To Hate Adam Connor

An eyewitness that happened to be near Jake’s trailer claimed Adam was already livid when he approached the actor. “There wasn’t even enough time for the fight to accelerate. Jake was just coming back from a table read, and Adam stopped him before he could go into his trailer. I couldn’t hear their exchange, but as soon as Adam was close enough, he threw the first punch, which must’ve broken Jake’s nose. The next thing I knew, Adam had Jake up against the trailer door. After they exchanged heated words, Adam let him go and just left. It was the weirdest thing.”

The rumor out there is that Adam’s ex-wife, Adeline, was having a fling with Jake, and Adam snapped when he heard about it. You should also know that Adam was photographed having a heated conversation with Adeline at the premiere of Soul Ache just the day before. While this sounds believable and it wouldn’t be the first time it had ever happened, we’re not so sure that was the case here. First of all, ever since the divorce, Adam has stayed away from everything involving Adeline. No press conferences, no interviews, no photo ops. Plus, there were rumors circulating about Adeline and her involvement with the celebrity trainer Mike Trevor, and Adam’s only comment has been “I wish her the best.” Now, does that sound like someone who is pining after his ex-wife to you? For all we know, he is quite happy about the divorce.

No, we think something else was going on with these hot hunks, and we’ll try our best to find out more for you.

Chapter Eleven

Lucy

As I expected, the cops couldn’t do much about my little altercation with Jake Callum. Truth be told, I went there already knowing that, but, hell, I wasn’t expecting them to suggest that maybe I’d had too much to drink and wasn’t remembering everything that had happened.

You’d know if you gave some sleazeball who thought he was the king of the world permission to put his tongue in your mouth after you hadn’t kissed someone for weeks, wouldn’t you? According to them, I wouldn’t.

As if that wasn’t enough, they said sometimes “parties like that” could get out of hand.

That was when Dan the Man stepped forward and took over. In the end, they promised they’d follow up and would talk to Adam and Jake, but couldn’t make any promises that something would come out of it.

While it wasn’t the best outcome, at least they’d have a police report on Jake Callum and if he ever crossed that line with someone else—though I hoped he wouldn’t—they could come back to the police report and know it wasn’t his first rodeo.

And you know what? Dan the Man wasn’t the worst human being after all. He even laughed at my jokes a few times, and by laugh I mean his lips twitched and he shook his head. In my book, that counted as a laugh.

“What are you thinking?” Olive asked, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Nothing important.” I swirled my wine glass and watched the red liquid spin around. “I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of wine.”

She looked at me over her laptop. “That is your second glass; you are a huge fan of it.”

It was a Friday night, and we were working on Olive’s next novel, plotting and taking notes. It was a glamorous night for us. It reminded me of old times, like our second year in college, the first time she had sent me a chapter and had me begging for the next one.

“That’s it though. I had two, but I’m not convinced yet. I mean, it’s classy, but is it me? And sure it’s giving me a buzz, but the taste? Not sure about that either. I don’t think I’m feeling all that great.”

“Then stop drinking.”

“Then what will I do? I think we’re out of beer. Did you write down the next scene? Let me see it.”

“Not yet. Let me read it again and see if it’s any good. If you want beer, why don’t you ask our neighbor?” she added casually. “Maybe he’ll give it to you.”

“Oh, the things your neighbor could give me,” I mumbled to myself, my eyes still following the wine.

Olive sat up straighter but kept her face hidden behind the screen. “What?” As if she could trick me by acting all mellow.

“Catherine called again,” I mentioned casually, ignoring her question.

When I didn’t continue on about Adam, she slumped back in her seat. “What did she want this time?” she mumbled.

“I didn’t answer.” I shrugged, sniffing my glass and then taking another sip. “She was probably calling to ask why I skipped the job interview she so graciously set up for me.”

“You should’ve answered and told her you were my agent now.” She got up, put the laptop on the coffee table, and headed for the kitchen. “I’m getting water, you want?”

“No to water, and I’m your temporary agent,” I corrected her. “I’m still looking for a job, but I’m not gonna take anything else from her.” I reached out for the laptop. “And I’m reading the scene.”

“No,” she shouted, slamming the fridge door closed. “I’m not done yet!”

I drew my hand back and looked at her over my shoulder. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve read anything you wrote? I’m having withdrawals here. Have a heart.”

She came back with a water bottle in her hand. “The new one is almost ready. As soon as Jasmine is done reading it, I’ll send it to you.”

Slowly, I uncurled my legs from under me and leaned forward to put my wine glass on the coaster. Clearing my throat, I asked, “Excuse me? Can you repeat that to me again? Jasmine? Who the hell is Jasmine and why the hell is she reading it before me?”

After drinking half of her bottled water, she gave me a smug look. “She is my beta reader—or maybe I should call her my alpha.”

I slid forward in my seat and gave all my attention to her. “She is your what?”

“You know, beta reader, the lovely person who reads the book after it’s done and points out things you should fix, or leaves encouraging notes. I do love my encouraging notes.”

Was she fucking with me?

“Is this a joke?” She gave me a questioning look. “I know what a beta reader is, Olive. I was your one and only beta reader, remember those days? How could you betray me like this?”

“I guess you do know what it is,” she said as if it meant nothing to her.

It was the worst betrayal in my book. How could she let someone else read it before me?

“I’m speechless. I’ve been waiting to read it for two months. How dare you?”

“Do you also know what a best friend is? Sister from another mister?”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “I could ask you the same question right now, my little green Olive.”

“It doesn’t feel all that great, does it?” she asked, giving me a side-glance. “I assume it wouldn’t, because it sucks when you don’t tell me stuff.”

I huffed and leaned back against the couch. So that was what this was about. How had the sneaky little Olive managed to turn the subject back to me again? She picked up the laptop and continued with her little speech.

“First, I hear about the breakup a week later when I can do nothing about it.”

“And what exactly were you planning to do if you knew about it earlier? Cry your eyes out?” I asked, but she ignored me.

“And then some stupid entitled jerk son of a bitch attacks you—”