Page 23 of The Fangirl and the Playboy

But maybe we can…I don’t know. Start something new? Be friends like we were in the beginning?

I’d settle for anything better than the constant anger and animosity she feels for me now.

Walking forward, I meet the eyes of a young barista. She’s staring at me with slack-jawed awe, like she expected me but didn’t at the same time. Clearing her throat as I approach, she points toward an open door behind the counter.

“Mr. Reese, Willow is waiting for you in her office.”

“Thank you,” I say with a slight nod, then make my way to the end of the coffee bar.

Slipping through the opening, I keep my gaze forward as I step through the door she pointed out. I find myself in a kitchen occupied by a single employee, an older guy who gives me a slight wave as I walk toward a closed door with a placard that reads “Office.”

Lifting a hand, I knock lightly.

“Come in,” Willow’s voice calls out, making my heart thump in my chest.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, I grasp the knob and turn it before pushing the door open. My eyes find her immediately, sitting behind a battered wooden desk with a stoic expression on her face.

“Thank you for seeing me,” I start, but she only lifts a hand and waves me into the chair across the desk from her.

As soon as my ass hits the wood, she starts speaking without preamble.

“You need to stop talking to people about what happened between us. I never told anyone, and I’d appreciate your discretion.”

“Bram told you?” I ask, surprised at my own shock.

Of course, he did. Why else would she text me out of nowhere and ask to see me?

“Nothing specific,” she admits with a wave of her fingers. “Just that he thinks I should hear you out. But that’s enough to tell me you’ve been talking about me.”

“I wish youwouldhear me out,” I say, ignoring her accusation. “I just want to clear the air.”

“Why?” she asks incredulously. “That was a lifetime ago. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It was all a lie,” I blurt before she has the chance to kick me out of here.

She scoffs. “That was made abundantly clear to me at the time.”

I shake my head vigorously. “Notus,Willow. That thing with Julia. We were acting.”

Her mouth had already opened to argue again, but no words come out. She looks confused and off-kilter, and I know I need to get everything out before she regains control. But she recovers before I can even start.

“It was a long time ago, Gavin. It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters tome,” I argue, anger barreling through me at her obvious lack of interest in hearing the truth.

She shakes her head. “Just go. And stop talking to people about me.”

“No,” I say, causing her gaze to sharpen. If I don’t barrel ahead and get this out, I may never get another chance. “She grabbed me and purposefully kissed me in front of the paparazzi, Willow. She set the whole thing up. She wanted photos of us to be spread around so people would think we were together.”

She opens her mouth, and I can hear her next question before she asks it. I shake my head.

“I can’t tell you why Julia did it. It’s not my secret to share. But Icantell you everything that came after was an act, one that my agent insisted was necessary so bad press wouldn’t ruin the film premiere. We were supposed to carry on the charade for a few weeks, then let it fizzle out. Itriedto tell you that night when I came to your room. I wanted to explain, to make sure you knew the truth, even though no one else could. I didn’t betray you or our relationship.” I pause to take a deep breath, letting it out on a sigh. “Not on purpose, anyway.”

“You and Julia…that whole relationship. It wasn’t real?” she asks, and the hope in her voice rides an arrow straight to my heart.

“No, Willow. It wasn’t real. None of it.”

She seems to think about that for a moment, and the promise of another chance blooms in my chest. If she can accept my explanation and forgive me, maybe we really can start over. Get to know each other all over again. That hope fades when she frowns.

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