Daisy and the Front Man (Entangled Crush) (Backstage Pass)

by Purdy, Rebekah L.

  “I’ve got it.”

  “Ready…and…action.”

  Trevin lined up next to Ryder and Miles. They ran down the sand. Ryder tossed the football in front of him and he dove for it, landing next to Casey and getting sand on her. She giggled.

  “Cut. Casey, you’re supposed to act like you hate him. Okay, let’s redo this.” Steve waved everyone back to their places.

  Trevin was aware of Daisy watching him, and his stomach knotted. He really wished she didn’t have to see him hit on another girl. He felt like he’d made a lot of progress with her lately…or at least he told himself that was the reason.

  “Action,” Steve said.

  Trevin ran down the beach again, but this time when he fell, he landed right on Casey. Instead of getting angry, she let out a squee.

  “Cut. Damn it. Casey, c’mon, we don’t have all day.” Steve restarted again. After several run-throughs, the director looked about ready to kill someone with a clipboard.

  Trevin sighed. If he had to run through the damn sand and fall on that girl one more time, he’d probably be suffocated in her chest.

  “Casey, you’re out. I need a different actress. One who isn’t affected by the band and can pretend to hate Trevin.”

  LJ tromped out from one of the canopies. “How about her? She’s a girl.” He pointed at Daisy. “Beau, your daughter would be perfect. She doesn’t fawn all over the guys. In fact, she doesn’t even like them. Not trying to step on any toes here, Steve, but I know the bodyguard’s daughter would get the job done. I’ve seen just how snotty she can get with my boys here.”

  “I don’t know…” Beau said.

  Trevin stiffened. “Um—is that a good idea…”

  “I think it’ll be perfect,” Miles said. “She hates boy bands—especially Trevin.” He winked at Trevin, then leaned over so only Trevin could hear him. “Just think, there’s a kiss somewhere in this video. You can thank me later.”

  “Kilo…”

  “Just go with it, mate.”

  Right. Just go with it. Maybe this would work out in his favor. And if he was being honest with himself, he’d admit that he’d wanted to kiss Daisy since he met her. Attitude or not, she was beautiful and real. Not just some actress.

  …

  Daisy backed farther under the tent. “No. Absolutely not. I can’t be in their video. I-I’m not an actress. Plus, I’m busy. Super busy.” She held up her laptop like a medieval shield. “And what about all the other actresses? I’m sure one of them would do just fine.”

  LJ blocked her way as Miles came to join them. “You need to, Daisy. You already have the part down. Just act like you did when you first met Trevin.”

  “Think of this as a gift from Seconds to Juliet to you. Do you know how many girls would pay to be in one of their videos? Think of all the people who will see it,” LJ said, patting her arm. “I’d much rather do something nice for you, than have just anybody in their video.”

  Well, she could act out her hate onscreen for Trevin. It wouldn’t really be a stretch. She had all this pent-up anger that needed to be released, and she was being given permission to tap into it. Plus, after all the teasing she’d endured this last year in school, it’d be nice to throw this in Emma’s face. Show her that she wasn’t a loser. But maybe all these reasons weren’t the only things making her want to do this. Because deep down, there’d been something else nagging her. Something she damn sure didn’t want coming out.

  “Look, she doesn’t want to do it. Let’s find someone else,” Ryder said. “I want to actually get out of here sometime today.”

  “Don’t listen to him, he’s a wanker,” Miles said. “Come on, you can do it. Please.” He gave her puppy dog eyes.

  She wrung her sweaty hands. “Fine, I’ll do it. Just so you guys will leave me alone.”

  “Great,” Steve said. “Costume. We need to get this girl into a bikini and fast.”

  “Whoa, I have to wear a bikini in front of everyone?” Daisy covered her chest.

  “Yes, it’s part of the video—it takes place on a beach.” Steve moved back with his cameramen, while Daisy was ushered off into a tent to get changed.

  A blond lady handed Daisy a couple bikinis to try on. “I think the blue one will fit you perfectly.”

  “Um—thanks?” She held it up, wondering where the rest of it was. Just like men to objectify women in their video.

