8
“You so need to up your game, Alex.” Audrey attempts to scowl at her boyfriend, but she’s wearing a dazed dreamy expression that I suspect isn’t much different from mine. She leans in, pressing her mouth to my ear. “I really don’t think you have anything to worry about. He just professed his love for you in front of the world, and there’s no denying the sincerity of his message. Honestly, I think I’m half in love with Reeve now myself.”
I laugh, nudging her in the ribs as I start scrolling through the comments. “That had better be a joke. Hands off my man.” I’m smiling as I read through the fan messages, but it doesn’t take too long for my smile to fade. A lot of the messages are swooning, mentioning how romantic Reeve is, and how lucky I am, but there are nasty comments too from girls who think I’m not pretty enough for Reeve, and there are a few comments stating Reeve should be with Saffron and not with me.
My good mood evaporates, and a familiar pain spreads across my chest.
“Don’t read them.” Audrey snatches my cell, slipping it in my purse. “They’re just jealous hos.”
We head out to the marquee after that, and I force myself to relax and enjoy the party. Everyone I invited from school is here, and now my parents have left us alone, the alcohol is flowing, and we’re working up a sweat on the dance floor. The band is amazing, and I’m having a great time until stupid Nate McAndrews opens his big mouth. “Hey, sexy,” he says, throwing his arm around my shoulders. “How come Reeve deleted the video?” he asks, his beer breath fanning across my face.
“What?” I shout in his ear, sure I must have misheard him.
“It’s gone from all his profiles.” He arches a brow. “You didn’t know?”
I have tried calling Reeve several times, but he’s obviously working late. I sent him a pic of me in the sexy black lace bra and thong set he sent me, as well as a picture of me in my party dress. I designed and made the black minidress with a gold and emerald trim that brings out the green flecks in my hazel eyes. The dress is short, emphasizing my long legs. I left my hair down and styled it in soft curls, just the way Reeve likes it. Mom hired her makeup artist to do our makeup, and I asked her to use the makeup Reeve bought me. It might seem silly, but it makes me feel closer to him.
I hate that I haven’t actually spoken to him yet, and my birthday will officially be over in three hours, but I know he’ll call or message me whenever he can.
“It’s true,” Audrey says, showing me her phone. Reeve’s Insta profile is displayed on her screen, and the video post is nowhere to be seen. “Maybe he spotted the nasty comments and took it down.”
That must be it, I think as my cell vibrates in the pocket of my dress. My lips pull into a smile, and a relieved breath escapes my mouth when I see it’s my boyfriend. “Hang on a sec,” I shout into the phone, rushing across the marquee. “It’s loud as fuck and I can’t even hear myself think.”
Reeve chuckles, and the sound does funny things to my insides.
“That’s better,” I say, as soon as I’m outside. The cooler air is like a balm to my hot skin, so I don’t mind the slight breeze wafting around me. “Hey, baby,” I purr. “I miss you.”
“I miss you too, and I wish I was there.”
“Thank you so much for my flowers and the gifts, and that video message was beautiful. I tear up every time I look at it.”
“I sent it to you privately since I was forced to take it down from social media,” he admits, adding, “I hope you don’t mind.”
“What do you mean you wereforcedto take it down? By who? Did Bianca make you do it?” I knew there was a reason I took an instant dislike to his agent.
His sigh trickles down the line. “It wasn’t Bianca. It was Cassidy. She’s been hired to handle PR for the movie, and she threw a massive hissy fit.”
“Why?”
There’s a pregnant pause. “I guess it doesn’t look good I have a girlfriend.”
Unease slithers through my veins. I’m not stupid. I’ve been expecting this, but it still hurts. “Oh,” I quietly say.
“It’s probably for the best. Some of the comments were nasty. The last thing I want is you becoming a target for crazy bitches.”
Loud music mixed with noisy chatter fills the line, and I frown. “What was that?”
“Someone just opened the door.”
“Opened the door where? Aren’t you at your hotel?”
“We’re at a club. We worked late tonight, and a few of us decided to go out for drinks.” Reeve is the youngest of the main acting crew with most of his costars being in their early twenties and legally able to attend clubs and drink alcohol. I am guessing the PR person pulled some strings to get Reeve in, and I’m sure his costars are sliding a few beers his way.
“Dude,” a male says in the background. “We’re going to head back to the hotel bar.”
“Okay,” Reeve says.
“Wait. Is that your girlfriend?” another guy says, and there’s a few seconds of muffled talk.