Center Stage (Bright Lights Billionaire #2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Me. A nobody.
    "We need to get you a new car. You have to have reliable transportation to get places on time." Ethan had no emotion in his words. He was pissed or tired of being around us from what I could gather.
    Jace pulled out his phone and grumbled, "I need to take this."
    "I'll go out with you. I forgot my phone in the car." Charlotte got up and followed my handsome date outside.
    "How long have you guys been together?" Ethan's voice softened a little, but the disapproval on his face was obvious as he poked his fork around on his plate.
    "I've known Jace for a little over five years now." I took a bite of the chicken on my plate. "He's a good guy. Captain of the rugby team at UCLA where I go to school."
    "Awesome." He glanced down at his plate. "You know it's hard to maintain a relationship when we have to travel so much. Not to mention how jealous guys get when their girls are making out with someone else on screen."
    He glanced up as I sat back in my chair. Our relationship was going to be a fucking roller coaster at best. I could only pray that our highs were going to be good enough to sustain the drop offs.
    "I remember you telling me that." I smiled. "Right before you reworded my question to make it less about you and more about actors in general."
    "It's hard to let someone in, Riley. I'm sure as we get to know each other more and work together for an extended period of time, you'll come to know more of me than you ever wanted to." He pushed his food around the plate, but kept his gaze locked on to mine. I was beyond intimidated and yet there was no way I was breaking the stare. Something hot as hell sat between us. Maybe it was fame that birthed lust between two co-stars. I’d seen too many stories of actors leaving their wives for their co-stars. I was starting to see why. Separating fantasy from reality was going to be a challenge.
    "What if I want to know everything?" I licked at the tip of my fork as his eyes lifted.
    "I have a biography you can read." He winked and glanced around as Deza approached and sat down beside him.
    "Hey, kids. Congratulations to you both. Frank and I are thrilled to have things going this well." She reached for the salt in the middle of the table.
    Darren's voice surprised me as he spoke just behind me. I hadn't let him go as my agent yet, so I wasn't sure why I was so taken aback by him being there, but I was.
    "I'm proud of you too." Darren rubbed my back and sat down to my left. "I'm so sorry about not calling you with Eon's offer. I honestly had so much shit go down with my momma-"
    Deza lifted her head as her eyes widened a little. "What's wrong with your momma?"
    "She had a heart attack. It's been a long-ass week." He ran his fingers down his face. "I should go. I don't deserve to be here."
    "No, it's okay." I reached back and took his hand. "It all worked out."
    "Not because of me." He shook his head and couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off Deza. Something beautiful existed below the surface of the odd relationship between them. I’d have to find out more later from him or her… or both of them. Why weren’t they together when it was more than obvious that they should be?
    "Let's go talk. You want to?" Deza moved back from the table and walked around, offering Darren her hand. "Just me and you?"
    "I'd love that." His voice was soft, endearing.
    I turned to watch them go as tears filled my eyes.
    "Wow. That's the first time I've ever seen Deza give up eating for anything." Ethan chuckled as I reached for my napkin and turned back to face him. "Hey. What's wrong?"
    "Nothing. I just hope things work out for them." I blotted my eyes and glanced up to the ceiling. "Acting is my passion, but can you imagine if life really included feeling some of the things we fake?"
    "I wish," he mumbled and gave me a soft smile. "To be completely honest, I can almost feel those emotions when I act. If I have the right co-star."
    "I think you pull off those emotions beautifully if you have the