Page 49 of The Love Raffle

“Don’t make up lies, Annie, come on.” Gwen apologized for her sister’s remark. “She likes messing around too much.” She tugged the girl’s earlobe.

“Ow!” Annie gave Gwen a shove then held up her cellphone. “I’m not lying. Ijustsaw a post about it because it’s true. Look. El Franco saw you on their way out of their apartment. They live in the same complex as Levi Marks. Hello? You were literally in their live.” She rolled her eyes and slid her phone to Amber.

Amber snatched it up. “What?” She quickly read the post with the attached video.Oh no.That same person. The one in the pink! “Um…” The post read,Isn’t this Amber Sheridan from The Love Raffle?and was trailed by an everlasting thread of replies. She tapped the video and watched it play out.Oh no.The hat and trench coat didn’t do enough. From afar no one would recognize her but that El person’s camera was all over her, capturing the brown in her eyes and the shape of her face.Shit.

Owen leaned in and soon all her cast mates surrounded her.

Amber shrunk, swiping and reading.

El said only the who’s who live in that apartment complex. Heard Levi lives there too. Look how she’s dressed! They had a secret date!

Isn’t he with Bazoli?

Are we witnessing the greatest cheating scandal in real time?

So much for good boy Marks. He’s about to get dragged and I will be seated to watch.

Who’s he cheating on and who with?

Not the obvious disguise!

Who’d she think she was fooling with that big ass trench coat?

All responses were accentuated with emojis and memes. For the most part, people were amused but here and there she found posts expressing genuine disappointment in Levi. In the mix were the users hesitant to jump to conclusions but to counter those were the rebutters pointing out Amber’s glaring disguise.

Amber put the phone down and put her hands in her lap, staring into space as the heat on her face increased to the point of reaching her ears.

“So, uh…” Owen said beside her. “Thatwasyou, right?”

Amber’s tongue was like metal.

Just then, Phillip came in with the producers. “Alright. Who’s ready to get suited up for our first scene?” He clasped his hands and folded his lips, looking rather lost by the heavy silence of the practice room. “Someone died in here or what?”

“I might have,” Amber muttered, gripping her stomach.

* * *

Levi flinched at the flashes through the gate. He had one hour for lunch and would spend it at the most high-end location with a gazillion eyes peering at him.

“You know if you talk to me the experience won’t be so unbearable,” said Fiona after swallowing a portion of caviar. The Rising Sun was known for its patio dining and pricey menu. Only A-listers had the privilege to dine here. There was a waiting list for reservations but, of course, Rachel and Stacy were experts at pulling strings. Her and Levi’s current high status had a lot to do with their allowance to eat here as well.

Levi snapped out of his daydreams of Amber. “Unbearable?” He lifted his spoon to stick into his bisque. “Who said this was unbearable?” He plastered on a grin and turned his face tothe press. If not for the brick wall and black gate around the building, those pests would have swarmed both of them. They’d had to enter through the back. This whole public relationship ruse had people like fascinated puppies. Rachel hadn’t come to the set today but she’d made sure to send him an update on his ratings and the anticipation for this movie. She had a way with the public. What were her plans for promotion once the trailer dropped? She must have something even more golden for that.

“Well, you keep wincing when the lights hit.” Fiona smiled at him. It was perfect and complemented her incredibly sculpted face. That British accent was back in full force. He sometimes forgot it was fake.

“Well, forgive me. I forgot my sunglasses and I’m not so accustomed to dealing with the sun head-on,” he joked, getting a laugh from her.You happy, Rachel? Please don’t drop me.

Fiona sipped her cranberry bourbon cocktail. “Oh, Levi,” she cooed.

Levi was caught by the drop in volume. “What is it?” He did his best to match her tone.

Fiona flashed him a half grin and stared him down.

Levi had no idea what to think. This intense eye contact contrasted with her playful act. “What are you doing?” He’d known her for a while, but she still found new ways to surprise him. “Is this something you picked up online or on vacation or…” The stories behind her eccentricities were just as wild as they said. So far, he’d learned she’d been ordained as a shaman at a Costco to prepare for her role as a pastor. She also knew taekwondo from a visit to South Korea where she’d entered into a tumultuous romance with her trained tour guide. On top of that, she owned a dog.The last part’s pretty ordinary without the details but my head’s starting to spin.He may not have had feelings for her, but Fiona was aninterestingwoman.

“Reading auras?”

Reading auras.“Is that what you’re doing now?” Levi sat straighter, conscious of her worm-like movements. She separated her arms and made ripples with both. What had once been subtle was now hard to miss.What are the paps going to think?He scratched his head in confusion and groaned internally.

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