Page 118 of Faking the Shot

He winced.

“That silence is not sounding like a no to me.”

His mom knew him too well. “She asked me to go to a wrap party of her Christmas mysteries show.”

His mom squealed. “Oh, when is it? Do you think I could come too?”

No way, Jose. “Sorry Ma. This is cast and crew and significant others only.”

“Oh, I love that you’re Ainsley Beckett’s significant other.” His mom’s sigh was flavored with happiness.

He wished he could be so confident in how Ainsley saw him. Because sometimes he wondered just how significant he was to her, or whether she only saw him as a means to an end. An end that may just happen on Valentine’s Day.

“Thank you for coming.”Ainsley smiled up at him.

Her smile skittered through his soul. He pushed it down. Nodded back. “No problem.”

“Especially when I know you’ve been in pain.” She touched his back. He withheld a wince. “How is it feeling?”

“It’s still not perfect, but we’re seeing some improvement.”

It was ridiculous how one little muscle could affect so much. Ridiculous also, the amount of energy one needed to expend to see it reach full working order again. After sitting out two games, he’d played the last one and realized the niggles still remained.

“I’m glad you could come. The producers thought it would be helpful to give a little more publicity.”

Seriously? She only wanted him for publicity? Still? His stomach roiled in protest. Had that knock to his head affected his cognitive ability? Or had it finally knocked sense to his brain, and he was finally seeing things clearly? Like the fact she really had meant this as a friendship-only thing, and never been interested in him? He might’ve thought her kiss said otherwise, but she was an actress, right? She was used to getting people to believe things that weren’t true. And he was the chump who had fallen for her, hook, line and sinker.

Oh, God, help me.

Somehow he managed to keep it together. Somehow he managed to shrug. “Hey, I’m used to people using me.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that.”

“But that’s what this is, right? An arrangement. A business arrangement, I believe you called it.”

She stared at him. “Do you not want to do this anymore?”

“It’s fine.”

“Is it?” She bit her lip.

It would be. Once he figured out how to compartmentalize his emotions. Again. “It’s been a big week.”

“I know.” She pressed his arm sympathetically. So not helping. “I watched the game on TV last night.”

“Yeah? What did you think?”

“You were great! Two goals! Yay you.”

“Yay me.” His voice was too flat. He knew that. He had to paste on happiness, like he didn’t care that she didn’t care for him.

“Is something wrong?”

“Nope.” He braced. “Come on. Let’s meet these friends of yours.”

Somehow, he managed to get through the next two hours, playing the game that Ainsley wanted him to. Pretending to be her boyfriend, holding her hand, touching her back occasionally, nothing more.

This was a wrap party of the cast and crew ofA Christmas Splash, at a restaurant on the waterfront that he’d visited a time or two before. The food was great, even if some of the conversation and company had him yawning inside. Maybe it was him, but some actors seemed to spend an awful lot of time talking about themselves, offering their opinions like they thought they were wrapped in gold.

---