Closer to You (Book One ✓)

F O U R

I haven't seen Beau since he dropped me off at my apartment after our "date," if you could even call it that. More like a completely orchestrated publicity stunt. Still, it did the trick, I think to myself, looking around at my apartment. Now I'm all caught up on my rent, and I'll soon have enough to put a couple months down in advance. Nadine would never kick me out, but I never want to take advantage of her kindness. If there's one thing I hate, it's being indebted to someone with no way to return the favor.

I check the clock on the wall - only eleven. I have an hour before my meeting with Beau and his "team." They're bringing over our contract, I giggle to myself. An actual contract on how to pretend to be Beau Lewis's girlfriend. This is crazy, I let out a deep sigh as I tidy up the kitchen from my late breakfast. I straighten the chairs and sweep the floor of any crumbs, already envisioning the look on Beau's face when he sees my apartment. I'm sure it'll be added to the list of things he can mock me about later. A sudden pounding at the door startles me from my thoughts.

"Beau," I open the door to see that familiar black bed head. "I thought we were meeting at noon,"

"We are." Beau frantically motions for me to let him in. Taken by surprise, I step aside instantly. "Okay," he sighs once he's inside the apartment. "I think I lost them,"

I take a few steps back, hands on my hips. "Lost who?" Beau eyes me sheepishly, and I prompt him once more. "You lost who, Beau?"

"A group of girls started following me," He shrugs casually, looking around the apartment with his perpetual unimpressed expression.

"You brought... groupies to my apartment?" I glare at him as he makes his way around my kitchen, opening and closing cabinets. "Can I get you something?" I snap. He looks up instantly, amusement turning the corners of his lips in a sarcastic grin as he lets a drawer roll closed with a loud thud.

"One," Beau makes himself comfortable in my arm chair and gazes up at me, bottom lip between his teeth. "Who even says 'groupies' anymore?" His green eyes crinkle as he smiles, his mood slightly more pleasant than normal. "Two, I didn't bring them anywhere, to be clear, they were following me. And like I said, I think I lost them before I got here. And no, I don't need anything, just a place to hide until the coast is clear." The look on his face is smug, like he already knows he'll get what he needs before I even agree.

I glare at him, arms crossed over my chest. "We're meeting soon anyways." I sigh in defeat, sitting cross legged on my couch.

"So this is your place," Beau stands too tall in the center of my living room. "It's cozy," He winks.

"Glad you approve," I scoff, watching him make his way around my apartment. It's so weird to see him in my space like this, so out of place.

"Who're they?" Beau points a long finger at the center photo on my end table and I don't need to peek to know who he's referring to.

"My parents, at our lake house," I smile remembering the day the photo was taken. It was so hot out and I was so tired from the drive, but Mom had insisted we take our annual picture, resulting in the first of many photos over the years where I look completely miserable in front of the camera.

"You were cute, huh?" Beau mocks me, pulling a similar pout as the one I wore in the picture. He laughs at himself, even when I don't. "They look nice, though," his voice is soft before he quickly changes the subject. "Ah, I knew you were a nerd," his trails his longs fingers over my bookshelf, head craned to the side to read the titles.

"How would you know that?"

Beau straightens, turning his attention back to me. "Your craziest dream is to go to college," He chuckles as he grabs a book from the shelf. "Call it a wild guess." He plops down on the couch beside me, handing me the book. I grab it from his hands, pushing myself farther away from his body. "How many times have you read that book?"