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“Are you sure?” She sounds incredulous, and I have a realization.
I flash her a quick smile. “It makes sense, right? Getting in good with my girlfriend’s parents.”
“Sure.” She nods.
“Do they think we’re the real deal?”
“I didn’t tell them what’s really going on,” she admits, her voice low. “I’m afraid if they knew, they might slip and reveal the truth. And that would ruin everything.”
“Yeah, it would,” I agree with a slight shake of my head. “Can I ask you one more question?”
She lifts her chin, haughty and beautiful. “Of course.”
“Is there anything you’re... worried about? With this agreement?”
Her gaze finds mine, and she stares at me for a moment, her lush lips parted, those long eyelashes fluttering as she blinks. “If I tell you what I’m worried about, you might laugh.”
“I would never,” I promise. “We’re in this together. You and me.”
Scarlett blinks again, her jaw working. “I’m afraid the deeper we go, the more lost I’ll feel.”
I frown. “Lost?”
“No one will care about me.” She shrugs, averting her gaze. “It’ll all be about you.” A small laugh escapes her. “I know that sounds really selfish, and you probably think I’m a total bitch, but it’s never been about me. It’s always about my family. My charming father. My beautiful mother.”
I remember her complaining about this already.
“I won’t let anyone lose sight of who you are, including yourself. You need me to talk you up to the press? I can do it.” I nod firmly.
She’s quiet for a moment, as if she needs to absorb my words.
“What exactly would you say about me?” she finally asks.
“Whatever you want. All of it positive, of course.”
“Of course,” she adds drolly.
“That’s not part of the written agreement, but we can make our own agreement, you know? Just between the two of us.” I slip my hands into my pockets, the epitome of nonchalance.
I bet she has no idea my internal system is going haywire. I need this girl more than she needs me. She’s loaded and completely insulated in her wealthy world, and while I just got paid a million bucks—more like six hundred thousand thanks to taxes—that money won’t last forever. I’m only twenty-one. I have a lot of years left in me, and wouldn’t it be great to make a go of this singing career again? On my own?
Yes. Yes, it so fucking would.
“I’d expect the same in return,” I say when she still hasn’t responded. “We need to lift each other up, not tear each other down.”
“I’m not the type to tear a person down, so don’t worry. Didn’t you watch the video I made earlier?”
“I did, and I appreciate everything you said about me—about us. Roger and Simon loved it too, especially Roger.”
“He sort of went on about it a little too much, huh?” Scarlett wrinkles her nose.
“He tends to do that—gets a little excited. And that was tame behavior on his part.” Unable to stop myself, I reach out and touch her, tugging on a strand of long dark hair and curling it around my finger. She doesn’t move. I swear she doesn’t so much as breathe, she’s so still. “Thank you for making that video. You made me sound like a freaking hero.”
“You’re welcome,” she says, breathless.
“It was unexpected.”
“Like I said, it was my friend’s idea.”
