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“There’s no buts, Kat. I won’t do it.”
“You’re going to let a relationship that’s been over for more than a decade stop you from securing your first acting role in months?” Her tone shifts.
“Yep.” I take another drink of hot, liquid caffeine, ready for this conversation to be over with.
I already told Kat after the day I ran into Brandy, that if Harold approached her, the answer was no. Why she’s even bringing this shit to my attention is pissing me off, let alone the fact that she’s pushing it.
“There’s no way you’re still that hung up on her.”
“Try again.” I shake my head.
“You hate her that much?”
I nod.
“Never mind actually acting opposite her, but it’s a romance, is it not? So there would be kissing scenes, sex scenes, you name it. The next thing you know, the media will be speculating that we’ve reconciled and all that shit from the past will be front page news all over again when people actually remember that we were once a pretty serious item.” I let out a heavy sigh. “You’re all about saving my image. Brandy Hill is not the way.”
“Helen disagrees. She thinks we could work with it.”
“Please, do tell.” I groan, guessing I’m going to regret asking.
Helen is my PR Rep. The same one whose harebrained scheme it was for me to seduce her real estate agent in an attempt to make the world believe that I’m settling down and changing my ways with anormal, respectable woman.
“She thinks that we can leak it to the press that you and Brandymightin fact, be reconciling after reconnecting on set. Then, we can spin the story, bringing to light the affair and the breakup, in order to paint you as the victim. She thinks that more people might sympathize with the bad boy persona you’ve built if they knew that a broken heart is what sent you spiraling.”
“Are you listening to yourself right now?” I let out a humorless laugh. “Is there anything Helen won’t try?”
“That’s why we pay her. Because she’s the best.”
“And Clarke? Where does she fall into this plan? Or am I just supposed to drop her and cut my losses before jumping onto the next ridiculous fucking idea?”
“I guess that would depend on you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Helen spun it two ways. One, we play up the broken heart and hope sympathy wins you back into the hearts of America. Or, we play the broken heart card but push the relationship with Clarke, showing how you’ve overcome and have finally found someone to settle down with.”
“And what happens when I inevitably end things with Clarke?”
“We’ll find a way to tie up all the loose ends. But for now, we need her.”
“For how much longer?” I pretend to be annoyed when really, the thought of keeping her around longer excites me more than it should.
“I don’t know. At least until the movie wraps.”
“Which is when?”
“According to the schedule Harold sent me, filming should start next week or the week after, pending your decision.”
“Fuck, he’s not giving me much time to learn the script.” I lean forward, setting my coffee on the glass table in front of me. “What’s the turnaround?”
“Four to six weeks is what they’re shooting for.”
“And the location?”
“L.A.”
“Well, that certainly makes keeping up appearances with Clarke a little easier,” I admit, finding it hard to wrap my head around the fact that I’m actually considering this.
