by Liwen Ho
“I’m fine, dear.” The older woman spoke in her usual no-nonsense tone of voice. Not one for small talk, Molly dove right into the issue at hand. “So, first things first, would you like to hear the good news or bad news?”
“B-bad news? Did they take the offer back?”
“No, they still want you. As a matter of fact, they want you so much, they’re willing to start you off at thirty.”
“Thirty?” Her tone sounded as deflated as she felt. She didn’t mean to be ungrateful, but the number was much lower than she’d hoped for. “Do you mean thirty dollars per hour?”
Molly roared with laughter, unable to speak for a minute. When she finally recovered, she exclaimed, “Emma, this is primetime TV we’re talking about. Try thirty thousand per episode! I’m a much better negotiator than you give me credit for.”
Emma’s head spun. She couldn’t even comprehend having that much money, let alone be earning it nearly every week. “I-I don’t know what to say. It’s so much more than I could’ve ever asked for. Thank you, Molly!”
“No thank you is necessary. It wasn’t me. They were ready to make an offer you couldn’t refuse. Edenvale is the hottest show out there, so they have deep pockets. But honestly, you’re getting paid peanuts compared to the main cast.”
“It doesn’t matter. I happen to like peanuts,” she added with a giggle. “This is amazing! I can pay off my student loan, quit my waitressing job, and have money left over.”
“Hold on a sec. That was the good news.” After a moment’s pause, Molly continued, “Here’s the bad. They want you to take out your ‘no kissing clause’. I got them to agree to no bedroom scenes, but they need Faith to kiss the character she’ll be dating. I’m sorry, Emma, but those are the terms. You have until tomorrow morning to decide.”
And with those words, Emma felt all the joy from a moment ago being wrung from her body. What was she supposed to do now?
Chapter Thirteen
Evan
Evan felt a rush of adrenaline as he stood backstage in the large auditorium of the San Jose Convention Center. He heard the crowd cheer and yelp when the panel’s host announced his fellow actors’ names before they rushed to their seats. Even though they’d taken an early flight back up to the Bay Area that morning, he was still wide-eyed and energetic. That’s what these events did for him. Seeing the fans, especially those dressed in Edenvale merch, gave him a thrill like no other. He couldn’t wait to get out onto the stage and start answering questions.
He wished with all his heart that Emma were here to see this. He was sure she’d be blown away to be part of such a reception. Her texts to him today already revealed her excitement about being offered a regular role on Edenvale. He couldn’t wait to call her after this session to congratulate her. Assuming his phone’s battery would last until then. He’d drained nearly all of it on the flight up, browsing through pages of engagement rings. He’d only had time to send Emma a brief text to let her know he’d arrived, before shutting off the phone to conserve its battery.
When the host called out, “Let’s give it up for Evan Spark, Edenvale’s sexiest heartthrob and resident bad boy!”, Evan ran in the direction of the bright lights. A long table, decorated with a black tablecloth, microphones, name cards, and bottles of water, stood in the center of the stage. Large floor-to-ceiling screens hung on either side of the table, giving the audience a zoomed-in view of the panel guests. Evan took a seat in the last empty chair, right beside Margot who was wearing a low-cut red dress.
She leaned over to give him a hug. “Don’t forget, we’re doing this panel in character,” she whispered into his ear as she held him close for an extra beat. “Have fun with it. I’m going to.”
“Got it,” Evan answered her quickly. He pulled away before the pungent smell of her perfume made his eyes water, but also to put some distance between them. It didn’t seem right to be acting without cameras around, especially when there were hundreds of eyes watching their every move.
Make that thousands.
Only a percentage of those who had bought Comic Con tickets were present, but there were more people packed into this auditorium than he’d ever seen in one place before. He estimated there were close to ten thousand fans filling the seats before them, with dozens more standing at the back of the room. The applause in the room was deafening. He waved to all the people—both male and female, younger and older—cheering for him. He could already tell these were die-hard supporters of the show.
