This was bad.
‘I screwed up, clearly,’ she told Melissa. Honesty was the best policy, right? ‘What can I do to make it better?’
‘I’m not sure. What is your relationship with Ben Chatsfield, Olivia?’
‘I told you, I don’t have one...’
‘Then why were the two of you in a clinch in The Chatsfield’s pool?’
‘It was an accident.’
‘An accident?’
Olivia sighed. ‘I didn’t look before I leaped,’ she said. ‘Literally.’
At least Melissa gave a small smile when Olivia explained just how she and Ben had ended up tangled together in the deep end. But then she sighed and frowned again.
‘I think the best thing, for now anyway, is to go along with the ruse.’
‘The ruse?’
‘That you’re seeing Ben Chatsfield. Assuming you can get him to agree, of course.’
‘Oh. Uh. Sure.’ Not.
‘At least until the Berlinale is over and we have this film role confirmed. After that you can just say the two of you broke up.’
‘Right.’ Ben was so not going to be on board with this. Olivia pictured the look of disbelief on his face when she explained what she wanted—needed—him to do. Not just disbelief, but disdain. Derision. All those nasty D words.
‘So you guys are friends, right?’ Melissa asked. ‘He’ll agree to play along for a little while?’
Olivia gave her agent a breezy smile. She wasn’t an actress for nothing. ‘Oh, sure,’ she said, and held up two crossed fingers. ‘We’re like that. Not a problem at all.’
Uh-huh.
CHAPTER THREE
‘HAVE YOU SEEN the newspapers?’
Ben held his cell phone away from his ear as Spencer’s voice boomed down the line. ‘The newspapers? No. I’ve been too busy trying to find proper accommodation for an actress’s toy poodle. And by toy poodle, I don’t mean toy. I mean a real-live dog she decided to bring with her to the hotel.’
‘We have an arrangement with a local kennel,’ Spencer said dismissively, and Ben gritted his teeth.
‘That might have been good to know for the past two hours.’ He drummed his fingers on the desk, forced his voice back to measured. ‘So what’s in the newspapers?’
‘You are.’
‘What?’ Though he knew the media had dubbed him a celebrity chef, he’d managed to keep a low profile ever since he’d opened his first restaurant. He didn’t want or need publicity; food spoke for itself. And he wasn’t exactly the world’s most charming people-person. He had no idea why he’d make the papers now.
‘You and a certain Harrington,’ Spencer elaborated, and for a second Ben still came up blank. ‘A certain... You mean Olivia?’ What other Harrington had he come into contact with, ever?
‘Olivia, yes,’ Spencer bit out. ‘So when were you going to enlighten me that you’re dating a Harrington?’
‘I’m what?’ Now Ben was the one booming. His PA, Rebecca, in the office adjoining his gave him a quick, curious glance. Ben sat back in his chair, drove one hand through his hair and let out a low breath.
‘I am not dating a Harrington. Any Harrington, and definitely not Olivia. Not,’ he continued with a definite edge to his voice, ‘that I need to answer to you if I was.’
‘So you are...’
‘No. I’m just reminding you that I’m not your damn employee, Spencer. I’m doing you a favour for two weeks, and my personal life is none of your concern.’
Spencer was silent for a moment. ‘Fair enough,’ he said at last, and he sounded grudging. ‘But the newspapers are saying you are dating a Harrington, and that affects the negotiations...’
‘Then the newspapers are wrong,’ Ben answered shortly. ‘What a surprise.’
‘That’s not what Olivia is saying,’ Spencer added, and Ben bolted upright, his hand clenched so tightly around his phone his knuckles ached.
‘What?’
‘She gave an interview this afternoon, which is breaking news on all the entertainment websites as we speak. I quote, “We’ve been seeing each other since The Chatsfield tried to take over The Harrington.” And the we in that, in case you’re wondering, is you and Olivia.’
Ben’s jaw went slack as his mind spun. So this was her revenge for his smack-down last night? So much for the heartfelt apology she’d given him that morning. Clearly she had more acting talent than he’d given her credit for.
Instead she decided to tell the worldwide media that they were dating?
What the hell was that about? Was she trying to embarrass or annoy him, or both?