Page 32 of How to Kiss a Movie Star
Especially when she has no interest in spending any time withme.
For the past three days, whenever Audrey has been on my property, I’ve been distracted, preoccupied with her presence. It’s ridiculous the number of reasons I’ve found to walk across my backyard.
Install a new garden hose? That definitely needs to happen today.
Cut the grass even though I already cut it four days ago? Absolutely.
Weed the vegetable garden? No time like the present!
Unfortunately, all that effort has resulted in exactly zero progress. Despite all my efforts to capture her attention, Audrey has been so focused on her work, she’s barely taken notice.
If I speak to her, she always responds with kindness, but I am always the one who speaks first.
“Okay. I’ll bite,” I finally say. “What could I offer Audrey that she couldn’t refuse?”
Joni smiles. “Access to your land.”
I lift my eyebrows. “She already has access to my land.”
“For one more week. Tell her she can come back for the rest of the summer. Whenever she wants.”
“In exchange for her coming to LA with me and pretending to be my girlfriend on the red carpet? That’s a big ask, Joni.”
She shrugs. “Yeah, but Audrey really likes those squirrels. She might say yes.”
I stand up and move to the window, my stomach grumbling as I go. It’s already past seven, and I still have no idea what I’m doing for dinner. “You’ve clearly given this some thought.”
“It’s better than Simon’s plan,” Joni says. “I know it still requires some faking, but if we’re honest with Audrey, explain the situation, I think she’ll say yes. I mean, you could at least ask, right? What’s truly the worst thing that could happen?”
“She could come with me to California, realize my life is an absolute circus, and run the other direction as fast as she can.”
Joni’s quiet for a long moment. “Oh,” she finally says.“Oh. You like her.”
I push my hands into my pockets and turn to face her, shrugging in acknowledgment.
Joni presses her palm to her chest. “Does she know?”
I huff out a laugh. “No. I—no.She’s clearly not interested.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I’ve seen her three days this week, and I’ve tried to talk to her every time. She’s polite, but otherwise, she’s totally indifferent. If I talk to her, she talks back. That’s pretty much it.”
Joni stares. “That’s it? That’s all you have to go on?”
“That feels like more than enough.”
“Flint. Just because she isn’t fawning all over you doesn’t mean she isn’t interested. She’s a guest when she’s here, which means she’s probably trying to be respectful of your time and not demand any unnecessary attention. Anything more than that might seem presumptuous, and I get the sense Audrey isnotthe presumptuous type.” She tucks a strand of platinum hair behind her ear and scoots forward on her seat. “I’m not saying shedoeslike you,” she says. “But Iamsaying you might have to give her a little more to go on if you want her to know youdolikeher.”
“Something like asking her to fly to Los Angeles and attend a movie premiere as my date?”
Joni shrugs. “It can’t hurt to try.”
“And you think this would actuallyhelpmy cause if I want Audrey to like me? Exposing her to the press, the fans, the relentlessly rude paparazzi? This will sell her on the benefits of being with someone like me?”
“Well, when you say it like that, it sounds like a terrible idea. But Flint, that’s not all your life is. It’s a pretty small part, actually. And if she just gets to know you, she’ll be willing to deal with all the attention and drama.”
“Or she won’t,” I shoot back. “And then what?”
