Page 51 of Fool Me

“I can do it.”

He turned to see the woman in the mouse grey suit,Surf Summer’s producer, Dela Rosings. She’d apparently opted not to jump in the pool, and no one who wanted even the most menial job in Hollywood would ever consider tossing her into one, so she remained dry and perfectly put together. She walked with a casual, self-assured air toward them. “I was a minister before I became a producer, and God never lets you go.”

Dela Rosings reminded Grant uncomfortably of God. He remembered Julia telling him how no one could save him if he ever got on Dela Rosing’s bad side. But the gift of marrying Sadie outweighed anything Ms. Rosings could ever take away from him.

“Dela, you rascal. I had no idea you were a minister,” Ronny said as he strode, dripping wet, the rest of the way up the pool steps and over to Grant and Sadie.

Grant beamed as he squeezed Sadie once more round the waist. “Reverend Rosings, would you do us the honor of performing our ceremony?”

She nodded. “I will, but I have a request first.”

Grant met Sadie’s eyes, and a serene smile passed between them. They said in unison, “Anything.”

Ms. Rosings lifted one hand, the palm facing up and then brought her other palm down onto it with the air of a high-powered judge about to scold everyone in her courtroom. “It has come to my attention that some shenanigans have been going on in relation to my co-stars.”

Panic filtered through Grant’s veins. He felt like the boy at school who’d been caught putting a frog into the principal’s water bottle. “Let me explain,” he began, but she shushed him with a laser-like glare.

“The explanation is all over the internet. Someone posted a video a few minutes ago while you all were,” she motioned toward the pool and cleared her throat with a skeptical sound, “having fun.”

Grant felt Sadie stiffen. “A video?” she asked.

“Yes, and it’s already got half a million views,” Dela said.

Now that the music and splashing had quieted, Ronny’s guests could see and hear the beeping and flashing of their phones. Pool-goers started climbing out of the water and sloshing off to see what those notifications were about.

Dela held her phone out for Grant, Sadie, and Ronny, then pressed start on an already cued up video. Grant’s world trembled as the clip began, but it wasn't from a California earthquake—at least, not a geological one. His entire confrontation with Julia from minutes ago played out before them again, including her admission she had gotten Andrea to fake the drowning, her naked threat to kill his career, and her backwards cartwheel into the pool. It was a Hollywood earthquake, as confirmed by the chorus of shocked gasps and mutterings of “’Julia Menlo?’ from everyone else now watching the clip.

Grant and Sadie began simultaneous protestations and attempts to explain. “I didn't have anything to do with that video—” Grant said.

“It’s all my fault,” Sadie said.

Ronny joined in. “As his agent, I can assure you?—”

“Shut up, all of you,” Dela said, and they instantly complied. “I’m not done yet.” At that moment, a whole new round of gasps began from around the pool. Dela made a waving away a motion with her hand, indicating they should ignore crowd. “A few minutes later, a new video appeared, and it has already surpassed the first, garnering nearly two million views.”

She again turned her phone for them to see. Grant watched Sadie’s coverall drop to the ground as he unzipped it, watched his amazed expression over her vintage outfit, and saw himself bend to one knee. The visual was clear but the audio was fuzzy. Whoever had taken it had been off to the side and some distance away. He looked toward the likely spot and saw a few royal palms that could have easily been used for cover. No wonder he hadn’t noticed anyone filming them. The audio came through just clear enough they could all make out his proposal speech about believing in love at first sight.

When it finished playing, Sadie asked. “Is that all? They don’t have my reply?”

“If they filmed it, they didn’t upload it,” Dela said. “And look at the views. They’re climbing into the stratosphere.”

Ronny whistled. “Wow. And the comments too—the whole world wants to know what Sadie said.”

Dela rested her hands, including the one holding her phone, on her hips and looked at them with a new seriousness in her eyes. “Now, I don’t profess to know whether love truly does triumph over evil, but I do know your video about love is winning handily over hers about misdeeds. I also know anyone who would arrange for a fake, but still dangerous, ocean drowning is a terrible role model for a family romcom about surfing.”

Things were moving so fast that Grant couldn’t keep up. What was Dela Rosings, the celebrated producer, implying? He glanced at Sadie, but her eyes held questions too. She squeezed his arm, and it grounded him. No matter what was about to happen, he had Sadie. Anything else he accomplished in this life was gravy.

“Ronny here can confirm,” Dela continued, “that I don’t have a sentimental bone in my body.” Ronny shrugged and nodded perfunctorily by way of agreement. “That fact no doubt helps explain why I left the active ministry. I am, however, a highly successful movie producer, and so my request, before I join you in holy matrimony, is this—will you agree to star inSurf Summertogether?”

Grant’s eyelids froze in their widest position. “Really? Me and Sadie? InSurf Summer?”

Ms. Rosings blew out an annoyed breath. “No, you and dime store Neptune here.” She sent a look toward Ronny that coaxed a sheepish grin from him, then trained impatient eyes on Grant. “Of course, you and Sadie. It took the two of you less than a month to go from impressive obscurity to this year’s ‘it couple.’ As a couple, you’re a goldmine, and I have a thing for goldmines. I collect them. Do you want to be in my display case?”

Sadie blinked at Grant in shock, and then her face transformed into one big smile—even her button nose smiled. She threw her arms around his neck, bringing her face inches from his. “Let’s do it!”

Grant nodded, not sure how much more joy he could contain. But when he opened his mouth to accept, Ronny interrupted. “Asbothyour agents…” He tipped his head toward Sadie and added as an aside, “You do want me to be your agent, don't you?”

Sadie clapped her hands excitedly. “Of course!”

---