Closer to You (Book One ✓)

S E V E N

A notification lights up my cell phone screen as I rub my eyes, furiously trying to focus on the message. Today is my day off of work - if it was up to me, I'd work every day, but Nadine insists I take time to relax - so I'm sleeping in. Or trying to, at least. I check my phone, reminding me that Beau and I are supposed to post on Instagram today. Nothing that reveals my identity quite yet, but enough to get fans speculating. All part of Fiona's master plan to get Beau in the right kind of spotlight again. I groan, sinking deeper into my covers and closing my eyes once more.

But sleep, it would seem, is just not in the cards for me today. My phone lights up again, sending vibrations through my pillows and jolting me out of bed. "Hello?" I yawn before checking the number on the screen.

"Miss Carter? My name is Valerie, I'm Fiona's assistant." The voice seems young to be Fiona's assistant. Poor Valerie.

"Mmm," I groan again, finding my slippers and making my way to the kitchen. If I can't have sleep, coffee will have to do.

"I'm just reminding you that you have a scheduled post this afternoon. Fiona asked me to go over some possibilities, in case you might be stuck." Translation: Fiona doesn't trust us enough to figure this out on our own. I ponder briefly on whether or not I should be offended, but then I remember how difficult my partner in all of this is. Beau. I suppose I'd call to confirm if I was them, too. I sigh and pour myself a mug of coffee, ready for my lesson. "Okay,"

"The goal is, of course, to cause speculation and take attention off of Beau's recent behavior. To do this, we want to drag the reveal out and keep people guessing. So we need to start small. Does that make sense?"

I nod before remembering Valerie can't see me. "Yes," I mumble, burning myself on the too hot coffee. The line is silent for a couple of seconds and I wonder if we got disconnected. "Hello?"

"Yes, excuse me, Miss Carter. Fiona just-" Valerie stops abruptly, silence on the other end once more. Finally, a sharp tone in the background insists Valerie "be quick about it," and I gather that poor Valerie probably just endured Fiona's wrath. I hope she's paid well, at least.

I feel an empathetic smile spreading across my face. "Valerie?"

Her voice is much more timid than before, defeat seeping through her words despite her professional tone. "Yes, Miss Carter?"

"Call me Emma."

***

Beau and I are back at the small grocery shop a little ways down the street from my apartment. I called after my conversation with Valerie, reminding him about today's duties. Of course, he threw a tantrum and up until he actually arrived outside of my apartment, I hadn't even been sure he would show. I catch him in the corner of my eye and secretly admire the bedhead he wears so well before silently going over tonight's plan in my mind.

Val suggested we do something low key, maybe a dinner at home, and to make sure we got a picture suggesting the dinner was not a solo affair. For example, a photo of the food, with my hands across the table, or a cryptic caption. Truth be told, it doesn't even matter if we actually eat together at all, so long as it looks like we did. The whole thing seems ridiculous to me, but I barely use my own Instagram, so what do I know?

"So what are you making me?" Beau grins cockily, sliding his phone into his back pocket and shaking me from my thoughts.

I roll my eyes, scanning the shelves for my favorite brand of tomato sauce. I could make my own, and I normally would, but I just don't have the time today. "We," I glare at him pointedly, "Are making chicken parm," I hand him the sauce a little more forcefully than I need to, his tattooed fingers nearly dropping the jars because of it.