Corey swats my hand away. “You look amazing. If nothing else, just know the internet at large is going to see you as a total hottie.”
“Well, thatisthe most important thing,” I say sarcastically, fiddling with the gold book-shaped pendant hanging around my neck.
She swats my hand again. “Stop fidgeting. Be confident and bold, let them know you know you’ve got this.”
“And if I definitely don’t got this?”
She grins. “Fake it, baby.”
Right. Fake the confidence. Somehow I don’t think even Meryl Streep could put on a convincing enough performance in this situation, but I try to shake off the overwhelming sense of impending doom and steady my nerves.
Our attention swings to the creaking office door. Seth has finally decided to bless us with his presence, and he looks about as happy to be here as I do.
Corey drops her smile as she gives Seth the same once-over she just gave me. “Is that seriously what you’re wearing?”
The faded-jeans-and-sports-T-shirt look worked for Seth in high school, but we’re not teenagers anymore and on a grown-up Seth, it reads as sloppy, especially for the video we’re about to film. Of course, a less-than-ideal wardrobe hasn’t ever derailed his potential for... railing. His bad clothes are still outshone by his stupid perfect face.
Seth doesn’t bother to address Corey’s question, and he barely even greets either one of us. “Can we just get this over with?”
I roll my eyes. “Corey and I have been here for a half an hour already. We’re the ones who’ve been waiting for you.”
“Well, I’m here now.”
“Then I guess we’ll jump right to it. Wouldn’t want to keep the great Seth Carson from his next big important story.”
Corey’s eyes flit between the two of us. “This is going to be a total shit show.” She sounds way too excited by the prospect.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Seth mutters as we cross to the filming area.
We pose in front of the exposed-brick wall of the office, the large skylights overhead bathing us in a perfect golden glow. We leave a good six feet of space separating us.
“We wouldn’t have to be doing this if someone had stayed on the other side of the country where he belongs.” I toss my hair, trying to find some of that fake confidence Corey recommended.
“You don’t own Los Angeles, Parker.”
“I might as well, as you’ll see once the readers start chiming in.” I’m faking it till I make it, and it sort of works. Either my faux poise or my determination to not lose even more face in front of Seth pushes me to stand up straight, ready to nail this thing.
Natasha emailed us both on Saturday outlining the logistics for the dating fucktastic challenge extravaganza. We’re each to complete one task and corresponding article per week. We’ll be awarded points for the comments and clicks our pieces receive, but the majority of the competition will be determined by a reader vote, which will happen at the end of the ten-week challenge. And then she directed us to both be in the office bright and early Monday morning to film an Instagram Live, introducing our followers and readers to the competition.
As if Mondays weren’t already terrible enough.
Corey, our social media expert, adjusts her phone on its tripod. “I’m going to need you two to stand a little closer together, we’re not exactly working with a huge frame here.”
We each take half a step in, shooting daggers while we do.
Corey sighs, marching over and pushing the two of us together so our shoulders are brushing. “I realize we’ll be lucky to escape this without bloodshed, but the faster we get this finished, the faster you guys can retreat to your separate corners.”
I shift a little so the pointy part of my elbow connects with Seth’s ribs.
“Really, Parker?” He gestures to Corey. “Did you see that?”
Corey grins from behind the tripod. “See what?” She fiddles with her phone for a second. “Okay, once I give you the signal, we’re live. Emphasis on thelive. Like people will be watching this as it’s happening. Please, for the love of god, keep that in mind.” She holds up some pieces of poster board with the finer details of the challenge written in big black letters. “I outlined a little bit of who should say what, but—please don’t make me regret this—you should also feel free to ad-lib a little.”
I glare at Seth before schooling my face into a pleasant smile. Like there’s nowhere I’d rather be than standing next to my ex-boyfriend and introducing this pile of bullshit to the world.
Corey taps around some more and then gives us a big thumbs-up. She mouthsgood luckto me and oh Hela, this is really happening.
As soon as he gets the signal, Seth turns on his signature charm—the same charm that won him both class president and homecoming king. “Hey, everyone, happy Monday!Thanks for joining us this morning. Most of you probably don’t know me, but my name is Seth Carson. I used to write freelance, but I’m a recent transplant to LA and am thrilled to be joining the team atAlways Take Fountain. I’m sure you all know my colleague here, Lana Parker.”
