Friend? That was a loaded word. “Good. She agreed to do it. We’ve been hashing out the details so our stories align and we’re attending a Romance Gala tomorrow night.”
“Good, I leaked the information and The Evening Show wants to do an interview. Can you two be there Saturday night?”
“Yeah, it shouldn’t be a problem.” A gala tomorrow and an interview the day after. That didn’t give him much time to get his emotions under control, but he could do it. He would just have to avoid touching her because he was fairly certain he would not be able to control himself if he did.
Chapter 10
Ava closed her eyes and touched her finger to her lips. They still throbbed from Justin’s kiss. How could someone who drove her so crazy affect her so much?
It must be the situation, the whole insane fake relationship idea had her mind spinning in a direction it had never been in before, but she could use this. She could write the romance scene while it was fresh in her mind.
She opened her laptop and let her fingers fly over the keyboard. It had been a long time since a romantic scene flowed this easily for her. Perhaps Gen had been right.
The door opened and Justin stepped back in, but he didn’t even glance at her. He walked straight to his room, and a moment later, the loud thumping sound of his heavy metal music poured out ending her writing time. At least for now. No matter, she had gotten down several thousand words and she could always finish later.
After shutting the screen, she grabbed her sunglasses and headed for the front door. If she had to leave tomorrow, at least she could take some time to enjoy the ocean a little longer today.
“Oh, Margie,” she said in surprise when she opened the door and saw the elderly woman on the porch. “What can I do for you?”
“I just thought I would check on you and Justin. See how things were going.” She peeked around Ava as if trying to see inside the cottage.
Ava shielded the doorway though she didn’t know why except that she found it odd that Margie was checking up on them. “Um, things are fine. We both have to return home tomorrow, so I guess we won’t be bothering you about the refund after all.”
Margie’s expression took on a look of concern. “It’s nothing serious I hope.”
“No, just work obligations we had forgotten about.”
“Ah, well, sometimes the timing just isn’t right. Perhaps you two can return when the timing is better.”
“Yes, perhaps.” Ava watched Margie get in her car and drive away before shutting the door behind her. The woman was sweet but definitely an odd one.
Justin threw himself into packing while he let the music drown out his feelings. Though he was cutting his vacation short, he was glad they would be leaving tomorrow. After that kiss, he wanted to put some distance between himself and Ava.
He tried to think about why the kiss had affected him so badly as he folded each article of clothing and placed them back in his bag. Was it because they were so different? Because she irritated him? That had to be it. The passion in the kiss had come from their mutual dislike of each other. That happened, right? He just needed to remind himself that they would never work. She was too different; he was too broken. As long as he remembered that, he should be fine.
Justin stayed in his room until dinner. He didn’t want to chance seeing Ava. When he did emerge, it was with a list of things to talk about. He wanted no moment of silence that would force him to think about that kiss.
She was at the table eating a plate of spaghetti when he entered the kitchen. “There’s extra on the stove,” she said motioning with her head.
“Thank you. I made a list of a few things we should discuss before we head out tomorrow.” He grabbed a plate from the cupboard and filled it. The smell of garlic and olives reached his nose and his stomach rumbled.
“Okay, like what?”
“We should exchange numbers. We need a way to keep in contact, and we should probably share a little of our interests in case we get asked separately. For instance, it would look bad if I said you loved strawberries but it turned out you were allergic.”
Ava nodded and took another bite. “Makes sense. I’m not allergic to strawberries since you asked. In fact, I love chocolate covered strawberries.”
Justin would have made a comment about how cliché that was but he also loved chocolate covered strawberries.
“I am, however, allergic to shellfish. In fact, I don’t eat seafood at all.”
“And I love seafood.” This was good. More differences between them just solidified why they didn’t belong together. If he could keep this going, he could put that kiss out of his mind. Except that he couldn’t because every time she took a bite, her mouth drew his attention.
He doubted she had any idea, but she ate food in a way he had never seen anyone eat before. Almost seductively. Each bite was slow and deliberate as if she was really tasting every morsel, and she didn’t shove her fork in. Instead it appeared to glide over her lips, deliver the bite, and then ease out the same way. Every once in a while, her eyes would flicker and then close a touch longer than a blink. He found the whole experience… cute.
“What?” Ava had stopped eating and was staring at him.
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “You eat seductively.”
“I eat what?” A pink blush spread across her cheeks.
“Seductively. Like every bite might be your last.” He chuckled at the horrified expression on her face before realizing what he had just done. He’d flirted with her, and he could not do that. He would not do that. “Anyway, we can share more through text. I’m going to finish this in my room.” He pushed back from the chair like someone had lit a fire under his seat. His rude behavior was confusing, but it was the only protection he had. So, he was going to use it.
Chapter 11
Ava should be writing. Her story still wasn’t complete. She had written a little more, but the image of that kiss kept popping into her mind. That kiss that was supposed to mean nothing but obviously meant something because he had left right after and when he’d come back, he’d avoided her eyes and kept a greater than usual distance the rest of the time at the cottage.
