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“You can’t ignore it forever, though,” Mercedes warned. “Even if it doesn’t make the major news cycles, it’ll get around.”
“I know,” I said, feeling a sense of dread wash over me. “We’re trying to figure out the best way to handle the situation.”
“How can you handle something like this?” Gin asked, her tone concerned.
“Spencer wants us to go public,” I revealed.
Mercedes let out a low whistle. “That’s a serious step to take.”
I was so glad that my friends understood.
If Spencer hadn’t been producing the show, I was in—I wouldn’t have cared about people knowing we were dating. Getting involved with someone who was, in some ways, my boss, meant things were different.
“I don’t even know if it’d make a difference,” I said. “I mean, we still work together, and we were still at a sex club together. Would it be less scandalous if we were in a relationship?”
Mercedes shrugged. “Who knows? But I don’t think it’d hurt. You’d be able to talk to reporters honestly without worrying about whether you accidentally revealed something. And it’ll show you have nothing to hide.”
She had a good point.
The problem was, as supportive as all three of my friends sounded, they weren’t quite able to hide the wariness in their eyes. I didn’t blame them. After all, I’d been one of the biggest opponents of relationships in the workplace, particularly between actors and the people in charge. And I still believed all the reasons why those relationships weren’t wise.
“Whatever you decide to do, you know we’ve got your back, right?” Rocio put his hand over mine. “Just like you’ve always had ours.””Thanks," I smiled at him, then turned to my friends. “Now, I want to hear more about this walk-on role you got on a Dick Wolf show. That’s big news.”
Rocio blushed and tried to downplay it, but we managed to get him talking. “It’s just a small part,” he said modestly.
For a while, I forgot about my problems as we chatted. But the moment we stepped out of the diner, everything came rushing back.
“London! London!” someone shouted my name, and I turned toward the voice. A bright flash went off in front of me, and I squinted, trying to see who was talking.
“London, are you and Spencer York seeing each other?” another voice asked, accompanied by another flash.
I put up a hand, trying to shield my eyes. “Who’s the guy you’re with right now? Are you cheating on Spencer with him?” a third voice called out.
I looked over at Rocio, who was staring at me with wide eyes. “Did Spencer force you to go to a sex club with him?” yet another voice asked.
My vision was still impaired by the flashes, and I couldn’t see who was doing the talking. “Was your attendance at Show & Tell part of a bargain to get the lead in York’s show?” another voice asked.
I glared in the direction of that voice. Multiple flashes kept my vision from returning to normal, but I could tell that at least half a dozen paparazzi were swarming around my friends and me. “Did you sleep your way to a leading role?” one of them asked rudely.
“That’s enough!” Rocio stepped in front of me, shielding me from the paparazzi. “London has no comment on these absurd accusations. Please, back off.” He took my hand and led us towards the curb where a cab was waiting.
The paparazzi continued to shout questions as Rocio opened the passenger door. “Get in the cab!” he shouted, gesturing for us to hurry. We scrambled into the cab, and I heard one reporter shout, “Is this your new boyfriend, London? What’s his name?” Rocio slid into the cab beside me, slamming the door shut.
“Let’s go!” he yelled to the driver, who nodded and sped away from the paparazzi.
I breathed a sigh of relief as the sounds of the paparazzi faded into the distance. I leaned back against the seat and closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing heart. “Are you okay?” Rocio asked, turning to face me.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Just a little shaken,” I replied with a deep sigh.
Once I was alone in my apartment, I called Spencer. “I just got mobbed by some reporters outside a diner,” I said. “Be careful if you go out.”
“I was worried about that,” Spencer replied with a sigh. “I think, without any answers, they’ll keep coming...and they’ll make up whatever we don’t tell them.”
“Maybe what we need to do is go public in a big way,” he suggested. “Find a place where a lot of reporters will show and answer a few questions. The truth isn’t nearly as scandalous as what they think is happening.”
“Will you go out with me tonight?” Spencer asked.
I paused for a moment, considering his proposal. Going public could solve our problem, but it was a big step. I took a deep breath and replied, “Yes. Let’s go public.”
