Page 49 of In His Skates
“It’ll be fine. Besides, my story with Keanu is the stuff romantic movies are made of. Childhood friends reuniting and falling in love…” Keanu makes an exaggerated expression that makes me look like an anime cartoon.
“Childhood friends…” Bobbi pinches the bridge of his nose. “Do you have a concussion? You were enemies. If they interview anyone from our old high school, they’ll find that out.”
Shit. That’s true. Our feud was legendary.
“But that makes it an even better story, right? What’s not to like about enemies to lovers?” Keanu winks at me, and shit, even though I’m staring at myself, it’s him I picture doing that, my pulse accelerating because of it.
I’m not catching feelings for Keanu, am I? No. That’s not possible.
My face is burning, though, so I look away fast. “What do you want us to do?”
“Maybe chill out for a while until Gene’s team can send us a PR strategy.”
“Give me a break. What’s there to strategize about us dating?” Keanu asks, not hiding his frustration. This all must seem pretty vain to him.
It is stupid the way people obsess about the love life of celebrities, but it is what it is. I knew what I was getting into when I came to Hollywood. Keanu probably only wants to play hockey, not have his life turned upside down by the media circus. I feel guilty about it, even though I didn’t ask to swap bodies with him, and it wasn’t my idea to pretend we were dating.
“No can do,” Keanu replies. “I have to attend a charity event with Keanu tonight.”
Ah hell. I completely forgot about that.
“What the fuck, Leigh! You can’t simply spring unapproved social events on me like this. I need to know who’s going to be in attendance, the time, the place… then we have to think about what you both are going to wear—”
“Wait… why do my—I mean, why do Keanu’s clothes matter?”
Bobbi gives him an incredulous look. “I’m gonna pretend you didn’t ask me that question.”
“Uh… Leigh. Can I talk to you for a sec?” I butt in.
If Keanu keeps reacting this way around Bobbi, he’s going to think I’m having a stroke.
“Yeah, let’s talk,” he says and heads for the stairs.
Bobbi throws his hands up in the air with an expression of resignation on his face, then takes a seat on the couch. “Go on. Have your private moment with your boyfriend while I work on fixing your mess.”
Ouch. That hurt. I want to tell Bobbi that I’m stuck in Keanu’s body, but he might have me committed if I do. Bobbi doesn’t believe in anything that has to do with the occult; he only liked Flora’s stories because the ludicrousness amused him.
I follow Keanu into my room with a heavy heart. This situation is messing with everything, and it’s making me feel wretched and confused. I flop on the bed, feeling drained, and stare at the ceiling. “What did you want to talk about?”
“Why does Bobbi want to have a say in what I wear tonight? It’s bad enough that I have to wear a suit and tie to hockey games.”
“You don’t like to wear suits?” I ask, wanting desperately to talk about something other than our situation.
“I don’t mind them; I just don’t like being forced to wear them.”
“I heard that rule will no longer be enforced. Pity. I like hockey players in suits.”
“Can you please focus? I’m not going to let Bobbi dictate what I wear tonight.”
I sit up and look at Keanu. “It’s fine. You don’t have to. Bobbi is just being extra mean to you because he feels he’s losing me to the enemy.”
Keanu rolls his eyes. “Please. Like anyone could come between you two.”
“You’re right. They couldn’t. But anyway, your attire is the least of our worries. You need to tell me what’s expected of me during this event. I don’t know how to be you in those situations.”
“It’s not that different from the social events you attend. I have to be nice to the team’s sponsors, smile a lot, pose for photos, that sort of thing. Fair warning, a few of the female sponsors can get handsy sometimes, especially after they’ve had a few cocktails.”
“Ugh. That’s just great. Can’t escape being groped even when I have a dick between my legs.”
