Page 14 of The King Contract
Noah smiles. “Exactly.”
He leans against the balcony like he’s asked for a piece of gum after rattling off his insane idea. Naturally, I give him the reaction any normal person would in this situation. I laugh. It’s my goofy, uncontrollable chortle and I slap my hand over my mouth to suppress it.
Noah simply smiles wider. “Go on, get it out of your system.”
A snort escapes my nose and Noah starts to chuckle, amusement twinkling in his eyes as he watches me.
As I catch my breath, I register the look on Noah’s face. “Wait, you’re serious?”
Noah nods. “My friend Mack had this idea that if people see me out and about with someone who’s . . . theoppositeof my ex, it’ll be good press.”
I dart my eyes to the ground in case Noah looks straight through me. My late-night scrolling of Noah King includedtumbling down a rabbit hole of his ex-girlfriend, Sofia Carlson. I learned the lipstick I use is the wrong shade for my skin tone, I should be double-cleansingandusing a retinol serum. She explained this in a video, whilst making me feel like it was only me and her. She’s articulate, sweet and seemed genuine.Ouch.
As if he can read my mind, he holds his hands up in reassurance. “What I mean is, someone who’s not an influencer. Someone who’s not part of that world. Mack seems to think sponsors will like me a little more if I’m away from the Hollywood scene.”
“Is he right?”
Noah gives a half-shake, half nod. “Maybe. He’s my manager and agent and a public relations whiz. Not to mention Hollywood sucked me in and spit me out. Mack’s ideas can be over-the-top sometimes, but he might be onto something with this.” He slaps his phone into my hand, where a flagged email in his inbox shows on screen. I open it and scan read as Noah continues to talk.
“Mack sent me these this morning. Links to different articles written about the photos of us. They’re gossip and bullshit, but they’re positive.”
I shake my head, still in disbelief I’m being shared across international websites. I hand his phone back. “So?”
“Maybe youdon’tknow anything about me,” he murmurs. “My reputation has taken some hits recently. You could say it ramped up during the past six months or so. I’m not exactly in everyone’s good graces right now.”
Idoknow this. Part of my late-night perusal included the partying and debauched behaviour Noah has got himself into. Rumours swirled of excessive drinking and drug-use, a new woman on his arm every night, sometimes more than one. After one particularly rowdy night, the police arrested him, and he has a sexy as hell mug shot for everyone to see.
“Somehow, these photos have done some good,” he says. “People are glad to see I’ve moved on from Sofia. That I’m back home where I can get my priorities straight. Some said I seem calmer. Happy, even.”
“They got that from a couple of grainy photos? We’d onlyjustmet when the photos were taken.”
Noah shrugs. “Hollywood’s fickle.”
“Why me?” I ask. “Surely you could get one of your Hollywood friends to play this role for you.”
“Maybe I’m wrong, but I think dating someone the public doesn’t know will be more believable than someone who’s in the spotlight. People would call us out straight away. Someone who knows the business will spend too long trying to put out their best angles. There’d be doubt.”
I tilt my chin up at him. “So, I’m the perfect choice because I don’t know how to put my best foot forward?”
“Exactly.”
“You’re a moron.”
Noah looks at me with mild surprise and I wonder if there’s a part of him that can’t believe I haven’t fallen to my knees with gratitude at the prospect of hanging out with him.
I start to head back inside, but Noah blocks my path. “Maybe I should’ve opened with this. I’d pay you.”
This is getting ridiculous.“You’dpayme to hang out with you?”
Noah frowns. “Well, it sounds pathetic when you say it like that.”
“This whole thing is pathetic.”
“Ouch.” Noah grins. “Look, I know what I’m asking seems weird, but when you’re in the public eye, the same rules don’t always apply. Only money applies. You can buy your way out of almost anything. Break someone’s camera, throw a few dollars at them.”
I cross my arms across my chest. “Your pea-sized brain must’ve forgotten thatdidn’twork on me.”
“I know, but you see my point, right?” Noah asks. “Money makes everything turn, even if you don’t want to admit it.”