After the applause died down, the panel started off with questions directed at Margot’s father, who was seated at the far end of the table. The host, a brunette in her thirties, had obviously done her homework in coming up with relevant topics to discuss. She brought up Edenvale’s past storylines and asked what fans could expect for this new season. Mr. Everly answered each question thoughtfully, showing an obvious passion for the show with each excited hand gesture. Evan had great respect for him as an executive producer. If only Margot didn’t have so much influence over his decisions.
Speaking of Margot, Evan had been keeping a careful eye on her ever since she took the seat next to his on the plane. So far she’d been acting professionally and treating him like any one of their colleagues. Best of all, it seemed like she had changed her opinion about Emma, even going so far as to give her another shoutout on social media that morning. While he couldn’t help but be wary of Margot’s intentions, he tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. He wasn’t going to let anything—least of all, his suspicions—get in the way of him enjoying the convention.
The first half of the panel discussion featuring Mr. Everly soon ended. The remaining forty-five minutes was a Q & A session with the cast. This was the moment Evan had been waiting all day for. He took a sip of his bottled water as the first fan spoke into the designated microphone set up at the edge of the stage.
“Hi, I’m Nora.” The teenager blushed furiously as she fiddled with the hem of her Edenvale T-shirt. “Um, my question is for Evan.”
“Hey Nora.” Evan greeted her with a flirty wink as he got into character. He undid another button along the front of his crisp white shirt to reveal more of his tanned chest. “What’s on your mind, Beautiful?”
Nora’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “Uh, so I was surprised to see Jaxon turn into a bad boy at the end of last season. How do you like your new storyline?”
“I’m loving it. I was getting tired of being perfect all the time. The real question is whether or not you like the new me?”
Nora giggled. “Of course, I like you. All the girls do,” she added before a chorus of high-pitched voices screamed out, We love you!
“I love you, too!” Evan grinned, the smile as genuine as the excitement coursing through his veins. Margot had been right; the fans loved seeing him in his role as Jaxon. Deciding to play it up, he blew a kiss to the audience, causing the women to scream.
Another fan, this time a young man, stepped up to the microphone. He pushed up his glasses onto the bridge of his nose as he introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Oliver. I’m a big fan of Edenvale. I can’t believe I’m actually talking to you guys.”
A couple of the actors on the panel called out, “Hey Oliver!” and “Thanks for watching the show.”
Oliver smiled shyly. “My question is for Margot.”
“Yes, what is it, Ollie?” Margot asked in a sugary sweet voice that her character was known for. “Ask me anything.”
“You’ve played a lot of different roles in your career. How does this show compare to the other shows you’ve been on?”
“Oh sweetie, no other show comes even close to my experience here. I met the love of my life on Edenvale. Isn’t that right, Babe?” Margot sidled up to Evan’s side. She grabbed his arm and addressed the crowd, “Sorry ladies, but he’s mine. All mine.”
Evan tried not to flinch at her touch, but it was almost an involuntary reaction. He reminded himself that they were merely acting, a thought that helped him relax. Wi
th the fans eating up their role-playing, he wanted nothing more than to deliver a stellar performance. He wrapped his arm around the back of Margot’s chair and gave her a longing look. “One hundred percent. There’s no one else for me.”
“There’s no one else for me either,” Margot gushed. She walked her perfectly manicured fingers along his arm, to his shoulder, and up the back of his neck. With her fingers splayed in his hair, she played with the strands at the nape of his neck. “These past couple of weeks of us being together have been the happiest time of my life.”
Evan traced a finger down the side of her cheek. “Mine, too.”
Margot’s eyes lit up as she regarded him. She then leaned in, until her chest was pressed against his and her warm breath caressed his lips. Without hesitation, she planted her mouth on his and kissed him hard.
Evan barely had time to register what was happening. All he heard was a collective gasp resound in the auditorium, followed by loud hoots and hollers. Bright flashes of light went off all around them as fans from all corners of the room caught the moment on camera.
