This One Moment (Pushing Limits, #1)(62)

“How’s this going to help my reputation? If anything, it will only make things worse. I’ll be labeled as a cheating *.” And it wouldn’t score Hailey any brownie points either.

Alyssa patted my knee. “It’s going to be okay, Nolan. You just have to have faith. Let people get to know the real you, and everything will be all right. And I’d love to meet Hailey. If I accept her as someone important in your life, the fans will too.”

I hoped she was right.

Once we arrived at the location of the premiere, the traffic surrounding the theater slowed the limo’s progress. As the occupants of each limo in front of us climbed out to greet the crowds lining either side of the theater entrance, my leg bounced with restless energy. But it had nothing to do with the screaming fans.

It was due to Alyssa’s advice. If I could, I would’ve hailed a cab and rushed to the airport to catch the next flight to Northbridge. But as much as I wanted to do that, I couldn’t let the band down again. I needed to stay in L.A. until the record was finished. Or at least until the band’s part in recording the album was completed. Only then could I return to Northbridge and show Hailey how much I loved her and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

I hoped she felt the same way about me.

The limo pulled up to the red carpet. Camera flashes lit the area as fans waited with bated breath to see which celebrity had just arrived. The limo door opened and security helped Alyssa from the vehicle. Adoring screams filled the night sky as the fans caught sight of her. The woman I recognized as her assistant was instantly by her side and spoke to her while I stepped out of the limo.

You’d have thought that I too was starring in the movie, from the way the crowd reacted at seeing me. Feeling a little sheepish at the attention when I was nothing more than Alyssa’s escort for the night, I waved. Alyssa stepped up to me, wrapped her arm around my waist, and cuddled close. I knew it was nothing more than an act, but that didn’t stop me from stiffening.

Flashes of light burst in front of us as fans and the media captured this fake moment. Inwardly I groaned. This wouldn’t help my case with Hailey, especially if she saw the photos and video footage. If I was lucky, she would be avoiding anything to do with Alyssa and me and would never see any of this.

A production assistant indicated for us to keep moving toward the theater. But that didn’t mean we got to escape to the safety of the building. We still had to deal with the various entertainment reporters.

Alyssa held my arm, like the adoring couple we pretended to be. It was easy for her. She was an actress. I was just a singer and songwriter. That didn’t require me to act beyond what was needed for the band’s music videos. Even my years of pretending to be someone else were pretty useless right now.

We approached the first reporter and her camera operator.

“Hi, Alyssa,” the tall redhead gushed in that overzealous way common among entertainment reporters, which often left me inwardly rolling my eyes. “Megan Keyes with We Talk. You look absolutely gorgeous. As always.”

Alyssa smiled graciously, her reaction no doubt genuine. “Thank you, Megan.”

“And you…” Megan looked momentarily thrown as to what to call me. Which wasn’t surprising. I hadn’t really decided myself what name I wanted to use career-wise.

Alyssa gave my arm a light squeeze, reminding me what she had told me in the limo: Let people get to know the real you, and everything will be all right.

“You can call me Nolan.”

Alyssa beamed at me, but not for the same reason Megan assumed. I smiled back, even though it would only further cement everyone’s belief we were a couple.

“Nolan,” Megan said, “you look particularly yummy.” To Alyssa she added, “You have very good taste.” She then asked a few quick questions about the film before we were hustled to the next reporter. She barely had enough to time add “Congratulations, you two” before we were gone.

Alyssa waved to a group of teenage girls screaming at her and waving banners that proclaimed NOLYSSA, WE LOVE YOU and NOLYSSA FOREVER!

“Nolyssa?” I said under my breath.

“Nolan and Alyssa,” she explained. “That’s what our fans have been calling us.” She directed her smile at me. “They’ve accepted you as Nolan. They want to get to know the real you, too.”

“How long has this been going on? With the joint name, I mean.”

She looked at me, slightly taken aback. “They were referring to us as Tylyssa for a while before this. The name changed after the paparazzi leaked your real name.”

No wonder fans reacted the way they had when it looked like Hailey had been trying to seduce me away from Alyssa. But what would happen when Alyssa and I ended our fake relationship? How would these die-hard Nolyssa fans react?

I hoped that if Hailey agreed to move to L.A. to be with me, the fans would realize that she was the right girl for me. But in the end, it didn’t really matter if they agreed or not, as long as they left her alone and moved their attention to another celebrity couple.

“Kiss her!” a girl called out. Before I could react, Alyssa leaned in and kissed my cheek. Camera flashes went crazy.

I scowled at her. “Why did you do that?” I said, a little more forcefully than was warranted.

She smiled sweetly. I didn’t know if that was for my benefit or for the benefit of those watching us. “Because if I didn’t, they’d keep hounding you to kiss me. This way they’re semi-appeased. At least I didn’t kiss you on the lips.”