8. Griffin
GRIFFIN
D id I sound too desperate?
Of course you did, you idiot.
Call me, text me, whatever . Might as well have said, Marry me .
The woman discombobulated me with her statement about how I’m a regular guy.
While that may be the last thing someone might want to hear, it was exactly what I needed to hear.
Who I long to be. With that one simple statement, she flipped my world right side up.
I wasn’t just some celebrity to be used for her own benefit.
That alone made me want to work with her more than ever.
She’s like no other woman I’ve ever met—certainly not like anyone in my typical Hollywood circle.
This fact is on repeat in my brain when I return home to see Scarlet’s red Porsche in my driveway. After such a rejuvenating morning, my body deflates knowing what I’m walking into. Yet another awkward conversation walking on eggshells.
Scarlet is perched on a barstool, sipping a glass of ice water with a freshly squeezed lemon.
Really rolling out the red carpet there, Luke. Should we add a tiny umbrella too?
“Hey, Scar. What are you doing here?” I drop my keys on the wide marble island.
Luke wide-eyes me from the opposite side of the counter. His pointed look tells me he’s plotting his escape now that I’m here to relieve him.
I laser my gaze on his, conveying the clear message of: “ If you dare leave me here alone with her, so help me ? —”
A slow grin stretches across his face.
I narrow my eyes.
Scarlet’s wearing a form-fitting, knee-length white dress and three-inch black heels. She closes the short distance between us, her heels clipping on the tiles as fast as her snug dress will allow. She swats my arm. “Why haven’t you responded to my texts?”
“You mean the texts you sent last night, mere hours after I’d seen you? The ones just before I crashed for the night? Those texts?” I vaguely remember seeing them pop up on my phone while I scrolled the internet, but I ignored them, enthralled by Ashton’s blog and my worries about Roxy.
Speaking of, I look over Scarlet’s shoulder to Luke. He reads my concern, knowing what I want to ask. He nods toward the backyard.
Roxy’s sunbathing on the porch next to a water bowl.
Scarlet inches closer and toys with the buttons on my shirt. “Yes, silly. Those.”
I stiffen. Being romantic for the cameras and the public is one thing—coming to my home and slathering on the fake romantics is another. I gently grasp her wrists and remove them from my shirt. “I got distracted.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Doing what?”
I shrug, not ready to divulge my new pet project. “Just things. What are you doing here, anyway?”
She blinks a few times before responding. “I was thinking, with the show airing in just a few weeks, we need to up our game.”
“Up our game?”
Her ruby lips widen. “Yes, be more strategic about our outings. Schedule more dates. Get some more press going, especially since we’re not on set anymore capturing all those selfies together. We need more opportunities to be seen together.”
“Strategic?”
I understand, logically, that she’s right. This would be the best move for the show’s publicity and to keep her father satisfied with the terms of our contract, but my mind wanders to a particular blonde woman instead.
She giggles. “Yes, like dates. Ever heard of those? We need to schedule some.”
We’ve always worked through our publicity team and PAs to schedule publicized outings.
This one-on-one business is new. “I think we can let our PR team work through those details.” I don’t want to break the terms of our contract, but I also don’t want to hurt her feelings by letting her down.
But her pushiness is getting awkward. It’s like she’s forgetting our arrangement isn’t real.
She struts to the barstool and pulls out her phone from the massive bag I assume is her purse. She waves her phone in the air. “Or we can do it now. Together. I came prepared.”
I look to Luke behind her for guidance. He just shrugs.
Great.
I try for distraction. “Do you even know how to use that thing? Where’s Sarah?”
“You’re hilarious. Of course I know how to use my cell phone. Sarah doesn’t do everything for me.”
Sarah is her personal assistant. Honestly, I’m surprised she isn’t here with her.
I arch an eyebrow.
She exhales. “Okay, so she does do everything. But this? This I can do.”
The woman is a goddess incarnate and looks great on camera. She can memorize lines better than any actress I know, but technology or life skills—aren’t exactly her strong suit.
She taps her manicured nails across her phone screen.
Barking outside draws our attention. Roxy has discovered some birds in the trees.
Scarlet gasps and clutches my arm, her cherry nails digging into my skin. “Oh my gosh! There’s a stray dog in your yard.”
I laugh. “Calm down, it’s just my new dog.”
“Wait. Is that the one that wreaked havoc on our photoshoot yesterday?”
“That’d be the one.”
Her eyes widen. “I thought you were temporarily dog-sitting or something?”
I slip my hands in my pockets and rock back on my heels. “I was. But now I’m not. I’ve decided to keep her.”
She turns her flabbergasted expression from me to outside.
Roxy hikes a tree, thinking she can scale it and capture the birds. Something inside me loosens at the sight. Her energy has already improved so much since yesterday.
“Have you ever had a dog? Do you know what to do with one?”
I laugh. “It’s not rocket science. Plenty of people have one. I think I can manage.”
A cough comes from the kitchen. I ignore Luke.
“But…how will you have time?”
I shrug. “Your father’s movie isn’t set to start filming for a few months. The only thing I have between now and then is the show’s premiere party. I’ll have ample free time. I plan to help train her. Maybe she’ll even be able to come on set with me. I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.”
She nods, her full red lips pursed. “Okay, then I want to meet her.”
“Roxy?”
“Is that her name?”
“Yes.”
“Okay then, yeah. I’d like to meet Roxy.”
I look up and down at her perfectly pristine white dress. “You sure about that?”
