The Producer's Unlikely Bride

by Lorana Hoopes

  “Then Peter is crazier than you are.” Ava stood and began pacing the room. “And why me? You don’t even know me. Don’t you have some female friend you could ask? Surely, you haven’t soured all the women you’ve met.”

  Justin’s jaw clenched at her words, and he stood as well. “I’m kind of a loner. I don’t have a lot of close friends, much less girl friends.”

  “Well, color me surprised. You mean that surly attitude of yours doesn’t have women falling at your feet?” That information did not surprise Ava in the least.

  Again, he let her comment slide. He must really need her help. “Besides, it needs to be someone who screams romance. Someone the public will love. Who better at romance than a romance author?”

  Ava covered her face with her hands. This couldn’t be happening. She had come here hoping to find quiet to finish her novel not jump into a fake relationship with some stranger. “I don’t even know you. What do we even have in common?”

  “We both like the ocean,” he said gesturing out the window. “And Code Red Mountain Dew.”

  Ava threw her hands up in frustration. “We cannot build a relationship on a carbonated beverage.”

  Justin shook his head. “A fake relationship, and we can build it on anything. We can make up some fantastical story if you’d like. Look, you help me turn my image around. In return, I help put you on the map. We’ll get tons of press, some tv interviews. You’ll be a household name and your books will fly off the shelves.”

  Ava couldn’t believe she was even considering this, but her books getting exposure was her dream. And exposure like this? It would be years before she could afford something like this. Plus, there was the gala. She would have a date. Of course it would only be a good thing if he could pretend to enjoy romance, but he was a television host. He must have some acting skills. “How long are we talking? I mean I do hope to marry for love one day in the future, and that requires being free to date.”

  “A few weeks. Maybe a month. We just need to attend events, score a few interviews, be seen together. Peter thinks that should be long enough to turn my image around and make it believable and then we amicably separate. Claim our work pulled us apart or something like that as long as there’s no public fighting.”

  When he put it that way, it did sound much more like a business arrangement than a relationship, and she would get things she needed in return. “I need to think about it and call my editor back.”

  “Of course.” The excited mania left Justin’s face and he reverted back to his plasticky, used car salesman look.

  Could she really pretend to be in a relationship with someone who reminded her of a used car salesman?

  Chapter 8

  Ava stared at the phone wondering how the call would go. “Hey Gen, you know that guy I’m sharing the cottage with? He just proposed faking a relationship with me.” Yeah, it sounded stupid even to her ears, but perhaps Gen would have sound advice for her.

  “Hey, Ava.” She picked up before it even rang on Ava’s side. Psychic ability for sure. “You going to tell my why you hung up on me?”

  Yep, right to the chase. That was Genevieve for you. “Justin came in.”

  “Oh?” It was only one word, but Ava could almost envision Gen as she said it. Her left eyebrow would be arched high on her forehead, her right eye would be a little squinty, and she would have dropped whatever she was doing or sat up straight in her chair.

  “Yeah, he wanted to run something by me.”

  “And?” How? How did she always know there was more?

  “And he just offered me a strange proposal.” There. She’d said it. And it still sounded ridiculous. Maybe even more so out loud.

  “What? He proposed?” Ava smiled at the surprise in Gen’s voice. Finally, she had shocked her friend. In the three years she had known Genevieve, Ava had never shocked her until now. And then Gen’s words translated in her brain.

  “No, not proposed. Not like marriage anyway. He wants me to pretend to be his girlfriend.”

  “Why?” Gen’s voice had shifted to her inquisitive, what’s-the-deal tone, and Ava could picture the expression on her face. “Did you tell him about the gala?” She was glad she was doing this over the phone and not in person because she’d probably be squirming under Gen’s scrupulative gaze right about now.

  “Not yet. He needs his image fixed. Specifically, his image on love. He’s the host of some reality dating show, but I guess someone caught wind that he’s not big on romance. His boss thinks a romance could save that, and Justin says he can get exposure for my books through television spots and the works.”

  “This is perfect, Ava.”

  “It is?” Perfect was not the word Ava would have chosen to describe her and Justin.

  “Yes, you agree to this fake relationship and you can take him to the gala. A romance writer with a boyfriend improves your image. Plus, he’s for real. I’m googling him right now and he really is somebody, not A-list celebrity status but enough that he might get some interviews. This could be amazing for your books.”

  “Yeah, but do you think people will believe it? We are total opposites remember?”

  “People believe anything you put in front of them if you sell it right. And opposites attract. It’s like the greatest love story trope of all time.”

  Ava bit her lip. What Gen was saying made sense, but a fake relationship? She prided herself on truth and honesty. “I don’t know, Gen. It’s lying.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not hurting anyone. You help his image, he helps yours. It’s a win for everyone.”

  “I suppose you’re right and people will look me up and my books. This is the kind of exposure I could never buy, and it’s only for a few weeks.” Ava wasn’t sure if the words coming out of her mouth were to convince Genevieve or herself.

  “I think it’s perfect. The only thing is…. Your mom. Have you thought of what you’re going to tell your mother?”

