Kissing the Player - Maggie Dallen Page 0,42

act all the time.”

“I’m a good actress because I rehearse and I study and I care about my craft.”

He looked over in surprise, and to be honest, I’d kind of surprised myself there with the passion in my voice. But that was the thing. He could call me a liar, he could say I was fake, he could accuse me of being vapid or shallow or flakey or vain…

But he better not dare call me a bad actress.

“Anyway, how would you know if I was a good actress or not?” I asked. “It’s not like you’ve ever come to one of my shows.”

He huffed as he shifted in his seat. “Why should I? I’m sure this might be a novel concept to you, princess, but not every guy wants to throw flowers at your feet after you’ve dumped him on his butt.”

“We agreed we’d be friends,” I shot back.

He arched his brows. “And you believed that?” He shook his head. “Do you honestly think that all your exes are sitting around wishing you well?”

No. I didn’t. Some were better about it than others, though.

Not all of them tried to win me back out of spite.

“The mature ones accept rejection and move on,” I said.

He snorted in disbelief. “No. The ‘mature’ ones, as you call them, just put on a happy face and then talk crap behind your back.”

I stared at him with a blank expression, hoping beyond hope that he couldn’t see how much that stung.

I guess I hadn’t really given much thought to what the guys I’d dated thought of me once things ended. When I was done with a guy, I was done. I’d sort of assumed that we all moved on.

Maybe that was too naïve.

The thought didn’t sit well.

I was not naïve.

There was a reason I had my rules. I’d thought this through. I followed a plan.

“The whole point of ending it early is so no one gets hurt.” I sort of meant to say that to myself. Instead, it came out of my mouth.

Too late I realized I’d once again given too much away.

Stupid headache. It was messing with my mojo.

He looked over once. Then he looked over again. If I thought maybe he’d let it go, I was wrong. “So, that’s your thing? You have a cutoff date for guys you date?”

I shrugged. Too late to deny it now. And besides, he already knew I didn’t do long-term relationships. Wasn’t that what his whole stupid bet was about?

“It’s easier that way,” I said.

“Easier for who?”

“Everyone.”

He turned to look at me. “No, it’s easier for you.”

I blinked a few times at the anger in his voice. His earlier words came back to me, the things he’d said to Simone. She’d have to have feelings. She’d have to have a heart…

Did he really believe all that?

Crap, now I was blinking back tears.

Gah! This night had to end already. I pulled out my phone. Still no response from Hannah. She was probably making out with River and who knew when she’d get around to checking her phone.

“Why?” Jax asked.

I lifted my head. “Excuse me?”

That’s right. Play dumb, Rose. When in doubt, play dumb.

“Why do your relationships have an automatic expiration date?”

I had this flash of my mom. Of her relationships. Of my dad. Where to begin? But I wasn’t them, and this wasn’t about my Mommy issues. “I have a plan,” I said.

“A plan.”

“A goal.”

He stared at me and I shrugged. “Fine. A dream.”

His brows hitched up. “You mean acting?”

The way he said it made me sneer in disgust. “Of course, you wouldn’t understand.”

No one did. Well, no one except for the girls I was sort of friends with who had their own dreams of fame and fortune and a life living their passion.

But sadly for me, the Diva Squad ladies didn’t live close by. I had Hannah and she kind of got it—she felt that way about soccer, at least.

“I understand.” He sounded belligerent but…earnest. “You think I don’t understand? I understand. I have a band, don’t I? I have dreams of making it big.”

I stared at the side of his face because…that was the most non-ironic statement I’d ever heard him utter. I’d never heard him care about anything.

“Fine, then you should understand,” I said.

“Relationships are a distraction,” he said.

I nodded. Okay, fine. So maybe he did get it. Sort of.

“Then why even date in the first place?” he asked.

I shifted uncomfortably. “Because I’m human.” I shrugged. “I like boys. I’m…”

“Horny?” He shot me a smirk