The Love Square Read Online Free Page B

inevitable happened. He felt the stare before he heard the voice.
    “Oh. My. God. Maxwell Policastro?”
    Dylan turned to see a lady dressed in scrubs watching him wide-eyed. Crap. He plastered on a fake smile and stuck out his hand. “Dylan Barnes,” he said.
    “I love you! Love. You. I’m totally your biggest fan! I love Sunrise, Sunset . It was, like, my favorite soap until they killed you off. Will you sign my book? Ma,” she yelled, waving her arms.
    Dylan took the woman’s book and grabbed a pen off the customer service desk as Scrubs explained how Sunrise, Sunset inspired her to be a dental assistant.
    An older woman soon joined them, and Scrubs handed her a phone. “Get a picture,” she demanded. The older woman gawked at Dylan as he posed with Scrubs.
    Dylan politely and quietly thanked her for being a fan, but the damage had been done. Soon, a slew of people descended.
    These were the moments Dylan hated being an actor. He shook hands and posed for pictures, being as friendly as he could muster, reminding himself they were future movie-ticket purchasers. He loved fans. Really. Just not when he was trying to act normal and blend in.
    As Dylan chatted with the group, he noticed Clare return to the customer service counter. He used his eyes to plead a silent “help me,” and Clare stepped forward.
    “Okay, okay. Let’s let Mr. Barnes buy some books, please. He’s a paying customer just like you all. Let’s treat him with respect.”
    People trickled away except an employee with a tag that read ‘ Mary.’
    “Can I help you with something?” Mary asked, blatantly checking out Dylan.
    “I’m here to see Clare,” he said.
    Mary looked to Clare, who shrugged. “I didn’t know you had movie star friends, Clare.”
    “Yes, well, Mr. Barnes and I sort of ran into each other.” Clare glanced at Dylan, and his face warmed.
    Playful. “Actually, she ran into me. Then I guess you can say we…hit it off,” he added.
    Clare giggled and grabbed his hand. She dragged him through the store to her private office. “What are you doing here, Lusty?” she asked, pointing him to a chair by a cluttered desk and shutting the door behind them. “Do you cause chaos everywhere you go?”
    “Pretty much these days. I needed you to sign some insurance papers.” Dylan took them out of his back pocket and unfolded them.
    Clare’s hand brushed his as she grabbed the papers. She sat at her desk to flip through them, her green eyes scanning the legalese. He was relieved she didn’t react more harshly to his fans’ attention, considering he’d caused a ruckus in her workplace. She seemed generally laid-back, maybe because of her Midwestern nature.
    “Did you get a new car?” Clare asked as she signed the papers.
    “I will this week.” Dylan stood and walked around Clare’s messy office. Binders, printouts, and detailed-looking lists littered her desk. Boxes of books and supplies covered the floor. A photo of a fenced-in field hung on the wall behind her computer.
    Clare caught him looking. “It’s my family’s farm,” she said. “Horses.”
    “It’s beautiful.”
    Clare smiled and handed the papers back to him. “I miss it,” she said. “Here you go.”
    “You know, I was thinking,” Dylan said, folding the papers and shoving them into his pocket, “there are a lot of cool places in LA and in California in general. Maybe I can show you around sometime?”
    “Don’t you have better things to do, being a model slash actor and all?”
    “Not really. I try to lay low.”
    “Wow, you sound as pathetic as me. Who knew that was possible?”
    “Gee, thanks,” Dylan said. “Look. I remember when I was new to town, and I thought it would be a nice thing to do since I yelled at you when you smashed my brand-new luxury car, and then I used the Lord’s name in vain.”
    Dylan shifted on his feet as he waited for Clare to accept his invitation. He wasn’t sure she’d say yes and suddenly felt like an