Page 118 of The Backup Bride Proposal

And then another from Erin:Are you awake? Read the gossip sites as soon as you get this text!

Okay, then. Lots of exclamation points, so it must be important. She scrolled over to one of the more prominent sites to see a big headline.

Everly Sloane and Ethan Rogers spotted at an Oklahoma restaurant!

She frowned. Wait. What? She scrolled through the article that said “sources” informed them that the two actors had been seeing each other exclusively for a couple of months now, and that the picture previously posted of Everly and Kane had actually been Everly and Ethan out on a clandestine date.

He had told her he’d never kissed Everly outside of acting.

Kane hadn’t been lying. He’d been protecting Everly.

She was more confused than ever. Relieved that he hadn’t cheated on her, but why hadn’t he just told her about Everly’s relationship with Ethan? That didn’t make sense. Didn’t he trust her not to share that information? Because she never would have done that.

So while she appreciated that he didn’t cheat on her, he still didn’t trust her. Which meant they still weren’t meant to be together.

It was still over between them.

And her heart still hurt.

••••••

After the newsbroke about Everly and Ethan on all the gossip sites, Kane figured he’d hear from Mae.

He didn’t. Not that day, and not the day after. Sure, she might be a little upset that he hadn’t just told her, but he’dexplain that when he saw her. But she hadn’t contacted him, and by the third day he’d started to worry.

He texted her, asking if they could meet.

She didn’t reply to his text so he called. She didn’t answer.

He went by the house one night after he finished filming. Maureen answered, smiling at him but informing him that Mae had moved back to her apartment. He asked if she would tell him where that was but Maureen politely declined, telling him that if Mae wanted him to know where she lived, then she’d tell him.

Well, hell.

In a couple of days the production would break for the Christmas holidays. He wasn’t about to leave without working out his relationship with Mae. Which meant he needed to talk to her. And he couldn’t do that where she lived because he had no idea where that was.

Everly had scenes with one of the other actors this morning, so he made his way to the house, hoping like hell Mae was working.

It was shaping up to be a really nice day. The sun was out and it was already warm outside. If he weren’t in his head he would have enjoyed the walk over, but as it was, all he could do was think about what he was going to say to Mae—if she let him talk to her.

When he got to the house he rang the bell and waited. The door opened and Johnny Bellini smiled at him.

“Oh, Kane August. Come on inside.”

“Thank you. I was wondering if Mae was available.”

“They’re all in the dining room talking before the meeting. Would you like coffee?”

“Oh, no, sir, I’m fine, but thank you.”

He followed Johnny down the hall and into the dining room. Everyone was in there—Mae, Erin, Brenna, Honorand Maureen. It looked like they were having a meeting, because the table was filled with laptops and papers.

“Look who showed up,” Johnny said, beaming a smile.

There was a chorus of hellos, but he noticed that Mae refused to look at him.

“Kane,” Maureen said. “What brings you here today? How’s filming going?”

“It’s going great, thanks,” he said. “I’d like to talk to Mae for a few minutes if she’s free.”

---