Page 6 of Rocks You Like a Cabernet

“You two!” he shouts again, pacing now. “Your chemistry is nowhere to be found. You’re two soggy blankets on camera. No spark, no connection. Nothing!”

“I’m sure it can’t be that bad–” I begin but get cut off.

“Not that bad? The look on your face during that last take resembled someone smelling a rotten egg. Not a man who was about to kiss the bane of his existence and the reason for his every breath.”

“It’s enemies-to-lovers. There’s bound to be tension.”

“The tension you two have is not the kind we’re looking for. I want passion. Uncontrollable longing and desire. When you two look at each other it looks like you want to rip off their clothing–”

Tilting my head, I get confused by Cameron’s words. Isn’t that what he should want?

“–and rip through their chest to tear out the other's heart.”

Right. Not what he was looking for.

“You are the most beloved characters by the fans within this series. If you can’t sell it to me, you won’t make it out alive with the fans. You’re not just endangering yourselves, but the entire series. Others are rooting for this to be a success and picked up for more seasons. So whatever the fuck you two have going on, sort it.”

Cameron looks like he’s about to go on when there’s a squeak behind Bryn and I.

“Oh, umm. Sorry for interrupting, but uh, there’s something you should see.” A woman who I recognize as Bryn’s PA hesitates at the door before practically falling over her feet when she gets the nerve to enter. Instead of heading to Bryn, she dashes to Cameron’s side.

The surprised inhale Bryn takes beside me has me glancing at her quickly. She’s shocked by the move to.

“Well, this is interesting,” Cameron muses, taking the phone from the woman’s hand. “This could work in our favor.”

“What are you talking about? Stella, care to share with the rest of us?”

“The press is eating you two up.”

Shit. Our little spat last night at the charity event must have been captured. As hard as I tried I couldn’t help looking at Bryn on and off all night. Furious that she’s holding a stupid grudge that she won’t even let me explain.

Why she’s so mad I have no idea and she won’t give me the time of day to ask her more about it.

“Look, Cameron,” I begin, about to apologize for the both of us. It’s my fault we’re in this predicament, even if it is childish and beyond my understanding. “We really tried, and it’s–”

“Shut up,” Cameron comments, holding a hand up to stop me. The bastard is smiling. “This could be exactly what we need,” he says to himself, shoving the phone back at the PA before turning away from the rest of us to pace. “Yes, exactly what we need.”

“I don’t see how the press finding out Henrik and I can’t stand each other works in our favor.” Bryn steps forward, trying to catch Cameron’s attention as he continues to walk back and forth in the small space. There’s panic on her face–and that further confuses me. What the hell is happening here?

Cameron is acting like us being caught is as magical as Christmas morning. And Bryn looks like she’s about to have an anxiety attack.

Is she fucking shaking?

“Cameron, please, we’ll do better. I’ll do better. Just don’t–”

“Bryn,” Cameron’s attention finally goes to her. “It’s not what you think,” he pauses. “But you’re still not going to like it.”

“Okay,” I bark, tired of being left in the dark. “Stop being cryptic as fuck and tell us what’s happening. If this bad news is actually good news then can we just get on with this scene? With this whole fucking day?”

Clasping his hands together and placing them under his chin, Cameron grins at us like a little kid. “The press didn’t pick up on your dislike at the event. They’ve misinterpreted the looks you two were giving each other as romantic.” He nods to the side. “Read it to them.”

The assistant swallows, nervous to be the center of attention. “Umm, okay.” She clears her throat. “Bad boy rockstar Henrik Wstwyld has fallen for Hollywood’s former sweetheart Bryn Bright! And there’s an article too.”

“No,” Bryn breathes, her eyes wide and hands clenched together, almost turning white. “No, this can’t be happening.”

“What am I missing?” I slowly say, looking around the room for guidance. I don’t really get why Bryn is taking this like horrible news. It’s not anywhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be. “It’s just a dating rumor. Nothing big.”

“Easy for you to say,” she shoots back, hands now framing her temples.

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