Before he could speak, Mimi leaned toward me.
“What we need is a distraction,” she said. “And we’d like it if you were that distraction.”
“Go on,” I said.
“You’re a gorgeous woman, Sienna. You’re fresh on the scene, and people are starting to talk about you. And then there’s Jackson himself. Even before this happened to him, he mentioned to me in passing that he loved your performance in Lion. And then, just a day or two later, when the crisis hit and we were trying to figure a way out of the speculation surrounding his sexuality, I reminded him about you. And what I suggested to him has been done countless times before in Hollywood.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, already knowing what it was but nevertheless wanting to hear Mimi say it.
“What we’re proposing is that you enter into a fake relationship with Jackson as of today. If we play this right—if we really show off your budding romance in front of the world’s eyes—we think eight months will be enough time for this nightmare to be behind us before you two publicly decide to go your separate ways. But before that happens, you must know this: you will be seen everywhere together—at popular restaurants, movie premieres, parties, and just out and about on the streets of New York—especially since Jackson is about to start shooting his next movie here in the city tomorrow. What we’re seeking are plenty of PDAs.”
“What’s a PDA?” I asked.
“A public display of affection,” Harper said.
“Exactly,” Mimi agreed. “We need the paps to see you two holding hands, kissing each other, and looking into each other’s eyes as you fall in love with one another. At first, people will speculate, because people in general are risible human beings ripe for the sewer. But given your combined acting chops, and because this agreement means that you will be exclusive to each other for the duration of the contract, I believe your relationship will look real and that it will eventually shift the attention away from those unfortunate photos and Jackson’s true sexuality. After eight months, each of you will be free again to see whomever you want.”
Since I hadn’t been with anyone since I’d ended my relationship with Eric two years ago—when that motherfucker had cheated on me—eight months of forced celibacy really didn’t bother me, if only because of the deep scars Eric had left in his wake. I didn’t want to be involved with anyone right now, so eight months of being in a fake relationship meant nothing to me, especially since I planned on seeing nobody anytime soon.
“Sienna,” Harper said, “what’s in this for you is exposure. Being romantically linked with Jackson Cruise will only funnel more interest to you. As I said earlier in my office, the next stage of your career is all about exposure. The interviews I’ll line up for you will help, as will snagging the cover of Vogue’s September issue. But if you do agree to do this, which I think you should, it will only amplify everything. It will do amazing things for your career.”
“And mine,” Jackson said. “ I’m not going to pretend that it won’t.”
“True enough,” Harper said. “So, if you two agree to this, Mimi and I are also in agreement. Even though you’ll be faking it, we know you can pull this off, because each of you is an excellent actor. What all this comes down to is simple: Sienna, do you want to do this? Because if you don’t, Mimi and Jackson can find somebody else, and we can all part friends. Beyond the NDA you signed, there is no pressure on you. After all, you have your own career to tend to. And all of us in this room respect that.”
“We do,” Mimi said.
“I sure as hell do,” Jackson said. “Because I remember what it was like back when people were first talking about me like they’re now talking about Sienna. It was thrilling. Thirteen years ago, I was the new guy on the block. I was just eighteen at the time, and it was a shitload of fun. I had the time of my life back then, and as you are just being discovered, Sienna, I don’t want to rob you of experiencing what I experienced. That wouldn’t be right. I only want you to do this if you feel it’s something you want to do. And I mean that.”
He wasn’t acting for me now. As I looked him in the eyes, I knew in my gut that he wasn’t. Because no one was that good an actor. Jackson Cruise really did care how this might affect me.
And so I made my decision.
“I’m in,” I said to him. “You can start wooing me now.”
“Kiss her, Jackson,” Mimi said in earnest. “Let Harper and I judge for ourselves if you two can make it believable before you try to sell your lust and love for one another to the world.”
“Jesus,” he said. “Mimi, sometimes I think you missed your calling as an actress.”
“I’ve always been theatrical,” she said. “But you love that about me.”
Harper coughed when she said that and then sharply cleared her throat.
“You can kiss me,” I said to Jackson. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind if you did. You know…if only to have one of my fantasies met.”
“Your fantasies?” he asked. “Doesn’t the fact that I’m gay crush that?”
“Not when you look the way you do, Jackson.”
“Lean in for the kill,” Mimi demanded.
“Are you sure?” he asked me.
“Just think of me as one of the hottest men you’ve ever seen,” I said. “Kiss me the way you’d kiss him.”
When I said that, Jackson Cruise gave me a mischievous smile, took me into his arms, and planted one mother of a kiss on my lips. He kissed me in ways that were so heated, sexy, and yet somehow tender that I felt my stomach do a little flip-flop. I’d just been kissed by one of my idols, and I couldn’t give a damn that he was gay.
“That was hot,” I said when our lips parted.
“Really?” he said. “I don’t get it.”
“Let’s just put it all down to technique,” I said, “because you’ve got that in spades.”
He laughed when I said that, and in that moment, I could sense the tension lifting off him, which made me happy. I hated that he was being smeared for his sexuality. If I could make a difference for him, I would.
