Page 79 of Sky Full of Stars

“On a gossip website.”

My hand rushes to my face. “What do you mean?”

“Someone got a picture of the two of you. Holding hands somewhere, looking at each other like you are about to tear each other’s clothes off,” she giggles. “They’re saying ‘who’s the mystery woman while another woman is pregnant with his kid?”

“Oh god,” I lean back against the kitchen counter.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think people will be able to recognise you, I obviously know it’s you because I know you’re dating him.”

My breathing gets ragged. I need to see this. I tell her I’ll call her later and then get the website for the magazine up. It’s us, outside that coffee shop yesterday. Adam told me that place was safe. There are two pictures, my face is mostly obscured in them but we are holding hands in one and clearly kissing in the other. I curse and lower the phone. I don’t want this. I don’t want people recognising me, invading my privacy and accusing me of being the other woman to someone who is lying about her relationship with Adam.

I search again and find more sites with the pictures on, people guessing who I am. This isn’t me, this isn’t what I want. I start panicking the more I see my picture. Adam walks in with a smile but it drops as soon as he sees my face.

“My picture is in the news.”

“What?” he frowns.

I tell him about it and pull up the site. He curses, turning away. “I’ll fix this.” He walks away dialling someone on his phone. After a few minutes I hear his voice getting louder, he’s not happy with whoever is on the other end. I step inside and look at him.

“I don’t care what it costs, I want those pictures pulled. It’s not important who she is. It’s more than that. Yes, she’s my girl but I’m not having her privacy invaded. No, I’m not letting you use her like that. I want them pulled. And find out how someone who works there got these pictures. The website can tell you who sold them to them. I don’t care what they say, find out who it was. Yes. Fix it. Now.”

His girl?

I look down at my feet. He comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder. “We’re gonna get the pictures off the website and kill the story. I’m sorry, Jenna. That must have been a shock. I knew it might happen but not like this.”

“It’s okay. I appreciate what you’re doing. Will they listen?”

“I’ll make sure they do,” he runs a hand through his hair.

“What did you mean I’m not being used like that?”

He pauses, drags a hand down his face. “Hannah, our publicist thinks having a positive story about you and I will take some of the heat off us with these other stories.” My face must go white because he looks concerned. “I told her no. I won’t use you, Jenna. I’d never do that.” I look at the floor, bite my thumb nail. “I promise I’ll take care of this,” his fingertips touch my chin and lift my face. He takes my thumb from my mouth and kisses it. “Do you believe me?”

I nod slowly. I do, I heard how angry he was on the phone. My phone rings in my hand. It’s Izzy. I tell him I need to take the call. He looks upset about the interruption and my non answer but puts his hands in his pockets and nods. I walk outside and answer the call.

“Hey Iz,” I say as I walk to the balcony and look at the steps down to the beach. I can feel Adam watching me.

“How are you, doll?”

“I’m okay.”

“Very convincing.” I roll my eyes. “I saw you on the internet this morning, Ada called to tell me, all excited.”

“Yeah, some asshole took our picture yesterday. Adam is trying to fix it.”

“Well, it was bound to happen eventually sweetheart. You’re dating a celebrity.”

I walk down the steps and open the gate out onto the beach, stopping to take off my shoes and leave them on the steps. I walk slowly to the water.

“Talk to me, Jenna.”

“I’m not sure how to deal with all the attention Iz.”

“I’m going to presume as you are still there he did not get someone pregnant?” I tell her it’s not true. “And you are dating, so technically the news today is true,” she laughs.

“Not funny.”

“You have to accept it if you want to be with him. Do you want to be with him?”

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