A Starlit Summer by Kate Frost (best manga ereader txt) 📕

Jenna leant back on the sofa. She’d dismissed everyone’s excitement on set this morning about what hooking up with Milo could do for her career and yet now it was actually coming true.

Jenna’s head immediately flooded with the possibilities and what ifs, but she made herself listen to Beth.

‘I’ll see what comes in over the course of the week and then we can make some decisions. It’s incredibly exciting, Jenna. Whether you’re into Milo or not, roll with it. He’s a career maker.’

‘Did you know he’d personally requested me to work on this film?’

‘Uh huh.’

‘Why didn’t I know that?’

‘Did I not tell you? I thought I had. Must have slipped my mind. Either way they really wanted you to be a part of the film. See what I mean by the influence he has; he’s a good person to be seen with. Whatever you’re doing or not doing, keep at it. Fuel those rumours.’

They said goodbye, the excitement in her agent’s voice in stark contrast to the worry that consumed Jenna. She was too tired and emotionally drained to be wondering or even caring about the opportunities that were about to come her way. She checked her mobile again; still no message from Finn. It was too late to try and phone him again now. Maybe he was out with friends and maybe he’d been too busy working today to answer her call; perhaps he hadn’t actually seen the article and wasn’t ignoring her.

What she needed to do was talk to Milo, get his take on it, and find out what he was going to say about it. As nothing had actually happened between them he could deny it – people would listen to him. The only problem was how to actually go about seeing him without anyone else seeing them together.

Chapter Seventeen

Jenna woke with a start. Worry consumed her thoughts. She should have tried phoning Finn again last night however late. Why the hell hadn’t she at least texted him, told him the photo and magazine article was completely made-up. Nothing more than gossip to sell some magazines. But then again if he hadn’t even seen the article then keeping quiet about it was probably best. Unable to settle back to sleep she forced herself out of bed and jumped in the shower. Her call time was later this morning and Finn would be here before she left. They were starting work inside today so she’d get the chance to speak to him. She’d tell him all about the article, explain just how ridiculous and untrue it was and it would be fine.

Jenna got dressed in a maxi skirt and sleeveless top. It was overcast but humid, the heat still intense but the blissful hot and sunny summer days had seemingly stalled. The grey mugginess of the morning suited her mood.

She ate a piece of toast, downed a coffee and tidied the kitchen. Her bag was packed for the day. She had nothing left to do, except say hello to Finn when he arrived and then head off to the base at eight thirty.

She was wiping over the kitchen surface for the third time when she heard the van pull into the drive. The engine switched off and two doors slammed shut so Finn’s dad was with him. Footsteps crunched along the gravel path and two shadowy figures passed the window before Gary appeared in the open doorway.

‘Morning, Jenna, I wasn’t sure if we’d get to see you today or not.’ He took off his sunglasses and tucked them in his T-shirt pocket.

‘A later call time this morning, that’s all.’

Gary stepped into the kitchen and Finn followed behind. He didn’t look at her and she knew immediately that he’d seen the article.

‘We’re going to be working on the bathroom this week,’ Gary said. ‘Water’s definitely going to be off today and tomorrow.’

‘That’s okay, I’ll be out all day.’

‘You might want to fill up some containers just in case.’

Finn dumped his tool box on the floor with a bang. ‘Or you can always stay at your boyfriend’s until the water’s back on.’

He turned his back on her, squatted and rifled through his tools.

‘Right, okay then.’ Gary looked between his son and her. ‘I’m going to get what we need from the van.’ He stepped past Finn and out into the sunshine.

Jenna didn’t know what to say to Finn. He was pissed off, his tone said as much and his dad had picked up on it. It was hard not to.

Finn stood upright, clutching something in his hand. ‘Why lead me on when you’re with him?’ He slammed a crumpled copy of Hot Now Magazine on the kitchen table.

‘I tried phoning you yesterday to warn you about the article because it’s not true. I didn’t think you’d really believe what’s written in a gossip magazine.’

‘It’s not what’s written, Jenna, it’s the photos of you two all over each other. Why wouldn’t I believe that? Seems blatantly evident to me. You’ve made a fool of me. That’s all Jake’s girlfriend was banging on about at the pub last night.’

‘It’s not what it looks like. Really it isn’t.’

Finn picked up the magazine. ‘“Leggy Jenna Wilson in a romantic clinch with the hottest actor of the moment Milo Blake”. You’re half naked and all over each other. I don’t care, it’s up to you what you get up to, but don’t go fooling around with me when you’re with him. I’m done with being messed around.’

‘Actually, you’re right, it is up to me what I get up to and I’m sick of everyone assuming stuff about me that’s not true. If you think I’m the type of person who’d be sleeping with one bloke and leading another one on at the same time, then it’s because you don’t know me very well at all.’

Jenna picked up the magazine and slammed it against Finn’s chest. She stalked over to the sink, leant against it and stared outside,