  She tugged off her shorts and T-shirt and pulled on the bathing suit. Once she tied the strings on the bottoms she went to show the costume lady.

  “Ah, I knew it. That’s the one. You look stunning. Now, come with me to hair and makeup and we’ll just touch you up a bit.”

  She was whisked into another tent where a guy named Albert put a loose braid in her hair, then gave her some homemade-looking bracelets to tie on her wrist and ankle. A tiny spark of excitement raced through her blood. Oh. My. God. She was going to be in a music video with Seconds to Juliet. All her classmates who’d teased her after she’d been publicly humiliated were going to eat their words.

  She took a deep breath, staring down at her costume. It seemed surreal. Stuff like this only happened in movies, not to girls like her. Yet here she stood, ready to make her debut. She just had to forget the part where she now hated boy bands…

  “Here, let’s get some concealer on you,” Albert said. He went to work putting eyeshadow, eyeliner, cover-up, mascara, blush, and the whole freaking makeup case on her face. But she had to admit, she looked pretty dang good when he finished. For a moment, she didn’t even recognize herself.

  “You look stunning,” he said.

  “Thanks.” Daisy touched her face, not quite believing it.

  “All right then, let’s get you out there on the beach. Good luck sweetie,” the costume lady said.

  When she walked over to where the band stood with Steve, they all turned to glance at her. Self-conscious, she crossed her arms at her chest.

  “Wow, you look amazing.” Trevin stared at her.

  “Well, don’t forget this is just acting.” She smiled at him, but her traitorous pulse soared nonetheless.

  “Places everyone. Now Daisy, I want you to lie down on the towel where Casey was earlier. All you need to do is act pissed off when Trevin falls on you. Think of him as this super stuck-up jock kid you go to school with. The kind of guy who thinks he’s God’s gift to women… Act like he’s done something horrible to you.”

  “No problem there,” Daisy said. Maybe this acting thing wouldn’t be so hard after all.

  She settled down on the towel, pretending to be tanning on the beach with her friends.

  “And…action.”

  Trevin and Ryder threw the football back and forth. Trevin pretended to trip and landed on Daisy. His chest pressed against hers, his gaze focused on her face, and her breath caught in her throat. Daisy’s heart seemed to be lodged somewhere between her lungs and esophagus, like she’d swallowed a giant beach ball. Nope, she wasn’t going there. She needed to focus. Remembering how he’d ditched her, she quickly shoved him off.

  “Get off me.” She stood up, placing her hands on her hips as she glared at him.

  “Good, good, and cut! Daisy, that was perfect. Now boys, I’m going to have you driving the Jeep down the beach, singing. And Trevin, you’re going to notice Daisy hanging out with her friends along the boardwalk. I want you to pull the vehicle to a stop, jump out, and try to give her flowers. Daisy, you’ll throw them back at him.”

  Daisy was handed a sundress to put on over her bikini, and they let her hair down, so the wind caught it whipping around her face. She stood on the boardwalk, pretending to talk to some of the girls while the guys made their way to the vehicle.

  They climbed in and the music started with them lip-syncing. They drove down the beach, sand kicking up from the tires. At last they stopped, and Trevin hopped over the door, carrying flowers to Daisy.

  He handed them to her. Trevin was so close. She could smell his cologne in the
air between them.

  This video was the best and worst idea ever. Best because it allowed her to get even closer to Trevin, but worst because, well, that meant getting closer to Trevin. Daisy took the flowers, her hand shaking as she tossed them on the ground and stomped on them. She spun her back to him and walked away with the group of girls she’d been standing with.

  “Cut. Okay, let’s try this one more time. Daisy, sweetheart—I think you’re acting a little too pissed off at Trevin. Tone it back, just a notch.”

  Too pissed off? Was he serious? He had no idea how much angst she had about Trevin.

  “Everyone back in your places. And…action.”

  Once again, Daisy stood with the other girls and went through the same motions of tossing the flowers.

