Page 23 of Seeking Stars
"What?" she asked, a chill running down her back at the tone of his voice.
"Did you realize that… well, that many people will assume we're together? Romantically? And a bunch of them will hate you for it."
Her brain short circuited. "But… no, I mean—why would they think we're together? No one would believe that you and I—"
"It's not that unrealistic. And whether it's real or not, they won't care. Whether we deny it or not, some of them will believe we're lying. I hope you're prepared."
She shook her head. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but no words came out. Her mind was empty, except for confusing images of what people would assume was between them.
"If we post about the project," he added, "there'll be an official version out there."
"Okay. Yeah." She nodded, taking her phone out of her pocket and opening a social media app. Following his plan brought the intensity of her feelings down, some of which tempted her with images of her and Liam in compromising positions. "I could post a panning shot I took of your patio that I took yesterday… I'll put that into a story. Make a highlight on my profile for this project. I'll also make a post of me arriving in LA. With those I can announce this documentary on Social Media and hopefully that'll help."
"Yeah. I probably should post something soon, too."
After adding some stickers to her post, "New Project", "So Excited", she wrote a quick caption about arriving in LA. She read it out loud to him.
"So happy to announce my new project. I hope you all enjoy this one. I'll be sharing some bits and pieces as I work on it but, for now, surprise! I'm in LA." She published the content she'd prepared.
"Let's hope this works."
"It should work," she added mostly for her own benefit.
Chapter 7 - The Cabin
A couple of hours later, Liam took an exit that put them on a small side road. They followed it for a while; Ana watched out the window, enjoying the trees lining their way, the changing bits of land beyond. The longer they drove, the rougher the journey became. Pavement had given way to gravel, then to dirt.
"Are you going to tell me more about where we're going?" Ana asked. "All I know is the coordinates, which both Diana and Ely know, by the way, because apparently it doesn't have a proper address? Suspicious, Liam."
It had taken a bit of conversation for his stress to dissolve but, after eating snacks— he seemed to have a strong preference for chips, eating most of them by himself— and chit-chatting about adventures she had with Ely over the years, he was back to the casual personality Ana was learning to associate with him.
He laughed at her supposed worry. "I promise I'm not a dangerous man. We're going to an isolated beach house I like."
"Isolated beach housearen't necessarily reassuring words in this context, but I'm sure it's all so perfectly safe and lovely. Isn't it?"
"It is." He smiled. "You'll see. I haven't been here for a long time, probably three years or more. At least since before doingLove, Never."
"Your first rom-com; first big movie for you."
"Yeah. You a fan?" He asked, his grin turning flirtatious. When he stole a glance at her, there was a twinkle in his eyes.
Ana's eyebrows shot up. She hadn't expected the change in tone, nor the return of flirty Liam so soon. She had been simply going over her short mental files of Liam's filmography, not fawning over him.
"I've seen it." She looked at him sideways, suppressing a smile, wrapping herself in nonchalant impartiality. She dismissed the idea of ever telling him that she and Ely had watched the movie a few times.
"What's your favorite part?"
She huffed a strangled laugh. She pursed her lips, trying to quiet it further. "When she's going to slap you but ends up punching you."
He tsked. "That wasn't me, it was the antagonist."
"Oh, really? Got confused."
His chuckle was a bit dark. "Fine, that's what I get for asking," he said, shaking his head in disapproval. Ana allowed herself a short snicker.
He'd barely finished saying that when, after taking one last turn, the road opened into a slice of paradise.
The house was a one story, wood cabin. Planters full of flowers lined one side. A deck surrounded the structure, except for the back where an extension of the roof covered two empty parking spots. The lot where the house lived seemed to be a small cove, rocky cliffs around it, green shrubbery on the top edge.
