Page 37 of Faking the Shot

A beat passed. “Is this an important fundraiser?”

“It is if you care about dolphins and whales.”

He snickered. “I don’t think you’re allowed to live in BC unless you do, right?”

“Right.”

“What’s involved?”

She told him, explaining how it would be good for her personal PR to be seen supporting an environmental cause. “Especially after Feather-gate.”

“Feather-gate?”

“My dress at the White Night.”

“Which you looked beautiful in, by the way.”

Aww. “That’s very kind of you. But it showed me that feathers are a red flag to a lot of people out there.”

“That’s almost enough for me to wear feathers myself.”

She laughed. “Don’t you dare.” Although the fact he’d said that was kind of sweet. “So, anyway, the fundraiser. Can you come? If not, that’s okay, I can go by myself. But it would be nice if you were free and you wanted to come.”

“Do they have food at these kinds of things?”

“Probably not enough to fill a hungry hockey man’s tummy.”

“That’s not the way to get me to come,” he complained.

“Oh.” Disappointment crowded her chest. “Okay.”

“Wait, I’m not saying no. I’ll say yes, as long as we can go somewhere else after to eat.”

“You want to pull a Julia Roberts and hit a burger joint after the show?”

“Who?”

“Are you serious? Julia Roberts. She’s acting royalty.”

He laughed. “I know who she is. And no, I don’t do burgers. Something healthier, maybe.”

“That’d be good.” Although it had beenforeversince she’d had a good burger. But then, as Rosie always said, burgers didn’t help an actress’s bottom line, or her stomach or thigh lines, either. “Hey, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Oh, and before I forget, can you just say ‘hey, want to hang out with me at the Aquarium next Friday night?’”

“Seriously?”

“Just say it,” she begged.

So he did. Proving himself to be a good sport. God bless him.

“Thanks. Now if anyone asks, we can just say you asked me out and we’re hanging out together.”

“Because you made me say that? I’m not sure it works that way, Ainsley.”

“I’m pretty sure it does.”

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