This One Moment (Pushing Limits, #1)(67)

“Hi, Alyssa,” the tall, skinny redhead said in that annoying way some entertainment reporters had about them. Like they considered themselves equals to the big name celebrity, when most of the time the celebrities had no idea who they were. “Megan Keyes with We Talk. You look absolutely gorgeous. As always.”

Alyssa smiled. The warmth to it made her even more breathtaking. It really wasn’t fair. “Thank you, Megan.”

“And you…” The redhead looked uncertain what to call Nolan. Some fans and reporters now referred to him by his real name. Others stuck with Tyler. Which meant Nolan hadn’t decided yet, or else the record label would’ve already issued a statement as to which name he was now going by.

“You can call me Nolan.”

He glanced at Alyssa. She beamed at him, and he smiled back, further confirming they were officially a couple.

My insides tightened even though this wasn’t news. I just hated the constant reminders.

“Nolan,” Megan said, “you look particularly yummy.” To Alyssa she added, a knowing grin on her face, “You have very good taste.” She then asked a few questions about the film before the golden couple had to move on.

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

I groaned at the name. It was just as bad as the last one. And seriously, what was it with giving celebrity couples idiotic monikers? We didn’t give them to normal couples. No one went around referring to Kayla and Dylan as Dylayla. She’d probably slug me if I tried.

“Kiss her!” someone yelled. Alyssa leaned in and kissed Nolan’s cheek. The fans screamed their appreciation. As much as I wanted to think of them as stupid, they weren’t. They’d been sucked into the lie as much as the rest of us had been.

Neither Kayla nor I said anything, the truth sinking in about the status of the golden couple’s relationship. As I stared numbly at the screen, Kayla theorized what was really going on between them. She even threw in a few alien-related theories that made me laugh. God, I loved her.

“You know what I think you should do?” she said.

“Make popcorn?” Then we could watch a movie. Preferably one not starring Alyssa, and one without any hint of romance. A terrifying psychological thriller would be good right about now.

“Go to L.A.”

I liked my popcorn idea better. “And why would I do that?”

“Have you told Nolan that you love him? And I don’t mean as a friend.”

“He told me I was his heart and soul and, well…” What exactly had I said when he told me that?

Nothing. I’d kissed him, but that was it. Yes, I’d thought about how he was my heart and soul too, but I hadn’t actually said the words. I wasn’t sure if they meant the same to him as they meant to me. Maybe that was why I’d been hesitant to believe he was declaring his love for me. More than likely, in guy talk, he’d been hoping to have sex with me again.

“I kissed him,” I said.

Kayla’s mouth flopped open. She blinked. “Shit, girl. The guy says he loves you and you’re sitting on this couch, hanging out with me, when you should be in L.A. with him.”

“One, he didn’t say he loves me.” Except he did, in the note he’d left the morning he returned to L.A.

Kayla threw me a look to tell me I was an idiot. I couldn’t disagree with her there. There was a small chance she was right. A very small chance.

Kayla continued giving me the look.

Okay, a big chance.

“It was implied in his words,” she said. “In case it’s skipped your notice, Hailey, he’s a musician. And musicians are more poetic than your typical male.” She threw her hands up. “I swear, sometimes you’re as dense about these things as Dylan.”

Ignoring her outburst, I went on. “Two, the record label is pushing for this relationship between Nolan and Alyssa, to save his reputation and to help the band become even bigger. A bad-boy reputation can only get you so far in the industry.” A similar reputation had killed several promising careers in the past few years. Those musicians had never been heard of again. I didn’t want that to happen to Nolan.

Kayla gave me the you’re-an-idiot look again. If she wasn’t careful, it might become permanently etched on her face. And her boyfriend might not appreciate that. “Right. Because everyone knows that celebrity relationships last.”

I folded my arms. “Theirs could.” Hell, why was I defending their relationship?

Kayla snorted. “You’re right. His touring schedule and her movie schedule will be super-conducive to a solid relationship. The record label’s stupid if it thinks their relationship—fake or real—will last and help Nolan’s reputation in the long run. The paparazzi will be constantly hounding them, ready to do anything to poke holes in their relationship. That will be enough to destroy it. Happens all the time.”

I laughed. “Tell me what you really think.”

She shrugged. “I just think you and the label are wrong. Nolan doesn’t need a celebrity girlfriend to save his reputation. He needs a sweet, loving, down-to-earth girlfriend. A girlfriend who isn’t constantly in the spotlight.”

“But I’ve already been in the spotlight,” I pointed out.