“First and foremost we need to apply for a confidentialmarriage license and get that out of the way. We don’t want them to find outabout it on their own.”
“Isn’t them finding out about the marriagethe whole purpose of this thing?” Olive asked.
“It is,” Megan agreed. “But we want them tolearn about it when we are ready for them to learn about it.” Megan turned hergaze to me. “I need you to buy Olive a ring. Do it before you leave. We wanther to be seen wearing it.”
“We’ll go and choose something together?” Ioffered to Olive.
Before she could answer, Megan jumped in.“No. We don’t want anyone to talk about this. You know what, forget what I said.They’ll probably be trailing you, and we don’t want to give them that tidbityet. Talk to Alvin, he’ll handle everything.”
Seemingly satisfied with her own plan, shenodded to herself and gave us more details on when we should be seen and how weshould act out in public.
“I’ll print you out a list before youleave. I want you to be photographed almost everyday at any of those placesuntil you leave for London.”
“When is he leaving?” Olive asked Megan.
“I’m right here you know, you can look atme, too,” I suggested lazily.
Her cheeks held an appealing blush when shefinally looked at me. “Sorry.”
I gave her a long look. “I’m heading toLondon next week. It’s only for a few days.”
“And you are going with him,” Megan added,looking at Olive.
“I am?” she squeaked.
“Yes. And you’ll start wearing your ring atthe London premiere. If you get questions you can answer them as long as youkeep the answers short—but don’t talk about getting married—and change thesubject back to promoting the movie. You two being there together will be goodPR for the movie, too. Other than that, I don’t want you to talk to the pressabout Olive before you leave. When you are being photographed here in the city,just be yourselves, smile for the cameras…I don’t know, maybe hold hands, butkeep it mild. We want everyone to be talking about you, and so far no one issure if you are together or not. Seeing you two at the London premiere with aring on her finger will be an answer enough on its own.”
“Don’t I have to sign anything?” Olive askedwhen Megan was done with her instructions.
Megan glanced at me with a quirked eyebrow.I stared back.
“Jason’s lawyers will handle that part,”she answered eventually. Keeping her stare on Olive, she leaned forward. “It’llbe in the contract, but you can’t talk about this to anyone. Not your parents,not your friends. Don’t even repeat it to yourself after this point. If it getsout that this was arranged, it will undo everything we are trying to do.”
“Well,” Olive muttered, wincing slightly.
Megan’s voice was harsh—harsher than Iwould allow her to use when speaking to Olive—when she asked, “Who did youtell?”
“Megan,” I said in low voice, silencingher.
“I mentioned it to Lucy, but I swear shewon’t tell a soul, Jason,” Olive rushed to say, her eyes focused somewhere overmy shoulder.
I ducked a little and caught her eyes.“It’s okay, little one. I trust you, and if you trust her…” I shrugged. “It’sdone, Megan. So move on.”
By the time we left Megan’s office after goingover a few more details of how we should act in public, both Olive and I werepretty much brain dead.
“Wow…” Olive breathed out once we weresitting in the car and just staring out the windshield. I didn’t even attemptto start the car. “Who knew I had to be careful about so many things. I mean,come on, was she really serious about me looking a little too long at any otheractors? Or the part—which was my favorite part, by the way—where she said I’dhave to discourage you if you wanted to have a quickie in London?”
“I’m afraid she was very much serious.Also, my favorite part was about you looking at me—oh sorry, not looking”—Iwatched her out of the corner of my eye as I continued—“gazing at meadoringly in the photos. You think you can look at me adoringly, littleone? I wouldn’t mind working on it.”
“How thoughtful of you mysoon-to-be-hubby.”
“Ah,” I groaned and closed my eyes. “Callme anything but hubby. For some reason, I hate that word. Hubby, hubster…” Ishook my head. “Just no. Call me husband,” I said in a husky voice before Inoticed what I was saying.
She chuckled. “Fine, I’ll find another petname. How about myyyy… Well, looks like I lost a few brain cells in there,can’t think of anything right now. I’ll come up with something, don’t worry.”
I smiled to myself. “Can’t wait to hear it,sweetheart.” That was definitely something I would look forward too.
“Are you ready to back out yet?” I askedmildly as we silently watched a few guys point and whistle at my Spyder as theywalked past.