Page 90 of Cast to be Mine

She waved a dismissive hand, leaving a streak of green goo on the door frame. “Oh, please. It was nothing. Actually, it was everything. My engagement is through the roof. I’m going to have a million followers by the end of the month.”

“That’s… wow.”

“I know, right?” She floated toward the living area. I followed, trying not to be overwhelmed by the amazing accommodations. Jack was nowhere to be seen, probably still sleeping off whatever hangover he’d earned last night.

“Nice room,” I said.

She waved a hand. “My suite in The Maldives was nicer.”

If there was ever a perfect couple, it was Chantilly and Jack. Two of the most shallow, vapid creatures I had ever met. They weren’t mean or even all that obnoxious. They were just—them.

“Well, I’m glad things are settling down,” I said.

“Oh, sweetie, they are not settling down. If they were, I was doing it wrong.”

“For me,” I corrected. “You’ve probably noticed I haven’t exactly been getting great publicity out of this. I was a little worried about going back to LA. Your fans are… loyal. Slightly feral.”

She giggled. “I know. I love it.”

“Why did you do it?” I asked.

“Everyone loves a plot twist. And I’m the one who delivered it. Me. Not some gossip blogger. I stole their thunder. I scooped them.”

“It was really smart,” I said. “The way you framed it. Making yourself the mastermind.”

Chantilly beamed, or at least I think she did. Hard to tell under the face mask. “That was Micah’s idea, actually.”

My heart stuttered. “Micah?”

“Oh, honey, the whole thing was his idea.” She settled onto the sofa, stretching her long legs out. “He came to me yesterday. Said he wanted to set the record straight, but he knew I wouldn’t go for it unless there was something in it for me.” She laughed, a surprisingly genuine sound. “Smart man. He knows how to negotiate.”

“He put together the video?”

“Him and that little assistant of his. Tony? Toby? Whatever. They had all this behind-the-scenes footage I didn’t even know existed. Micah did the voiceover himself. Edited the whole thing overnight, apparently.”

I sank into the nearest chair, my legs suddenly unsteady. “I had no idea.”

“I think he was worried his film was getting dragged down with a whoring leading lady,” Chantilly said as she examined her nails, seemingly bored with the conversation.

I clenched my teeth. “I wasn’t actually whoring.”

“Anyway, it worked out perfectly for everyone,” she said on a long sigh. “I get the credit, you get your reputation back, and the movie gets even more buzz. Win-win-win.”

“Yeah,” I said softly. “Win-win-win.”

I thanked her again, probably more times than necessary considering it had nothing to do with her. I had a feeling those details didn’t matter. She would be riding her little plot twist for at least another month.

I left the suite and debated what to do next. I had a couple hours before my call time. Things had been tense the last couple of days and I knew that was on me.

Did he blow the lid on our little secret because he thought that was why I’d been keeping my distance? If the studio had approved the reveal, Loretta would have called me.

This had to be Micah trying to save me. I hated it and loved it at the same time. My thoughts spun in circles that all led to the same place.

Micah.

He’d done this for me. Not for the movie, not for publicity, not for any of the reasons the studio would have cared about. He’d done it because he knew it was hurting me. He couldn’t stand watching me take the blame for something I didn’t do.

Because he cared.