Page 28 of How Good It Was (Excess All Areas 3)

“What’s the problem, then?”

Something deep inside told her she could trust him. “My last director’s dream also involved playing with young kids. Girls, specifically. I told the teacher on set that ... well, shit.” She blew out a deep breath. “It would be classified as grooming today. He didn’t rape me. But he touched me in a way that was inappropriate for an older man and young girl. And he was asking me to touch him. The teacher reported it to the studio, who were allowed to handle it quietly by my dad. The assistant director took over the last few scenes I was in. Dad accepted a payoff and signed an iron-clad NDA on my behalf. But, somehow, people knew. And I wasn’t hired for another acting role again. Plus, puberty wasn’t kind. I told you the line that hurt me most that evening in Detroit.”

“Fuck, Willow. That’s awful. You’re a strong woman, now. Why not try again?”

“I don’t want to put myself in that position again. The Me Too movement shows how much it still happens. Plus, I enjoyed being normal. Dad tried to push me to act more. He’d send me to audition after audition, but gawky teens who report their abusers aren’t high in demand. I got to go to school and hang out with my best friend, Riley. It almost felt normal, hanging at her house after school each day.”

“If you wanted normal, why did you choose to put your life on social media?”

“I want to creatively tell stories. It started as photographs and videos. And then, my following built. I went to school with the creators of Shamaze, and they asked if I wanted to be involved in the launch. I thought it would be cool. More flexible than being on a movie set. The kicker is, all the sponsorship deals were set up through the business Dad ran. Payments go into a company bank account, and my dad pays me sporadically. He takes a fee for management. I never thought it was weird because he’s always been my manager and business advisor. I let him negotiate everything, never asked to see paperwork. There has always been a business in place for this. It didn’t occur to me that he wasn’t working in my best interest.”

“What a completely shit run of luck. It’s fucking wrong that your dad ripped you off, and you deserve the money back. But I’m sure plenty of people would wonder how tough your life has really been because of it. I mean, you still have three million. I’d kill for that kind of cash.”

Willow picked up the pen again and pushed it across the table. “Now you understand why I can’t leave myself open to trusting someone with my business affairs. I need formal enforceable agreements. I trusted my director, he let me down. I trusted my dad, he let me down. I trusted our family lawyer, he let me down. I trusted the business’s accountant, but he let me down. Nobody starts out wanting to let me down, Luke. Somehow, they do though. I want to make sure you get properly compensated, that we have an NDA, and make sure our lines are completely clear.”

Luke picked up the contract, scanned the first page and looked at the second before tossing it back down onto the table. “Not signing anything without a lawyer looking at it.”

“When will you get a lawyer to look at it?”

He shrugged. “Not sure this is the kind of contract a local lawyer would look at. I need to find someone who knows a bit more about this stuff.”

“Please, can you get it done? It’s stressing me out. I’ve worked hard for my position as an influencer and content creator. It’s how I intend to support me and the baby and save for our future. I know you probably think I have so many other choices, but I love what I do. I don’t want to lose it.”

“It’s probably the only thing we agree on, Willow. I don’t want to lose what I had, either.”

Willow placed her hand on her stomach, which, while still pretty flat, had a firmness to it. Her book said it would be a few more weeks at least before she popped.

Luke sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t say that to upset you, Will.”

Hormonal tears stung and threatened to fall. She bit down on her tongue. Hard. “I know.”

“But it did, right?” Luke’s blue eyes studied her carefully. Like he had that night. When he’d been concerned about the way her father had spoken to her. She’d assumed that caring good nature extended a lot further into his life than it appeared to.

“Yeah. It did. It’s weird that online, a place that doesn’t really exist, is the only place I feel like I actually belong or where people actually want me. Anyway,” she said with a sigh as she stood, “I’m going to make some dinner. What do you fancy? There’s some chicken and salmon and I could—”

“People want you, Will. You belong.”

“Yeah? Where?”

“Your mum?”

Willow scoffed. “The one who knew my dad spent my money to provide their house and lifestyle.”

“Siblings?”

“Don’t have any.”

“Best friend.”

“One. Riley. But she isn’t here, and we keep missing each other’s texts and calls because of the eight-hour time difference.”

“Other friends?”

“The ones who want screen time and collaborations and me to share their profiles for likes. Yeah, they really want me.”

“Willow ...”

Under his scrutiny, she could feel the walls she’d worked hard to build begin to crack. “So, salmon or chicken. I think I’ll make salmon. Quicker, then I can get on with some work.”

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