Taken by Angeline Fortin (great books of all time TXT) 📗

“We do!” her fans assured her and Scarlett cast them all a very genuine smile.

“Thank you so much.  You’re all just wonderful.”

They beamed but another reporter pushed his way through then, ruining the most pleasant moment of her day thus far.  She recognized him as one of the sleazy London tabloid reporters who’d had nothing better to do for years other than haunting Dunskirk Castle during taping.  “Miss Thomas, what about the rumors regarding a secret romance with your Puppet War co-star, Grayson Lukas?  Are they true?”

Aren’t they always? Scarlett thought bitterly as the crowd held their collective breath waiting for a response, though she refrained from voicing the sour comeback knowing they would only ignore the sarcasm and interpret the words as verbal confirmation of the rumors.  The worst thing about fame was that assumption that they all knew her.  Knew what she wanted and what she thought.

How she longed for the days before all this had come about, when she had lived her own life or even felt as though she had one.  When she hadn’t been a star but just a girl who wanted the same thing all the girls wanted.

“Mr. Lukas.” The reporter shifted direction when Scarlett didn’t answer and she cringed realizing that her former co-star was just a few steps behind her.  “What do you have to say to the rumors?  Are they true?”

“Aren’t they always?”  Grayson’s intonation of her thoughts was far more kindly presented as he slung a casual arm over her shoulder and gave them all a roguish wink.

Scarlett might have been much like Finley Adams in personality and temperament, but Grayson Lukas completely embodied his character, Flynn Jackson. A more cocksure, vain, cavalier idiot had never walked the earth.  In her opinion, he personified the living, breathing proof that every high in life came with a downside.

Once, just once, during the filming of the second movie in the trilogy, Ventriloquist, Scarlett had made the mistake of going with Grayson to an awards show, sharing the red carpet with him.  Tyrone had imagined it to be a brilliant publicity stunt and he had been right.  The media, the paparazzi had latched on to the idea of Finley and Flynn.  The nerd and the jock who fought their feelings and were then torn apart in the books and movies, finally together in real life.  Rumor, tabloids, Photoshopped pictures.  The press had created a relationship for them that wasn’t any more factual than the fictional one.

Grayson had thought it should be.  It helped them both, he insisted.  Kept the spotlight on them.  A spotlight Scarlett had been trying to step out of for the past four years.

“Gi’ us a kiss!” one of the Scottish tabloid reporters shouted.

They think I actually like this fool!  Her lips parted of their own accord, as if she might voice the thought but Grayson took advantage of her moment of silence, bending her back over his arm and taking the kiss the crowd wanted before she could protest.  The onlookers went wild and Scarlett knew it would be all over social media the next day.

Back on her feet, Scarlett steadied herself and resisted the urge to swipe the back of her hand across her lips while Grayson waved to their fans.

Turning on her heel, she stalked away while Tyrone rushed to keep up with her.  “What an idiot,” she hissed from the corner of her mouth.  “I can’t believe anyone would think I’m in love with that.”

“Appearances, Scarlett.”

“I’ll tell you what you can do with your appearances, Tyrone.”

Reaching the platform, Scarlett determinedly pasted her public smile back on and greeted the Director of Commerce and Tourism from Historic Scotland, the historic preservation society that maintained the castle, and the president of the Scottish Borders Council.  “Good afternoon, Miss Thomas.  Welcome to Dunskirk Castle!  Again, of course.  We’re so glad that you could be with us today to mark this occasion.”

The occasion was the full restoration of Dunskirk Castle and its transference from private property to a national historical site and public museum.

“I’m honored to have been asked.”  Scarlett smiled at the effusive welcome and shook hands with the others who gathered around; castle staff, government officials, and the director of exhibit operations, Darin Coleridge, who was in charge of the afternoon’s festivities.

More hesitantly they greeted Tyrone, who was a harmless as a teddy bear but intimidated effortlessly since he was built like an ox, bald-headed and in possession of a neatly trimmed goatee that Scarlett suspected he maintained solely for its menacing addition to his already sinister persona.

Grayson followed her up on stage while Scarlett turned away to greet two of their other Puppet War co-stars who were also attending the ceremony.  “Hayden, how are you?” she asked as they brushed air kisses and hugged lightly.  “Michael.”  A more sincere hug.  Hayden Walsh and Michael Ford had portrayed Nora Bankman and Christian Cameron in the series, the muscle as it were, in the storyline.  Scarlett had gotten on with Michael especially well.

The four of them sank down into a row of chairs set behind the podium.  Grayson managed a seat right next to her, but Scarlett studiously ignored him and gave her attention to Coleridge as he stepped up to make his opening remarks.

The photographers in the crowd kept their attention on her and Grayson, snapping away and leaving Scarlett with little choice but to force a brittle smile to her lips.

“…and, of course, we have to thank the director and producers of The Puppet War for bringing worldwide attention to Dunskirk by choosing it as the setting for their movies but it is the four young people who are with us today to whom we owe our greatest thanks. Their tireless efforts in promoting Dunskirk and raising the funds to open this museum today will never be forgotten. Now, I heard that Miss Thomas only recently gave