Page 69 of To Love Jason Thorn

I was barely hearing a word of what he was saying.He was getting married?

Was I cursed? Because there was no way thiswas fair. I’d long ago given up on my childhood crush, but now after seeing himagain, spending time with him again…now he was getting married tosomeone?

“Wait a second.” I shook my head. “I don’tunderstand. What does that have to do with you getting married?”

“It’s what they do in this industry, Olive.They paint you a life for the public. They shape you into something new,something that fits into their standards. It’s all an illusion. Sometimes evenin your private life you have to keep acting. You get a new girlfriend; yourpublicists sit down and draw up a contract. Everything ends up in a contract.Everything is binding. Of course there are real couples, too, but it’s tough tofind that with someone in this industry.”

“So why not get a girlfriend?”

A pretend girlfriend was still bad, but a wife?!I’d read enough romance novels to know that those marriages always had a shotat a real love, and what woman in her right mind wouldn’t fall in love withJason after spending some time with him?

He shook his head. “No. They think themedia will see right through that, and if the public and everyone else thinksI’m playing them, it’ll only bury my career deeper into the ground. Long storyshort, Megan thinks that if I get married and act the part for a few years,everyone’s opinion about me will change. In the meantime, I’ll be able to focuson my work instead of dealing with the ripple effects my actions cause in themedia.”

My heart sinking further and further, Itried not to show what I was feeling—pure agony—on my face.

“Then congratulations are in order, Iguess,” I said, properly taken back. “Wow. You’re getting married. You alreadyannounced it?”

He laughed, and it wasn’t a happy laugh.Far from it. “Yeah, no.”

Not looking at him, I leaned to my left andpushed my hand into the pool water. It was a chilly night, but I was hardlyfeeling anything.

“My publicist and Tom have been showing meheadshots of some new actresses for quite some time now, but I couldn’t chooseone.” He continued to break my heart. “Well, now they chose someone for me.”

Headshots? That was freaking hilarious.Choosing a wife by looking at headshots? Obviously, Hollywood wasn’t my thing.Where is the love, people?

I forced my lips to tilt up. “Who is thelucky lady?”

Instead of answering me, he said thestrangest thing. “Do you remember the first day we met? The first day where Ifound you hiding next to the wall upstairs?”

My smile turned genuine. “Bits and pieces.”False. Of course I remembered that day.

“Then,” he said as he shifted in his seat.“Let me answer a question you asked me back then.” He paused, then said, “Yes.”

I stared at him, clueless. “What?”

Had I asked him if he liked pie or not? I didn’tremember asking anything.

“Yes to what?”

“You don’t remember,” he mumbled as hescrubbed his stubble. Taking a deep breath, he reminded me, “You asked me tomarry you…so…would you like to marry me, Olive?”

I laughed. Like a big LOL laugh. Then I sawhis face. “What? You’re serious?”

A big, giant lump took residence in mythroat, almost to the point of suffocating me. Could he hear my heartbeat? Seehow my hands were starting to shake? “You’re not serious, right?” I asked atlast, my smile long gone.

He gave me a sarcastic laugh. “Apparentlyour photos made everyone believe that we were in love with each other, andsince we already have a past, Megan thinks the public won’t question ourmarriage. The opposite actually.”

“Our marriage?” I managed to choke out. Hewas actually serious. It was right there in his eyes.

“If you accept that is.”

“Wow.” I scrambled up to my feet and walkedaway from him. “Wow.”

A part of me was screaming inside me tojump on him, monkey style, and shout ‘Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you. YES!’ untilmy voice grew hoarse so he would get the point. After all, I’d been wishing forthis moment ever since I was eight years old, hadn’t I? The other part ofme…well, there was no other part of me. Apparently, I was just one giant,mushy, Jason Thorn lover.

I jumped when Jason’s hand touched myshoulder and he turned me to face him. I hadn’t even heard him get up.

“I’m most likely screwing this up. Let meexplain a little more before you answer.”

---