article?”
His good humor vanished, and his eyes flashed with a hint of darkness. “I saw it. It was everything that is wrong with the entertainment industry. I’m sorry, Joy. You and your son didn’t deserve that.”
“No, we didn’t,” she agreed. “But Kyle’s fine. I guess there are advantages to growing up in the social media age. He’s really good at blocking stuff out and just going on with his life. Me, on the other hand… I was ready to go down to that office and tear some heads off.”
“I hear you.” He reached out and slipped his fingers through hers. “You didn’t do that, though, did you?”
“Of course not. That would just feed the story.” She shrugged one shoulder. “It’s not like the Premonition Perspective is a national gossip magazine. I’m hoping that if we all continue to ignore them that their lies won’t spread when the movie comes out.”
He grimaced.
“I see you think that’s naïve,” she said.
Troy tipped his beer to his lips and sucked down half the contents before he answered. “Maybe. But that’s only because I’ve been on the receiving end of some really nasty stories. I did what you are doing right now. I ignored them, hoping they’d go away. But they never did. Or at least not until I disappeared for a while.”
“I heard you were allergic to industry parties and photographers.”
He let out a laugh. “Yeah. You can say that again.”
Joy tilted her head to the side to study him. “If that’s true, then why did you agree to go to Prissy’s party with me?”
His expression softened, and he squeezed her fingers. “Because you needed the help. And I figured it couldn’t be too bad, considering we’re in Premonition Pointe instead of Hollywood.” He chuckled. “I guess that was a bad bet.”
“I’m sorry.” She downed the rest of her martini and set the glass on a side table. “I really do appreciate it, even if I’m starting to accept that no matter what I do, there’s no way Prissy is ever going to stop her games.”
“She does seem too diabolical to be redeemable.” Troy winked at her. “Does that mean you didn’t enjoy it? Not even when you met Zack Hayes?”
“Goddess no! I hate cocktail parties. Especially when I’m surrounded by a bunch of self-important people. While you were being schmoozed by Prissy, I spent most of my time out on the balcony hiding out.”
“You did?” He laughed again. “That sounds exactly like where I would’ve liked to have been. Instead, I got to listen to Prissy talk about her time in the Caribbean and how she couldn’t wait to show me all her favorite spots. I was starting to feel like she might be planning to abduct me by the end of the night and hide me out on someone else’s private yacht.”
“Someone else’s?”
“Yep.” Troy brushed his dark hair out of his eyes. “Prissy blows through all of her own money on fancy beach houses and red-carpet parties. Trips and things like yachts are always courtesy of someone else. In that world, it’s all about perception. As long as you look rich, you’re in the club. The minute you say you can’t afford something you’re taken out with the trash.”
The sudden bitterness in his tone took her by surprise, and she couldn’t help prodding, “You sound like you speak from experience.”
He put his beer down and leaned in closer to her, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. “I had a life in LA before I moved here. I’m sure you know that.”
“I assumed you did,” she said, staring into his intense gaze. “But I don’t know anything about it.”
He blinked, and then a wide grin took over his face. “You didn’t google me?”
She chuckled. “I might have googled a little. But that was to stalk you while you were in Europe. You know, so I could picture which city you were in and get a read on when you might be back here.”
Wonder filled his blue eyes, and Joy was desperate to kiss him, but she didn’t want to derail their conversation. Now that he’d brought up his past, she was dying to know the details.
“You could’ve just called me,” he said, brushing his thumb over her bottom lip.
Joy closed her eyes for a moment, soaking in his tender touch. When she opened them, she said, “Yes, but then I’d forfeit my chance of playing hard to get.”
“I have news for you, Joy Lansing. There hasn’t been a moment since we