  Her mother. There was the rub. Her parents had been high school sweethearts. They had dated no one else, and they believed in true love. Ava doubted her parents would approve, but she was thirty years old, and this was her decision to make and not theirs.

  “I’ll tell her what we tell everyone else. It was love at first sight.”

  Justin ran a hand across his forehead as he stared at the laptop. It was as bad as Peter had claimed. Infamy sometimes worked in an actor’s favor, but it rarely worked in the favor of a host or producer who was known for love stories. And even though he wasn’t sure he wanted to continue down that path, if he didn’t get his image fixed, the only thing he would be working on were dark depressing shows.

  A change down that path might be okay for a while, but he knew those dark shows wore on the people who worked on them as well. He had known a lot of actors and writers who had left shows like CSI and Law and Order because they carried their work home. No, he wanted the flexibility to be able to change and work where he wanted, but that meant fixing his image.

  What if Ava said no? It was crazy of him to even assume she might say yes seeing as how they had only met yesterday, but he had no one else in his pocket. He might be able to find a desperate model or actress, but he’d had his fill of pretentious, self-centered women. Ava didn’t seem to possess any of those vices. She really was the best current choice, and she was certainly easy on the eyes. They probably wouldn’t have to be affectionate very often, but he could see himself kissing her if necessary. And that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

  The floor creaked, and he looked up to see Ava standing in the doorway. She’d left to call her editor and ponder his offer. Had she decided then? He tried to find the decision in her face - a twinkle in her eyes, the set of her mouth, but there was nothing. She would make a great poker player. “Hey, Ava.” He would tread lightly. If she wasn’t firm in her decision, maybe he could convince her to change her mind.

  “Justin.” She sat across from him and held his gaze.

  He felt as if
he were at a chess match and they were engaged in a battle of wits. Though it pained him on every level, he waited for her to say more. Time seemed to stand still as they stared at each other. The sound of his heart pumping thudded in his head and from somewhere came a soft ticking sound like a second hand of a watch or clock.

  “I’ve considered your offer.” She was being just as laconic as he was. Was she playing the same game?

  “And?” His breath caught in his throat stilled by her penetrating gaze.

  Tiny flecks of gold danced in the bright green of her irises as her eyes bore into his. “And I accept.”

  Elation flooded Justin and he fought to keep from breaking out in a wide grin. There was no need to let Ava know how much this meant to him. It would diminish the value of his bargaining chips regarding the rules he was about to lay down. “Great. If we’re going to do this, we need some ground rules.” Never one to do anything without planning, he had spent the last few minutes ruminating on how it would work and some basic rules to make sure it proceeded as planned.

  “Ground rules?” Ava asked. “Why can’t we just wing it? Won’t that seem more natural?”

  Wing it? Was she serious? This was his future they were talking about. “No, we cannot wing it. The media are like dogs. If they spot an irregularity in our story, they will latch onto it and research it until they find the truth. If it was found out this was only a ruse, it could destroy both of our names.”

  “Okay, okay,” Ava held up her hands in surrender. “What are your rules?”

  “Rule number one, other than Peter and your editor-”

  “Genevieve,” she supplied.

  “Right her. Other than those two, we tell no one this isn’t real. The fewer people that know about it, the safer our secret is.”

  “Okay, what else?”

  He glanced down at his list. “We will have to go on some dates. It would raise flags if we announced this relationship but were never seen together.”

  “How many is some?”

  “I’m not sure. We can play that part by ear, and I’ll pay. It wouldn’t help my image on love if I expected you to pay.”

  “Okay, can I choose one of the dates because I kind of have a thing I need you for?”

  “Oh?” How did she already have something she needed him for? He had just offered this solution a half hour ago.

  Her eyes dropped to the table top and followed her index finger as it traced a pattern he couldn’t see. “It’s a romance gala. Fancy dinner, some dancing, awards. Last year I went alone, but that doesn’t really work in a romance writer’s favor. So, can we make that one of the dates?”

  Justin ran a hand across his chin. He wasn’t a fan of fancy affairs, but there would probably be press there. It might be the perfect place to reveal their relationship. “Yeah, I suppose.”

  “There’s just one thing. It’s tomorrow night, so we’ll have to cut our stay short. I guess we won’t have to ask Margie for that refund after all. Is that still okay?”

  As much as he didn’t want to head back to work early, he did need to save his image. “Sure, but can I ask you one thing?”

  Ava shrugged. “I guess.”

  “Why are you alone? I mean romance hasn’t been good to me, but you write about it, so you must still like it.”

  Ava’s lips pulled into a small smile. “It’s my parents’ fault. They have this amazing relationship, and that’s what I grew up seeing.” She shrugged and sighed. “I just don’t want to settle for less, and I haven’t found that perfect romance yet.”

  Justin could understand that. He respected that. His parents hadn’t had the best relationship, but that had pushed him to want to have a great one when he did. And he had. With Carol. Until life took her from him. “That makes sense. I’m sorry you haven’t found what you’re looking for yet.”

  She blinked at him. “You are? You? The man who hates romance?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t always hate romance.” However, he was done talking about it. “Here’s what I’ve come up with so far. We’ll have dinner-”

  “Where?” Ava asked interrupting him.

