"That was right after you quit Rock Bottom."
"Ryan, I—"
"Why'd you leave?"
"I wanted to."
"Can't be the hours. You groan every time you get in at nine thirty."
"It's early."
"Assholes still leer at your tits."
"I appreciate the attention."
I shoot her my best side-eye.
"Not all of us look like—" She looks to her computer. Taps the mouse a few times. "Romance cover models." She turns the screen to me. Shows off the cover mock-up with me. Only now its title is Ryan and the author is Leighton Black.
"You think I can't play this game?"
"Maybe."
I grab my cell. Pull up my favorite graphics program. It's a lot more streamlined than Photoshop, but it's enough to prove my point.
She stares, tapping the table with her shiny fingernails, as I whip up a design.
I show off my finished work—a book cover with her as the model. It's an older picture. One of her staring into the distance, her then pastel pink hair blowing in the wind, her blue-green eyes contemplative.
Same title concept. Leighton with Ryan Maddox as the author.
"Mine looks better." She motions to her computer. "You're a better model."
"Or you're a better designer."
She shakes her head. Turns her attention back to her computer. "Domain acquired."
"We still have to set it up."
"Later."
No. Now.
I need to find the source of her resistance and destroy it.
I will—she's too good not to do this full time.
My phone's buzz pulls me out of my thoughts.
It's a notification from Instagram.
@P3nnyForYourThoughts likes your post.
The one of me and Leighton at the beach, close enough to touch.
"Oh. Is that her?" Leighton leans over. Her eyes go wide as she takes in my screen. "I knew she followed you."
I guess she did.
"How does it feel?"
"Weird." My throat is tight. The same as it was when Penny called.
But there's this warmth in my chest.
I want to throw up.
And I want to revel in my victory.
I may be wasting my time and energy obsessing over her wedding.
But she's wasting hers thinking of me.
She's keeping tabs on me.
Wondering if I've found someone.
If I know anything about Penny, she's asking herself if Leighton is prettier. Cooler. Smarter.
Kinkier.
She's asking herself if I fucked Leighton behind her back.
If she somehow missed all the signs.
That's one thing I learned about cheaters—they project their deceit right back on you.
Start accusing you of the shit they're doing.
Looking for cracks in your story.
Digging for lies.
"Look at your face." Leighton claps her hands together. "You want to do it. I can tell."
I shake my head. Part of me does. But the other part is struggling to breathe.
"Let's make a deal."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
She presses on. "We take another set of pictures. See how Penny reacts."
"Leigh—"
"I let you set up my entire website."
I shake my head. "You start accepting clients."
Her silver fingernails tap the table. "Sure."
She's too relaxed. There's some loophole here. I need to close it.
"You start advertising. Actively looking for clients," I say.
Her blue-green eyes fill with worry. "I don't know."
"You're good enough."
"And if I'm not?"
"You are."
"Not an answer."
"You offered a deal. I countered. Take it or leave it."
She stares into my eyes. "Okay. Yes."
She's going to actually pursue design.
Fuck, that warms me everywhere.
It opens up my airways.
I suck a deep breath through my teeth. "You're not gonna find some bullshit loophole?"
"No. I promise." She offers her hands. "You let me help you. I let you help me."
"You tell me why you took the job at Inked Hearts?"
She smiles wide. "No way in hell."
It's still a good deal.
I take her hand.
Shake.
Let the warmth of her touch fill me everywhere.
Chapter Seven
Ryan
Leighton's phone clicks as she snaps a picture of her lunch.
We spent the last few days ironing out the details of our arrangement.
She gets one day of photos with free rein over what we do and how we pose.
I get one night to put her website together.
And one month of her actively seeking out and accepting clients.
"What happened to fries?" She glares at the sautéed kale that comes with her burger. Nudges her iced coffee into place.
"Less disturbing than coffee with a burger."
"No. This is America. You're unpatriotic."
"You wore all black at Walker's Fourth of July Barbecue."
"So did you." She looks to my plate of shrimp curry. "The food. Then you. Then both of us."
I nod sure.
She arranges the food just so, snaps a picture, turns the camera to me. "Look natural. No. Smile. No. Natural." Her finger slides over her cell. "Your call."
I pick up my water, take a sip, stare at the hotel across the street.
It's modern, expensive, beachfront. The kind of place to spend your wedding night after a ceremony by the pier.
The kind of place Penny and I would have—
Click. "Contemplative Ryan. Classic. I'll add a caption about how the beautiful weather is making us think about our big day."
I shake my head.
Not going there.
Not letting Penny infect my thoughts.
Even if this expedition is to… to make my ex feel something.
Leighton is after something specific.
But why? She keeps insisting she should play my girlfriend at this wedding.
There must be a reason.
More than her wanting to help me.
"Ahem." She clears her throat.
We have a deal. I need to hold up my end of the bargain.
I settle into my chair.
Stab a shrimp with my fork.
Leighton moves around the glass table and takes the seat next to mine.
She rests her head on my shoulder and turns the camera to selfie mode. "What do you see for your wedding?"
Penny.
I still see her. In a flowing gown, holding a bouquet of pink flowers.
Staring into my eyes.
Smiling like she's so happy she could die.
I blink and it's gone.
Replaced by the lemon sun bouncing off the glass tables.
The planters of succulents lining the patio.
The bright green umbrellas casting shade over the busy restaurant.
"Ryan?" Leighton's fingers brush my stomach, pressing my t-shirt into my skin.
"Yeah?"
"I guess that's a no on the wedding planning."
I nod.
"You ready to do this?" She motions to her cell.