Page 132 of More For Me

I blink in confusion as a face appears in my eye-line. It takes a long second for me to recognize her. Everly’s producer is looking at me expectantly and I wonder how many times she said my name. Jesus, I’m more out of it than I thought.

“Caroline.” I shake her outstretched hand. “Good to see you.”

“You too. I was hoping to get a chance to chat with you tonight but Everly said you couldn’t make it.”

“My plans changed.” I fight off the wince that wants to join those words when I remember exactly what happened to fuck up my plans.

She waves at someone over my shoulder, luckily not seeming to notice how strained I am. “Anyhow,” she says, pulling her gaze back to me. “I’m sure Everly told you about our plans for introducing the Cain family connection?”

For the first time since arriving, a flash of emotion breaks through the numbness protecting me. “She did.”

“Good. I figured we should touch base since it will likely affect how you’re seen on the show.”

I just blink at her, probably looking like a total moron. “I’m sorry—what do you mean?”

“Because of the way the viewers react to your relationship with Everly. You have a lot of fan support. The whole will they-won’t they, friends-to-lovers thing.” She grins. “Fan just love that angle. It sells so well.”

It’s not an angle,I want to snap. It’s our lives. And it has nothing to do with viewers or fan support or what sells.

“With the introduction of this new love interest, I think it would be a no-brainer to shift the focus into a love triangle narrative.”

She’s still talking, but the dull ringing in my ears makes it impossible to hear. She didn’t just say they were introducing a new love interest, did she? Because that would mean that Everly agreed to go along with pretending to date James and she absolutely would not have done that without talking to me.

Would she?

“Anyhow.” Caroline claps a hand to my shoulder. “We have plenty of time to work out the particulars. Maybe you can join us at the next production meeting—I’ll talk to the team and get it set up.” She does that big Hollywood smile again to another person behind me. “Got to run. Good to see you again, Bodhi.”

Once she’s gone off to schmooze with the next person, I stand stock still in the middle of the lobby, trying to wrap my mind around what just happened. She was talking like the Everly and James storyline was already agreed on. And she wants me to—what? Pretend like we’re in a love triangle? Is that what she just said?

What the actualfuck?

I’d been hoping to rid myself of the numb feeling, but now I can see that was a mistake. Numb is way better than whatever the hell this is.

She wouldn’t agree to that without talking to you,I try to tell myself.She knows how you feel about it.

But my body doesn’t seem to want to listen to my brain’s logic. I feel hot and cold at the same time, my heartrate rising, lungs inadequate to take in enough air. I feel exactly the way I’d felt at my parents’ house.

And just like then, I know I need to escape. Coming here was a mistake. I should have just gone home and waited for Everly there.

While she stayed here and talked to James Cain. Setting up their fake dates and plans to fool television viewers into thinking they’re together. Fuck.

I turn to go, battling through the crowd back to the front door. The ringing is back in my ears, blocking out everything around me. So I’m startled when a hand wraps around my elbow.

“Bodhi!” Everly sounds out of breath. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”