So now she was more confused. Navigating a fake relationship posed a new challenge on its own. But that kiss had changed things. It had transformed a relationship designed to end into something that might be real. How was she supposed to navigate through those mine-infested waters? What were the rules for that? Were there even rules?
She shut the laptop screen. As much as she wanted to write, tonight was their first official date - the gala, and she needed to get ready.
A knock sounded at her front door. Genevieve was right on time. Ava might be the writer, but Gen had the better fashion sense, so Ava often asked her to approve any final look before events that might have cameras.
“You’re not even dressed?” Gen asked as Ava pulled the door open.
“Hello to you too. No, I was trying to write and drawing a blank as usual.” She stepped back and Genevieve entered, makeup case in her hand.
“Well, perhaps tonight will help spur your creativity. If you let it. Now, when does Justin arrive?”
Ava checked her watch. “Uh, an hour.”
“We better get started then.”
Ava followed Gen to her bedroom. The dress, a slinky red one-shouldered number, lay across her bed.
“Ooh, nice choice,” Gen said. “Red for the win.”
“I thought it might say love better than black.”
“Oh, it does. Plus, it will look amazing with your dark hair and creamy complexion. Justin will fall for you for real when I’m done with you.”
Ava’s fingers stole to her lips. She could still feel his lips on hers. It had been a long time since she had felt heat like that.
Gen’s eyes widened. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Ava pulled her hand from her lips and looked away. “Nothing.”
“Un unh, that look is not nothi
ng,” Gen said shaking her head in that you-can’t-fool-me fashion. “Clearly something happened while you guys were there and I want details.”
A sigh burst forth from Ava’s lips as she sank onto her pillow top bed. “Okay, we kissed.”
Gen’s eyes widened to half dollars. “I’m sorry, you did what?”
“We kissed. It wasn’t supposed to mean anything, but he wanted to practice so our first kiss didn’t look awkward.”
The corners of Gen’s lips twitched. “I’m going to guess awkward wouldn’t describe it.”
Ava’s lips burned as the scene replayed itself in her head. “I’m not sure awkward is the word I would use, but it ended so quickly and he avoided me after, so it might be my imagination making it something it wasn’t.”
“Somehow I doubt that, but I guess you’ll find out tonight.” Gen glanced down at her watch. “And we’re running out of time, so we better get to it.”
Ava nodded as she pushed herself off the bed and tried to erase the image of Justin’s lips on hers from her mind.
Justin looked at the number on his phone one more time. He didn’t know what he had expected with her being an author, but it certainly wasn’t this modest apartment complex. Not that there was anything wrong with apartments, but he preferred a house where you couldn’t hear every sound your neighbors made and you didn’t have to share the parking space with eight other people. It made him wonder if she lived here by choice or financial reasons.
He locked the car and approached the landing. Apartment B sat on the right. He rang the bell and smoothed his suit one more time. The door swung open, but it was not Ava on the other side. A pretty redhead smiled at him.
“You must be Justin. I’m Genevieve.” Her eyes traveled from his head to his feet before she shrugged as if she expected more but he would do.
“Ah, the editor.”
“And friend.” She stepped back and opened the door wider for him. “Which is why I get to say this. I know this is a fake relationship, but this is my friend we’re talking about and I don’t want to see her get hurt.” Lightning flashed in her eyes and Justin took an involuntary step back. She might be small, but her gaze was fierce.
“Believe me, I’ve been down that road before and I have no intention of getting hurt either. I’m not looking for love. We are just helping each other out.” But he wondered if that were still true after that kiss. It had been a simple kiss, but it had shaken him to the core. He’d thought he had shut off those feelings after Candy, but it appeared he hadn’t.
“Un huh, I’ve heard that before. Just know that I’ve got my eye on you.” She formed a vee with her fingers and flashed them from her eyes to his.
Justin pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. Genevieve had spunk, and he liked that, but he wouldn’t let her know that. “Understood. Now, is she ready because we will be late if she doesn’t hurry.”
Genevieve’s green eyes danced as her smile deepened. “Oh, she’s ready. The question is, are you?”
At that moment, Ava appeared in the doorway behind Genevieve and Justin’s jaw dropped. She was a vision. Her dark hair was pulled up on her head with just a few tendrils snaking down the side and resting against her neck. Her neck looked long and slender and as silky as cream as it led to smooth shoulders. One shoulder held a thin strap of red fabric, but the other remained bare. And the dress. It hung perfectly on her frame and showed just the right amount of skin.
“You look…” He had no words. Beautiful wasn’t enough. Exotic came close, but it still wasn’t right. She was more. More beautiful, more exotic, more whatever than anything he had ever seen.
“I think amazing is the word you’re searching for,” Genevieve said with a satisfied smile.
No, amazing didn’t cut it either, but Justin didn’t argue with her.
“Thank you. You look handsome as well.” There was no expression of conceit on Ava’s face, but a slight pink graced her cheeks as if she weren’t used to receiving compliments.
Justin wanted to admire her longer, let his eyes drink in every drop of her, but that was a dangerous path. “Shall we go?” he offered instead hoping the drive to the gala would allow him to get his emotions back under control.
