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“It’s all good,” he said with a laugh. “Now, tell me what’s got you lookin’ so off-kilter.”
“Paisley’s makin’ me go to my high school reunion in Charlotte Oaks next Saturday.”
Riley winced. “Uh-oh.”
“Yep.”
“You still haven’t seen him since that Christmas?”
My stomach clenched. I could still remember the winter chill in the air around me while I stared down at Everett’s sweet smile as he’d proposed. He’d said so many beautiful words to me while he was down on one knee. Promises about our future and the kind of man he’d strive to be. Being anywhere near my hometown and the memories it held—especially at Christmastime—would have killed me. So, I’d stayed away. Even brought my parents and sisters out to spend holidays in Nashville so I didn’t have to go there.
“Nope,” I answered Riley. “I’m really not lookin’ forward to havin’ to see him for this. And not only that, but she wants you to come with me.”
Riley’s face contorted like he’d stubbed his toe. “Oh, heck no. If he’s still carryin’ a torch for you the way you are for him, I don’t wanna be within arm’s reach of the guy when he sees you after all this time.”
I chuckled. “Well, I don’t know if he is or not, but even if he is, it’s not like he’d haul off and hit you or anythin’.”
“Still. I can imagine it’d be awkward as all get-out, and that’s not my idea of a fun way to spend a Saturday. Or any day, really.”
“Well, thanks for agreein’ with me. I already told her no, but you know Paisley when she thinks somethin’ would be good for publicity.”
He shifted, crossing his arms over his flannel-clad chest. “Sure do. You ever feel like you’re not really runnin’ this rodeo?”
“Only every minute of every day,” I replied, sharing a laugh with him that made me feel like we were a couple of prison inmates, resigned to our situations.
Just then, Paisley and Jim—Riley’s total jerk of a manager—strode through the door. She looked irked but otherwise fine, which meant she’d won the battle outside.
“All good,” she reported as they walked up. “Laney, your shoot will go on as planned, and Riley, yours has been rescheduled for tomorrow.”
Riley and I exchanged a glance, and he shrugged. “Fine with me. See you later, Lane.”
“Not so fast,” Jim said, holding up a hand. “Paisley told me about this reunion trip to Charlotte Oaks, and we’ve decided you’ll go.”
I shot out of my chair at the same time Paisley held up her hands in a placating gesture. “Laney, I know you said we didn’t need to invite Riley, but it would do you both some good to have the press reporting on you bringing him to your hometown. Your family knows it’s all for show, so it really shouldn’t be a big deal. Just do the reunion with him as your guest and maybe a couple dates around town. No biggie.”
My head bobbed from person to person, feeling completely out of control. Jim wore a smug smile, Paisley looked unconcerned—since she didn’t know there was a reason to be, and Riley’s eyes were pitying as he stared back at me.
“Do I have a choice?” I asked.
“Do you ever?” Jim shot back with a snort. “What’s good for the goose …”
Since the gander in my case was comprised of a ton of people who worked hard to make me as successful as possible and I didn’t want to let any of them down, I nodded and rubbed my temples. “Fine. But we’re not goin’ out on any dates around town. Bringin’ him to the reunion will make enough of a statement by itself.”
And hopefully, if we kept a low profile, that’d be the only time I’d have to share air with both the one who got away and my fake boyfriend at the same time.
Later that night, after I’d scrubbed off the ten pounds of makeup and glitter and hair spray I’d worn for my alleged small-town girl album cover, I flopped onto my couch with a sigh. Paisley was at the kitchen island of my trendy Nashville mansion, typing away on her laptop with a cup of coffee despite the fact that it was the end of a very long day.
“Still workin’?” I asked.
“I’m about done, but it’s still early on the West Coast.”
I let my head fall back, my damp hair feeling cold on my scalp when paired with the cool leather of the couch. “I’m gonna order dinner, you wanna stay and eat?”
“No, but thanks,” she said as she closed the lid of her laptop and drained the rest of her coffee before tucking the mug in my dishwasher. “I’ve got a lot to do still yet, but I’ll get out of your hair so you can relax.”
“Thanks.”
Paisley slung her messenger bag over her shoulder and started to leave, then turned back to me with a frown. “Are you okay?”
