Page 145 of He's The Reason Why

Someone at Day Dreams Studios must have told the reporters that certain topics were off-limits because they carefully hinted at, but didn’t outright ask about, Blake’s viral video. One made a joke about how her sister had an excellent right hook, which had made her wince, but then she’d agreed with them that it was true. Della had learned some serious skills in a self-defense class she’d taken.

Piper didn’t see Blake until she arrived backstage at theKelley Kimmel Showlate that afternoon. Jeremy and Gina had been on first, then Rachel. Blake and Piper were last to be interviewed and would have to sit next to each other while they smiled and pretended everything was all right.

She should be happy. She’d achieved something special.

No matter how many times she tried to convince herself that the video didn’t matter, the truth was she cared more than she should about those few careless words Blake had said when he hadn’t really known her.

It wasn’t rational, but there it was.

It broke her heart that he’d ever thought those things because she’d thought the same things about herself, and it hurt to have someone she loved verify something she’d always been afraid was true.

It was hard to shake that off.

And now she had to face it, and him, and go on like her heart wasn’t at least a little bit broken.

She wasn’t that good of an actress.

A stagehand escorted her to the side of the set where Blake was already waiting.

“We’ll be ready for you in just a minute,” the girl said.

Piper nodded and smiled and waited for the girl to leave. She carefully avoided looking at Blake.

The awkward tension between them made her want to scream. She wished she could rant and rave at him like he deserved, but she’d passed through anger hours ago and had come out the other side crushingly sad.

She hated feeling like this.

She hated the way it was hard to breathe every time she pictured that video.

She hated the way her heart seemed to beat sideways whenever she thought about the look on Blake’s face when she found out he’d said those things.

He’d looked as devastated as she’d felt.

She needed to get past this.

She was used to not being someone’s first choice after all. She just never thought she’d hear it from him.

A tear threatened to spill out. She looked up at the ceiling and willed it to go away. She would not cry in front of Blake, and she definitely wasn’t going to make her eyes puffy before she went out to be interviewed on national television.

She wouldn’t give Rachel the satisfaction.

Piper stared at the she-devil as she charmed and delighted the unsuspecting crowd. The audience laughed as Kelley made jokes and the two danced to the opening song ofScorched.

The woman knew no shame.

“How are you doing?” Blake asked in a low voice.

She risked a glance at him.

The pain on his face nearly broke her resolve to keep things professional. Her heart lurched, and she turned away before all the words she was trying not to say spilled out. “Fine.”

Applause erupted from the audience as Rachel exited the opposite side.

“Coming up, Prince Jesse and Princess Jewel, when we come back,” Kelley said.

A little thrill of nerves went through Piper’s stomach.

The stagehand appeared next to them. “Okay, three minutes and you’re on. Anyone need a drink or the bathroom? No? Good.”

---