  “It doesn’t matter,” he said waving his hand, “somewhere public.”

  “Um, it certainly does matter. A hot dog stand is public but not romantic. If people are going to believe we are in a relationship, we need romantic dates.”

  Justin sighed and rubbed a hand across his forehead. Peter had better be right about this. “Fine, what do you suggest?”

  “I guess that depends on where you live. I live in Glendale, and we have a great Italian restaurant there, Genaro’s.”

  Justin knew the place. It was pricey, but it would be a good place to be seen. “Fine, I’ll see if I can get a reservation there in the next few days. I live in West Hollywood, so I’m not far from you.”

  “Great, what else do you have planned?”

  “I’m hoping to score us an interview and then a movie night. Maybe something on the boardwalk where celebrities are known to pass by. I can plan the rest later once we see how the public responds to us.”

  Ava took a deep breath. “Can I ask one thing?” Justin nodded. “This relationship is in name only, right? You don’t expect me to perform,” she paused as she bit her lip, “girlfriend duties, do you?”

  Girlfriend duties? What did that even mean? He chuckled slightly before he could stop himself. She sounded like someone from the fifties. “No, no girlfriend duties.” He couldn’t even say the word without chuckling. “We may have to hold hands, kiss a few times for the camera, but that’s it.”

  A blush colored her cheeks when he said the word kiss. “Okay, I think you have yourself a deal. So, where do we go from here?”

  Justin smiled and laid out his vision for the next step.

  Chapter 9

  “Okay, so I guess all that’s left is for us to practice a kiss,” Justin said as he pushed back his chair and stood. He walked to the fridge and pulled out a drink as if this was the most normal statement in the world.

  Ava blinked at him. She must have misunderstood the words that came from his mouth. “I’m sorry. You want to do what?”

  He rolled his eyes at her as he unscrewed the cap and took a drink. “Practice a kiss. People will expect to see one somewhere along the line. I’ve watched enough actors to know that if we don’t practice this, it will look fake. Hounds, remember?”

  “Won’t it look more natural if we just do it when it comes up though?”

  He shook his head. “No, it will look like an awkward first kiss. We don’t want to look awkward. Maybe hounds isn’t a good analogy. Maybe you should think about the press like sharks who attack when they smell blood. In our case, the blood would be anything that seems off. Like an awkward first kiss.”

  He took a step toward her, and Ava gripped the sides of the seat. She should stand. This wouldn’t work if she stayed sitting, but her legs refused to work. Her heart, however, thudded in her chest. “Sharks, right.” It wasn’t that she didn’t kiss. It was just that it had been a while since she had kissed. There was a part of her that thought she might be rusty if such a thing existed.

  Justin set his water down on the table and held out his hand. Ava noticed hers trembling as she placed it in his. He pulled her to her feet with ease, but her legs still felt like Jell-O. How did he look so calm when her gut was a twisted bundle of nerves? Then his hand touched her cheek. It was soft and not entirely unpleasant. His eyes stared into hers and she wondered how long it had been for him? He seemed so rigid toward romance. Would he kiss the same? Stiff and thought out as he seemed to do everything.

  He leaned closer and her breath caught. Should she tilt her head? Would their noses bump? Why did she feel like a teen experiencing her first kiss?

  His face was close enough she could feel the warmth emanating from his mouth. She closed her eyes and his lips touched hers. Tentative at first as if exploring her response then they pressed harder and Ava felt the need behind them. She r
esponded and found her arms circling his neck.

  Her eyes opened when he pulled back. She felt dizzy, like the room was spinning. His hands pulled her arms from his neck. They stayed on her upper arms a moment as if to steady her before falling to his side. She immediately missed the warmth they had offered.

  “I think we’ll be fine.” His voice was husky and his eyes cloudy. He ran a hand over his chin as he stepped back. And not just a normal step back. He took a large step as if he feared she had a contagious disease. Had he not liked the kiss? Or had he, like her, been more affected by it than he’d thought he would be?

  Fine? He was not fine. Fine did not explain the heat searing across his lips or the pounding of his heart in his head. It was not an adequate word to describe the flames of desire that had coursed through his body when his lips touched hers nor the lingering flickers that erupted at the mere thought of kissing her again. And it certainly didn’t justify the traitorous thoughts racing through his head right now. Thoughts of a real relationship with Ava. Thoughts of opening his heart again. No, it was just a kiss. There were too many differences between them.

  He turned from her questioning gaze. His behavior probably confused her, but that’s because it confused him as well. He hadn’t expected to feel anything with that kiss. He had expected it to be methodical, emotionless, awkward even. After all, this relationship wasn’t real. It was a show for the media to improve his image and increase her sales. That’s all it was. Or all it was supposed to be.

  A loud sigh escaped his lips as he pulled the front door open. Fresh air. He needed a breath of fresh air to clear his head.

  The warmth rolled over him as he stepped into the sun, but the peace didn’t last long. Justin pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and answered the incoming call.

  “Hey, Peter.”

  “Justin, how are things going with your author friend?”