“Look, Jackson,” I said. “I only hope that whatever man you kissed before you boarded that plane of yours experienced what I just experienced. Because that was something. You seriously know how to kiss.”
“So, this is done?” Mimi asked. “Jackson, do you want to work with Sienna?”
“Totally.”
“Sienna, you’re certain about this?” Harper asked.
“I am,” I said. “As long as you’re sure.”
“I am,” she said. “I think this will be a good move for you.”
Harper had never lied to me, so that was that. “Then…let’s do it,” I said. “I’m officially here with my new beau.” I looked at Jackson when I said that, and I addressed him seriously. “I’ll have your back,” I said to him. “Let’s do our best to turn this around for you, OK? Let’s romance the hell out of each other before we break things off. What do you say?”
“That I’m grateful. And that you’re an amazingly kind woman, Sienna. Not many would be at my side at this point in my career. Don’t think I don’t know that, especially since you’re on the cusp of taking Hollywood and the world by the balls.”
“We’ll fix it,” I said. “Because after that kiss, I’m fairly certain we could do a few more of those to appease the paparazzi—and likely to get people talking.” I looked at Harper and Mimi. “Do I need to sign anything else so we can get this going?”
“You do,” Harper said as she and Mimi stood. “Mimi has the contract detailing the terms of your fake eight-month affair.”
“I do,” Mimi said. “It’s on my desk—let’s go to it now.”
While Jackson remained on the sofa, Harper, Mimi, and I walked over to Mimi’s desk, where she removed the contract from a folder next to her computer.
“Harper, you’ve read this?” I asked.
“About a dozen times.”
I hated to ask about how payment would be handled in
front of Jackson and Mimi, but since money was so tight for me, I needed to know the answer. “What are the terms of payment?” I asked. “Am I just looking at the full amount at the end of the eight months?”
“No,” she said. “Since you won’t be able to work elsewhere for the duration of the contract, today you’ll receive two hundred and fifty thousand upon signing, and then Jackson will pay you the remaining proceeds in one lump sum at the end of the contract—provided you’ve successfully completed it.”
“What does ‘successfully completed it’ mean?” I asked.
“Well, my goodness,” Mimi said. “She certainly is thorough, isn’t she?”
“As she should be,” Harper said. Then she looked at me. “All you need to do is show up for your daily public outings with Jackson, behave as if you two are falling in love, and remain exclusive to him. If for any reason you get sick, the contract allows for ten sick days, with room for more if for some reason you become seriously ill.”
She held up a finger of warning to me.
“But if you make the mistake of breaking exclusivity and get caught seeing another man on the sly—which would break the illusion we’re trying to create here—then you would need to pay back your signing bonus and forfeit the ten million dollars that’s being offered to you, the contract would end, and you would be open to a lawsuit should Jackson decide to pursue one with you.”
Since I had zero plans of seeing anyone, I was perfectly fine with all that. But I still had to wonder…
“What are Jackson’s terms?” I asked.
“Stricter than yours,” Harper said. “If for any reason he breaches the contract by being caught with another man, for instance, the contract ends, and you would receive the full ten million, which would be paid to you at once.”
“That seems more than fair,” I said.
“Any other questions?”
“No,” I said. “And I promise that I’ll meet my obligations.”
“I know you will,” Harper said to me in a soft voice. “When haven’t you?”
“So…am I good to go?”
She motioned toward the contract on Mimi’s desk. “If you want this, the contract is there. If you don’t, we simply part ways as friends.”
I signed the contract. And when I did, I felt proud of myself, because for me, it was more than just about the money and how being linked to Jackson might potentially lift my career. Now that I knew I was being treated fairly by Mimi and Jackson, what also mattered to me was how Jackson was being treated by the press. I was a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ community, and that man sitting over there on that sofa—the one who hadn’t challenged any of the questions I’d had about the contract—he needed me right now, and I planned to come through for him.
“So, what happens next?” I asked. “Harper is scheduling a lot of interviews for me. Is this going to get in the way of them?”
“Not at all,” Harper said. “As Mimi noted, Jackson starts shooting his new movie, Annihilate Them, tomorrow in Manhattan. While he’s busy at work, I’ll schedule your interviews and photo shoots in ways that won’t compete with his work. It’ll be seamless. I’ll make sure of it, because two careers need to be propelled forward here—not just one.”
“They’re like our mothers,” I said to Jackson as he came over and wrapped an appreciative arm around my shoulders. As tall as I was, he literally towered over me, which was rare for me. Not many men were as tall as Jackson Cruise, at least in my experience.
“They are,” he said. “We’re lucky to have them on our side, Sienna.”
“To say the least.”
“Thanks for doing this,” he said. “Thanks for helping me out. It means a lot to me. I need you to know that, Sienna.”
“Just sweep me properly off my feet, OK? I want the world to think that I’m the luckiest girl in the world.”
“Will do.”
I looked over at Harper. “If we’re starting this today, what’s the plan?”
“Per se is the plan,” Mimi said. “You both will be dining there later tonight. It’s a hot spot for celebs. Now that you’ve signed the contract, Sienna, I can get to work on leaking the news to the paps that Jackson will be seen there with you tonight.”
