Page 25 of Can't Take My Eyes Off You

‘Oh yeah?’ she asks excitedly, speed-walking my way, her arms overloaded with books she’s stocking. She dumps the books onto the front counter, grabbing my phone from me and looking at the photo.

‘How’d you find this?’ She backs out of the website and frowns, glancing up at me with a disappointed look on her face. ‘You’retextingWill? I thought you were trying to quit him?’

‘Iamtrying.’ We no longer speak every day. I’ve limited it to once a week and texting mid-week is against that new rule. Usually, we text on the day the show airs because he gets to preview it first and warn me of whatever will piss me off.

‘Did you read the headline?’ I ask her, ignoring her chastising of my and Will’s relationship. Whatever it is. ‘Longtimegirlfriend?’ I ask. ‘That’s the first time they’ve ever referred to me as Will’s girlfriend.’

‘They were bound to find out at some point. Honestly, I’m a little surprised it took them this long. At least it’s a good photo.’

‘I guess. I mean,this makes it a bit weird, doesn’t it? Not to mention that I’m on tonight’s episode as well. How did this spiral out of control when all I wanted was tonotbe a part of the show?’

‘You can’t quit the star,’ she says like I’m a dumbass. ‘That’s the problem. If people are jealous, screw ’em. Is it your fault you can pull in some hot-as-fuck tail?No, it’s not. People would be high-fiving you in the streets if you were a dude.’

I scrunch my face. ‘But instead, I’m seen as his backup girl. The one fighting the princess for him. Ugh.’

My phone buzzes in her hand. ‘It’s him,’ Olivia says. ‘Prince Willy.’ She grimaces as she says his name. ‘He says, “Call me please”. Pfft, she’ll call you when she wants to call you, and you’ll deal with it,’ she says to his message.

‘Stop,’ I say, grabbing my phone from her. ‘We’re grown-ups.Andwe’re friends. We talk shit out.’ I lift the phone to my ear and wait for him to answer. One ring.

‘Hey.’ His voice alone melts me.

‘You do knowyourphone dials out too, right?’ I ask. ‘You could have just called.’

‘It’s completely my fault you’ve been identified so I thought that warranted a phone-call apology. My publicist wants a straight answer: are we or aren’t we an item?’ he asks hesitantly like he’s unsure he wants to know the answers to any of his questions.

‘We arenotan item and youknowthat.’

He’s silent for a moment, contemplating my words. ‘Alright,’ he finally says. ‘Can I at least confirm we’re friends?’ He sighs heavily. I can almost see him running his hand through his hair in frustration.

‘I mean, I guess you have to, don’t you?’

‘It’d be smart to get on top of it.’

‘That’s what she said,’ I say with a laugh.

He chuckles. ‘For what it’s worth, I’m sorry this is headed the exact direction you didn’t want it to but my feelings haven’t changed. I didn’t cringe seeing us together until Felicity walked into that diner and ruined our moment.’

‘I know. Next time I’ll be smarter about being in public with you. Perhaps we should just cancel our final “relapse” and call it quits now before this gets worse?’

‘Are you serious? During our birthday month?’

My heart sinks. Will’s birthday and mine are a few weeks apart and they’re both coming up.

‘We’re one year in, William, and things have gone awry. How much worse will it get if we keep going?’

He thinks on this before saying, ‘I’ll agree on one condition.’

‘What’s that?’

‘You come over here for one night. I’ll sneak you in. No one will ever know you’re here and afterwards, we’ll take a break until the show is over. Fair?’

I sigh heavily, looking up from my phone to Olivia. She frowns, reaching out to touch my hand.

‘Fine, but under the dark of night, William. Promise?’

‘Absolutely,’ he says.

‘Then I guess it’s set. Text me the details and I’ll be there.’

---