Free Celeb Crush by Nicole Christie Page A

on me with some other dude.  That’s how different I look.”
    “Yeah, you’re probably just worried that I’ll think it’s an improvement, and I’d make you keep them on,” I retort.  I pretend to be preoccupied with fixing my bun, but I’m secretly weirded out by the idea of us kissing. 
    “Oh, Lucas!” Ellen suddenly exclaims.  “Have you had breakfast yet?  My friend, Maria has a little café right out on the bay.  She makes the best chocolate cream pie you could ever imagine.”
    “Ellen,” Luke begins seriously.  “I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship.”
    “Yeah, right,” she snorts, but her entire face is smiling.  Then she looks over at me with narrowed eyes.  “You sure you want to leave this one alone with me, Andi?  I might just steal him away from you.”
    “You keep talking pie to me, and I’ll go willingly.”  He winks at her.
    I pointedly look away from the two lovebirds.  “Well, you two have fun flirting all day.  I’m going to go…” Hang myself.
    Luke pulls his phone out of his pocket, and looks down at it with a frown.  People are constantly blowing up his phone, so he usually keeps it on vibrate.  I wonder who called or texted him just now?  He looks pretty annoyed.
    With a sigh, he glances up at Ellen.  “Hey, give me a few minutes to take care of some stuff, and change, okay?  Then we can go get that pie.”
    “Well, heck, I’m gonna go get changed, too!”  Ellen jumps up, spry as a spring chicken.  “Gotta wear something pretty if I’m gonna have a date with a famous movie star!”
    I laugh, but she’s serious!  She runs back to the house, without so much as a backward glance at me.  Luke gives me a smug look.
    “Oh, shut up,” I mutter.  Changing the subject, I study his face.  “So, what’s up?  Is everything okay?”
    I gesture to his phone.  He runs a hand over his unshaven jaw, staring off into the distance.  “Nah, it’s nothing really.  I forgot about that schmooze dinner with Kelly and Mark Silverstein.  So, remind me I have to fly out there, okay?  Ivan’s gonna text you the details later.”
    “That’s the director guy, right?” I ask, taking out my own phone so I can schedule myself a reminder.  “Are you gonna do the movie?”
    Luke comes over to where I’m standing, and picks up Ellen’s lighter, idly flicking it on.  “Thinking about it,” he admits.  Then he shrugs.  “I don’t know.  Kelly doesn’t think it’s a good idea—but I’ve never done the horror genre before, y’know?  The premise is good, and I like Mark’s style…”
    “Can I read the script?”
    “Yeah, definitely.  Let me know what you think of it.”  Luke glances at his phone again, then squints back up at me.  “Text me when you’re done at your aunt’s.  We’ll meet up after.”
    “Maybe.  Don’t sleep with my grandma.”
    “Aw, don’t be jealous.”  He grins down at me.  “You know you’re the only one for me, honey.”
    “Ugh,” I say distinctly.  “I gotta go.  See you later, I guess.”
    I move to my left to step around him, but for some reason he moves to his right so we’re in each other’s way.  I go the other way, but then so does Luke.  We end up doing an awkward dance, almost colliding.  Finally I stop and motion for him to go.  He laughs at me before going in the house.
    I stay outside a moment longer, taking deep breaths.  Having Luke here is going to wind up a disaster, I’m sure of it.  He wouldn’t really sleep with Ellen…would he?  Nah.  She totally would go for it, though.  She’s old, not dead—as she always tells me. My cousin and my first boyfriend—and then my grandma and my fake boyfriend.  I would never be able to show my face in this town again.
    That might not be such a bad thing.
     
    I fall asleep during breakfast, but it’s not my fault.  People keep talking about boring shit like flowers and centerpieces.  I don’t have anything helpful