yoga together doesn’t make us best friends,” he said.
“This was the only way I could think of seeing you,” I admitted.
“By being my patient? Is there anything wrong with you besides being an asshole?”
“Aspen’s blocked my calls. Mrs. Waddle gave me a glare when I went up the front walk and shooed me away with a broom.”
“I’ll give you a lollipop and you can leave here, too.”
“She won’t respond to me. I need to know she’s okay. I figured Mallory would have heard from her.”
He nodded.
I sighed in relief, imagining her in a fucking ditch somewhere. “Thank fuck. Look, you need to help Aspen,” I told him.
“Because of your mess.”
“Because if she gives the money I gave her to her ex, she’ll be arrested for collusion or being an accomplice to money laundering and a few other federal offenses.”
He blinked. “What the fuck are you talking about? The money you paid her to be your fake girlfriend?”
I nodded. “The money I gave her to pay off her ex. She wouldn’t take it as a gift so I had to think of some way for her to accept it.”
