More than the Game by Jenni Bara

17

@NYStarPost:Is it only his eyes that wander? @HotshotDemoda caught with his eyes on the wrong girl. Is he losing interest in the single mom?

@USWeekly:What did Elizabeth Campbell do to cause @HotshotDemoda to lose interest so quickly? As the saying goes, though, once a playboy, always a playboy. Be careful w/ your ❤ Elizabeth!

“Where is he?” Austin stormed into Beth’s living room when she opened the front door. She was alone this morning. The kids had spent the night at Uncle Will’s house while she stayed late after the carnival to get it shut down and cleaned up.

“I told you, he’s not here,” Beth said. “What’s the matter?”

“This.” He handed her page six of the New York Star Post.

Is it only his eyes that wander? She loves him, and he loves women. Some things never change.

Under the headline were two photos of Beth and Marc from yesterday. The first was cute. They were sitting together on the bench. He had one arm around her back and one finger under her chin as he kissed her. They looked like a blissfully happy couple.

The other photo—not so much.

Marc’s arms were around her waist, and she was leaning against him, watching the kids play the water balloon squirt game. It would have been the picture of a happy family outing, if not for the fact that Marc was staring at another woman as he held Beth in his arms.

She was gorgeous, Beth had to give her that: bleached blonde and beautiful, with legs that went on forever. Of course, the high heels and incredibly short skirt could have helped with the illusion. Exactly Marc’s type—beautifully trashy.

Beth sighed.

This woman was the type Marc had been photographed with plenty, so why did it feel like she had been punched in the stomach? It forced Beth to admit the truth: She wished their pretend relationship was real.

It was feeling real; too many things didn’t seem for show. Whispers no one could hear, touches hidden from view, and conversations like the one they had yesterday. All of it made it seem like a relationship, not just a business deal.

But it wasn’t, and she needed to fix that in her mind.

She sank onto the sofa and read the article, which started out saying Marc had gone away alone for a week, then all but accused him of cheating.

“It’s everywhere, right?” she asked, clearing the lump in her throat, and Austin nodded. “This isn’t good for him.”

“Especially not if you’re mad about it,” Austin said.

“I’m not,” Beth assured him, shaking her head as she looked at the pictures again. No, she wasn’t mad, and she was trying not to be hurt either. She racked her brain to find a response that wouldn’t get her attacked in the press. “I’m going to say they’re making a mountain out of a molehill and redirect to the success of the carnival, right?”

“Is that how you want to spin it?” he asked.

“Honestly, whatever will make it go away. I don’t want to become a target.”

“We won’t let that happen, but yeah, laughing it off and redirecting seems to be your best option.” Austin shook his head like he was disagreeing with the words coming out of his own mouth. “Go out together to places you’ll be seen, hot spots; don’t hide out. And let them take more pictures like that one,” he said, pointing to the photo of Beth and Marc kissing. “That one looks like a couple in love. We’ll post a ton of our own as well.”

She wouldn’t say she’d fallen for Marc, but why did he have to turn out to be… nice? The self-centered jerk the media portrayed him to be—she could resist that guy. But the guy Marc was turning out to be was a lot harder not to fall for.

Austin’s phone rang. “Where are you? … I’m already here. She’s—” He stopped looking at Beth. She gave a half-hearted smile and walked toward the kitchen to get some more coffee.

Austin followed her after a couple of minutes.

“So, how are you going to play this with him?” he asked casually. “He’s on his way here and wants to know how you’re taking it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to tell him he hurt you or not?”

She plastered on her fake-as-hell smile and lied to her friend. “He didn’t. It’s nothing. Do you want some coffee?”

“Sure,” Austin said, helping himself to a mug out of her cabinet. Finally, after a few moments of silence while he poured his coffee, he admitted, “As hisagent, I know you’re doing the right thing pretending everything is fine. But as your friend, who saw your face a few minutes ago, I’m having a hard time convincing myself he doesn’t need a good knee to the balls.” Austin leaned back on his elbow and looked up at her as Marc stormed in.

“You can yell in a minute, Austin,” Marc said before coming up beside her and taking one of her hands in his. “Beth, this isn’t what it looks like.” He slammed the newspaper down on her counter with the other.

“So it’s not a publicity nightmare?” Beth asked.

“No. I mean, yes, it is. But we were watching the kids—”

“Marc, you don’t need to explain it. I get it.” Beth cut him off, laughing lightly. The comment didn’t mollify him, though. If anything, he seemed angrier.

“You don’t get it. The first time I saw this woman was today in the paper,” he said, through clenched teeth.

“Don’t lie about it,” she snapped, pushing away from him and the counter. “I was there.”

“I’m not lying, Beth,” he said, reaching out.

“Stop. I felt you notice her,” she hissed, not wanting to have this conversation with Austin listening. Even though he had walked to the far side of the kitchen, he was still in earshot.

“What do you mean?” Marc demanded.

“I was standing between your legs, Marc,” Beth said even more quietly. “It’s not a big deal. Can we let this go?”

“No, I can’t. It’s just—” Marc pinched the bridge of his nose.

Beth understood; he had a strict moral code about cheating, and he felt like this was wrong. “You have no reason to feel guilty. We’re not actually dating, and if I’d seen you check her out, I’d have made some comment about how you probably wish she and I could have a body transplant.” Beth opened the cabinet and pulled out another coffee mug. “Do you want some coffee while we talk about how we’re handling this?”

Marc nodded but glanced away, clearly mulling something over. His eye fell to the counter, and his fist knocked on it twice before he glanced back up to Beth. Then, the frustration clear in his voice, he said, “Just so you’re aware, after this, a lot of things are about to change.”