Calista laughed loudly and replied, “How loud are you, exactly? I’m sure the ocean would drown some of that out.”
“I’m notthatloud.”
“Then, you’re all good, River. God, have sex with your girlfriend in a cool beach house, if you want to, but just try to relax a little. You’re wound so tight. I keep waiting to walk in here and find candy all over the floor because you knocked over barrels of the stuff.”
“You know I’d never do that.”
“I know. And I think this could be at least something fun for the two of you to do together. It sounds like you’ve gotten into a routine. I’ve been there; it can be a hard thing to break. But here’s this amazing chance for you to get out of this place,yourterrible apartment,Lacey’sapartment that’s at least a hundred times better, so I don’t understand why you don’t just move in already, and to probably get out of your head a little, too. Have some fun.”
“I can’t leave this place for a whole weekend. I mean, can I, really?”
“Yes, you can. Tell me when, and I’ll cover for you. Ashton will, too. She knows how to do everything here, and it’ll get us out of our heads, being here, working together. Plus, Michaela and Zoey will be here for their shifts. I’m sure I can offer them a few more hours, and they’ll take me up on it if you’re that worried. We can hold down the fort for you, River.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I did it when you were sick for a few days a few years ago, remember?”
“That was right after we opened. We weren’t that busy yet. I don’t know, Cal… Maybe I should just tell Lace that I can’t do it.”
“No, you’re not doing that. Don’t use this place as your excuse. It will backfire, trust me.”
River sighed and said, “Fine. I’ll go.”
“Mention the shop.”
“I’ll try,” she said. “Now, will you help me get the front restocked before we close to save me some time before opening tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I will. Ashton and I are grabbing dinner out tonight. Want to join us? I can have her swing by and pick us up. Have Lacey meet us there if she’s free, and she can drive you home after.”
“I’ll text her,” she replied, thinking it might be nice for them to go on a double date with a couple they already knew well before they went on a much longer one with two celebrities they’d never met before.
CHAPTER 9
Cameron
“We can still cancel,” Kennedy suggested.
“No, we can’t. We’re, like, two minutes away.”
“So? The cameras aren’t on us yet. But the moment we get out of this car, they will be.”
“Are you really suggesting that we cancel on the couple that we hand-picked to somehow magically help us with our image?”
“No.” Kennedy sighed loudly in the back of the town car. “I just don’t want to do this, Cam. I’ve been going back and forth ever since Jessie came up with the idea.”
“I know. Me too. But even if we think running away to the Bahamas or something for a while will help, neither of us would be happy with that. We want to work. We’re both workaholics who are miserable when we’re not working. I mean, we can take a break between movies, but not much longer than that.”
“I was thinking about Italy.”
“What about it?” she asked.
“Do you remember the premiere?”
Cameron smiled at the memory and said, “I remember the pizza at the restaurant. Best I’ve ever had.”
“You remember the pizza? I am deeply offended.”
Cameron laughed and said, “I remember the really good sex, too.”
