Page 219 of The Hopelessly Bromantic Duet

Are you kidding me?

“Rise and shine, men. The day is young, and the agenda is long...and sexy.”

I groan for a year. Slade is the ultimate cockblocker.

“Yoo-hoo! I know you’re there. Answer the door,” the publicist says.

“I swear he has X-ray vision,” I mumble.

“He can read minds too,” Jude seconds.

I face the music, yanking open the door. The man in the hall beams, but it’s hisI’m going to chew you outgrin. “Let me in,” he says cheerily.

Like I have a choice. He pushes his way inside, shuts the door, then heaves a disappointed sigh. “What made you think that was a good idea to post a picture of you two and the guy who’s the reason Jude needs a fake boyfriend?”

I seethe. This again? “Because?—”

“William isn’t the reason I needed a fake boyfriend,” Jude cuts in, using a voice I’ve never heard from him before. It saysdon’t fuck with me,and it’s seriously hot.

Slade’s taken aback. “Excuse me?”

“The press is the reason. William is a friend,ourfriend, and I’m not going to explain that again. And I’m not going to apologize for that photo with William. We took it and posted it and we’re good with it.” Jude smiles without showing teeth then gestures to me. “Now if you’d still like that picture of TJ and me, we’ll go make a big show of our farewell and what have you. But our friendship with William is officially off-limits.”

“Whoa,” Slade says, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

The intensity in Jude revs my engine. I want to slow clapandshove him up against the wall. “You could totally play the HMFIC,” I whisper.

“And you’d love it,” he whispers back. Yup. I do enjoy Bossy Jude.

But there’s no time to savor that victory. As we walk to the elevator, Slade quickly recovers, reviewing Jude’s agenda in Paris and London, letting him know he’ll be traveling with him.

Poor Jude.

Slade also briefs us on the staged photo-op coming our way in less than five minutes. “There will be lots of press downstairs right now. I tipped off the usuals—Piper, Desmond, and plentyof others. So, expect them and their questions. Just smile and wave, though.”

“We’ll behave,” Jude says.

Once we’re downstairs, Slade marches us through the lobby and then whispersshowtimewhen we reach the main doors. He slinks off.

Jude and I step outside into the portico. The driver of a sleek, waiting limo scurries around for my bag.

Reporters and photographers close in, cameras slung around necks. Piper and Desmond. Some others I don’t recognize. The honey badger didn’t show. But then, she’s never popped up at staged events. She gets all the dirt in other ways.

I shove her out of my mind as Piper calls out: “Jude and TJ, how was your time in Vegas?”

Desmond, I think, is next. “TJ, how do you feel about the Top-Notch news?”

An American dude barks at Jude: “Word on the street is you and Ellie will have the centerpiece love story onUnfinished Business. Can you comment?”

“What did you think of William’s surprise appearance?” Piper adds.

Another American voice chimes in. “Did the three of you have a good time last night?”

The barrage of questions is suffocating, but I have to get used to it. I follow orders and draw Jude close for an embrace. Our kiss is quick and poignant and ends too soon. I reach for the door handle, a nagging voice in my head reminding me to finish the question.

Fuck perfect moments.

Grabbing his hand, I pull Jude into the back of the car and slam the door. We’re all alone.

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