Total pages in book: 244
Estimated words: 236705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1184(@200wpm)___ 947(@250wpm)___ 789(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1184(@200wpm)___ 947(@250wpm)___ 789(@300wpm)
Slade hums like he’s deep in thought. “Well, have you ever liked someone before?”
“Yes,” TJ says.
“Ever been in love?” Slade asks, upping the ante.
I look away, so my ex can’t see my face, but I’m on the edge of my seat for his reply.
“I have,” TJ mutters, and I hate that I hope he’s talking about me.
“Good. Then you act like that, TJ, rather than like a flaming Molotov cocktail of an asshole,” Slade says.
That sounds terribly familiar too. While it’s no secret I’ve read most of TJ’s books, I’m not about to slam the buzzer like a game show contestant and shout, “Yes Man! That’s from Yes Man!”
Trouble is, Slade stares sharply at me. “Can you make it two for two in the get-to-know-your-new-beau game?”
I have a new enemy in Slade. “Yes Man,” I grumble.
He mimes ringing a bell, then whips his gaze to TJ. “Now, do you think you can act like you like Jude and know his work too?”
“Of course,” he bites out.
“Good. Show me now,” Slade says.
My one-time lover takes a deep breath then turns to me. “I enjoyed If Found, Please Return,” he says as if he means it.
But I don’t want to be fooled again. “Thank you. I hope it was worth the popcorn,” I say. Oops. Did that come out douchey?
Slade stares at me sharply. “Jude, do you want this to succeed?”
“Yes,” I say, chastened once more.
The PR man turns to my partner in pretend. “TJ, you don’t want to be stuck forever, do you?”
Stuck forever? What’s going on with TJ?
“No, I don’t,” TJ says, looking at his shoes.
“Then let’s give it another go. Jude, I know you can act. And TJ, I’ve seen your social media posts. You know how to put on a good front.”
Oh, but I can’t resist. “Sometimes, he even seems like one of the heroes in his books,” I say as if I’m just so impressed with TJ’s skills. I could stop, but I don’t. This fake boyfriend game is officially fun now that we’re ad-libbing at our finest. “I do so love the way they carry themselves with a certain swagger. Holding back, being all reserved and broody. And then, boom, they speak their hearts in bed.”
Oh.
Hmm.
Wait. That’s totally true. I did enjoy that side of TJ.
And Slade seems to enjoy this side of me. “Keep that up, Jude. You’ll need to act like you’re familiar with each other’s work. I imagine, Jude, that TJ is your favorite writer. Perhaps you’ve adored his books for some time. And TJ, you’ve seen every episode of Our Secret Courtship and, of course, you met at Pillow Talk. But you guys didn’t start dating until Jude moved to New York earlier this year, shortly after If Found, Please Return released in late December,” Slade coaches.
TJ lifts a finger like he’s about to speak.
But I’m going to take the lead here and show Slade what I can do. “We kept it quiet at first, just wanting to get to know each other,” I offer, then reach for TJ’s hand, squeeze it lovingly, like a boyfriend. I press a kiss to the top of his knuckles.
And that was a mistake.
Why does he have to smell so good? All clean and fresh. It shoots me back to the first night we were together. Vivid memories snap before me. Our flat. London. Hot water beating down. My stomach swoops, and I hate how my body responds to someone who never felt as intensely about me as I did about him.
As I pull back from his hand, his breath catches slightly. As if he’s holding in a gasp.
Maybe he is affected?
But TJ clears his throat and focuses on the story. “Hate to be a downer, but that plot has some holes.”
Slade tilts his head, curious. “But there are photos of you at Jude’s play in LA when you met Robert from Webflix. We can easily spin that as the night you met.”
I burn at the mention of the start of our end.
“Yes,” TJ says. “That’s my point. Those pictures exist. That’s a fact. And if I were an enterprising reporter looking to expose a fake boyfriend ruse, I’d hunt out other facts. For instance, I’d research whether the two of us knew each other before.”
Holy shit. He is Agatha Christie. “You’re good,” I whisper.
He steals a glance my way, a sliver of a smile teasing his lips. “Right, Jude? Someone will find out, so we want to cover our butts,” he says, a little tender, like he wants to protect us.
Times like these, I like his protective side. “You’re totally right,” I murmur, then meet Slade’s gaze. “We roomed together in London once upon a time.”
“And someone will find out. Someone will research the three weeks I worked in London eight years ago,” TJ says to the press agent.