Closer to You (Book One ✓)

S I X

After our shopping trip earlier this week, I've spent hours continuing my search of the World Wide Web, scouring over Instagram fan accounts, paparazzi shots, tabloid articles, and anything else I can find related to Beau Lewis. One fan page seemed quite informative, mashing all the relevant information onto one site, so I favorited that one on my web browser, feeling a bit weird at the thought of anyone possibly seeing it.

I decided to look around a bit before work this afternoon and I've found a particularly interesting Instagram account. I scroll through photos - professional photoshoots of MisFits, blurry shots of Beau doing day to day activities, screen-grabs of interviews, everything. As it turns out, MisFits is a rock and roll band, not a boy band, I chuckle to myself as a clip from one of their concerts plays automatically. I suppose Beau's leather and ripped jeans are not that far out of place, then. You wouldn't be able to tell that they aren't a boyband, the way the young girls follow their every moves. But the guys are attractive and I have to admit, their music is good, so hey.

I almost take out a notepad and start taking notes the way I would in school. It's my job to know these things now, and after seeing how informed some of their fans are, I cannot afford to mess this up. I shiver at the thought of Fiona scolding me for making a mistake. Still, it feels wrong somehow, like a violation of Beau's privacy. Maybe that's the price for being famous, I sigh as the pencil falls from my fingers - but it's not one I'm willing to pay.

I'll get to know my pretend boyfriend the old fashioned way - uncomfortable first dates and forced small talk. I grab a red pen and mark my calendar - my personal one that I've tacked to the wall by the fridge, not the one Fiona sent over - for Beau's birthday. April 10th, I smile at the date, impressed Beau even admitted to it in the first place. Maybe I'll plan something nice for him, I think. As soon as the thought is fully formed in my mind, I let out a laugh - there's no way Beau will want to spend his birthday with me, not unless Fiona makes him, and maybe not even then. I pull on my old converse and make my way down to the coffee shop, only a couple minutes early to my shift.

"That boy is here for you," Nadine eyes me carefully once I'm inside. I follow her gaze across the cafe, surprised to see Beau lounging in one of the arm chairs, a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. God, it can't be good for him to be on that thing this much, I shake my head. "What's that about?" She asks bluntly, never one to beat around the bush.

"Nothing," I chuckle, feeling bad for lying to her. "I think he has a crush on me," I bite my lip, satisfied that my new role lets me tease Beau a bit, at least.

Nadine stops scrubbing the counter top to put her hands on her hips. "Yeah? And what do you think about that, Miss Emma?"

I take my apron off the hook and double wrap the strings around my waist. "I don't know," I shrug casually. "What do you think about it?" I find myself actually wanting to hear her answer - I trust her, and even if she can't know everything, I want to know what she thinks of Beau. I peek at him again but he hasn't looked up from his phone.

"Well, it's not any of my business." Nadine busies herself cleaning the counter top again. I wait a couple of minutes, knowing she can't keep her opinions in for too long. "I just don't know about him, Emma. He seems like bad news," Literally, I think to myself, images of all his scandalous headlines like a flip book in my mind. "I just don't want to see you get hurt." Nadine rests her hand on my shoulder and I smile reassuringly at her.

"Don't worry," I begin refilling the sugars, "That won't happen." I hold back a small laugh, thinking of our no feelings, purely business deal. Yep, I smile to myself, definitely no chance of that happening.

"He's coming over here," Nadine warns me quietly in time for me to look up and see Beau standing right in front of me.

"Hi there, sir. What can I get for you today?" I smile obnoxiously, using my best customer service voice.