Page 61 of Lights, Camera, Love

I stare into his emotion-filled eyes, searching for evidence that he truly believes this, but I can’t find it. ‘Whatever is happening between you and me is not thesame thing as what happened with you and Austin’s ex-wife,’ I say. ‘I have no attachment to Austin; I never did. He and I were never in a real relationship. This isn’t a betrayal.’

‘You’re right.’

For what feels like an eternity, we silently hold each other’s gazes. It feels as if neither one of us is standing on solid ground right now, but before I can even try to steady myself, there’s a question I need to ask again.

‘Did you tell him who my father is?’ I say in a whisper.

‘No.’ Frustration climbs into Kye’s eyes. ‘I already told you I didn’t. It was his ex-wife, who’s trying to find answers about why her marriage ended, and for some fucked up reason, that seems to mean digging up shit about people he’s involved with.’

Doubt gnaws at me as he speaks. ‘How am I supposed to believe that?’ I say, my chest tight. ‘You are so deeply lodged under Austin’s thumb that … I don’t know. How can I possibly believe you chose to keep something like that from him?’

‘You can believe it because it’s what I’m telling you. If there’s one thing you know about me, Evie, it’s that I say it like it is.’

I hold up my hands. ‘Fine. I guess I’ll justhaveto believe you.’

‘Well, don’t put yourself out if it’s that hard to do,’ he mutters back.

I heave a sigh as I lower my eyes to my nude-coloured heels, and we end up in another stand-off of tense silence.

‘Why didn’t Austin come tonight?’ I finally ask, wondering if it had anything to do with what happened at the showcase.

Kye palms the back of his neck. ‘I don’t want to talk about Austin. I’m sick of that fucking name.’

‘Okay.’ I chew the inside of my cheek. Having Kye in this suite with me, alone—his beautiful face, his intoxicating scent, his all-consuming presence—it’s starting to feel like torture.

His voice turns soft. ‘I want to know how you’re feeling after what just happened with Buzz.’

‘Oh god, talk about being sick of someone’s name.’

His inky-brown eyes bleed into mine. ‘Like I said, I’m awestruck. It was one of the most incredible and inspiring things I’ve ever seen anyone do.’

Heat whips over my cheeks. ‘I was rude and insulting.’

‘He was worse.And he deserved every bit of it.’ Kye takes a step closer, the warmth of his body igniting the air between us like a struck match. ‘Make no mistake, Evie. Rude and insulting was what that narcissist needed. Don’t forget, I also grabbed his face and called him a piece of shit, and I don’t regret doing either of those things for a second.’

I say nothing; I’m still anxious over the blowout.

Kye finds my eyes with his. ‘Can I show you something?’

‘Sure.’

He moves over to the chair where his jacket is hanging, pulls out his phone, and thumbs through it.When he holds up the screen, my gaze narrows at the video of Buzz pointing aggressively in my face, ranting those horrific words while swaying on his feet.

‘You filmed it?’ I say with a gasp.

Kye nods, and I turn my focus back to the video. By the time it gets to me calling Buzz out, my words don’t seem so out of line after all.

‘If it’s okay with you,’ Kye says, ‘I’d like to take the recording into Village Pictures first thing Monday.’

My fingers fly to my mouth. ‘But … what if they fire me? What if the video ends up on the internet?’

‘It won’t. The last thing Village Pictures would want is for this clip to get out. And youwon’tbe fired over it—trust me. Everything you said was valid and justified. It’s Buzz’s behaviour that’s reprehensible, and it’s time he’s given the boot. This clusterfuck of a movie needs a new director, and the video is how we can get one.’

My heart rate kicks into overdrive. ‘Really? You don’t think it would kill the whole movie if the director got fired this late in the piece?’

He shakes his head. ‘It happens a lot more than you think. Directors get fired mid-project all the time and another director steps in—it’s not the end of the world. Surely, there can’t be anyone worse for this project than that sexist scumbag.’

My rigid shoulders begin to loosen as I consider the possibility of never having to be in the same room as Brian ‘Buzz’ Winter ever again.

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