My shoulders stiffened as I swung open the door. The sight before me—crowded benches lined with couples and gawking women—sent a rush of irritation through my veins. My hand dug into my hair as I shot a glare down Tessa’s path, a scowl settling on my face.
Because, of course, she’d set this up.
She had sworn up and down that the beach resort would be private. ” The kind of people who don’t care about us,” she’d assured me.
Yet here we were, in a sea of people.
And there she sat, practically glowing on the sand, eyes fixed on the ocean as if none of this chaos mattered. She hadn’t even bothered to wear a hat or sunglasses. Tessa McAdams, in plain sight, is meeting up with Patrick Lawrence. Real subtle.
A sigh escaped my lungs as I stepped back, my eyes narrowing. She arched an eyebrow at me as she expected I’d stroll over there and play with her little scheme as if I hadn’t already been stupid enough to believe her.
Right, because sacrificing my reputation for Tessa McAdams was on my to-do list. No, thank you. Fame might be a headache, but I wasn’t about to throw it all away for her.
Just as I was ready to turn and leave, a blonde woman approached me, her gaze practically dripping with stars and affection. Great. Even with the black hat and sunglasses, I’d been recognized. I was Patrick Lawrence, after all—the nation’s so-called “sweetheart.”
“Patrick Lawrence?” Her voice was thick with awe. “Oh my God, am I dreaming? Is it you?”
I raised my head, forcing a frown. “I’m sorry, but now’s not—”
“Please, just one selfie?”
Silence stretched between us. I wasn’t in the mood for fan photos. But I knew how that would go. Refuse, and rumors would start. They always did.
The blonde didn’t let up. She leaned in, eyes flicking toward Tessa. “I mean… it’d be amazing if you could. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about… all this.”
I cursed under my breath. She’d caught on, just like the rest. The whole crowd was probably piecing things together right now.
“You don’t need to do that,” I said, my tone clipped. “I’ll take the selfie with you.”
“Oh my gosh, thank you.”
Whatever. I took her phone, forced a fake smile, and clicked the picture. Done. I pulled away from the beach without so much as a glance at Tessa.
The bitch was just like all the others, eager to take advantage of the hype and the headlines. Nice try, but I wasn’t falling for it. Suppose this whole mess blew up, okay. But I wouldn’t let her use me.
I left the building faster than planned, even as the receptionist called my name. Whatever mess Tessa was stirring up wouldn’t wreck me.
And yet, maybe that’s all I had left: hope. Ridiculous. Because if there’s one thing the universe had taught me, hope was a joke—a pretty lie people used to fool themselves.
No more. Not this time.