Page 15 of Beneath the Fame

He smiled.

Shit.

Those pretty white teeth were a damn weapon.

“Iwould say…I came bearing gifts, but it would’ve been if you hadn’t answered because you didn’t want to see anybody. I would’ve just left it at the door.” He pulled a hand from behind his back, holding up a beautiful, tiny gift bag…from one of my favorite stores. “I hope it’s not weird,” he explained. “But you said it was your favorite perfume, and I…thought it was probably something people rarely gift you, since they assume you would just get it for yourself. But when you told me about it, you said you were running low, but you hadn’t had time to grab another bottle, so…I’m sorry people are fuckin’ terrible?”

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

I thought about the bottle upstairs on my vanity tray withmaybethree or four pumps of the fragrance left. I’d been kicking myself for not replacing the bottle sooner, because there wasno wayI was showing my face at any stores of any kind, any time soon, and would have to just go without it.

Or…Iwouldhave had to go without it.

“That’s…really sweet,” I admitted, accepting the bag. “Um…you wanna come in?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have to. I understand not being in the headspace to have people around, I just…wanted to do something nice. Since all this shit is kinda my fault.”

“It’s not your fault people are the worst,” I said, stepping back from the door to open it wider. “Seriously…come in.”

I didn’t have to tell him again.

He seemed a little uncertain about it, but he stepped past me into the door, waiting for my lead before venturing further after I’d secured the lock.

“Sorry about ignoring your text,” I said, pushing out a sigh. “While Idobelieve none of this is really your fault…I was kinda mad at you,” I admitted, putting the gift bag down on the counter. “I mean…I know I’m fine, but damn!”

Alec laughed. “See? It’s my bad. But in my defense, youare…shit, never mind.” He shook his head, turning away from me to look out the big window into the backyard.

Obviously, I knew what he’d been about to say, but I appreciated him avoiding both stating the obvious and potentially making things awkward.

More than they already were.

“Sorry for not showing up today,” I said, prompting him to turn back in my direction. “It was unprofessional—an actor is supposed to be able to push through the personal shit, right?”

He shrugged. “Nobody is tripping about it, Van. It’s rough being in the spotlight, especially when it’s not really our own doing. We’re all on your side,” he assured. “Everybody makes it work—Shaw and Elodie were already due on set a bit later, so we moved some stuff around and I filmed with them. It’s not something anybody is looking to hold against you.”

“I hear you, I do.” I sighed. “It just…it almost feels like a sign. Like it’s stupid of me to even try to be something outside of what people insist I should be known for.”

“Fuckthat.” He waved me off. “They don’t get to decide—youget to decide. I mean, I know it’s not quite the same, but…believe it or not, I can kinda relate. People have always put me in a box too. And…for a while, I played into it. Used it to my advantage. And it’s not like it’s…pretending, you know? Itiswho I am to a degree, it’s just not…the whole story. Just like the fact that you’re sexy isn’t the whole story with you.”

What if it is, though?

“Don’t look like that.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Don’t look like what?”

“Like you’re thinking,but what if it is though?”

My heart shot up into my throat, completely thrown by the pinpoint accuracy he’d seenrightthrough me with. I shook my head, refusing to maintain any sort of eye contact with him, because how could I, after that?

Instead of saying anything, I headed for the bar—my original destination before he showed up at the door. “You want a drink?” I asked.

“Nah, I’m good.”

With the bottle already in my hands, I turned to look at him. “You’re gonna make me drink alone?”

---