  “Cut. That’s it. Why don’t we set up for the last scene? Remember, this song is about Trevin trying to win over this girl and he really wants to see her smile. Trevin, at this point you’re going to be kind of bummed that nothing is working. But your friends are going to point her out on the beach, walking by herself in the waves. This time, you’re going to chase her down and kiss her.”

  Daisy’s head snapped up. “Wait, what? I never agreed to a kiss. You said I had to hate him. I can do that… But a kiss? That’s not gonna work.”

  Dad stalked across the sand as well. “Listen, this is my daughter. You never said one thing about her having to kiss anyone.”

  “Beau, it’s acting. You know these boys would never do anything to compromise her,” LJ said. “Besides, this is the last scene she’ll have to shoot with them. Let’s just get this done with.”

  “Fine. She can do it.” He frowned, his eyes narrowed. “But you”—he pointed at Trevin—“better know this isn’t an open invitation to pursue her.”

  Daisy’s palms went sweaty and she suddenly felt light-headed. Her first kiss. She was about to get her first kiss and it was going to be onscreen, with her damn nemesis. She wanted to run. But if she did, then that meant they’d be stuck here all night trying to find another girl to fill in, and they’d have to reshoot everything. And maybe just a small part of her was curious. Curious to find out just what kind of a kisser Trevin Jacobs was.

  She peeked at Trevin, who paced aimlessly back and forth in the sand. When he caught her watching him, he came over to her.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get you into this,” he said. “I know I’m the last person you want to kiss.”

  She nodded. “Trevin, I’ve never—I mean, I—well, I’ve never been kissed before.”

  “Oh,” he said. “Okay, just follow my lead when the time comes.”

  Easy for him to say. He’d probably kissed a million girls.

  “Places everyone. Daisy, I want you to walk down the beach. Trevin, give her a short head start then run after her. And…action.”

  Daisy ambled through the waves, the water licking at her legs. Sand squished between her toes, and she stared off at the sun dipping low in the sky. From behind her, she heard the thud of footsteps coming closer. Trevin touched her arm, spinning her to face him. She swallowed hard, hoping she didn’t mess this up.

  She pretended cameras and crew didn’t surround her—strangers taping and watching their every move. Trevin lifted her chin, until she stared up into a pair of brown eyes. His gaze softened as he leaned forward. His lips brushed hers like butterfly wings on the breeze. Heat raced through her veins, while tingles erupted in her belly. His tongue parted her lips, and she tasted the hint of cinnamon on his mouth.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer. A spark flashed behind her eyes like fireworks exploding on a barge. He was so warm, inviting, and it felt so real. Too real.

  “Cut!” Steve hollered.

  Trevin pulled back, but didn’t release her. “Daisy.” He whispered her name like a promise for something more.

  “I-I hope I did okay,” she stammered, taking a step back. “I should probably go change now.”

  Daisy stumbled away from him, rushing off to the tent to get her real clothes back on. Crap. What’d just happened? That kiss. There was definitely a spark. A spark she didn’t need or want right now. She was supposed to hate him. To get back at him. Not let him give her the most amazing kiss in the history of kisses and end up making the same mistake all over again. He’d hurt her once, which meant it could happen again.

  She peered outside to see Trevin standing by himself. He wore a dazed expression on his face. Had he felt it, too? Daisy took a deep breath. She needed to call Lena and get herself back on track. She had a plan this summer, and she wasn’t going to let some staged kiss change that.

  Chapter Nine

  Trevin’s body felt as if it were on fire. All he could think about was the kiss. His gaze slid to where Daisy stood on the beach as they waited for LJ to finalize a few things with Steve.

  “Why don’t you go talk to her, mate?” Miles said from beside him.

  “I don’t know, maybe this isn’t a good idea. Fuck, I don’t know what to do. This was all supposed to be a bet. But that—that felt pretty damn real to me.”

  As if knowing what he was thinking, Miles whispered, “Forget the damn bet. If you like her, go for her. If you’re still caught up in this bet, all the more reason to march your arse over there so Ryder doesn’t beat you. Who cares why your interest started, it’s real now, right?”

