Page 50 of How to Kiss a Movie Star
I nod, resigning myself to letting her go. It’s the only thing Icando. “Okay. Well, thanks again for everything. I had a lot of fun.”
For a split second, whatever mask she put on when she decided to flee falls, and I see a flash of real emotion cross her face. Then she smiles tightly and disappears into the house.
I don’t follow her.
I can’t.
Because the last thing I saw flashing in her eyes was fear.
Chapter Fourteen
Flint
Jonileansonthecounter in my kitchen, my phone resting in front of her. She swipes through the photos of me and Audrey, studying each one for a quick moment before moving on. “I really think they’ll do the trick,” she says, but then she pauses on the last photo, the one I took with Audrey in my arms. “Holy cow, Flint. Has Audrey seen this yet?”
It’s only been an hour since Audrey left, and I’m still reeling. Stillprocessing.Spending an hour in the pool with her was so much more than I expected it to be. For the first time in a very long time, I forgot who I was. Forgot about Claire and the lies she’s telling. I forgot about everything except how much fun it was to be in Audrey’s company.
“She hasn’t seen them yet. Why?” I ask, though I’m only trying to buy some time. I know exactly why Joni is asking. In the last photo, I’m looking right at Audrey. And the expression on my face is less carefree and easy and moreI’d like to eat you for breakfast.
“Look at your face,” Joni says, reaching over and tapping the phone screen before she straightens and props her hands on her hips. “If she sees this photo, she’s going to know you aren’t acting.”
“Or maybe she’ll think I’m just areally goodactor.”
“Honey,” she says, turning on her mom voice. Joni isn’t quite old enough to be my mom. More like an overbearing older sister. But that doesn’t stop her from mom-ing me every chance she gets. “I really think you need to be straight with her. Tell her you like her.”
“Ican’ttell her. Asking her to fake it is already something outside her comfort zone. If she knows I’mnotfaking, she’ll back out, if only to spare my feelings.”
“So you’re just going to suffer in silence?” Joni says. “Fall more and more in love with her only to have her walk away when all this over?”
I raise my eyebrows. “Dramatic, much? I’m not going to fall in love with her. We’ll have fun, we’ll get through the premiere, then we’ll continue as friends. This isn’t a big deal.”
Joni huffs out a laugh. “Tell that to the man in this photo.”
“The man in the photo is telling youI’m fine,” I lie. “Now, can you please send me Audrey’s number so I can text her these photos and make sure she approves?”
Joni’s eyebrows shoot up. “You already have it. It’s in the text message you sentme.”
Oh. Right.I scroll through the message thread between me and Joni. “Geez. We text a lot.”
“Your life needs a lot ofmanaging,” she says. “You do know if you text her, she’ll haveyournumber, right?”
“And I trust her with it. It’s fine. I told her I’d text her before I posted the pictures.”
I don’t fault Joni for being cautious. It’s her job to protect my privacy—to be wary of anyone who gets close to me. But I’m not worried about Audrey.
“Here, stop scrolling. I’ll just send it to you.” Joni pulls out her phone. Seconds later, mine vibrates with an incoming message sharing Audrey’s contact information. “Okay. Done.” She grabs her bag off the bar stool beside her. “Let me know if there’s anything Simon needs me to do once the pictures go live.” She moves toward the front door, and I follow her. “Have you talked to your family about this yet?”
Oof. My family.I knew there was something I was forgetting. I grimace. “Not yet. But I will.”
“Before you post the pictures, Flint. You know your mom follows your Instagram. She’ll lose her mind if she sees those pictures and you haven’t explained to her what’s really going on. She’ll be knitting new baby blankets before the end of the week.”
“I get it. I’ll call her.” She opens the front door, and I look past her into the fading evening light. “Where’s Nate? Is he really making you walk home by yourself?”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s not even fully dark yet. And what’s going to get me? A white squirrel?”
“How about a bear?”
She pulls a can of bear spray out of her purse. “What do you take me for? It’s less than a hundred yards to my house, Flint. I’ll be fine.” She steps off the porch and starts down the driveway. “Call your mom!” she yells over her shoulder before she gets too far away. “I mean it, Flint.”
