“Me, too.” Why did her throat feel so dry?
“Toto…” He turned toward her, meeting her gaze. Were his eyes always this blue? “There’s something I need to ask you.”
“You mean, besides if I’ll marry you?”Ugh. Why did she have to joke at a time like this? He looked so sincere, so serious. And her heart couldn’t handle it.
“Yeah, besides that.” His lips scrunched to the side in a boyish smile. “It’s another favor. The one I mentioned a while ago, when I called from Paris. You probably don’t remember.”
She did, although she’d pushed it from her thoughts. At the time, he’d made it sound like a big deal, claiming he’d be home in a few weeks to tell her about it. Then his filming schedule changed, and she hadn’t heard from him again. She’d tried not to draw a parallel between Jayce and her father, despite the unsettling similarity, and had opted to give him the benefit of the doubt, deciding he’d simply changed his mind and no longer needed the favor.
He shifted his feet in the sand. Was he nervous? “There’s this award ceremony at the end of the week, honoring achievements in the romantic comedy genre. I’ve been nominated in a couple of categories and—”
“Congrats, Jayce! That’s amazing,” she interrupted, unable to suppress her happiness and pride. Despite her own secret longing for an alternate reality where they could be together, she wanted nothing but the best for him. “Not that I’m surprised.”
“Thanks. It’s not a big deal, except that I have to attend or endure Gretchen’s wrath. And she’s unpleasant enough whenshe’s in a good mood. I know you’re not really into the showy Hollywood scene, but I was kinda hoping you’d go with me. As my date.”
He held her gaze, his eyes soft and searching. The confident, cavalier, doors-always-open-for-me A-list celebrity wasn’t standing before her. Just Jayce. The boy who’d climbed through her bedroom window the night his parents announced their divorce and slept on the floor by her bedside because he didn’t want to go home. The boy who wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable, to admit he needed someone.
He wanted her to attend the award ceremony.As his date. For moral support? Or something more?
“Toto?” He said her nickname again, as if she might have missed his question.
She briefly glanced away, collecting her thoughts, calming her racing pulse. She’d been down this road before, willing to bare her heart to him. And he’d made his feelings clear, with a single text, no less. But what if…? She looked into his eyes again. What if things had changed between them?
“Will you come with me?” he repeated.
“What kind of fiancée would I be if I didn’t?” As soon as the teasing retort left her lips, she cringed inside. Once again, she’d used humor to hide the emotions simmering beneath the surface. Was it wisdom or weakness?
“I knew I proposed to the right woman.” He grinned, matching her playful tone. But as quickly as the lighthearted sparkle in his eyes flickered to life, it dimmed. He turned solemn again. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
He took a step toward her until they stood so close, she could trace the faint outline of stubble along his jaw. She instinctively wet her lips.Concentrate, CeCe.“What is it?” Her own voice sounded foreign and far away, almost breathy, as if the ever-changing vibe between them—the emotional guessing game—had left her winded.
He raked his fingers through his hair. “I—”
“Kiss!” The shout preceded a flash of light.
CeCe jumped, her heart slamming into her chest.
“Kiss!” Another intrusive holler made the same demand.
CeCe flushed and stumbled a step backward.
Paparazzi clustered on the beach, cameras poised to capture their private moment.
Jayce waved them away, but they continued to chant in unison. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
“Come on, lovebirds. Give us a sunset smooch for the front page!” A man with a camera bag slung over one arm knelt in the sand, fixing them with his fancy lens.
Lovebirds…Is that what they resembled? That was the goal, wasn’t it? The whole point of their ruse. Only, why, mere moments ago, had it suddenly felt real?
CeCe’s cheeks burned hotter as the chant resumed. Conflicting emotions churned in her stomach, swelling and swirling with nowhere to go. Confused, flustered, and feeling exposed, she hissed, “It’s fine. Let’s just do it so they’ll leave us alone.”
Jayce tried to search her gaze, but she looked away. What if he could see the desire in her eyes? What if he could tell that, not so deep down, she actuallywantedhim to kiss her?
He took a step closer.
Her heart stopped beating.
The paparazzi cheered, expecting a show.
