Falling out of Hate with You: Hate - Love Duet Book One by Rowe, Lauren (novel books to read txt) 📕

“I’m sorry,” I say. “Like I said on the phone, I couldn’t pull off a fake romance, even if I wanted to. My dislike of Savage runs too deep. After one episode, let alone three, the whole world would know I’m a liar.”

“Aw, I have faith in your performance skills,” Daria coaxes. “All you’d have to do is focus on nothing but Savage’s physical beauty, and ignore everything else about him, and, voila, you’d convince yourself he’s the great love of your life.” She leans forward across her sleek desk. “In other words, I’m telling you to think like a man.”

We both giggle at the joke.

Daria leans back in her high-back chair again, steepling her fingers. “Do you think you’d be able to fall in ‘fake love’ with Savage for the right price?”

I shake my head. “You know they reserve the real money in their budget for the judges. They’d never offer me anything even close to what I’d need to feel tempted.”

Daria lifts an eyebrow. “Ah, so you admit there is a number, at least, theoretically, that could make you say yes.”

“Hypothetically, sure. But whatever that number is—and, honestly, I don’t know what it would be—the show would never offer it to me, so it’s a moot point.”

Daria looks like the gears in her head are turning. “I’m not so sure about that. When I spoke to the executive producer, Nadine, this morning, she played it cool, but I could tell she was dying to make this happen. Thanks to that video of you and Savage arguing on the sidewalk in New York, and your interview on Sylvia, and, the meme from the awards show, and now, this Instagrammer’s viral video, I don’t think it’s an understatement to say you and Savage are a powerhouse. A shoo-in to grab massive ratings. Surely, Nadine knows that.”

None of this is new information. Daria said all of this, essentially, during our conversation on the phone.

When I shrug and say nothing, simply because I don’t believe for a minute the show would pay me what it would take, Daria puts her elbows onto her desk and smiles.

“What do you make of that Instagram video?” she asks. “Do you think she was telling the truth about what Savage said?”

I snort. “Heck no. If a beautiful woman suggested going upstairs, I guarantee I didn’t even cross Savage’s mind. Obviously, that Instagrammer came up with a story she knew would make her video go viral.”

Daria looks unconvinced. “Well, for God’s sake, don’t let on you don’t believe the video when you see Savage. Let him think you believe every single word.”

“I don’t plan to see him. Even when I’m on-set in a few weeks, I’m going to avoid him like the plague.”

Daria smirks. “Actually, you’ll be seeing Savage sooner than you think.” She looks at her watch. “He was supposed to be here five minutes ago, actually.”

“Daria!”

She shrugs. “His agent called and begged me for a meeting and I felt it would be in your best interests to hear him out.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “I don’t want to see him.”

“Come on. At the very least, won’t it be fun to torture him by pretending you believe every word that woman said? That has to be his worst nightmare.”

I twist my mouth. She’s got a point. “Still,” I say, “the fun in that wouldn’t outweigh the discomfort I’d feel at seeing him.”

“Why do you hate him so much?” Daria narrows her eyes. “You two really did get together, didn’t you? You fell for him, and he cheated on you?”

“Oh, God, no. Daria, listen. I sincerely appreciate you looking out for me and fighting so hard for my career, but there’s no point in having this meeting with Savage and his agent. The show won’t offer me enough to tempt me. And you said yourself three episodes as a mentor won’t make that much more of an impact than one.”

“You’re misconstruing what I said.”

“Regardless, it’s not like they’re offering me a seat at the judges’ table with a paycheck to match. So, let’s just—"

“Well, now we’re getting somewhere,” Daria interrupts. “Are you saying, if I could get you that—a seat at the judges’ table with a paycheck to match—you’d say yes?”

My lips part in surprise that she’s even saying that out loud. “They already said they don’t want me as a judge. Hence, the reason they hired Savage to replace Hugh, rather than me.”

“True, but that happened before today—before that woman’s video went off like an atomic bomb on the internet.” She leans back and swivels in her chair. “I could be wrong, but I’ve got a hunch the landscape dramatically shifted underneath Savage’s feet this morning. Don’t you think it’s a bit weird his agent called me, asking for this meeting? He made it sound like Savage was willing to do you a favor by saying yes to this . . . but would Savage really do a favor for you?”

“Absolutely not.” I pause. “So . . . what, then?”

“I’d bet money Savage’s job is on the line this morning, thanks to his shenanigans last night. My hunch is that Savage’s head is on the chopping block, and thanks to that woman’s video, and everything that’s come before, the producers have made you a condition of Savage’s continued employment.”

My mouth hangs open as my eyes widen with glee.

“Now you understand why I begged you to come down here for this meeting. If I’m right about Savage’s job depending on you, and if I’m right about the show practically drooling over this idea, then I think I can leverage both sides against the other to get you an offer you simply can’t refuse.”

I clutch my heart, feeling like it’s beating a mile a minute. “Okay, this might be a stupid question, but if you’re right about Savage’s job being on the line, then why wouldn’t I say no to being his fake girlfriend, thereby getting Savage shit-canned, and