A Sweet Mess - Jayci Lee Page 0,81

the show. The contractual damages were a slap on the wrist, but if word got out they’d breached the nondisclosure provisions, they would never find a job in the industry again.

But for how long could they hide their relationship? He’d flat-out lied to Stan and denied Aubrey meant anything to him. His first priority was protecting her reputation as a baker and ensuring that Comfort Zone’s expansion and reopening wouldn’t be derailed by nasty rumors. That had been the core reason which had held him back from writing a second review for her. That was why he’d offered her a spot on the show instead. To fix his mistakes without hurting her professional reputation. Without hurting his.

A slash of fear cut through his thoughts. His brand. His reputation. He’d sacrificed his dream to take care of his mom and Seth. He had worked day and night to build his reputation as a food critic. His reviews—his word—were worth something because he’d earned the respect of his peers and readers. One word of his relationship with a subject of his review could end that.

He had enough set aside to make sure his family would always be taken care of, but he couldn’t let his entire life crumble over an affair. Landon couldn’t throw everything away to chase his dream. To chase Aubrey. Losing his father had taught him that family, responsibilities, and security should always come first, and his infatuation with Aubrey almost made him forget that. But what of it? Letting Aubrey go wasn’t an option. They just had to do everything in their power to keep their relationship a secret.

Landon caught a glimpse of her leaning against the far wall, waiting for him. Her face was drawn, and the pallor of her skin worried him. He buried his panicked thoughts. Aubrey needed rest. The filming seemed to have drained her, but he sensed there was something else. It bothered him that he didn’t know what it was. If he knew, he could fix it and erase the hollow look in her eyes.

“I’ll show you to the room I’ve been using,” he said, walking down the hallway. “It’s the farthest room from the kitchen, so the noise won’t bother you as much.”

“Thank you.” She sounded distant, and the knot in his stomach tightened.

He breathed a little easier when her face brightened at the sight of the room. It was one of the smaller rooms in the house, but the robin’s-egg wallpaper and the white wainscoting made it the most charming one. The bed was dressed in the same motif, and Aubrey sighed as she sank into it. Maybe there wasn’t anything else. She really might be just tired.

“Sleep tight.” Landon tucked her into bed and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll come back when everyone clears out.”

* * *

Long after the crew wrapped up and the stars filled the sky, Landon kissed Aubrey awake. Her wide eyes were cloudy with sleep, but a lovely smile lit her face when she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed. His heart clenched and warmth filled him. He was tempted to climb into bed with her, but he had a reason for waking her up.

“Hey.” Landon leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Feeling rested?”

“Mmm-hmm. What time is it?”

“Almost ten.”

Aubrey gasped at his response, her mouth forming an adorable o. She’d been dead to the world for nearly five hours.

“Come outside. You should eat something before going back to sleep.”

“Aren’t we going back to the villa?”

“We’ll stay here tonight. There’s no filming until late tomorrow morning, so we won’t be invaded by the crew.”

“Ugh.” She shivered. “The crew.”

Landon shot her a sharp look, trying to discern whether she was kidding or not. Had she overheard him speaking with Stan? No. If she had, she would’ve confronted him about it already. He was being paranoid. Aubrey never enjoyed being swarmed by the crew, especially the makeup and dress-up part.

Besides, he planned to tell her about what Stan had said so they could discuss a long-term plan to keep their relationship a secret. But not tonight. Tonight, Landon only wanted to make her happy.

He helped her out of bed and led her down the hall. When she stepped out on the deck, her hand fluttered to her mouth. The fire pit glowed with crackling wood, and the strand lights beckoned like miniature moons. He’d set out fresh fruit, cheese, and crackers on a small table with white linen.

“Oh, Landon,” she