A-Hole to A-List (PR Girls & Instalove 1)

I just had to stay focused and professional until this thing was over, no matter how much my spine prickled every time I looked at him.

6

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Andrew

After escorting Jenna back to her car after the rest of our meeting, I felt like an enormous jerk. She’d hit one of my weird trigger buttons, and for some reason it had rattled me.

I didn’t want to tell her how my parents had died for fear she’d pity me.

I wanted her to feel nothing but passion and comfort around me. Never pity. If there was any chance that she might go into caregiver mode around me, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I should be the one caring for her, always.

Slumping back to my office, I went through a list of suggested events on Saturday night that she had sent me. There were some Lightning Games pre-parties, and a couple of techno lounge events where there would be some related media, but my heart wasn’t in it.

How could I have fun at a party unless I had Jenna with me?

The guilt from kissing her in the hallway weighed on me heavily. She was likely worried her boss Jeremy might find out, or that I’d be too casual with her from now on.

I was surprised to get a call from her the next afternoon.

“Hey, Andrew, sorry to call you on a Saturday.”

“That’s okay. I’m in the office.”

She paused. “Me too.”

“We’re terrible workaholics,” I tried to chuckle. “What’s up?”

She ran through the details of an event tonight for a Lightspeed competitor, sort of an anti-event.

“How did you even hear about this?” I asked.

There was another pause. “My friend Corina, the one you met at lunch, her company did the PR for it. I managed to get you plus one on the guest list. You should go and be seen, and drop hints about your new product to key people. I can email you the invite and a list of suggested people to chat to.”

“Conversational targets,” I grumbled. “What a weird world.”

“I know,” she sighed. “It’s bizarre. But you need to start getting the word out so that you can make more of a splash next week. Also, you need to be seen as mellow, so that FlashFleaze’s people will know that you’re not violent after that incident with the photographer.”

“How the hell am I supposed to appear mellow?” I asked, sitting up straight in my desk chair.

Jenna was quiet for a moment, and I wished this was a video call so that I could study her expression. “A few of his entourage will likely be there. Jimmy Vieki is his right-hand man, so to speak, and he’s confirmed. I checked through his socials, and he’s gone to this event the past two years.”

“I’m supposed to march up there and start a conversation?”

“Sort of. Maybe whoever you bring can accidentally bump into him, and you all start chatting that way. It’s an old trick.”

“Come with me,” I said quickly. “You know all the tricks. Be my date.”

“I can’t,” she nearly whispered.

“Please.” I’ve never begged in my life, but I was already crazy about her. I would have done anything to see her again as soon as possible.

She stayed silent, and I knew it would be difficult to change her mind.

“Jeremy gave you this project, and thought that you would go the extra mile to make it work,” I reminded her, feeling like a jerk, but playing this card anyway. “Do you want to be able to tell him honestly that you tried absolutely everything? Or do you want to have to tell him you were too busy to go to an event and guide your client?”

Her heavy sigh made me need to know what else I could do to make her breathe that hard.