irrational. I couldn’t be pissed at him for Presa Little showing up at midnight. Not when Vic would have done the exact same thing. In fact, Vic had done the same thing, in Joey Plazen’s trailer, and I’d let him take it so much further. Granted, Carter couldn’t have had sex with her, not with me watching. I guess the real question was—if he’d been alone, would he have still pushed her out of his door?
I didn’t know the man well enough to know the answer to that question. Hell, I didn’t know myself well enough to answer that question. If I opened my door in the middle of the night and Vic was standing there, could I say with one hundred percent certainty that I wouldn’t kiss him? Or worse? Falling for one man didn’t safeguard us from the feelings we might have for another. If anything, the forbidden could just make temptation stronger.
I didn’t want to talk when Carter came back from the bathroom. There was just too much going on in my head. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. Did some mumbly groan thing when he gently touched my shoulder.
It was weak. I should have sat up in bed and had a conversation like an adult. Discussed whether he really wanted to be in a relationship or whether we should keep it casual a little longer.
Instead, I kept my eyes closed and my breathing regular and then, I really was asleep.
It was so different being with Carter. The only real relationship I could compare it to was with Vic, and it was so different from that. Now, I wasn’t even sure that I ever loved Vic. The man who’d broken my heart, who I’d struggled against for over a year, and it might not have even been true love. It was a scary thought. Because of this—if what Carter and I had was stronger, then that meant the fall would be harder. And right now, I felt so brittle. So exposed. So afraid.
In this state, I understood why I always ran back to Vic. His world was safe and easy. This new one was terrifying. Beautiful. Liberating. I swallowed my fears and moved toward it.
Too bad for pesky loose ends. They tangled up my steps.
The sun was actually shining. After days of rain, it was worthy of a celebration. Or a free breakfast, courtesy of my favorite actor in the world. I walked into Joey’s trailer, all sunshine and happiness and encountered a face that, very clearly, communicated his lack of love toward me.
“What? No love?” I dropped my arms, which had been outstretched in prep for a hug.
“I heard you’re dating Carter.” He all but bared his teeth at me.
News traveled fast. “Yes.” I stole a croissant from a box on his counter. Seriously, I could live in his trailer. Meals and snacks delivered four times a day, a masseuse on call, a giant bed for naps … I’d be set and happy.
“I thought you were getting back with Vic Worth.”
My mouth never made it to the pastry. “What? Who said that?”
“He said that. To me. After our last production meeting.”
“Well, he’s an idiot,” I sputtered. “I have no interest in getting back with him. None.” I took a bite of the croissant and closed my eyes. It was hot. So freaking good. I cracked an eye long enough to reach for the minibar handle and grab a juice. Yes. I could definitely live here. “Aren’t you and Carter friends?” I mumbled the question through a delicious combination of orange juice and flaky sugar.
“Yeah.” He dismissed any history with Carter with one shrug of his shoulder. “But you were with Vic first. You need to reconsider this, Chloe.” He stood from the couch and paced. PACED. Like we were discussing a nuclear agreement and not a nonexistent relationship with my ex.
“Why do you care?” I sat down in the closest chair, the breakfast box in my lap and looked through my other options. Not a lot unless I wanted to go in the cream cheese direction.
“I want you to be happy. Vic is settled, he has a good job, spoils you rotten…”
“Has a dick that finds every blonde in town…” I finished off his list and tossed the box onto the coffee table. “I know you can act better than this. Shut the F up and tell me the truth. What’s in it for you if I date Vic?”