Chapter Eight #2
“I do. Believe me, I’ve been over this a thousand times.
I wouldn’t have asked unless I was desperate.
” He tried to smile at me but he just looked sad instead.
“And if you won’t do it for me, do it for the rest of the production team.
None of them deserve to be punished for being associated with me. ”
I let out a low growl of annoyance. I didn’t think Henry was trying to manipulate me, but it felt like he was.
I knew looking at the bigger picture was important, but all the pieces were overlapping and smashed together in my mind and I didn’t know how to separate them all out and assemble the truth.
I didn’t know if Henry had told me all of it. I didn’t even know if he knew everything himself.
“If it helps,” Henry said quietly, “they’ll probably pay you.”
“Who?”
“The production company. Or the streaming service. Someone will. There are enough fake dating contracts floating around the industry to make it standard practice.” I blinked at him and he chuckled.
“Oh yeah,” he continued, like we were talking about the fucking weather.
“Loads of Hollywood couples are fakes. Happens in the music industry too. They use it for promos, reputation building, to get someone noticed, cover up scandals, make someone appear straight… all kinds of shit.”
“Again, you do realise how fucked up that is?”
“I know. It’s why I’ve never said yes to one before.”
“You’ve been offered them?”
“More like strongly suggested,” he said wryly, like the whole thing was somehow funny instead of fucked up.
“I’ve never told anyone, especially not Jason—he’d be so angry—but yeah…
there’s been suggestions that I could ‘date’ certain actresses for a while to promote films we’re in.
It’s not actually dating. It’s more planned public appearances, dinners where the paparazzi accidentally get tipped off, some social media stuff, premieres, stuff like that. ”
“And that’s what you’d want this to be?” I asked. My head was spinning out of control, my thoughts nothing more than a colourful vortex I could only stare at as it swirled around me. I wanted to ask if there was a reason he’d turned them down before, but I couldn’t find the words.
“We could talk about it,” he said softly.
“Draw up a contract if it makes you more comfortable. We might even be able to get them to give us a couple of weeks to bed in before we have to come out—just so we can get to know each other in private without the whole world descending on us. I doubt it would be some big, fancy coming out announcement either, just quiet drip feeding to the press, and we wouldn’t have to do anything.
They’d get a PR company to handle it. And you can say no.
I promise, nothing is going to happen if you say no.
I’m not going to force you into anything you’re not comfortable with.
Believe me, that’s the last thing I want. ”
“W-Why me?” My voice was strangled and it felt like all the fight had been drained from my body.
I wished I could talk to Noah about this, even vaguely.
He’d know what to do, and if he didn’t, he’d be able to help me find my way out of the tangled mess.
But I doubted I’d be allowed to breathe a word of this to anyone without serious repercussions.
“Because I like you,” he said. “I think you’re an interesting person, Alex. And you’re someone I wouldn’t mind spending time with. I don’t think it would be… It wouldn’t feel forced.”
I nodded but mostly to acknowledge he’d spoken. “Is that why you didn’t date any of the others?”
“Yeah. They were all very sweet but we didn’t have anything in common.”
“And we do?” I asked incredulously.
“Yes, I think we do.” He stood up and closed the distance between us, stopping just in front of me.
My heart was racing and my lungs felt suddenly constricted, like all the air was being squeezed out of them.
“And if we don’t, we can end it early. Or we don’t even have to start.
Like I said, I don’t want to force you. I just want to be honest with you. ”
“How do I know this isn’t all some bollocks you’ve made up just to fuck with me and get me to go out with you?”
“Firstly, because that’d be a dick move and I’d never stoop that low. Ever. Secondly, I can take you to see Jenny if you want. She’s our showrunner and the closest thing we have to God on set. She’s the one who suggested all this in the first place, even after I told her you’d say no.”
“You did?”
“You said you didn’t want a boyfriend,” he said. “And you made it pretty clear I’m largely an arse. I’m only here because she wore me down with logic.”
“How terrible for you,” I said sarcastically.
“See, I knew you’d get it.” He grinned. “Do you want me to tell her you said no? Or you can come to set tomorrow and tell her yourself? Actually, that might be a better idea. Then you can tell her exactly how fucked up this whole thing is.”
“What if…” I shook my head. There was no way I was actually considering saying yes to this. Except… “Fine, I’ll come and see her tomorrow. Just let me know when and where.”
“Thanks,” he said. “And I’m sorry for bothering you.”
“You’re fine,” I said. “I’m glad you told me.”
“I hope you’ll still let me come and get coffee here? Or maybe I’ll just send Cas. That’s probably safer.” There was a heavy note of sadness in his voice, and I didn’t think it was deliberate.
This whole situation had confused the fuck out of me and I hated it.
I wanted to say no. I needed to say no.
But the resigned expression on Henry’s face made me wonder whether it would kill me to pretend.