Keeping my head down and trying to keep up with Reeves’ long strides, I was pushed to the side and collided with a camera. I pulled my hand from Reeves’ to hold my head where I was sure there was blood. My head throbbed like my hangover this morning as I stood in a sea of paparazzi without Reeves or Catherine. I couldn’t see past the flashing lights and started to worry about how I’d ever make it out of there. Catherine wouldn’t leave me here, would she?
I almost fell to the ground when I was knocked from behind, but strong arms caught me. When I looked up to see Reeves standing there looking extremely pissed off, I knew he was mad at me for letting go, but when he wrapped an arm around my waist and one under my knees and picked me up, his eyes softened as they met mine. He carried me out of the casino to the limo without an ounce of strain and easily sat me down inside without so much as a grunt.
Sitting down beside me, he closed the door and looked at me with concern. “Are you okay?”
I blinked at his kind words. I may have judged Reeves a little too harshly before. “Yeah, I . . . that was a lot. I can’t believe you have to deal with that day in and day out. Thank you for coming to my rescue.”
I could do this. I could be friends with the man that I had to spend the next year with. Our lives would be easier if we were friends instead of enemies, right?
Reeves flashed his perfect Hollywood smile. “You didn’t know what you were signing up for when we drunkenly got married.”
“Still, thank you for saving me. Ever since I was a child, I don’t do well with big crowds or being in the spotlight. I’m sorry about earlier. I’m not usually a bitch to people I’ve just met.”
“Just the ones you’ve slept with and don’t remember?” He flashed me that smile again, letting me know he was only joking.
Before I could respond, Catherine slid inside the car and tapped on the partition separating us from the driver. Once we started to move, she removed her sunglasses and reached over to pat my hand. “Great job. I didn’t know you had it in you, Abbi. The way you looked up at Jenner when he swooped you up in his arms was gold. Everyone is going to believe the two of you are in love if you keep that up.”
My gaze darted to Reeves. Was it all an act for him? It didn’t matter either way because, in the end, he came back and rescued me when he didn’t have to. Still, I wasn’t going to let my guard down around him. This was an arrangement and nothing else. I had three hundred and sixty-five days to get through with him, and then I’d never have to see Reeves Jenner again.
“Now that we’ve got a few hours before you arrive at your new house, we need to come up with a story for the public. Do you have anything in common?” Catherine asked, tapping the tip of her finger on her knee.
“Doubtful,” Reeves murmured.
Even though I had to agree with him, I glared over at him. It was true I didn’t fuck anything that walked, I didn’t drink regularly, and I sure as hell didn’t do drugs. I hadn’t had much of a life after my parents died. I’d studied my ass off to make sure I would get a good scholarship so my brother could live his life and not have to worry about paying for my college.
Looking at Catherine, I regrettably shook my head. “I’ve been studying and going to school until a month ago; I haven’t really had time to find myself and do things I love.”
“Jenner didn’t go to college, so that’s out.” Catherine stared out the window as if that would give her the answer she was looking for.
Turning in my seat so I could better look at Reeves, I was stunned silent for a moment with how close he was. This was the man I’d daydreamed about for years, and now he was right beside me, and he smelled heavenly. I tried to take a discreet whiff of him, but going by his furrowed brows, I didn’t think I was successful. Reeves lifted his arm, sniffed, and then looked at me with annoyance. There was no way I was telling him he smelled like the best cologne I’d ever had the pleasure of inhaling.
Shaking my head to clear my daze, I asked him what I’d planned to ask. “Why does she call you Jenner?”
His face changed to anger for a split second before he schooled his features. Wow, what happened there?
“Everyone’s called me Jenner since I was a teen,” he shrugged nonchalantly, but I had a suspicion that he didn’t like being called Reeves. It made me wonder why he hadn’t corrected me yet. I liked it, and if it got under his skin, then I was going to continue to call him by his first name.
“Is there anything that you’ve done since you’ve moved to LA that Jenner might like to do?”
I thought for a minute about what Sophie and I’d done. We hadn’t been here long enough to establish a routine except that three times a week, we’d go hiking and then head to the beach for a little sunbathing. While Reeves had a nice tan, I doubted he sunbathed in public. It was probably a spray tan.
“I like to go hiking and to the beach,” I finally blurted out. It felt hopeless that we’d find something we both enjoyed doing.
“Perfect,” Catherine clapped. “Jenner goes running on the trails by his house. We can say that you saw each other a few times, and when Abbi twisted her ankle, you came to her rescue just like you did today. Since then, you’ve been secretly dating, but you couldn’t hide your love any longer and decided to elope in Vegas.”
That was the worst story I’d ever heard, but I didn’t think we were going to come up with one better than that. We were screwed if anyone tried to contest our lie.
Reeves and I looked at each other, and I could tell he thought this was as bad of an idea as I did, but we both kept silent.
I was surprised when Reeves broke the silence. “What happens if someone comes forward saying they can prove we weren’t in a relationship?”
Just how many women had he been with in the last month? I didn’t even want to know. My husband, for the next year, was a manwhore.
“Is there anyone who can state you were not in a loving relationship with Abbi?” Catherine asked with a bite.
Jenner sat quietly for a few minutes before he asked. “Just for the last month?”
Dear God, how was he going to keep his dick in his pants for the next year?
“That’s when Abbi moved here from . . . I’m sorry dear, with all that’s happened, I can’t remember where you’re from. I feel terrible.” Catherine gave a grimace-smile that let me know she really did feel terrible about not remembering.
Placing my hand on hers, I gave her a reassuring smile. After the morning I had, I could barely remember my name; I didn’t blame her for not remembering where I’d come from after only meeting me once. “I’m originally from South Carolina, but for the last four years I’ve lived in Louisiana and went to LSU.”
“That’s right. I’ve lost my head today with his shenanigans.”
“Hey, I wasn’t the only one there.” Reeves swung around to look at us. “Abbi is just as much at fault as I am.”
Catherine gave me a knowing look that said she didn’t believe it. Too bad I couldn’t tell her who was right. I saw the video, and I was as smitten as a kitten over him last night. Regrettably, the same couldn’t be said now.
“The point is if there’s anyone from the last month who can contest your story, stop stalling, Jenner, and be the good guy we know is deep down in there.”