Page 62 of How Jenna Became My Dilemma

“Thanks.” I wait a second for her to clear before turning to Jenna with a teasing grin. “Should we hold hands across the table? Start off with a bang?”

She keeps her hands firmly in her lap. “Is that how you do it with all your dates?”

“Are you implying I date a lot of women?”

“Yes.”

Her words don’t hurt my feelings, but there is a want—or maybe it’s a need—for her to know the truth. So I lay the fake relationship aside for a minute and start with honesty.

“It’s not true.”

She takes a sip of her water. “What’s not true?”

“All the women.”

She gives me a pointed stare, letting me know she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying.

“Okay, fine. It used to be true.” I bounce my head back and forth. “Five or six years ago, maybe, but not since then.”

Jenna’s brows lift in interest. “You’re telling me you haven’t dated anyone for six years?”

“Maybe three or four.” I smile.

“Is that number going to keep going down the more we talk? By the end of the meal, will it come out that it’s only been a week since you had your last fling?”

“Well, I did spend a steamy weekend in Malibu with one girl, but I don’t think she likes me too much.”

“I don’t think she likes being one of many women.”

“Then she should know that three years ago was my last fling. Final answer.”

She stares back at me, a vivid war playing across her face.

“Is that true?” She leans forward, resting her elbows on the table.

“Yes.”

“I saw you talk on the phone to Calista James for almost forty-five minutes the other night.”

“A friendly conversation with a friend.” I debate offering up more information than that, giving Jenna the complete rundown of Calista’s and my friendship and how, somewhere along the way, I became her confidant, but I decide those kinds of details don’t matter. We’re friends. Jenna already knows what friendships look like.

“So you’re saying you haven’t dated anyone for three years. That’s a long time for a man like you.”

“I’m going to pretend you mean that in the best way possible and not take offense.” She sniffs out a laugh. “But so you know, for the last three years, I’ve focused on work. I’ve been filming four movies a year plus squeezing in promoting them. I’ve been too busy to think about that kind of stuff.”

“Then why are you rumored to be with a new woman every month?”

“I told you in Malibu. That’s the only thing the media wants to talk about when it comes to me. Juicy gossip sells better than my acting does.”

“That’s not true. Your acting sells.”

“I could deliver the best role of my life, win every single award, and the headlines would still be about what woman I took home with me that weekend. But it’s fine. I’ve had the playboy label so long that I’m used to it. And it probably is a better story than my acting skills.”

“Do you think you’re a good actor?”

“Sometimes.”

“Only sometimes?”

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