Chapter 4 #2
“Bring me down?” Drew sounded and looked genuinely interested in him.
Lee grimaced slightly, then went for broke and told Drew everything. “I lost my older brother about six months ago. Bowel cancer.”
“I’m sorry.” Drew’s smile morphed into warm concern. “That must’ve been hard.”
“It was,” Lee sighed. “Especially since he was so young and fought it so hard. Dan was my biggest fan. He believed in me, believed I have what it takes to be a bestselling author.”
“I’m sure he was right,” Drew said.
Lee laughed. “Maybe. Becoming a bestselling author when you start out as an indie is kind of a tall order.”
“Sort of like becoming a major international celebrity when you get your start doing student films and indie projects is a one in a million shot?” Drew arched one eyebrow.
Once again, the surreal feeling that he and Drew had far more in common than not just about bowled Lee over. “Yeah, something like that.”
They’d come to a stop at the edge of the square.
Since it was a nice day, the place was packed with tourists of every description posing for pictures, studying maps, watching the street performers, and more.
The place was a hive of activity even on rainy days with more things to do and look at than anyone could possibly take in all at once.
But even with a hundred distractions, all Lee could see was Drew’s smile as the two of them studied each other.
It was amazing to Lee that someone like Drew could just stand there with all of humanity around him, looking gorgeous and smelling even better, without everyone under the sun noticing him and mobbing him.
It was even more amazing that with all the grandeur of the British Museum, fountains, lions, and Nelson’s Column right there in front of them, Drew was more interested in him than anything else.
It was hard to tell with the dark Ray Bans in the way, but Lee was pretty sure Drew was studying him as intently as he was being studied.
Maybe it wasn’t wise, but the feeling that Drew was assessing him, and the fact that he was smiling as he did, made Lee blurt out, “So what are you looking for from this Rent-A-Boyfriend experience?”
As soon as the words were out, he regretted every one of them. Drew Oberlin, the Drew Oberlin, was going to think he was just another ridiculous, starstruck fan.
But Drew shrugged and said, “I don’t know, really. I think I’d just like the merry-go-round to stop for a while.”
With an answer like that, how could Lee not pledge himself to look out for Drew and give him whatever he wanted?
“So you definitely want to go ahead with it, then?” he asked, then cast a quick glance around them to see if people had recognized Drew yet and if they were listening in.
When he was confident no one was paying attention, he went on with, “You’re ready for whatever might come if people think we’re dating? ”
Drew took a long time to answer. So long that Lee’s palms started to get sweaty. He wished more than anything that he could see past Drew’s glasses to get an idea of what the man was thinking.
Finally, Drew took a breath and said, “Here’s what I think we should do.”
“I’m all ears.” Lee scooted closer to him.
“We hang out,” Drew said.
That was it. Lee waited, but nothing more came. “Just hang out,” he repeated.
“Yes,” Drew said, his smile growing like he thought the whole thing was funny and he was going to have a blast pretending. “We hang out in public, get seen and photographed together, and see what people on social media say.”
“Um, I think I know exactly what they’re going to say.” Lee smirked. “It’s social media. People will jump to every conclusion under the sun.”
“Which is exactly the point,” Drew said with a nod. “All we have to do is be around each other, do things together, and make sure everyone knows we like each other.”
“And do we like each other?” Lee asked, then immediately felt incredibly stupid.
Drew laughed. “Well, I like you, so that’s a start.”
“Oh, and I definitely like you,” Lee stumbled all over himself to say. “Definitely.”
“And I like you,” Drew repeated, laughing like they were two idiot teenagers who didn’t know what to do when they were attracted to someone.
That thought brought Lee up short. He might have even gasped a little. Did Drew Oberlin like him? As in like him like him?
Now who was being an idiot teenager? Lee had read a few too many of his own books.
“Fabulous. We’re in like!” he said, then started forward, gesturing for Drew to walk with him, mostly because he needed to move or he would be in danger of spontaneously combusting with awkwardness.
“Being in like is a great start,” Drew said, clearly having a blast with their new charade.
“And being randomly seen on the street or near a famous London landmark together is also a good step in the right direction.” He nodded to the side, where a group of twenty-somethings had their heads together and were staring in Drew’s direction.
“As long as you don’t mind the scrutiny that comes with being in like with the flavor of the hour. ”
“Oh, come on, now,” Lee teased him. “You’re more than the flavor of the hour. You’re at least the flavor of the day.”
Drew laughed. “Hopefully more than a day, if I play my cards right and make the right choices to build my career.”
“I’m sure it’ll happen,” Lee said.
“And I’m sure you’ll make a perfect transition into your new genre,” Drew complimented him as well.
Lee could seriously get used to being part of a mutual admiration society with a guy like Drew. Even if he hadn’t been famous. “At the very least, I’ll have all sorts of material to write about after a few weeks of hanging out with you.”
“If you want to write celebrity romance, I’ve got all the insider gossip for you,” Drew said with a burst of enthusiasm. “Once you get your foot in the door like I have over the last few months, it’s amazing what kind of stuff you find out about.”
“Stop it,” Lee laughed. “You’re going to make me fall in love with you for real if you dangle that sort of promise in front of me.”
Lee hadn’t meant those words to mean anything, but the sly grin that Drew sent him, combined with the perfect flicker of his eyebrows, even if he couldn’t see Drew’s eyes completely, had Lee’s blood rushing to all the right places at the wrong time.
He had to remind himself that this whole thing was a professional arrangement that served a specific purpose, to protect Drew from online accusations.
The last thing he should be doing was getting hard in Trafalgar Square because his celebrity fake boyfriend teased him with a very real flirty look.
“So my friend Nikky is playing a concert at a London venue in a few days,” Drew said once they’d reached the other side of the square, where he called for a car to come pick them up. “That would be the perfect place for us to be seen together.”
“Nikky Smith?” Lee asked with a sudden look of surprise.
“Yeah.” Drew smirked. “Obviously, if you’ve heard about me, you’ve heard about him.”
“I have indeed,” Lee said. “And I’d love to go to his concert with you.”
“Great,” Drew said, seemingly relieved. As if Lee would turn down an invitation to go to a famous actor-musician’s concert with an even more famous actor. “I’ll text you all the details as soon as I have them. I mean, if you’re willing to give me your phone number.”
“Of course I’m willing to give you my phone number,” Lee said, pulling his cellphone out of his back pocket. Half a dozen messages from Diana were waiting for him, but he would fill her in on all the juicy details later. “I’m just surprised you’re willing to give me your number.”
“You can’t date someone without sharing your phone number,” Drew said, then gestured for Lee to hand over his phone once he’d unlocked it.
As he did, their hands touched. It was yet another perfect romance novel moment as fingers brushed and sparks flew.
Lee refused to let himself take it seriously, though.
Drew Oberlin might not have been completely straight, but he was definitely out of Lee’s league.
The best he could hope for was to have some fun and do all the research for a whole series of books.
But a boy could still dream of more, couldn’t he?