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s just a dog. My father has several, if you recall. Besides, if she’s your dog, then she’s half my dog.”
I choke. “Whoa, Scar, let’s not go that far. After all, we’re?—”
She ignores my protests and marches toward the patio doors.
Luke comes to stand next to me. We both watch Scarlet exit the patio doors.
“Please tell me that was a joke.”
Luke grips my shoulder. “Afraid not, brother. This crazy cat seems to be one smitten kitten.”
I scoff, but he releases my shoulder and looks at me. His face is dead serious.
Can that be true? Surely not.
“Roxy, here, girl.” Scarlet pats her thighs.
I walk out to the patio and stand next to her. “I’m not so sure this is a good idea. She’s pretty timid.”
Roxy’s head darts in our direction, her floppy ears perking at the sound of Scarlet’s shouting. A second later, her attention is pulled once again to the tree at the back of my property. She plops her bottom onto the grass, her gaze unwavering.
“Why isn’t she coming?”
“Like I said, she’s timid. It’ll be a while before she warms up to people again. She looked pretty neglected when I found her.”
“Aw. That’s terrible.” Scarlet’s eyes are full of sympathy. “Was she injured? Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. At least, I think she will be. She’s got a minor cut on her back leg. She favors it slightly, but mostly, she just needs some time to bulk back up to a healthy weight.” That, and learn to trust people again.
My phone chimes in my back pocket. I pull it out.
Scarlet leans toward me, reading the screen. “Ashton? Who’s Ashton, and why are they asking to meet you somewhere tomorrow morning?”
I slap the phone against my thigh, my pulse accelerating. Does this mean she’s agreed to training?
At Scarlet’s intake of breath, I realize my error. I was too hasty in hiding my phone.
I keep my face neutral. “It’s no one in particular. Just a woman who works at the dog shelter. She helped with Roxy’s paperwork. She’s probably just checking on her.”
Scarlet crosses her arms over her chest. “A she, huh? Texting your personal cell? Do shelter workers often follow up with their adopted dogs? Since when do you give out your personal number to strangers?”
Never.
“Why isn’t she calling Luke? And what’s this about meeting you tomorrow?”
“Okay, fifty questions. Calm down. I haven’t even had the chance to look at the text yet.” I slip the phone back into my pocket.
She walks toward the bar, her long, jet-black hair swishing over her shoulder.
“Oh, go ahead. I’m in no rush. I’ll just finish up my glass of water before I head out.
I’m so parched.” She puts the straw to her lips, waving at me to go ahead.
She pulls out the barstool and perches on the edge, sips her water, and then opens her phone.
I bite my retort, and instead, swipe open Ashton’s text message, eager to read her response.
Ashton
I can meet tomorrow morning. 7:00 a.m. at Canyon Hills Park for a trial session. I repeat, a TRIAL session. I’m not agreeing to anything.
“Yes!”
Luke’s head shoots up, the movement pulling my focus from my phone screen.
Dang it. Be. Cool.
Scarlet’s head swivels in my direction. “Good news, I guess?” She slowly, deliberately places the glass back on the counter with a clink.
I clear my throat. “Yes, the uh, shelter woman is also a dog trainer. She agreed to meet me tomorrow for a training session with Roxy.” I gesture outside. “As you witnessed from trying to call her, she needs it.”
“I know plenty of dog trainers. I could have suggested some. All you had to do was ask me.”
“Oh, well, this one is already familiar with Roxy, so I thought she’d be best. If things don’t work out, though, I’ll definitely hit you up for a recommendation.” I slip the offending object into my pocket, hoping to close the discussion.
“Where are you planning to meet tomorrow? I could come. Maybe even give your trainer some tips?” She says trainer like I’m making up the whole situation.
Do I want to see Ashton again? Absolutely. Do I think there’s some chemistry between us? I’d like to find out. Do I want to explore that possibility with my fake girlfriend in tow? Absolutely not.
Our relationship isn’t real, after all. Meeting with Ashton isn’t like I’m betraying her.
Right?
Yet, somewhere inside, guilt eats at my gut.
I have nothing to hide. Might as well put it all on the table.
“We’re meeting early at Canyon Hills Park.” I approach the counter, grab a grape from a bowl, and pop it into my mouth. “You’re welcome to come, but it’ll be at seven a.m., and I know how you like your beauty rest when we’re not filming.”
She stands, her ample bosom bumping into me. “I think I can make an exception.” She leans in. “Perhaps I’ll see you tomorrow.”
My chest tightens at her veiled threat.
She breezes past me and shoulders her purse before grabbing her keys off the counter.
I have nothing against Scarlet. She’s a good person. Just not my person. “Look, Scarlet, about scheduling a date?—"
She holds her manicured finger in the air. “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll plan everything.”
I exhale a sigh, knowing that once again I’m yielding to someone else’s wishes over my own. Scarlet, much like my father, overlooks my own desires and often makes decisions without considering my opinions. It’s yet another reason we’ve never felt like a good fit. I want a partner. Not a pulverizer.
I need to make my boundaries clearer between us if what Luke said is true, but I can’t afford to tick her off or, inadvertently, her father.
The situation is delicate. I need time to formulate the perfect script to let her down easy.
Maybe a public outing together isn’t such a bad idea. “Sure. Sounds good.”
She hugs me briefly with a peck on my cheek. “I’ll be in touch.”
Yeah…that’s exactly what I’m afraid of.