4. Elodie

ELODIE

“ W hy the hell did you tell me to say yes?” I ask Stella the second I’m back in the penthouse. “I thought we were going to”—I make a finger air quote sign—“monitor the situation? Let it blow over.”

“Yeah, that was Rachel’s idea,” Stella says, sitting on the couch and watching a reality TV dating show. “But I have a new one.”

“That sounds scary.” I collapse next to her and dig into my bagel. “You want a cinnamon bun?” I hold one out for her and she takes it.

“This slaps,” she says, taking a large bite.

“Sugar solves everything.”

“It does.” She grins before sobering. “Okay, so before you freak out about the Hunter thing, let me lay it out for you. ”

“Okay?”

“I saw how panicked you were after your makeover,” she says.

How the hell could she tell? She doesn’t know me well enough to know my tells, or have I lost my ability to hide my emotions? I open my mouth to deny it, but she continues, “It’s okay. I get it. What you’re signing up for is intense and you don’t even know the half of it. I’ve been wracking my brain, trying to find a way to help you and I’ve got it. Hunter is the solution.”

“Explain it to me like I’m five, because I’m not getting it.”

“The paparazzi and my fans are obsessed with the idea of Hunter and me, or rather you, together. It’s on a level I’ve never seen before, and that media attention won’t go away, no matter how long we monitor it and hope it dies down like Rachel is planning to do. He’d be the perfect buffer between our switch and the media and Jax. We can blame your new relationship for any mishaps that may happen.”

“Wait,” I say. “Back up. What does Jax have to do with this?”

She winces. “So…you’ll have to take part in some promotional events for his new movie.”

“And why the hell would I do that?”

“I might’ve made the entire soundtrack for his upcoming rom-com.” She shrugs as if making an entire soundtrack is a normal thing to do when you’re in love. Maybe it is for someone like Stella. “The movie is gaining a ton of buzz since he starred in and directed it. When he offered for me to join in, I jumped at the chance to help. Now, I wish I never touched that project since we’re contractually obligated to attend the promotional events.”

“But I can’t attend those events on your behalf. He knows you better than most people.” They have a history, and if we have a conversation, he’ll instantly know I’m not really Stella.

“That’s why you need Hunter,” Stella says. “Jax will be more focused on the fact that you’re moving on with someone new than noticing that you’re not me. We can use the media frenzy around you and Hunter to our advantage and control the narrative.”

“But I don’t want to date anyone,” I say. “I’m already trying to fool the world; adding in a relationship will just complicate it all.” There’s also the small issue that I hate football players with a passion.

“Then don’t really date him. Just do it for show.”

“Is that even a thing?” I ask.

“Definitely. I’ve done it before, and it was actually a relief to not have any expectations on either of us.”

“It was?”

“Yeah,” she says. “Being famous and in the public eye? It’s another world. Almost anything is possible.”

I sigh. “I’m going to have to do this, aren’t I?”

Stella smiles and nods .

“I’ll only do it if I get to act like myself around him. There’s no way I can pretend to be you while pretending to date him and pretending to fool Jax. That’s too much pretending for me to keep up with.”

“No problem, it is a lot,” she says. “You just have to perform like me while on tour and act like me for the movie premiere stuff.”

I let out a sigh of relief, everything sounding more manageable than before. “One problem though: Hunter might not even want to date me. One dinner doesn’t mean he wants me.”

“Pfft, you’re a catch. He’d be blind to turn you down.”

“You’re only saying that because I look like you.”

“Come on.” She laughs. “Let’s get you ready.”

I glance down at my outfit. “I thought I was ready.”

“You’re not going to be caught wearing the same outfit twice. Do you know where he’s taking you?”

I pull out my phone and there’s a new message from Hunter who I immediately add to my phone as Jeggings.

Jeggings: I hope Italian is okay for tonight?

Me: Italian is great.

Jeggings: Okay, here is the address. See you soon .

I show Stella the address and she squeals in excitement. “I love that place. There’s a small room in the back that’s private so you all can have a conversation without being interrupted.”

“Yay, me,” I say sarcastically.

“Come on.” Stella stands and pulls me to her closet. “I have the perfect outfit for you.”

When she said she had the perfect outfit, I wasn’t expecting her to pull out a dark blue dress with spaghetti straps and a pleated skirt that’s so short I’m afraid I’m going to flash someone if I sit. Maybe that’s what she meant by perfect—show my va-jay-jay and it’ll close the deal between Hunter and me.

I sigh. This isn’t what I signed up for, and I have zero interest in dating anyone, let alone Hunter. Needing a distraction, I message Nina when I’m in the car and on the way to the restaurant.

Me: Thanks for throwing in some black thongs because even though I’m borrowing S’s dress right now, I draw the line at sharing underwear with her.