“You-hoo,” the host called out, “is there something you guys want to tell us? Margot? Evan? How about you, Mr. Everly? Can you give us the 411 on your daughter and her new beau?”
The words new beau caused Evan to jerk himself out of Margot’s embrace. He caught his breath, his chest heaving from both shock and indignation. The situation had gotten out of hand. It was one thing for them to stay in character, but kissing like this was crossing the line, especially in the presence of Margot’s father. Evan was surprised to see Mr. Everly looking calm and collected. If the situation were reversed, Evan wouldn’t be so forgiving with the guy locking lips with his daughter.
Mr. Everly actually smiled as he gave Evan a thumbs-up. “You’ve seen these two on the show. They have amazing chemistry, on and off the screen. Margot sure knows how to pick ’em. I couldn’t have chosen anyone better for her.”
Evan’s heart pounded so hard, the sound echoed in his ears. He couldn’t believe this was happening. He was about to question Margot and her dad’s sanity when he felt a hand grip his. Margot gave him a look that spoke a thousand words as she pressed her nails into his palm. With her eyes narrowed, she issued him a silent challenge. She didn’t need to say a word for him to understand what she was thinking. He had a choice: Go along with the ruse, or give it up—and jeopardize Emma’s role on the show. He swallowed hard as he realized he had to keep his mouth shut. Emma meant so much to him; he would never do anything to put her dreams at risk.
“So, it’s true? The two of you are dating?” The host seemed to have a hard time believing the claim. Evan didn’t blame her; he was having difficulty wrapping his head around the idea, too. “How long has this been going on?”
“Not long at all. It kind of hit us out of the blue, like a freight train,” Evan deadpanned. “Honestly, I’m still getting used to the idea.”
“A freight train,” Margot remarked with humor as she hit him playfully on the arm. “Isn’t he precious? It was actually more like lightning for me. The first time we kissed on set, something happened. It was like a spark ignited between us, one that we haven’t been able to extinguish since. I have to thank our awesome writers for bringing us together.”
The host nodded readily. “It’s like what Oscar Wilde said, life imitates art. How cool is this? Now I’m curious. Are there any other real-life couples who met on the set of Edenvale?”
Evan wanted to scream out, Yes, me and Emma!, but he clenched his jaw tight. For Emma’s sake, he needed to pick his battles. That was the only way to win the war.
The audience’s focus shifted to the other actors and actresses on the panel as they began sharing about their experiences. Evan was thankful for the reprieve. As much as he loved being in the spotlight, he didn’t want any more attention on this fake relationship than necessary. Margot, however, couldn’t seem to get enough. She had scooted her chair closer to Evan’s and was now sitting so close, their legs touched. A few minutes later, she made herself at home in his lap. She sat this way for the rest of the session, her arms wrapped around his neck. Meanwhile, Evan held himself as still as a statue, praying for the minutes to pass by quickly. He couldn’t wait for the panel to be over, so he could talk to Margot in private.
As soon as they headed backstage, Evan pinned Margot with a glare. Before he could say a word though, Mr. Everly walked over and gave him a hearty slap on the back. “Brilliant acting, both of you! What a great publicity stunt.”
Margot beamed. “I told you it would work, Daddy.”
“You did, pumpkin. I have a feeling Edenvale will be trending in no time. This is just what we need to send our ratings through the roof. I can hear the cha-chings already,” he added as he cocked his head to the side.
“Hear what, sir?” Evan asked, confused.
“The sound of money rolling in! I’m heading back to the hotel to make some calls. This is one story we want the paps to hear about first.”
Evan shook his head in disbelief as he watched Mr. Everly walk away. As soon as everyone else was out of earshot, Evan confronted Margot. “I didn’t sign up for this ruse, Margot, or to be blackmailed. I don’t appreciate being used.”
“But you do appreciate me helping Emma out, don’t you?” She smirked, taking a moment to inspect her nails. “Just think of this as a trade-off. I help you; you help me. It’s a win-win situation as far as I’m concerned.”
“How does a rumor about us dating help you?”
