Darn Knit All (All Access #3)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

THEO

Theo

Don’t worry, I’ll fix this

Mai

I know. I trust you

T here’s no good way to admit you’ve lied.

My foot jiggled on the cool concrete floor as Celeste stared me down over her desk.

Around us, light techs, sound engineers, and people whose job I had no clue about ran here and there, avoiding their boss like the plague.

“You’re sorry,” she said finally, her tone icy. “Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.”

I winced. “If it makes you feel better, karma has certainly bitten me on the ass.”

“It does,” she said, absently stirring a pencil in her coffee. I opened my mouth to say something when one of her assistants caught my eye, frantically shaking his head.

I snapped my mouth shut.

“Do you know who sold you out?”

“Jude.” I leaned back in my chair. “Though I’m not sure why when they won the competition.”

“Interesting.” Celeste tapped her pencil against the mug. “You know, you film well. It’s a shame you’re in such a pickle.”

“I know how bad this looks,” I said, leaning forward in my chair. “But you have to believe me when I say that we never meant for it to go this far. It got out of hand.”

She scoffed. “Out of hand? Theo, you and Mai straight up lied. To me, to the network, to the viewers. This isn’t some minor transgression. You perpetuated your lie for the entirety of filming. Do you have any idea the damage control I’m going to have to do? The network is already breathing down my neck demanding answers.”

I ran a hand through my hair. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right. Interviews, press releases, public apologies—you name it.”

“And what about Mai? Is she on board with this little plan of yours?” Celeste asked pointedly.

I hesitated. “Mai wants to come clean, admit everything.”

Celeste leaned back in her chair, studying me intently. “And you? What do you want?”

I met her steely gaze. “I want to protect her. She doesn’t deserve to have her reputation ruined over this. Let me take the fall.”

She raised an eyebrow. “How noble of you. But how exactly do you plan to ‘take the fall’, as you put it?”

I took a deep breath. “I’ll release a statement saying the fake relationship was my idea. That I coerced Mai into going along with it for publicity. She’s innocent in all this.”

“You really think anyone will believe that? You two looked pretty cozy together by the end there.” Her tone was skeptical.

I shrugged helplessly. “It’s the truth, mostly. Mai never wanted to do this. I convinced her we should.”

Celeste sighed heavily, tapping her manicured nails on the desk. “You better hope she corroborates your story. If there’s even a hint that this ‘relationship’ took advantage of her in any way....” She let the threat hang.

“I understand.”

She took a sip of her coffee, watching me over the rim.

“You’re pretty gone for this girl, aren’t you?”

The words I wanted to say to Mai burned on my tongue.

I love you.

“She’s a good woman.”

Celeste snorted. “I’m a good woman, that girl is a fucking saint. Do you have any idea how many people we have come through these doors looking to be TV stars?”

She paused and I shook my head, realizing belatedly that she expected an answer.

“Thousands each week. And from those thousands at the last fucking minute, we pull you two. It’s the perfect pairing. A funny small-town boy and his girlfriend with big dreams. You two should be the darlings of the screen, a director’s delight. You’ve turned into my fucking nightmare.”

She placed her coffee on the desk. “Here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna fix this for you. But you have to do something for me.”

“Anything.”

She chuckled darkly. “Oh, honey. You have no idea what you just agreed to.”

I ignored her ominous words. “What do you need me to do?”

Celeste smiled, a slow, calculating curl of her lips. “You, Theo, are going to give the performance of a lifetime. We’re going to spin this little ‘fake relationship’ revelation in our favor.”

“How so?”

She leaned forward, steepling her fingers. “Picture this—a heartfelt confession on live TV. You admit that yes, initially you and Mai agreed to pretend to be a couple for the show. But somewhere along the way, real feelings developed. By the end, you were both head over heels, your on-screen chemistry impossible to fake.”

“You really think anyone is gonna believe us after this?”

Celeste chuckled. “I love when a TV land newbie joins the crew. You’re always so naive. Our viewers will eat this shit up. Star-crossed lovers who found each other under unconventional circumstances? It’s reality TV gold.”

I shook my head. “Mai will never agree to this. She wants to come clean, be done with the lies, not create more.”

“Is it really a lie though?”

I rocked back in my seat. Jesus Christ. How did she ? —

“I know all, Theo. Does she feel the same way about you?”

I lifted one shoulder. “You’d have to ask her.”

“Good answer.” Celeste leaned back in her seat. “Alternatively, there is another option.”

I hated to ask. “And that is?”

“It’s time for your solo, Mr. Garrett.”