  Trevin scratched the back of his neck. Maybe he was right. Then again, maybe not. But the truth was, Daisy drew him in like nectar to a hummingbird.

  “Damn, I hate it when you’re right.” Trevin shook his head, putting his sunglasses back into place. If she ever found out why he’d started to pursue her to begin with, she’d hate him. But it wasn’t like he could just blurt out something like this to her.

  Miles grinned. “It’s not so much that I’m right, as I’ve had a lot more experience with the ladies.” He waggled his eyebrows up and down.

  “Whatever.”

  “So are you going to get your bloody arse over there and talk to her?”

  “Yes. I’m going, I’m going.” Trevin held up his hands in defeat. He kept telling himself it was because he had a wager to win, but that reason seemed to weaken, the closer he got to her.

  He took a deep breath and sauntered toward the water’s edge where Daisy stood soaking her feet. He could still taste her cherry lip gloss. Still feel the way her mouth moved against his.

  “Hey,” he said.

  Her face reddened as she glanced up at him, swiping a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. “Hi.”

  “Look, I wanted to talk to you about the kiss earlier—”

  She shifted her eyes to the water. “I-It was just acting. We both got caught up in the moment of trying to make it look real.”

  Trevin snorted. “You don’t get to decide how the kiss made me feel. I didn’t just get caught up in the moment. And I don’t think you did, either.”

  “I’m sure you’re a great guy, but I didn’t come here this summer trying to hook up with one of the guys from Seconds to Juliet. This whole thing was a bad idea. I never should’ve let LJ talk me into it.”

  He touched her arm and forced her to look at him. “Daisy, listen to me. I’m not sure what’s going on between us or why you’re so hot and cold with me. You won’t tell me what I’ve done wrong so I can’t fix it. But will you at least give me a chance going forward?”

  “And how do I know this isn’t some act? That you won’t ditch me like everyone else in my life? You don’t understand. My dad left me. My grandpa left me. You… I just don’t know if I can do this,” Daisy said.

  “It’s called trust.” Trevin caught her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

  “All guys have ever done my whole life is let me down.” Daisy ripped her fingers away from him. She stared at the sand, digging her toes into the wet granules.

  Trevin sighed. “Do you think this is easy for me? I wasn’t expecting any of this. My plan was to stay focused on the band, and then y
ou showed up. I don’t want to regret anything.”

  “Then maybe you should stay away from me,” she said quietly.

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it.” Trevin perched his sunglasses back on his head and took a step closer to her. “I don’t want to regret not giving us a try. We can take things slow. Just hang out together… If something more comes of it, then great, but if we never get beyond friends, I’m okay with that, too.” Although, he wasn’t sure if he should be preaching the whole “just friends” thing when he was supposed to get her to fall for him. Problem was, he knew there was something more there. This girl seriously drove him crazy. He could barely be in the same room without having some sort of reaction. When she’d opened up to him and shown him the real her, he’d seen the possibilities of what they could have. And that scared the shit out of him. But how could he make her see him as someone other than “Trevin the superstar”?

  Daisy chewed her bottom lip and closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply then let it out slowly and peered up at him. “I—I need time to think about this.”

  “All right. I’ll give you whatever time you need. Just consider it, okay?”

  “Sure.”

  Over Daisy’s shoulder, Trevin saw Beau stalking toward them. “I think your dad might want you.”

  “Daisy, why don’t you go get something to drink. It’s really hot out today—we don’t need you getting dehydrated,” Beau said, pinning Trevin with his glare.

  “I’m fine Dad, I drank a bottle of water like five minutes ago.”

  “I need a minute with Trevin.” He stood like a giant boulder ready to roll off a mountain and squash someone.

  Daisy’s face turned red. “Please tell me you’re not over here because he kissed me in the video.”

  “What I have to say to him doesn’t concern you,” Beau added.

  “Dad, this is so embarrassing. I’m a big girl who can decide who she wants to date and hang out with.”

  “Daisy!” he growled.

  She shifted her gaze to Trevin’s. “Come find me when my dad’s done lecturing you.”