“I like to be comfy when I’m at home.”
“Jess, those ratty sweatpants are ten sizes too big for you and torn to pieces from Cleo.”
“And I look adorably casual in them, thank you very much.” I stuck my nose in the air.
“I’m with Oliver on this one,” Sara mumbled sleepily from the couch. “Not your best look.”
“Hey, screw you guys!” I crossed my arms over my chest. “And here I was going to tell you I had breakfast waiting for you in the kitchen.”
“Forgive our transgression!” Oliver threw himself posterior on the floor in a groveling bow.
Sara’s head shot up from the couch and she and Oliver bolted into the kitchen so fast they practically left a cloud of dust behind. Cleo bounded after them, curious what their excitement was about. I laughed and joined them in the kitchen where I’d left bacon, eggs and toast warming in the oven.
Oliver and Sara scarfed down the breakfast, laughing so hard that they nearly choked. That was another thing I liked about Oliver. He and Sara always got along. As a rule, we didn’t even tell family about these fake relationships, because you never knew who’d let a secret slip. But Sara was closer than family to me and the only person in the world I’d trust with any secret. Besides, I hadn’t told her Oliver and I weren’t dating. She just knew me so well that it was obvious to her.
I’d ‘dated’ a few actors in the past who’d really gotten along badly with my best friend and it made the whole ordeal a nightmare. If they had been real boyfriends, I would’ve just broken up with them, but somehow it was more complicated when spending time together was a professional consideration.
“What’re you two laughing about?” I asked, scooping a bit of omelette into Cleo’s bowl.
“Just planning our breakup,” Oliver said around a mouthful of toast.
“Oliver’s gonna tell the press you cheated on him.” Sara snorted into her orange juice.
“Hey, don’t make me look heartless.”
“She’s kidding.” Oliver shook his head. “But we do need to think of something. Maid for You hits theatres next month and I’d really like to actually start dating someone—no offence.”
“Can’t we just say we grew apart?” I shrugged.
“Sure, if you’re afraid of a little drama.” Sara wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“No, no drama!” I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “My publicist is already on my ass about generating bad press.”
“Is this about Real Love?” Sara picked at the crust on her toast.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t’ve said it like that.”
“Sorry you’re getting a hard time about it.” She frowned. “People are idiots.”
“Cheers.” Oliver clinked his glass against Sara’s. “Hey, maybe we should tell the press we broke up because you’re into women.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” My eyes went wide.
Sara laughed. “I’d be more than happy to be an accomplice in the lie!”
“Shut up, both of you.” I sat down sulkily in the corner with my only ally, Cleo. “No one would even believe it when photos were taken of me with my next boyfriend.”
As I said that, a small pang hit me in the heart. Funny, I spent my days surrounded by the sexiest men in the world, but I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a real boyfriend. I mean, I wasn’t exactly lonely. I had Sara and Oliver, who was amazing as a friend, but we didn’t click on that deeper level that you did with a soulmate.
I hadn’t felt a soulful bond like that in a long time. Probably not since I’d been a teenager, and in retrospect, who knew if those feelings were real or just hormones playing tricks on my mind? I’d actually stopped dating, for the most part. Maybe it was hard for me to know who to trust these days.
“Is y
our phone ringing?” Sara grabbed my buzzing phone from the table, swallowing heavily as she said, “Uh, it’s your mom.”
She set the phone gingerly back on the table and pretended she hadn't seen it. Oliver gave her a quizzical look, but she shook her head subtly.
“What if you dumped me because you thought you were holding my career back?” I said to change the subject.