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“He loves you like a brother.” And would protect her like one too. I shift slightly away from her on the bench.
“No. I didn’t mention it. Not sure that’s a good idea, considering your friendship with him.”
“But if we’re faking a relationship, he’s bound to find out.”
I can’t quite read the silence that follows. Is she weighing something? Worried? Should I brace for impact?
“I guess we’ll have to tell him. But that it’s fake. We have to emphasize that.”
“Obviously.” I cannot believe she agreed to this.
“I’ll talk to him.” Harley’s tone is firm as if she doesn’t trust me to say the right thing. “First, let’s set up some game rules in case Brando asks.”
“Right. Let’s see. Only two players.” I point from her to myself.
“Absolutely.” The way she says it reminds me that beneath all Harley’s tough armor, she’s a woman with a heart, one that could be broken just like anyone else’s.
Has anyone broken her heart? My jaw ticks. If so, I’ll be right alongside Brando, ready to crack bones.
“And the game objectives,” I add.
“You tell me.”
Without thinking much about it, I say, “Our feelings for each other are the reasons why I ditched Jayda. I should’ve come forward and told her that there’s been someone else. There’s always been someone else my heart belongs to. That it’s not fair of me to marry her when I couldn’t give her all my love. It’s not honest or right.” Not sure where that came from but my pulse races like I was just doing drills.
“Did you steal that from one of Brando’s poetry journals?”
“No.” I shake my head and only now realize my gaze didn’t leave Harley’s the entire time I spoke.
“I’m not sure they’ll buy that. It’s too out of character for you.”
“They will if I explain that my reputation for being a player off the field was a result of my resisting this deep, buried love like a treasure I knew was there but had to keep hidden away. Not allowing myself to be with the gem of my eye, my true love, all these years and trying to fill the void pushed me to compensate in ways I regret.” Eyes on Harley, I’m not even sure what I’m saying, only that I feel those internal flutters or whatever it was she was talking about.
Our eyes lock then she tips her head back with howling laughter.
I’m not sure about that response...or how I suddenly feel.
She wipes her eyes and then claps. “Wow. You deserve a standing ovation. The film academy should give you a golden award for such a moving and convincing profession of love and honesty.”
I swallow the rest of what I suddenly feel like telling her.
“And if that goes public, you’re going to have an entirely new set of fans and admirers. Women like Harper would eat that up,” Harley says.
“She’s married.”
“And she’ll be secretly mad that Ron doesn’t make grandiose speeches about the gems of his love for her.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Do women actually like that stuff?”
“Some women. Not this one.”
“No?” I find that hard to believe.
She lifts one shoulder. “I mean, it’s fine. But?—”
“You practically laughed me off the stage.”
“Because you’re you and I’m—” She looks down at her hands. “Because I’m Nugget.”
