Page 5 of The Fangirl and the Playboy

ChapterThree

Willow

It’s Thursday, which is why I’m walking into Wolfsbane Tavern to meet my brother for dinner.

Trace and I have made a habit of having dinner together every Thursday night, and now that he’s officially living with his girlfriend Keegan, she’s part of the package. Not that I mind. We instantly clicked when she came to Evening Shade a few weeks ago, looking for an escape, and I can honestly say she’s become my best friend. As a bonus, she makes my grumpy-ass brother happier than I’ve ever seen him, so I have no complaints about her presence.

Of course, she won’t be here tonight. She and Pressley––her only friend from her old life in Seattle––are busy filming a video for the popular app, BingBang, tonight. They recently scored a sponsorship deal with Planter’s Vodka, so they get paid to promote the brand on the app. Their videos consist of pajama-dancing, mixing drinks, and getting tipsy, so basically, they get paid a boatload of money to have fun. It’s quite the cushy deal.

And tonight, they’re filming at Trace and Keegan’s place. It’s still weird to think of the house I grew up in astheirs, but that doesn’t mean I’m not happy they’re living there now. The place has sat empty for too many years, and I know Grandpa is looking down from Heaven with a smile on his face.

My mood drops, however, when I rememberwhythe location of tonight’s shoot is so important.

It’s because they’ll soon be filming with Gavin.

And his character from the Cursed movies spent a lot of time in that house since it was the home of his on-screen love interest, “Aria.” Having “Lucas Lumin” with them in that house will help them reach a whole new audience on the app, which will end up earning them even more money. Planter’s paid Gavin to participate, which is why he’s still in town instead of long-gone like I assumed.

A bitter taste explodes in my mouth at the thought of him, and thankfully, I spot my brother at our usual table, greeting me with a jerk of his chin. This dinner will be the distraction I definitely need.

“Hey,” he says as I slide into the booth across the table from him.

“Hey,” I say. “I’m sorry Keegan couldn’t join us tonight.”

“Yeah, me too,” he says, then a soft smile plays on his lips. “But she’s not going anywhere. There are lots of family dinners in our future.”

“Family, huh? Are you planning on proposing?” I tease, then go completely still when he just smiles back at me instead of giving the grumpy response I’d expected. “Wait, wait, wait.Areyou going to propose?”

I mean, I love Keegan, I do, but they’ve only known each other for a few weeks. As much as I want to believe in soul mates and true love, that’s kind of fast.

“Relax, Will. I’m not hitting one knee anytime soon.”

“Okay. Good.”

“But when I do, it’s going to be epic,” he adds, and I can’t help but grin back at him.

He’s so happy now. And I realize even if he decided to propose to Keegan tonight, I’d support him in the decision. She’s good for him. They’re good for each other.

“So, how drunk is she going to be when you get home tonight?” I ask, taking a sip of the water that was sitting on the table in front of me when I sat down.

“Very,” he says with a frown that doesn’t quite meet his eyes. Giving up the ruse, he smiles. “She and Pressley decided to pre-game and discuss strategy for when Gavin Reese joins them next time.”

I stiffen at the mention of Gavin, but thankfully, Trace doesn’t seem to notice. Our waiter appears beside us, saving me from having to come up with a response to that, and we order our usual choices––a bacon cheeseburger, medium-well with onion rings for me, and the steak sandwich with fries for Trace. I also order a giant margarita, which has Trace looking at me with a suspicious expression that I try valiantly to ignore.

“So, you think Keegan will still be conscious when you get home?” I ask, changing the subject to the one person I know he can’t resist talking about.

“I hope so,” he says with a smile, and there’s a gleam in his eye that makes my cheeks heat.

He’s doing a lot more of that these days––smiling, I mean. I’m happy for him, but his obvious bliss leaves me wistful. I wonder if I’ll ever find someone to share my life with. It’s hard in a small town like Evening Shade, where everyone has known everyone else since we were all in diapers.

Of course, these thoughts lead right back to Gavin and what Ithoughtwe had all those years ago. I mentally chastise myself and try to focus on my brother.

But apparently, he’s a mind reader now, because before I can broach another topic,anyother topic, he cocks his head and narrows his eyes.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Gavin Reese?”

“Wh-what?” I stutter, my entire body flashing cold then hot. “What are you talking about?”

“Please, Willow. I’ve known you your entire life, so don’t go thinking you can hide stuff from me now. I saw the way he looked at you Friday night in this very bar. And I also saw the way you tried to hide from him before disappearing, completely. So I’ll ask again, little sister, and this time I want a real answer. What’s the deal with you and Gavin Reese?”

---