Page 54 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

Settling into a seat with the mandatory bowl of popcorn in my arms, I prepared myself for the apparent onslaught of male hotness I was about to be hit with.

Ashley pointed the remote and pressed play before kicking up her footrest with a sigh. “I can’t believe you haven’t heard of Joshua Emerson. You’re going to love him. He’s like sex on legs.”

The opening credits started, the camera taking me through a sweet little seaside town in the rain. It wound its way through the streets, past cute little houses and neat picturesque parks, until it slowed on a cemetery.

I frowned as it cut to a girl standing in the middle of a double funeral. She looked to be about sixteen, and it was obvious she was mourning the death of her parents. No tears stained her face, but the devastation on it was real. As the minster’s voice read out the rights of passage, the camera cut to a limo pulling up to the cemetery. The excited squeals beside me told me this was it. This was ‘the guy.’

The door cracked open, and I watched shiny black shoes and pressed black slacks step out onto the graveled ground. I waited, curious to see what Ashley and Sarah considered to be hot. The camera cut in for a closeup, the guy’s face filling the screen as he looked out at the funeral in progress.

What the actual fuck?

If I had been eating any popcorn, I would’ve choked. My jaw fell slack, and my eyes widened with shock. Ashley sighed from one side of me, and Sarah moaned from the other.

“That’s Joshua Emerson?” I asked, my voice higher than normal, with a slight hysterical tone to it.

“That,?

?? Ashley said, pausing the movie, “is Joshua Emerson. You’re welcome.”

I swallowed, watching my Josh mid-motion as he walked toward the girl on screen. “Is he . . . is he very well known?”

Sarah laughed. “Liv, I think you’re the only woman alive who doesn’t know who Joshua Emerson is. He’s, like, one of the highest paid actors around his age. He’s huge.”

“Really?” I said, finding it hard to make myself comprehend what was happening. “So, he’s like so famous he couldn’t walk down the street without being noticed?”

Ashley laughed. “Not even if he was wearing a hat and glasses.”

This was too much. I needed air. “Okay, got it,” I said, trying to appear normal. “I’m sorry, but I just need to run to the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

I dashed from the theater and went straight up to my room, closing the door behind me. Josh was an actor. Of course I knew that. He’d told me. But why hadn’t he told me he was famous?

I rolled my eyes at my own question. Of course he wouldn’t come out and just say it like that. That would sound conceited. Looking back, I could see he’d tried to tell me in some ways. I mean, he told me he did all right at it for a living. And he told me he knew Lucas Cantrell.

I didn’t know why, but I needed Josh to help me make sense of this. Pulling out my cell, I typed.

You’re famous

I cringed as I looked over the words I’d sent, but I didn’t know what else to say.

His response came almost immediately. I guess you could say that

My hands shook. Josh was freaking famous. What the hell did I do with that?

I don’t understand

My eyes pricked. I didn’t understand that, either. Why was I being so emotional about this? It was like all my hopes has been dashed now I knew he was famous—like I’d had some sort of chance at a happily ever after with him beforehand or something. Jesus, I was delusional.

My heart skipped as another message came through. First, I need to ask. Do the other girls know? Did you tell them about me?

The message confused me until I realized he wanted to know if his identity was safe. I considered how Ashley and Sarah would react if they knew Josh was staying right next door. By their reactions downstairs, I assumed it wouldn’t be good.

No, I haven’t mentioned you at all.

Where are you? Can I call you?

Nerves fluttered around in my stomach. Why was I nervous for him to call me? Were things different now I knew he was famous? Maybe. With nausea churning my stomach, I typed.

Yes. I’m in my room

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