Page 25 of Off Script

“By Avery, you mean?” Mikayla scoffed.

“Yeah, maybe. I just feel like this could be my chance to break out of all that.” She glanced at her friends pleadingly. “I’m not awful, am I? For agreeing to this?”

Alia let out a long sigh. Jada braced herself for her response. Between them all, Alia was sure to be the most critical. She might try to shame Jada into backing out.

“I suppose it isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the entertainment world. Couples pair up all the time to bolster their popularity,” Alia said thoughtfully as she adjusted her napkin in her lap.

“So, you don’t hate me? You’re not going to get all judgy or anything?” Jada cautioned.

“I don’t get judgy,” Alia said, affronted, as she crossed her arms over her chest. But at her friends’ knowing looks, she blushed. “Okay, maybe, if it was anyone else I would, but right now, Jada, I’m worried. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“What do you mean, like if Tristan betrays me and the deal?”

“No, dummy.” Mikayla jumped in. “She means the guy might work his Maxwell magic on you.”

“Ha! He’s so . . . irresponsible. Frivolous and insensitive. The exact opposite of everything I look for in a man.” As she rattled off her list of reasons, Jada couldn’t help but flash back to when Tristan had grabbed her hand at the café table. The way he looked at her. The touch of his lips on her skin. The contact had been brief, and yet it had made her shake . . . shit. Maybe she was in trouble.

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Jada shook her head. There was no way she would fall for Tristan. It would be a stupid thing to do. Maintaining her resentment would be much smarter. Probably not healthy, but smarter.

“It’ll be okay. Seriously.” Jada smiled, resolved. “I promise that if things get too heated, I’ll back out.”

Alia appeared mildly mollified, while Mikayla leaned across the table—all ears for further details.

“Where’s he taking you? What are you going to wear?” she asked conspiratorially.

“I have no earthly idea. To both questions.” Jada frowned as she picked at her kung pao chicken.

“You need to look hot.Muy caliente, hot.” Mikayla insisted, whipping out her remedial high school Spanish skills.

“All right then. What would you suggest?” Jada asked.

She soon regretted posing that question to Mikayla. Her cousin was full of ideas, all of which were way outside of Jada’s comfort zone. After they parted ways with Alia (who had to return to work at the television studio), they went back to the apartment where Mikayla immediately started fussing over Jada’s hair and clothes.

She hummed in concentration as she circled Jada, taking her in from every angle. As she faced her again, she said with surety:

“You need to show some cleavage.”

“What?” Jada squawked. Her hands automatically flew up to the front of her blouse, covering her breasts protectively.

“I’m serious. I want to see you in something short and low cut. You never show off your curves,” Mikayla said, shaking her head as if she pitied her.

Contrary to her cousin’s allegations, Jada knew she didn’t dress like a tightly buttoned-up nun. She wore revealing clothes sometimes. And for the most part, she considered herself rather stylish. She had to be, as an actress in the public eye. And maybe she did value comfort more in her off-time outside of premieres, but it wasn’t like bohemian-chic Mikayla dressed in sexy, breast-baring numbers all the time either.

“I know that,” Mikayla said once Jada called her out on it. “But when we do go out clubbing or whatever, I’m not afraid to show some skin. You should too. It’ll drive Tristan crazy. Seeing you look sexy and available—and yet you’re a hands-off hottie when it comes to him.”

“I’m not trying to ‘arouse’ Tristan’s interest in any way.”

“Didn’t you say you wanted to get back at him for this afternoon?” Mikayla challenged her.

“Yes,” Jada admitted.

“Don’t you think it’s the perfect payback to leave him with blue balls for the entire evening?”

Jada bit her tongue because she couldn’t lie. It definitely would be satisfying to see Tristan squirming in his pants and then leave him unsatisfied. Then again, he’d probably just pick up some other girl later after he dropped Jada off at home. Still . . .

“Trust me. We won’t go overkill. I won’t endanger you with a nip slip accident. We’ll just give him enough to tease him.” That wicked gleam was back in Mikayla’s eyes. Jada got sucked into it when she imagined Tristan’s reaction.

“Fine. What have you got for me?” Jada gave in.

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