“Why do you think? Fans love seeing us together. It helps boost my social media presence. Speaking of, I hope someone got a good photo of us.” Margot whipped out her phone from her pocket and swiped it open. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the screen. She turned it around to face Evan. “And there we are. Not a bad shot, if I do say so myself.”
Evan’s stomach turned. There in all its glory on one of the tabloid sites was a photo of him and Margot kissing. It looked real, too real. Especially with the headline—Edenvale’s Real-Life Couple!—in big, bold letters next to it.
He had to reach Emma before she freaked out when she saw this news … if she hadn’t already.
Chapter Fourteen
Emma
Emma couldn’t believe her eyes. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she realized she was being watched. It was one thing to have a TV audience, but a whole different matter to have the paparazzi stalking her at a cafe. She snuck a peek out of the corner of her eye, all the while trying to pay attention to Zach who was seated beside her in their U-shaped booth.
They had driven about a mile from the Edenvale set to a nearby coffee shop after work had wrapped up. Over the past half an hour, Zach had filled the time by sharing the history of his entire acting career. Already tired from a long day, Emma had a hard time following the conversation. She found herself smiling and nodding along politely, hoping Zach didn’t quiz her on the specifics later. Only when she’d spotted the small crowd of photographers outside did she become more alert and aware of her surroundings.
“Sorry to interrupt you, Zach, but do you see those guys outside? They’re taking pictures of us.”
“Oh yeah?” Zach not only turned toward the window, he also waved at the men. He grinned, showing off two rows of perfectly straight, white teeth. “They probably hang around this place, waiting for Edenvale actors to show up. Well, today’s their lucky day. They’ve got two of the show’s brightest up-and-coming stars to watch.”
Emma winced. “You don’t mind all these eyes on you?”
“Of course not. This is a sign we’ve arrived. The paps only follow those worth following.” He narrowed his blue eyes at her. “Come on, Em—I can call you Em, right?”
“Uh, sure.”
Zach leaned over to rest his arm along the back of the red vinyl booth. He gave her shoulder a few soft taps. “Let’s face it, Em. There are two sides to acting. You’ve got the performance piece of it. Then there’s the marketing s
ide of it. This—” he nodded at the long camera lenses aimed in their direction “—is free marketing. All we have to do is smile and let them take a few photos. We’ll be front page news in no time.”
“I-uh, I’m not sure I want to be front page news,” Emma stammered, suddenly feeling very out of her element. Zach was now slowly drawing circles on her arm, near the short sleeve of her white peplum top. An unsettling chill ran down her back to have another man besides Evan touching her. She drew back out of Zach’s reach and pretended to search for her phone in her purse. “Excuse me for a second. I think I got a text. It might be my agent.”
“No problem.” Zach didn’t seem to mind Emma’s attention shifting. He was too busy smiling at the cameras outside to notice what she was doing. “I’ll keep them busy.”
Emma had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. It was funny how much Zach looked like Evan, but he was nothing like him. Sure, both guys had natural charisma, but while Evan was genuine, down-to-earth, and sweet, Zach was everything but.
Her chest tightened just thinking about Evan. He hadn’t even been gone for a day, but she missed him so much already. She longed to hear his voice and ask his opinion about her “no kissing clause”. She would’ve settled for a short text letting her know he was thinking about her, but there was nothing. Not even one new notification on her phone. Evan’s lack of communication was starting to worry her. Was he having so much fun that he’d forgotten about her? The possibility seemed preposterous … but was it? Evan was the hottest guy on Edenvale—not to mention, primetime TV. Women screamed his name every time he stepped onto a stage. Emma was sure Comic Con was no different.
Then there was Margot. The memory of her with her hands all over Evan flashed through Emma’s mind. She still couldn’t unsee that image. What if she never could? Or worse, she happened to walk onto another one of Evan’s sets when he was shooting a scene like that one? Knowing that she might have to remove the “no kissing clause” from her contract, she doubted that Evan would be able to add one into his. Unfortunately, this was something they would both need to accept if they wanted to work in Hollywood.
