Escape (Part Three) by Zelda Reed Read Free Book Online Page B

“Don’t,” he said. “I’ll do the interview.”
    “Dude,” Jonah said. “You don’t have to.”
    “Yeah, Chace,” I said forcing out the words. “I can handle this.”
    “No, you can’t,” Chace said. “I know Jennifer better than anyone. She isn’t going to stop until she gets her way.” He held out his arm. “Let’s do this.”
    A shaky smile broke out across my mouth. “Of course.”
     
    ***
     
    The pair of us sat across from Cheryl, the arms of our chairs a centimeter apart. (“That’s important, we don’t want you two to look too close.”) Chace’s knee occasionally bumped into mine and neither of us seemed to notice. It was familiar, like the smell of his cologne or the stubble outlining his jaw.
    Cheater or not, Cheryl was taken with him, unable to drag her eyes away for more than a few courtesy seconds.
    “We’re happy to have you joining us,” she said, smile brighter than when she was with me.
    “I’m happy to be here.” Chace plastered on a fake smile. He was showing too much teeth for it to be genuine but she was dazzled, a soft blush crawling up her neck as she ducked her head to shake it off.
    “The two of you truly make an unlikely pair,” she said.
    I tried to imagine what the two of us looked like. Chace, handsome and put together in his black blazer, white-button down and straight black pants. He was every girl’s fantasy, well dressed, well groomed, and genetically blessed. I looked like a librarian.
    “I don’t think we do,” Chace said, placing his hand on my knee.
    Out of the corner of my eye Jennifer’s smirk dropped. Jonah smacked his hand over his face. “Physical attraction isn’t everything, although I think Alice is gorgeous.”
    Cheryl nervously laughed. “But not as gorgeous as Jennifer Mitchel.”
    “Beauty is subjective,” Chace said, moving his hand to his lap.
    “But what does Alice,” she spit out my name, “have that Jennifer doesn’t?”
    “It doesn’t matter,” Chace said.
    Cheryl sat up a little straighter. “Excuse me?”
    “It doesn’t matter what Alice has and what Jennifer doesn’t because you’re digging for reasons to a lie.”
    Cheryl’s eyes flickered towards the producer, standing behind camera one. Hand on his chin he gave her a short nod. Roll with it.
    “What do you mean?”
    “I didn’t cheat on Jennifer,” he said, eyes flickering towards Jennifer. Her fingers tightened in a loose fist. “This whole interview is her way of throwing one hell of a hissy fit.”
    “You’re a liar,” Jennifer growled, storming towards us.
    The crew cocked their heads in her direction. It was a momentary slip, she forgot she was standing in a room full of cameras.
    The cameras turned towards her, standing dumbstruck near the couch, her fingers itching to form fists but people were watching. She couldn’t be the Jennifer who slugged me in the jaw earlier that week. That woman would never remain America’s sweetheart, even if she hit the woman who stole her boyfriend. She had to play the victim through and through, and victims never loss their cool.
    “He’s lying,” she said, her eyes widening as the cameras zoomed in on her face.
    I could feel the tears welling up inside of her, like the moment she stormed out of the Evans’s estate. Practiced and calculated.
    Chace remained cool. “I’m not,” he said. “I’ve never cheated on Jennifer. I’ve never cheated on anyone.”
    “There are stories,” Cheryl said, leaning forward. “Dozens of women who say you’ve flirted with them at wrap parties, gallery openings, on the street.”
    Chace shrugged. “I didn’t say I was perfect. What man doesn’t let his eyes stray from time to time? I admit that sometimes I flirt and I admit that it’s a flaw, but I don’t have to cheat. If I want to stray, I break up with them first.”
    “You’re lying,” Jennifer said, all attention flying back to her, her bottom lip comically trembling.
    “No,” Chace said, staring her