All-American Princess - Maggie Dallen Page 0,42

“My father wants Brandon. I can’t go home without him.”

I shook my head. “That’s nuts.”

She shrugged. “He wants me to come back with him.”

I blinked at the way she said. With him. As in together. A couple. Bile rose up in my throat as jealousy spread like poison in my veins. I had an image of the two of them by the bonfire that first day she’d arrived. Laughing, talking… happy.

They’d looked perfect together. Like a couple.

“Is that what you want?”

She stared at me for so long I wasn’t sure if she was going to respond. Finally, she sighed, and some of her bravado faded with her exhale. “I want what Brandon can give me.”

I shook my head, my brows drawn together in confusion.

“If I bring home Brandon, I’ll get a starring role alongside him.” She swallowed, and her eyes darted away from mine. “My father wants the publicity of a high-profile couple. You know, working together and playing together…” Her voice lost steam, and she ended with a shrug as if even she wasn’t quite sure about this plan.

I stared at her in horror. “So, your father sent you here to… what? Try to manipulate him into being your boyfriend?”

She didn’t respond, but her eyes said it all. Yes, that was exactly what he wanted. He was using his own daughter to try and lure Brandon into his show. I’d heard the stories of how controlling her father could be, but this was beyond my comprehension.

Lila’s lips quirked up a bit in a humorless smile as though she could read my thoughts. “Having his daughter as Brandon’s girlfriend would give him even more control over his image, his career… his life. When it comes to my father, it’s always about control.”

I let out a long exhale. “That’s messed up.”

She didn’t argue. Somehow, it was her lack of anger on her own behalf that jarred me out of my shock and pity. This was Brandon we were talking about here, and Lila was acting like he was some sort of pawn.

“All that talk about wanting what’s best for him,” I said. “Was that all a lie?”

She shook her head and gave me a wan smile. “Not entirely, no. I might have my own reasons for wanting Brandon to come back with me, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be what’s best for him.”

“Because of the money,” he said.

She lifted one shoulder. “I’m not going to say Brandon wouldn’t face some tough times in Los Angeles. There’d be an adjustment period and—” Her sudden smile was wicked and wry. “My father isn’t exactly the easiest boss to work for—not even when you’re his daughter. But getting out of this town, getting away from his mother for a while, being exposed to new people and different walks of life…” She trailed off with a shrug.

I couldn’t tell if she actually believed what she was saying or if she was trying to convince herself and me. “Do you actually think he’d fit in there?”

She pursed her lips and mimicked my challenging look. “Do you really think he fits in here?”

I opened my mouth and shut it. No. Not really. I wasn’t sure if he ever had, but these past few years, he’d seemed to be even more withdrawn than usual. I’d blamed it on his mother’s mental health, but he’d stopped wanting to hang out in big groups, he’d never shown any interest in dating—hell, he’d probably spend every waking second working on that ranch this past summer if me and Amber hadn’t made it a mission to get him out.

“I don’t know his mother,” Lila said. “But I’ve heard things…”

I kept my mouth firmly shut. I loved the MacMillans like they were my own family, and no matter how sick she was or how many secrets she kept, I wouldn’t be the one to rat her out.

Lila took a step forward. “You’ve got to admit, it seems a little toxic in that house.”

“How would you know?”

“I have my ways.” Her eyes didn’t quite meet mine. “I know she’s not always lucid. I know she gambles. I know that Brandon is single-handedly running that place.” She licked her lips and took a deep breath. “I’m not saying starring on a TV show is necessarily the answer, but it couldn’t hurt to check it out, could it?”

I shook my head. “I can’t believe you’re actually going through with this.”

Her head snapped back a bit as though my words had physically hurt her. She narrowed