“Sienna,” Harper said. “You need to brace yourself for that, because every bit of this is designed to make front-page news. As early as later tonight, your dinner with Jackson will be all over the web, Facebook, and Twitter. In the wake of Jackson’s crisis, be prepared for that.”
“You’ve given me plenty of warning,” I said. “Now that I know what this audition was really about, I get it. The attention on Jackson and me is about to get hot—and fast. That’s going to be new for me, but I promise everyone in this room that I’ll do my very best to adjust to it as quickly as I can.” I looked up at Jackson. “So, what do you say, Jackson? Do you think I have what it takes to catch your eye?”
“As long as I think of you as a hot cowboy,” he joked.
“Then that’s what I am,” I said with a laugh. “A hot cowboy with a bulge big enough to shut down a bus stop. What time is dinner?”
“Eight,” Mimi said. “Jackson will pick you up at your apartment at seven thirty. Turn yourself into a siren, Sienna, because with the sheer number of photographs that will be taken of each of you, you’ll want to look your very best in an effort to assist your own career.”
“Mimi’s right,” Harper said. “But there’s also this: tonight, questions will be hurled at each of you, and when they are, I suggest that each of you say nothing. Don’t give them a word. Instead, when you step out of the limousine, just make sure that you’re holding hands as you make your way toward the doors. Let your chemistry speak for itself.”
“Couldn’t have said it better,” Mimi said, placing her hand on Harper’s shoulder. “And just look at how well we worked together today! How could it be that you and I ever broke apart?”
“To be discussed as in…never,” Harper said.
“And there you go again,” Mimi said. “Off your meds, as usual.”
“Mimi, would you call Austin?” Jackson said. “No offense to Sienna, but I’m feeling kind of stressed out about all this. Hitting the gym before tonight would help.”
“Of course,” she said, picking up her phone and hitting a button. “Audrey, would you please ask Austin to come in? Yes? Thank you, darling.”
“Who’s Austin?” I asked.
“His name is Austin Black,” Jackson said. “He leads my security detail. And because of that, he knows everything there is to know about me—sometimes a little more than he should know. We’ve worked together for years. At this point, he’s kind of like a brother to me.”
There was a rap on the door, and Mimi called out for Austin to come in. When the door swung open, it was literally filled with one of the tallest, most muscular, and most handsome man I’d ever seen.
Oh, my God, I thought as I soaked him in. And…hello. How are you, Austin?
“Austin,” Mimi said, “come and meet Sienna Jones. Sienna, this is Austin Black.”
As he strode toward me in his fitted gray suit, which strained to contain just how rock solid and muscular he was—and spectacularly failed to do so—I could feel a raw sense of confidence in him. As hot as Jackson was, Austin was way hotter. With his coal-black hair, chiseled face, full lips, and piercing blue eyes, Austin Black was the one in this room who should have been the A-list action star, not Jackson.
“Pleasure to meet you, Sienna,” he said as his hand engulfed mine.
“It’s vice to meet you, Austin.”
“Vice?” Harper repeated.
“Sorry?”
“You just said, ‘vice to meet you,’ Sienna.”
“Is that what I said?”
She lifted a brow at me. “In fact, it is…”
“Well,” I said. “Slip of the tongue. Super busy day! All sorts of things happening at once! It’s nice to meet you, Austin. And I mean that. It’s really nice to meet
you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Sienna.”
Could his voice be any deeper?
I saw him glance down at his hand, which I was still shaking.
Oh, girl, you need to get yourself together—as in now.
I released his hand and thought I caught amusement in his eyes before he turned to Jackson. “What’s up?” he asked.
“I need to hit the gym.”
“Want me to join you?”
“If you’re up for it,” he said. He nodded at me just as I caught Austin’s gaze roaming over me. “She and I are about to fall in love,” Jackson said. “And because of that, I need you to spot me, because tonight…tonight I need to look my best for her. And I plan to. When it comes to my life, shit changes now.”
CHAPTER THREE
After Mimi told me that Audrey would deliver my first check to Harper by the end of the day, Harper and I thanked her, and we took the stairs to Harper’s office—and I couldn’t help but pepper her with questions.
“First of all, tell me that Austin’s straight,” I said.
“He’s straight,” she said. “And looking the way he does, I’m sure he’s enjoyed his fair share of women—just as I’m sure that you have a job to focus on right now. I saw what happened back there. I’ve seen that look in your eyes before. The last thing we need is for you to become distracted by the head of Jackson’s security detail when you’ve just signed a contract to be exclusive to Jackson himself.”
“I understand what I signed, but a girl can still look,” I said. “But come on—did you even see him back there?”
“Just because I’m a turbocharged lesbian doesn’t mean I don’t get why you’re wetting your pants over him right now. Obviously, he’s gorgeous. And also off-limits to you.”
“Just for curiosity’s sake, does he have a girlfriend or something? A wife? I didn’t see a ring on his finger. And trust me—I checked.”
We started to walk down the hall toward her office.
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