The Game (Wagered Hearts Series, #3)(4)

I had to chew the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out. I knew Arnie was just trying to be helpful, but a fake engagement! It was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard of. I didn't want to be tied to some stranger for months on end, pretending to be in love. It was one thing be photographed with someone, but an engagement was pushing it. It felt so sordid and sneaky. And what would I even tell my mother when she'd inevitably call?

"There's got to be another way," I said. "Isn't there some type of rehab I can go to?"

"Rehab for what? Running your mouth?" Charlotte said.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Let's try to be professionals," I admonished. "You know this will never work. Maybe if we say I went to anger management or something--"

"If you go to rehab or anger management or whatever, you're admitting fault. You're saying, 'Yes, I screwed up and now I'm getting help.' That's just as bad as doing nothing. As much as I hate to admit it, this might be the best option. We could let the story run its course, but that could be risky. It might just fizzle out, or it might really take off and end up burying you. For my money, I'd bet on the latter. Like I said before, people have been waiting for you to screw up so they can take you down."

I buried my face in my hands and closed my eyes, wondering how in the world I got myself into this situation. Twenty four hours ago I was on top of the world. I had everything going for me--my career was red hot, I was slated to sweep awards season in the Best Actress category, I made People's Most Beautiful list, and was #1 on Maxim's Hot 100 list.

Twenty four hours ago, a fake engagement would have been on the list of things I'd never sink to. Now, it was looking like I had no choice. One stupid moment of losing my cool, and it all came back to bite me in the ass. I could have laughed if it wasn't so tragic.

My career was the most important thing to me and I knew I'd do whatever it took to protect it. Nothing--no relationship, family, or friends--came before my career. It's how I'd lived my life for the past eight years and I wasn't about to let all that sacrifice go to waste.

"All right, I'll do it," I finally said.

Arnie clapped his hands together and beamed at me. "Great! I'll get--"

"Wait! Before you say anything else, I just want to make it clear that I'm calling the shots. I get to decide who my fake fiancé is and what this--uh--arrangement entails," I said.

Charlotte sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing me pensively. "Who did you have in mind?" she asked.

"I hadn't thought that far yet," I admitted. "Give me some time to think about it."

"We don't have time," Arnie said. "The Daily Inquirer said they're running the story in tomorrow's paper. We need to head this thing off before it grows legs."

"Well who did you have in mind then?" I asked.

Arnie looked over at Charlotte before he picked up his phone and began to scroll through his contacts. "I had been thinking Bryce Master would be good," he said, still scrolling through his phone.




"WHAT?!" Charlotte and I both said at the same time.

Arnie looked up from his phone and frowned at me. "What's wrong with Bryce?"

"Um hello? For one, he's gayer than a unicorn covered in glitter. No one will believe we're a real couple," I said.

Arnie looked like he was about to argue, but Charlotte cut him off. "She's right. There've been rumors about Bryce for years."

"Which is why he'd be willing to go along with the fake engagement," Arnie said. "I hate to break it to you, but there aren't exactly many hot, young, and straight movie stars lining up outside your door to be your fake fiancé. They don't need the cover."

"What about Adam Stone?" Charlotte suggested. "You worked with him on Heavenwood and you two seemed to have great chemistry. I'm sure his career could use a boost right about now too."

Adam was the lead star in a basic cable television show I did years ago when I just started out. He was dynamic, dark, and charismatic, and the only cast member other than me who went on to have a successful movie career. I hadn't spoken to him since the show got cancelled, but we'd always been friendly. It could work.

"Can't. He's not suitable," Arnie said in dismissal.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because he's got more problems than you do. He's on parole right now for punching that photographer outside of The Vine. Plus he's doing his third stint in anger management," he said.

I slumped back against the couch and groaned. Who knew picking a fake fiancé was so hard? I sat with my eyes closed, scrolling through the mental rolodex in my head of men who were not only eligible, but willing to go along with the scheme. Unsurprisingly, there were none that came to mind.

"Why limit ourselves to just actors? Why not open it up?" I heard Charlotte say. "What we need is a man who's wealthy, handsome, charming, and has an impeccable reputation."

I opened my eye and stared at her quizzically. "Good luck with that," I said. "If I ever met a man like that, I might just have to marry him for real."

"What about that man you were seeing last year? That billionaire--Ryan something. He'd be perfect," she said.