But how are YOU feeling?
MALLORY
You mean about the fact that my life is about to change forever?
I can imagine her scoffing and rolling her eyes as clearly as if she were right in front of me.
MALLORY
I don’t fully know what to expect, but I can deal with anything for a while.
Especially knowing there’s an end in sight.
Her words are a slap to the face. I wish that even an ounce of her was doing this because she felt the pull of attraction or feelings toward me still. I’d even take something smaller than an ounce. An atom. A dust particle. Just some tiny semblance of hope to hold onto.
But, as of now, the outlook is grim, a dark cloud hovering and threatening a downpour at any moment.
I click on the notifications icon—it’s already flooded with thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. They rangefrom people saying they knew it and offering congratulations to those saying hateful things about Mallory wrecking my “relationship” with Brittany.
I want to respond to those comments, letting them know that was all smoke, that the only girl who has ever had any kind of grasp on my heart is the one in the photo, but my agent taught me early on that replying to comments was a slippery slope that would only lead to more hate. Ones that wouldnotpaint me in a positive light and could be a reason I don’t get auditions.
I’ve just exited the app when a familiar face—a man with messily styled dark-blond hair and a cheesy smile—pops up on my screen with an incoming call.
Most of the world knows him as country music sensation, Rhett Hayes.
As for me, I just call him my best friend.
I slide my thumb across the screen, answering the call. “Hey, man.”
“Hey, man? That’s all you have to say?” Rhett scoffs. “No explanation for the fact that I just discovered you’re finally dating your dream girl after all these years, from a social media post rather than from you?”
“Sorry, dude. Let’s just say a lot has happened in the last week.”
“I’d say so.”
“I ran into Mallory over the weekend, and some locals took pictures that ended up in the tabloids.” I sigh. “Now, I’m paying her to be my fake girlfriend.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Rhett sounds like a true Southern man, his accent thick and pronounced over the phone. “It’s not real?”
“It is forme.”
“Oh, no. You’ve got it bad, don’t you?”
“You have no idea, bro.” I run a hand over my chin and dive in, explaining everything that’s happened over the past four days.
Once I’ve finished, Rhett blows out a low whistle. “You’re in big trouble.”
I let out a mirthless laugh. “Yeah, you’re telling me.”
“Why do you think it’s only real for you?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” I sigh. “I apologized and explained how I lost her number, but she still acts like she wants nothing to do with me.”
Rhett clucks his tongue. “Man, it sucks that she hates you after you’ve been pining over her for three years.”
“Way to kick a man when he’s down.”
“Hey, I’m just trying to empathize with you.”
