Page 10 of By Your Side

“Anyway…” My father’s tone changes as soon as he gets to the end of his story. He drags me from my thoughts and back in to the present moment. “Just think about it. It would be good for you to have some fun. You need it.”

“Sure. Maybe I will think about it.” There, that’s no commitment at all, is it? Perfect. “But I need to get ready for work now so I will have to give you a call when I get some free time. Is that okay?”

“Sure, sure,” he replies breezily. “I’ll speak to you soon. Love you, Millie.”

For a moment, I fear that I might burst in to tears. I miss my father so much that it kills me. I would love to go and see him, to have a hug from my dad who has always been around, but I have to remain strong. I have to stick to my guns and keep my head up high. I made a decision to escape and I have to stick to it.

“Love you too, Dad.” I cradle the phone closer to my ear. “Speak soon.”

I hang up the phone and remain where I am, standing in the middle of the room for a few moments, trying to forget how home sick I feel. I also need to try and forget my father’s words with regard to Lance as well or I will end up agreeing to a date without even meaning to. Then there’s no telling what will happen.Chapter 5 – Lance“Oh God, really?” My fingers tremble with anger as I scroll down the entertainment news article, reading what has been published about me now, and I have to say that this isn’t welcome. “Where have they got this from?”

Lance Wilson Dating Ashley Hurley. As if the title wasn’t bad enough, the suggestions that we have been spotted at celebrity events ‘looking very cozy’ only wind me up even further. I haven’t even been to any publicity events recently, and certainly not with Ashley. She has been trying to get me to go out with her, but I have always refused because I didn’t want anything like this to happen. I didn’t want to get caught up in a storm.

“A source close to Ashely.” I grit my teeth as those words catch my eye. “Was this Ashely?”

I’ve been suspicious of her for a long ass time, ever since I got the job with her and I learned that she always dates her costars. That only got worse when she started to flirt with me and now, I know why. Ashley Hurley is a clever woman, she is always thinking about her image which I suppose comes from her years in Hollywood, and she knows that the audience is more likely to buy in to a love story on screen if they think there is one off screen as well. Plenty of people manipulate the media to push this ideal, but that isn’t ever going to be me. I would much rather people buy in to the romance because my acting is good. No other reason.

I screw up my fists in irritation as I imagine becoming everything that I hate, one of those guys who pushes himself to become successful by using the media and his private life to sell himself.

Ring, ring… Ring, ring… Ring, ring…

I roll my eyes as I see the name on my cell phone screen. Much as I’m normally over the moon to speak to Stephen, right now I’m irritated. He sent me this article as if it’s good news and now he’s going to want my opinion on it. I don’t think I will give him my real opinion thought because it involves too many curse words.

“Stephen, where did this come from?” I bark out, letting out some of my frustration.

“I don’t know.” He lets out a mirth filled laugh. “I just woke up to the article, but it’s great, isn’t it? A real publicity boost for you and the movie. This will be everywhere soon enough because people eat this shit up. Then I would expect your schedule to get even fuller because people will be clawing to get at you.”

“For a story that isn’t real,” I remind him. “For a story that I’m going to have to shut down.”

“You wouldn’t have to shut it down. You could just be very evasive about it. I’m sure that’s what Ashley would do because she’s an expert at getting people to be intrigued by her love life. She always gets a big following and audience to whatever she does because she knows how to ensure that everyone is interested in her.”

I’m stunned in to silence. I don’t even know what to say to that. Stephen wants me to manipulate the public? Even though he knows that isn’t me? I can’t even express how irritated I am about this.

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