Page 60 of She's the Star

“Nolan, what do you want to do?” I ask. “I can deny everything. Tell Annabelle that Teddy is wrong.” It’s the last thing I want to do, and it won’t stop the gossip, but I have to make the offer.

His gaze locks onto me, and the wrinkle between his brow disappears. “Teddy isn’t wrong.”

“He isn’t,” I confirm softly, “but Annabelle doesn’t know that.”

He hesitates and then says, “If you tell her we’re not, but we are, and something else leaks, it’ll be a disaster. Secrets don’t stay secrets for long.”

“So you think we should…confirm the rumors?”

He sighs. “It…we…it’s your career, what do you want to do?”

“This isn’t about my career. It’s about our lives. I don’t want to push you into something you’ll regret. If we talk to Annabelle together, the scrutiny will be intense.”

It’s invasive to have strangers weigh in on my personal life. I’m as used to it as I can be, but Nolan isn’t. What if he hates it? What if it’s too much? What if he leaves me?

As if he can read my mind, he says, “I’ll be fine. In a couple of months, I can’t imagine anyone will care that you’re dating Russell Gage’s least interesting son.”

He’s joking, but that doesn’t ease my worries. “Most interesting,” I correct with a sniffle.

He scoffs. “Social media presence. None. High profile career. Nope. Flashy lifestyle. Definitely not. I’m not going to garner clicks or sell magazines. Face it—once they meet me, their interest will fade.”

“But—”

“It’s okay,” he reassures me. “You don’t need to worry about me. We both know I’m not going to help you sell albums, but I don’t want to be a hindrance either. And I don’t want you to lie about us.” His eyes crinkle as he smiles. “Luckily, you don’t require a man to bolster your success. You’re already a superstar, and you’re going to continue to be a superstar no matter who you’re dating.”

Goodness. Those words burrow directly into my heart. It’s like he knew exactly what to say to convince me that everything will be alright. My career might not require his presence. But I’m starting to think that my happiness might. I’ve never felt such peace or bone deep contentment as I felt during the last week.

“Okay.” I swallow thickly and resist the urge to start crying. “I don’t want the increased scrutiny to make you uncomfortable.”

His expression softens. “If I’m uncomfortable, I’ll tell you.”

“Okay.” I have to trust that he will. I also have to find a way to believe that we’ll work through the challenges that are coming. Silence settles between us while I get lost in his familiar features. The urge to head back to the hotel is difficult to resist.

“Amber,” Mina interrupts, bringing me back to reality once again. “The pre-show festivities start in thirty minutes.”

I grimace because I’m not even close to ready to go on stage. “I want to stay on the phone and keep talking, but I’ve got to get back on schedule.”

Teddy slinks into the room and lurks near the door. I attempt to ignore him as Nolan says, “I know. I’ll send Mina updates on how Maddy is doing. And I’ll see you tonight after the show.”

“Okay,” I respond softly, wishing I could sink into his arms and borrow a bit of his strength.

“Don’t worry. We’re going to figure this out,” he assures me.

I touch my fingers to my lips and he does the same before the screen goes black.

I push myself to my feet. “I guess I should get back out there.”

Brian looks at his watch. “Nope. You’ve got to get your makeup touched up and then you’ve got to change. Your schedule is going to be tight as it is. While you’re getting ready, I’m going to get back on the phone. I’ll set everything up for the interview.” He reaches out and squeezes my hand. “We’re going to spin this perfectly. Nolan’s right, you don’t need to worry.”

I nod and shuffle across the room.

Teddy shifts against the wall and eyes me cautiously. The guilty look on his face hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s gotten worse. He wants me to absolve him, and I can’t do it, at least not yet.

I swallow thickly. “We’ve got this. You should…go.”

He nods sadly. “For what it’s worth, I really am sorry. And…I’m glad you’re happy with Nolan. I really am. He seems like a good guy.” He pauses. “Is Maddy okay?”

“She’s a bit sick. Fever.”

---