Page 87 of How to Kiss a Movie Star
“Hey, can I give you some advice?” I say to Claire. The room around us is clearing out as everyone breaks for lunch, but I can’tnotsay what needs to be said, no matter how difficult she’s made my life the past few months.
She nods. “Of course.”
“Fire Simon. He’ll use you, Claire. He’s a lot more concerned about his own star rising than he is yours, and I don’t think you can trust him to have your best interests at heart. He didn’t have mine. In fact, he went directly against what I asked of him. He played us against each other, which wasn’t good for either of us.”
“Yeah, I see that now.” She breathes out a sigh. “Are you going to fire him?”
“The minute I see him,” I say. “But not just over this. He’s had it coming for a while.” I stand, and offer Claire a hand, pulling her to her feet.
“Thanks, Flint. I really am sorry about everything I said. I hope I didn’t cause any problems for you and your girlfriend. She seems really nice.”
“I appreciate the apology.” I make eye contact with Audrey and hold out my hand, hoping she’ll come join me.
“Can I ask you one more thing?” Claire asks, and I nod. “At the premiere tonight, do you think we could make a show of looking like we’re friends again? Simon said bringing the drama would go farther, but I don’t think he’s the right publicist for me anymore. All this clamoring for attention—gosh, I really don’t like the way it makes me feel. I’d feel a lot better if we could all just get along.”
Audrey finally reaches me and slips her hand into mine, offering Claire a warm smile.
“How about we justbefriends again?” I say. “No show required.”
Claire smiles. “Thanks, Flint. That would be great.”
After I introduce Audrey, she and Claire chat for a few minutes, then we say goodbye, and Audrey and I head back to our room with Nate and Joni for lunch.
We need privacy if I’m going to fill them in on what Claire told me about Simon, and I definitely need to fill them in. If this guy has been pitting Claire and me against each other, who knows how else he’s been mismanaging things.
Joni was right. I have been too trusting.
But all of that stops right now.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Flint
Joniislivid,asexpected, when she hears what Simon has been doing. Fortunately, she really did have termination paperwork prepared just in case. We can even get Simon uninvited to tonight’s premiere if we work quickly enough.
Audrey is quiet while I relay everything I learned, but her eyes are sharp, darting from me, to Joni, and back again as we discuss the situation. As soon as there’s a pause in the conversation, she lifts a hand. “Listen. I understand your desire tonothave Simon at the premiere. After what he’s put you through, I don’t really want him there either. But Flint, Simon knows a lot about you. He knows aboutus.Are you sure it’s worth firing himnow? Right in the middle of the press cycle? If he has no reason to be loyal, why would he be?”
“That’s a valid point,” Joni says. “I hate it because cutting ties today would be so incredibly satisfying, but Audrey might be right.”
I lean forward, elbows on my knees, and run my hands through my hair. The wardrobe people will be annoyed when I go back for the rest of the interviews, but I’m too annoyed to care. I do see Audrey’s point, but Ireallydon’t want to be around Simon anymore. Claire said he’d be here after lunch. The idea of faking it, of playing nice—that’s a hard thing to swallow.
I shake my head. “I see your point, but Simon also has a lot on the line here. He may be well-connected, but I am, too. I could ruin his reputation among other actors. He has to know that. I don’t think he’ll screw me over.”
“You might be underestimating the size of Simon’s ego,” Joni says. “I’m not saying we don’t fire him; I’m just saying we wait a couple of weeks until the movie press is behind us.”
“That’s my vote too,” Audrey says. “Not that I deserve a vote. But, you know. Just in case you were curious.”
I reach over and pick up her hand, threading my fingers through hers, then lifting our clasped hands to my lips. I press a kiss on her knuckles. “You definitely get a vote. And I understand what you’re both saying. But now that I’ve discovered the kind of cancer Simon is, I can’t stand the thought of working with him any longer. I just want him gone.”
Joni sighs. “Okay. I’ll get everything ready for you. You can talk to him after lunch.”
After we eat, Audrey excuses herself to the bathroom, and Nate heads onto the balcony to make some calls about tonight’s security detail. In their absence, Joni eyes me in her big-sister way. “Okay, spill it,” she says, folding her arms as she leans back in her chair.
“Spill what?”
She rolls her eyes. “So Audrey likes you now, too? You’re both feeling it?”
I look toward the bathroom door. “We’re taking it slow.”