Nina: That’s what friends are for. Where are you heading?

Me: I don’t want to talk about it.

Nina: Now you have to.

Me: I’m going on a date with Hunter.

Nina: Stooooop. You’re so lucky. The look on his face in those photos when he was staring at you? I’d pay for someone to look at me like that. Just don’t be stupid, make sure he wears a condom.

Me: Ew, I’m not going to have sex with him. He’s a player and you know how I feel about those.

Nina: But one time wouldn’t hurt.

Me: Yes, yes it would.

Nina: Ugh, fine. Be like that. But I expect a full recap when you get here tomorrow.

Me: Can’t. I have an NDA.

I talked Rachel into letting me go home tomorrow to pack up some things and check on Mom. Rachel relented after Stella insisted it’s okay. Rachel smirked and said I’ll be starting bootcamp when I return to learn everything for the tour. Her smile scared me, as if she knows something I don’t. At least I have around three weeks before Stella’s next show to learn everything .

When we pull up to a black building with floor-to-ceiling windows and an awning, Brian opens my door for me. There are no paparazzi here, and I somehow manage to exit without flashing anyone. The second my foot touches the ground, Hunter opens the front door of the restaurant, as if he was waiting for me to arrive.

“You look gorgeous,” he says, coming to my side. He dressed up. Long gone are the jeggings and floral shirt and in their place are black dress pants and a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up a few times.

“I’ve got it from here,” he says to Brian, tucking my arm in his. I love that even wearing heels, Hunter is taller than me. Brian gives Hunter a once-over, all six feet and six inches of him. He nods once and Hunter whisks me into the restaurant and into the back room that Stella told me about. Some people gasp when they spot us, but no one tries to approach. I guess Hunter could become a bodyguard if his football career doesn’t pan out for him.

Hunter pulls out a wooden chair and gestures for me to sit in it. The room is cozy and cute with brick walls and wooden furnishings.

“I have something for you,” he says, sliding me a black, silky box about the size of my hand.

I pull it in front of me, open it, and…it’s empty. What in the world? I glance at him and he’s grinning like he just gave me the best present .

“Thanks for giving me an empty box, I guess?” I say, still confused about what’s going on.

“It’s the coffin for Cracky. I take my officiating duties seriously,” he says, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket. “I also have a eulogy for her. Do you want me to read it?”

My jaw drops open and my gaze bounces between the box, the paper, and to him. “You didn’t.”

“I did.”

“Well then, I have to hear it.”

He clears his throat in an exaggerated way. “We gather today not to mourn,but to celebrate the life of a true companion:Cracky. Though she’s no longer with us, let us not forget her many contributions.She captured those questionable life choices at two a.m. with unmatched clarity.She facilitated those awkward autocorrect fails that became legendary in Stella’s group chats. And who could forget the countless times she went skydiving off Stella’s lap,only to be revived with a desperate prayer and a frantic button mash?She’s been a true trooper until the very end.”

He bows his head, and I snicker and do the same.

“So farewell,dear friend,” he says, holding his hands in prayer.“May your battery never die again in the afterlife. We'll miss you,but mostly we’ll miss the entertainment you provided by constantly reminding us that you need an upgrade.”

“That is the realest thing I’ve ever heard.” I can’t hold back my laughter anymore and I lose it. Tears drip down my face, and I really hope I’m wearing waterproof mascara. He laughs with me, and I take the paper from his hands, fold it into quarters, and put it in the box. “This might be the most thoughtful thing someone’s ever done for me.”

I instantly regret my words. I have no idea what thoughtful things Stella has received; instead, I responded as Elodie. Needing to distract him from my comment, I laugh awkwardly while changing the subject in the smoothest and least obvious way possible. “Ssssoooo, what did you want to talk to me about?”

He grins and says, “Let’s order some drinks first.”

“Do I need to be drunk for this conversation?”

“It might help.”

I snort and the server comes and takes our order, pasta with meatballs for me and some steak for him. He also orders a bottle of red wine. The wine comes within minutes, and once we have a glass in hand, Hunter raises his and clinks it against mine.

“Thank you,” he says. “For coming tonight.”

“Thank you for Cracky’s service.”

He grins and takes a sip. I drink half the glass in one go.

“All right,” I say, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “In a few minutes, I’ll be tipsy. Tell me what’s up.”

“How the hell was that so hot?” He looks from the wineglass to my lips and back again .

“Stop stalling,” I say to distract myself from the way he’s looking at me.

He nods once and drinks all his wine in one go before refilling both of our glasses. “I have a proposal for you.”

“Okay?”

“How do you feel about dating me?” He pauses, takes a deep breath, and says, “But not for real.”