“Can I do one thing first?” She stepped toward him with a gleam in her eye. Before he could say anything, she reached up and tousled his hair. A chill shot down his back at the feel of her fingers on his head. “It looked too perfect, but now it is perfect.”
Justin stared into her eyes. He didn’t normally let people touch his hair, but it was like he was under a spell around Ava, one he needed to break before he found himself falling for real.
“I’m ready now,” she said with a smile as she grabbed a small clutch from a table by the door.
Justin caught Genevieve’s smirk before he turned and followed Ava out of the apartment. He quickened his pace to get to his dark blue BMW 8 series coupe first and open the passenger door for her. An expression of awe landed on her face, and he smiled. It was subtle, just the minute parting of her lips and widening of her eyes, but it was there. “This is nice.” Her hand ran across the leather seat at her sides.
“Thank you. It’s been a dream purchase for years.” Decades actually. He had wanted this car before he met Carol, then marrying her had consumed his focus and his money. When she got sick, the money turned into her treatments and then her funeral. Then he had met Candy. He swore she could smell money and had gladly taken half of his money not tied up in assets when she’d left. That put his dreams of purchasing the car on hold again until the divorce was final which was why he still owed as much on the loan as he did. Justin shook his head as he shut Ava’s door. He didn’t need to walk down memory lane tonight or ever. It was too painful and not helpful at all.
It was all he could do to keep his eyes on the road during the drive to the gala. He could feel Ava beside him, this feminine presence that attacked his senses. Even with his focus straightforward, the red of her dress and the white of her arms and legs danced in his peripheral vision. And a smell like vanilla and sugar filled his nose igniting memories of his mother in the kitchen. He took a deep breath. He needed to get ahold of his runaway thoughts. This was business. Nothing more and he would do well to remember that.
The gala was being held in a large skyrise building that appeared to be almost entirely glass. Even the elevator they took to the top floor was glass except for the metal beams. Watching the ground disappear under his feet was an unnerving experience and sent his stomach twisting. It must not have been enjoyable for Ava as well because she kept her hands firmly on the silver hand rail and her eyes straight ahead. The knuckles on her hands turned white with her death grip.
Relief covered him when the elevator dinged and the doors opened to a hallway with a floor that was not see through. He stepped out relishing the firmness of floors and walls around him - solid walls that held their secrets within. To the right was a table manned by a woman with long blond hair, and as that looked to be the only thing in the short hallway, he headed that direction.
The woman looked like a Barbie even from this far back with her blond hair curled to perfection and a dress tight enough to display her small waist. Justin felt Ava tense beside him. He risked a glance at her surprised to see her jaw clench and a tiny vein in her neck bulge out. There was obviously history between these two and he wondered what it was.
“Ava, so glad you could join us again this year.” The Barbie’s voice held the sickly-sweet tone of insincerity, and her smile appeared far too practiced. It was a smile Justin knew and performed all too well.
“Thank you, Tia, happy to be here.” Ava’s voice sounded pinched and tight, but she too kept a smile firmly on her face.
Tia’s eyes shifted to Justin and one eyebrow arched slightly. “I see you brought a date this year. How lucky for you. It’s so great you’re finally seeing someone.”
Her emphasis on the word so combined with her fake smile rubbed Justin the wrong way
, and now it made sense to Justin. Tia was the school bully of the romance world, casting her piteous looks and words on anyone she deemed unworthy. Justin could see the effect it had on Ava in her eyes - the light in them dimmed and the extra glistening told him tears were close. Though he knew touching her might be his undoing, he couldn’t stand to see her wilt in front of this viper.
He wrapped an arm around Ava’s shoulders and pulled her to him. “Ava stole my heart from the first moment I saw her. I’m the lucky one.” He held Tia’s gaze, daring her to challenge him, but she had clearly not expected his words.
She blinked, her long fake eyelashes fanning out on her perfectly blushed cheeks. “Wait, are you Justin Miller from Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy?”
Justin couldn’t help puffing his chest out a little. She might be awful, but she had recognized him. “I am.”
Her posture stiffened, and she dropped her eyes to the table. Clearly, it bugged her that Ava had shown up with him. “Well, I hope you two have fun.” She handed Ava a small name plate and a blank one to Justin. “Just write your name here and set it on your table.”
Justin picked up the marker she indicated and penned his name across the blank paper. “I’m sure we will have fun. Every day I get to spend with Ava is better than the day before.” He leaned in and kissed Ava’s cheek enjoying the shocked expression on Tia’s face.
Then, arm still around her, he led her away from the table and into the room. “You didn’t have to do that.” Ava’s voice was small beside him and had he not held her so close, he might not have heard her at all.
“Yeah, I did. I can’t stand people like that - the kind that think the only way to feel better about themselves is to make others feel bad about themselves. I may not like many people, but I don’t pretend I do either.”
She offered him a sincere smile along with a look of gratitude. “Thank you. I came last year, but she made the night awful pointing out how I was alone. I know this isn’t real, but I’m glad we met.”
The Producer's Unlikely Bride Page 7