Page 49 of Claim to Fame

“It will for sure make Jackson Hayes lose his mind,” Tessa said.

Kyla shot a smirk Tessa’s way. “It might make your dad lose his mind too.”

Comment section of Encores.com post with caption “Jackson Hayes spotted with Victoria’s Secret model at an LA nightclub”

StrmChsr92:So glad to see our boy Jackson THRIVING since he dropped that Broadway chick.

XOJxsnsGurlXO:Same! Hannah Matthews was weighing him down—literally!

User182734:@XOJxsnsGurlXO That’s a shitty thing to say about someone. She is a beautiful woman. How would you like it if someone went on the internet and made jokes about your body?

Here4theDrama:I took a class on body language in college and if you look at their pictures together it’s super obvious he was never into her.

User182734:@Here4theDrama One college psych course does not make you an expert in body language.

StrmChsr92:She probably paid him to date her.

User182734:@StrmChsr92 How does that make sense? Jackson Hayes doesn’t need any more money.

Here4theDrama:Who the hell is @User182734?

StrmChsr92:Oh my God, what if it’s her DAD?

User182734:I’m not her dad.

XOJxsnsGurlXO:That’s what her dad would say.

RealGirl6969:Live! Hot girls in your area are waiting to chat. Click here to connect with real, local, h0rny girls

StrmChsr92:I bet those “hot girls” are hotter than Hannah Matthews

User182734:That is clearly a fake post. And you’re being disrespectful. I should report your comments to the moderator.

Here4theDrama:It’s definitely her dad.

Chapter Thirteen

Ethan closed the lid of his laptop on his kitchen island and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. He had better things to do than argue with anonymous jerks on the internet, but he couldn’t help himself. Ever since he’d discovered the steady stream of vitriol directed at Hannah online, he hadn’t been able to stop himself from responding, from letting these trolls, as Tessa had called them, know how wrong they were about her. But it seemed like the more he responded, the more they doubled down on their schoolyard taunts, turning the same on him until he wasn’t sure if he was helping or just making everything worse.

Hannah had been gone all day, shopping with Tessa and their friends. He hoped that meant she’d been too busy to see the latest batch of vicious commentary online. They only had a week left before she’d leave for New York again, but he intended to make the most of every moment, to prove to her she deserved better than a fake relationship with a self-centered former pop star.

Those people didn’t know her, not like he did.

You hardly know her.

But hewouldknow her. He just had to convince her to try.

The front door of his house opened and Hannah entered, weighed down with shopping bags. “Hey.” She flashed him a timid smile as she tried to step out of her shoes, wobbling unsteadily. Ethan rushed to take the bags from her and did his best not to notice the bag from the lingerie shop downtown. “I thought you’d still be at work,” she said.

“It’s after five.”

“No!” she gasped, spinning around in search of the clock hanging on the far wall. “I didn’t realize it was so late. I wanted to cook you dinner tonight.” She held up one of the bags, the logo for the local mom and pop grocery store emblazoned on the brown paper.

“That’s okay. We can order in,” Ethan said, setting her other bags down.

Hannah blew out a breath. “Are you starving? We could eat a little later than usual and I could cook it anyway.”

“Han, you don’t have to cook for me.” He took the grocery bag from her, but she snatched it back.

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