Page 51 of The Small-Town Seduction Plan

“Damn, that’s good.” I mumble, taking a long gulp of coffee. “I feel just about human again.”

“Last night was rough,” Avery agrees, sipping at coffee of her own.

“So how come I feel like I just got dragged through town from the back of my truck, and you look so…?”

Beautiful. The sun is glinting in her golden hair, and everything about her is bright and fresh and alive.

“Perky,” I finally say.

Avery laughs. “The wonders of eye masks and concealer. I was filming this morning,” she adds. “Self-taping a scene for that director, like you said.”

“Hey, that’s great.”

Avery shrugs, looking self-conscious. “I don’t know. I’m probably just making a fool of myself, but I already sent it to her people, so it’s out of my hands now.”

“You never know,” I try to offer encouragement. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.” Avery looks around at the mess of the construction site. “So, this is the house you were telling me about?”

“Yup. I know it doesn’t look like much now,” I add. “But we’re in good shape, so far.”

Avery nods. She looks like she’s about to leave, but then pauses, fixing me with a curious stare. “Tell me, why are you doing this?”

“There are worse ways to make a living,” I joke, but she gives me a look.

“I mean this. The fake relationship. It’s not exactly turning out the way anyone planned.”

“I don’t know,” I say casually. “Hanging out on my bathroom floor with a movie star is pretty much how I always like to spend my summers.”

Avery cracks a smile, but she’s still got that stubborn look in her eyes. “I mean it, Duke. What’s in this for you? I thought you might want publicity for your business, but you made it pretty clear, that doesn’t matter to you.”

I remember biting her head off over the subject at dinner. Shit.

I’m searching for something to tell her, when Avery’s phone buzzes. And again. “It’s Suze,” she reports, checking the message. “I’m running late. Rehearsals.”

I exhale, relieved at the interruption. “She roped you into helping, too?”

“Yup,” Avery grins. “I don’t mind. It’ll be good to take my mind off everything. Like Madeline Marrone and her team all laughing in hysterics over my audition tape,” she adds.

“Don’t say that,” I scold her gently. “Maybe it’s more like a round of amused chuckles.”

“Hey!” Avery whacks my arm, but she’s laughing. “Mean!”

“Sorry,” I smile back at her. “You better go, before Suze sends a search party. I’ll probably see you over there,” I add. “I’m supposed to come start designing the set.”

“OK, well… see you later.”

Avery picks her way back across the muddy ground, leaving me with that awkward damn question circling in my mind.

Why am I doing this?

I sigh. It’s not like I haven’t thought about quitting this harebrained scheme a hundred times since I blurted out my offer to help. It’s been nothing but trouble, that’s for sure, and I’ve constructed my life to be a trouble-free zone.

But every time there’s a new Avery-related disaster, I find myself steering even harder into the curve. I can’t stay away. What was I supposed to say to her? Yeah, I know it’s all fake, but when you look at me like that, and smile like you really mean it, I don’t need a good reason.

I just need you.

14

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