Page 45 of The Pucking Grump

“Come on, Blake. You know what I mean.”

I slump back on the couch, hating how right she is. Just before we walked into the bar, I was foolish enough to let Faye in on Brit’s drama and how it helped Alex’s reputation. And Faye confirmed she’d heard the story before. We also acknowledged that we had to figure out a new way to relaunch her.

Then, only a few minutes later, she kissed me in front of a hundred cameras.

I was her pawn. And yeah, that pissed me off a lot more than the calls I’ve been receiving since then. It makes me mad, wondering if she was just waiting for an opportunity, if she let me fuck her because she was waiting for me to lower my defenses enough for her to execute her scheme. Hell, I’m furious enough about that to march up to the motel and ask her why she did it.

“I’ll take that silence to mean you’re more upset that she used you than anything else.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

I can almost see my sister rolling her eyes. “Remember, I dated and married your best friend? Both of you are more alike than you think.” An amused note enters her voice. “Alex was furious about the kiss, but he was also pissed about the fact that it meant I might not have liked him at all.”

How does she manage to see inside my brain? “Again, you don’t know a thing about what you’re talking about.”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t think she’s pretending to like you.”

I hate the stupid leap of hope that stirs in my heart. I want nothing more than for Brit to give me reasons why she thinks so. But since I’d rather go on twenty interviews than ask her that, I remain silent.

Thankfully, she doesn’t.

“She stayed with you all week. I mean, she’s a multi-millionaire. She could have rented out a town if she wanted. Could have gotten someone else to transport her, maybe even outside the country. But she chose to stay with you in that tiny cabin. Any idea why that is?”

“Am I supposed to be flattered?”

“Well, yes.” Brit pauses. “Also, I watched the video.”

“Of course, you did.”

“I don’t think she was doing it for the cameras. Trust me, I’d know.”

“Because you were doing it for them?” Brit starts to talk, but I cut her short. “Never mind, neither answer is going to help me.”

Brit chuckles. “Even if she was doing it for the cameras, what then? Blake, she’s alone and hurting. Her family abandoned her. The world hates her. First, her father making her out to be a diva, and then the sneaky video of her kissing a random dude.”

“That random dude is me,” I remind her. “This new video will merely fan the flames of hatred toward her. It makes no sense.”

“On the contrary,” Brit says, “the perception has changed. People no longer hate her. They’re curious. Her song, singing about how her whole life has been a lie, has gotten people wondering again. And then, the fact that she seems to have found love with you . . .”

“No one has found love with anyone.” It’s crucial every person on the planet understands this.

“It only matters what people think. It’s going to help her. I scrolled through millions of comments. No one is saying anything negative about you. Most people think you’re blazing, but that’s about it.”

“What’s your point?”

“My point is, get over yourself,” Brit says bluntly. I raise my brows. Three years ago, Brit was a timid girl who rarely spoke and lived under our father’s thumb. The fact that starting her own family and business has matured her this much stuns me.

“Okay, I’m getting off the call now.”

“Wait,” Brit says. “I’m sorry. What I mean is, maybe you should think of her first. A PR relationship could be absolutely life-changing for her. She gets to come back, tell her side of the story, all while having a bit of support.”

“You’re actually asking me to let this ruse play out?”

“It’s the only option. People are going to crucify her if she says you’re not her boyfriend. It’s better for her if you pretend to be in a relationship.”

“And people are not going to crucify her for already dating someone a week after running away from her wedding?”

“They’re going to be way more sympathetic to that than the truth. Again, trust me on this. No one’s going to buy anything else, anyway. Haven’t you seen those videos? Faye looks happier than she ever has in all her performances and interviews combined—that’s what the comments are saying, at least.”

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