Page 322 of How to Kiss a Hawthorne Brother
“Kenji, were you able to make any headway with Rita?” I brace my hands against the cool countertop, wishing this entire conversation could be over. This is the part of my job I’m really starting to hate.
“Rita. That’s Claire’s manager?” Nate asks as he reaches for one of the sugar cookies I brought home from the feed store.
Joni nods and picks up her own cookie. The icing on hers didn’t set quite right, and my nose has three nostrils. When she holds it up to show Nate, they both start to giggle.
“We talked last week,” Kenji says, his voice all business, despite the circus clowns hanging out in my kitchen. “I kept things casual. Like we were just catching up. But I did make a lightsuggestionthat Claire tone down the storytelling. Rita seems to think the gossip Claire is generating is only going to help the movie. I could try again, make the request feel a little more official, but I don’t think Rita is our ally in this.”
I sigh and run a hand through my hair. Maybe I’m the one who needs a cookie.
Claire was sweet at first. But she was hungry, too—Turning Tidesis her first major motion picture role—and her attempts to piggyback off my fame and thrust herself into every possible spotlight quickly led to our relationship’s demise.
At this point in my career, I’m ready to getoutof the public eye when I’m not working. She’s looking for the opposite.
“Okay, hear me out,” Simon says, and my jaw tenses. This isn’t the first time we’ve talked about the Claire problem and last time, Simon agreed with Rita.
“What’s truly the harm?” he argued. “Claire is the kind of star America is going to love, and they already love you. If she’s getting people talking about the film, who cares if she’s telling the truth?”
To a point, I understood where he was coming from. I learned a long time ago that I can’t react every time someone says something about me that isn’t true. But this time, Claire’s antics are hurting more than just me.Turning Tideswill be the directorial debut of Lea Cortez, who happens to be a good friend of mine. Back on set, she expressed concern that Claire’s starlet behavior might detract from the seriousness of the film. Claire and I were dating at the time, and I assured Lea everything would be fine.
I want those words to be true. But more than that, I don’t want Claire to overshadow the work Lea did on the film. If Claire keeps this up, it’s all the press junket will focus on. We won’t talk about my acting. About Lea's directing. Every single question will be about whether I noticed Claire’s latest Instagram post and do I really have plans to meet her in Fiji next week? Lea deserves to have her work celebrated, not overshadowed by an upstart’s attempt to steal the show with a false narrative. That’s the last thing this movie needs.
When no one protests, Simon clears his throat and dives in. “As I made it clear the last time we spoke, I don’t actually disagree with Rita. Be that as it may,youare my client, so I’ve come up with a potential solution that should, if executed correctly, get Claire to shut up.”
My eyes lift to Joni’s. She doesn’t love Simon, and I trust her instincts. But he’s too good at his job for me to let him go. Hollywood is a multilayered web of connections—someonewho knows someone else who knows that one guy who knows the casting director for the movie you really want to work on. Simon is neck-deep in connections. I don’t want to need him, but there’s no escaping how much I do.
Joni lifts her shoulders as if to say there’s no harm in hearing him out, and I nod.
“Okay, what’s the plan?” I ask.
“Fake a relationship,” Simon says bluntly. “Drop a few photos of you with someone else, someone whowon’ttalk to the press, and make it clear you’rereallyenjoying your time with this woman. Then bring her with you to the premiere.”
I’m already shaking my head. This is exactly the kind of Hollywood drama I was trying to get away from when I moved. Joni’s frown echoes mine, and she opens her mouth, but Kenji speaks before she can. “I’m guessing you already have someonein mind?”
Kenji is a few steps ahead of me, butof courseSimon has someone else in mind. He’s a publicist with multiple clients. If he can work this so it benefits someone else as well? He will.
“I’m not faking a relationship,” I say before Simon can mention any names or provide even one more detail of his ridiculous plan. “Especially not with any actresses.”
“Not all actresses are like Claire,” Simon says, his tone annoyingly gentle, to the point that he sounds like he’s patronizing me. “We’ll choose someone discreet. Someone experienced with the media.”
I turn and open the fridge, pulling a water bottle from inside. “I don’t disagree with you,” I say as I twist off the top. “Not all actors are like Claire. But the ones who have the discretion and the media experience to pull off what you’re suggesting arenotthe ones who need to fake a relationship to get ahead in their careers.”
“You're too generous,” Simon says dryly. “Just let me mention a few names—”
“No.” I toss the water bottle lid onto the counter, and it clatters into the phone. “I won’t do it. I already told you I want my personal life to be off-limits. It’s why I moved. I don’t want to play these kinds of games anymore. Even to shut up Claire.”
It wasn’t all that long ago that I milked the media as much as the next guy, as much as Claire, even, taking every leg up the extra attention would give me. But I don’t want that life anymore. I want to take myself seriously enough to believe I can maintain my career because I’m good at what I do, not because TMZ won’t stop speculating about who I’m dating. Others have done it. Separated their personal lives. Made their public persona about theirwork.I have to believe I can do the same thing—that I can take back control before I lose control altogether.
“I admire your idealism,” Simon says, “but what other solution is there? Either you control the narrative, or Claire does. It’s your choice.”
“What I want is for Lea to control the narrative. She doesn’t deserve to have her directorial debut overshadowed by the personal drama of a bunch of idiot actors.”
“We don’t always get what we want, Flint. Ideals are nice, but it doesn’t change the reality of the situation. Just think about it,” he says. “We can circle back next week. In the meantime, I’ll have the details of the Oakley thing within the week. I’ll send them to you and Kenji as soon as I have them. All right. That’s it from me. I’m out.” Simon disappears from the call, and I look at Kenji.
“The Oakley thing?” I ask.
“Sunglasses,” Kenji says. “You’re doing their spring ad campaign.”
“I am?”
