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She buried her face in her hands. “I wasn’t really mad. I was mortified.”
He was so confused. “About what?”
She brushed her hair back and shook her head. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter now. I’m so sorry I ghosted you. I never should have done that.”
“It wasn’t all your fault. I let our friendship slide when my career took off. I should have made more of an effort.” Letting Remi go was his biggest regret. He needed her in his life. He knew this now.
His phone chimed and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was a text from his father.
If you can finish the contract with Liz, we can talk about you hiring another manager.
Colton jumped up. “I can’t believe it. Look what my father sent.” He shoved his phone at Remi.
She read the message. “That’s an improvement.” Her words were reserved.
“Yes, for sure. I wasn’t sure he’d ever calm down enough to talk about it. You were right, of course.”
She smiled, but it seemed forced. “Looks like you’ll have to continue to date Liz. How long is that contract?”
He scrubbed a hand down his face. His father would be so mad if he found out Remi knew the details of this publicity stunt. “I can’t say anything.”
She dropped her gaze. “Long time, then?”
He suddenly wanted to tell her the truth. Who cares about the non-disclosure contract? He just wanted to salvage things with Remi. “A week,” he blurted out. “This week, to be exact. Our movie came out last week. The plan was to do the publicity to boost sales on that all-important first weekend. We’re done with our contract Friday night.” A weight lifted off his shoulders. That felt good to say, but just to cover himself, he tacked on, “Hypothetically, of course.”
Remi nodded but didn’t say anything. It was obvious she didn’t like him spending time with Liz, which made him hopeful. Maybe she could like him as more than a friend.
“That doesn’t mean we can’t do stuff together,” he said quickly. “I don’t have anything scheduled with Liz tonight. We could go somewhere.”
Remi frowned and smoothed out the bedspread. “That didn’t work too well. We were caught twice today.”
He waved away her concern. “I just wasn’t being careful.”
A gurgling sound came from Remi’s stomach, and Colton laughed. “Come on. Let’s go get something to eat. I have the perfect disguise.”
* * *
Remi tried notto laugh as Colton stood before her wearing a salt-and-pepper wig and glasses. They’d gone to his suite so he could get in disguise. He held his arms out. “See? I don’t look anything like myself.”
“This is true,” she admitted, biting her lip to keep from smiling. He looked like a thin version of her grandpa, but with less wrinkles and a cuter smile. He’d even put on bushy fake eyebrows.
“Let’s go for a walk. I know there are a ton of restaurants close to this resort, and it’s nice out.”
Remi glanced at the setting sun beyond the patio window. Her sister said it would rain, but there weren’t too many clouds in the sky. Maybe Brooke was wrong. Her stomach gurgled again, reminding her it had been hours since lunch. “All right.”
Colton grabbed her hand, and they left the resort. As they walked along the sidewalk, Remi tried to tell herself that Colton holding her hand meant nothing, but it was difficult because it felt so much like something a boyfriend would do. The contact sent shivers of tingles up her arm.
“What are you thinking?” he asked as they turned a corner.
Smells from all the restaurants made her mouth water. “About how hungry I am.” That wasn’t a lie. She was just omitting a few other things, like how it felt to be beside him again. How she could tell him anything and he would understand. How she might be falling even deeper in love with him.
“What are you hungry for?” He motioned to all the restaurants in front of them. “Pick one.”
“Pigg’s BBQ looks good.” The smell was amazing. Plus, it was the closest one.
“Okay.” They entered the restaurant and were seated in the back by a large picture window. After they ordered, Remi stared out of the window at the sunset painting the sky with pink and purple clouds, which reflected off the water. Light refracted off the ocean, as if someone had sprinkled thousands of diamonds over it.
“Great view,” she said.
