Princess of Hollywood (The Glitterati Files #2) - Maggie Dallen Page 0,21

deep breath and struggled for cool and calm. “We were just talking about Jack,” I said. “Of course I thought you were talking about Jack.”

The silence that followed was fraught with all the unspoken crap we hadn’t talked about since leaving Pinedale.

Like how I’d left Jack behind.

How Brandon had left Jack in silence.

How both of us had done our damnedest to pretend the brooding, hottie cowboy didn’t exist for the past month. Until he’d shown up on set yesterday, all sexy as sin and still just as judgmental as ever. I took a deep breath to ease the sick feeling at the mere memory of those eyes. That look. The clear disgust when he’d sized me up and found me wanting. “I just…” I huffed loudly and pointedly ignored Marcus’s gaze as we walked past.

I’d dumped his butt before I’d even left for Pinedale, and he’d had the nerve to rewrite the story while I was gone. Fair enough, I supposed. No one wanted to look like a loser. But that didn’t mean I had to make nice when I’d returned.

The only reason he wanted me back now was because he wanted to show the school that he was hotter, cooler, and had more game than Brandon.

Please.

Once Marcus was out of sight and out of mind, I continued, “I just don’t understand why you’d ask him to stay.”

Brandon shot me the side-eye. “Because he’s my best friend?”

“Yeah, but…” I huffed again as I tugged on his arm, dragging him into a deserted classroom where we couldn’t be overheard. “But… this,” I said, pointing between the two of us. “It’s hard enough to fool strangers and to keep up this act, but if Jack’s around—”

“I’m gonna tell him the truth, Lila.”

I blinked up at this guy who’d become so important to me so quickly. My best friend, I supposed. Maybe my only friend.

God, that was depressing.

“You are?” I said. “Are you… I mean, are you sure?”

His smile was slow and sweet. “Yeah. I mean, I’m not sure if I’m ready to announce it to the world yet—”

“Daddy wouldn’t let you even if you wanted to,” I reminded him.

He gave a short laugh. “Right. So it all works out. I’m still getting used to being in the public eye, I don’t really want to go there yet, but with Jack…” He shrugged. “He’s my best friend.”

I nodded. I got it. I mean, I sort of got it. I’d never had to make a decision like that, but I also knew that after this month, Brandon was ready to take this step. He’d be ready to shout it from the rooftops in no time, and I just felt bad that my dad’s deal would make that an impossibility… for a while, at least.

But not forever.

I looked toward the doorway as if people might be hovering outside with their ears pressed to the door. Of course, they weren’t. If anyone saw us disappear, they’d likely think we’d gone off to have a quickie in a deserted classroom.

I had a reputation like that.

Not that I’d ever done that, but I had no problem with people believing whatever they wanted about me. Especially if it helped sell our ruse.

“Good for you,” I said. Sure, it came out grudging, but I meant it. I was happy for him, just… not for myself. “I still don’t get why you needed him to stick around, though.”

I rubbed my bare arms as Brandon studied me. My short-sleeve button-down was appropriate for the weather outside, but for the air-conditioned classrooms of this academy? Not so much.

“I asked him to stay for you as much as for me,” Brandon said.

I met his gaze and let out a long, weary sigh.

“You have feelings for him, Lila,” Brandon said. His tone was so gentle it made my throat get all choked up.

We hadn’t talked about this. Ever. And for a good reason.

Mainly because I hated crying. Especially in front of other people. It was basically just as bad as hurling in public.

So gross.

Brandon’s gaze was warm and filled with understanding. “Look, I appreciate everything you gave up for me.” He reached out and squeezed my hands. “More than you’ll ever know. You saved me back in Pinedale, and for the first time in my life, I feel like I can breathe.”

I was having a hard time meeting his gaze—I hated when people got all gushy on me. “Yeah, well. You’re not gonna thank me when Richard wants to go public and you have to