The Pan-American Alliance

By Kelly Papyrus

Hailey has worked her whole life to make her dream of becoming a fashion influencer come true, so the day she gets the call casting her for a reality show—which would skyrocket her to fame—should be the best day of her life. There's only one problem: the reality show is for couples, and she and Eddie have long since split up.

Eddie has finally accepted that he and Hailey have gone their separate ways. Her constant quest for fame was the reason behind their breakup, so the last thing he expects is to find her on his doorstep, begging him to pretend they're still in love… on national TV! But it's hard to say no to the hundred-thousand-dollar prize they'd get as the winning couple, and even harder to turn down two weeks in close quarters with the woman he's clearly still attracted to. Can they fake it for TV… without mistaking it for the real thing?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryant Street Shorts
• Release date: Nov 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781094418353

Kelly Papyrus

Kelly Papyrus is a writer whose stories feature diverse characters and people of color. She loves learning about new cultures and writing about them. She lives in Florida and loves dogs.

Book preview

Chapter One

Could you just wait here for a moment, Mr. Shondell? I’ll take you right back shortly, Hailey said, settling Mr. Shondell into a chair along the side of the hallway and ignoring his baffled look. He’d been coming to see Doctor Morrison long enough to know that once he got called back, he usually went straight to see the dentist. Older patients hated any variation to the routine — she knew this from experience. Hailey just hoped he wouldn’t mention it as she ducked into an empty exam room across the hall and picked up the phone call.

Hailey? Hi! It’s Jenna from network casting, we spoke a few months ago. How are you?

Uh, I’m good, Jenna. It’s been a while, she said, mentally trying to connect Jenna with one of the countless shows she’d applied to be on, the dozens of casting directors who had promised her a call back that never came. With their over-plumped lips and their constant stream of questions, they all started to blur in her memory. She had a fuzzy mental image of a brunette with perfectly groomed brows and white-rimmed grandma glasses who spoke fast and typed even faster.

I know, time just flies, right? Listen, I have the best news. One of our couples for the upcoming season had to go home and deal with some earthquake or avalanche, some act of God, I don’t know, Jenna buzzed. Her voice went up at the end of each sentence, making even the statements seem like questions. Hailey could hear the click of her stiletto nails against the keyboard as she talked. Network people were always impatient, anxious to get to the next person, trying to find the next star. It was a challenge to hold their attention.

Uh, and that’s great because? she asked.

Well, it’s not for them, but it is for you! We want to put you and Eddie in the slot that opened up. Amazing, right? Jenna’s voice telegraphed excitement, but Hailey felt sure that she wasn’t actually smiling.

Hailey sat down in the little chair next to the exam table, trying to process the glut of information that had just come at her. Part of her brain, the part that had been committed to this dream for nearly a year, was screaming in celebration. She’d tried so many times, sent so many applications and photos, come so close to making the cut, but she’d never gotten this call before. She should be elated, but the one thing that stuck in her mind, kept her from being truly happy, was the mention of his name. She’d banned her friends and coworkers from talking about him or bringing him up after he’d ended their relationship. Hearing Eddie’s name in such a casual tone made the image of his face come to the forefront of her brain, made her breath catch in her throat and her mind seize up.

That’s really unexpected news, she finally managed.

I know, what an awesome surprise, right? We’re going to need to do a little video interview with you guys, just triple-checking the chemistry and all that. As long as it all goes well, you’ll be on location in about a week? Ten days at the most. Jenna rattled off the information, clicking away at the keyboard as she did. I’m going to email you the invite and all of the information right now. I have you as the primary contact, so discuss it with your man, and hit me back if you two have questions, okay babe?

Sure, Hailey managed as Jenna ended the call. Mr. Shondell’s voice came booming through the door.

You didn’t forget me out here, did you?

Shit, Hailey whispered as she stuck her phone in her pocket and rushed out to get the old man before he shouted the whole dental office down.

***

You’re a strong, confident woman, Hailey repeated to herself as she pulled up at the too-familiar house. The concrete driveway still had rust stains and the grass was yellow in spots, but there was less garbage piled up on the side than usual, and someone had finally put out a little welcome mat. It still looked shitty and neglected, but it wasn’t too bad for a houseful of men. She winced at the reminder of how many people might be in the house to witness her embarrassment. You’re a strong confident woman who doesn’t care what anyone says. And you’re wearing your black scrubs, they’re the most slimming pair you have. Hailey knew that if they did make the show and it took her career to the next level, she’d have to grow a thicker skin, and this was good practice. The guys might not be happy to see her, but they wouldn’t be as brutal as internet trolls. She took a deep breath, grabbed her lime-green messenger bag, and forced herself out of the car and up the walk. She knocked at the door before she could run back to her car and drive away, trying to brace herself for whoever might answer and the way they might greet her.

I’m not supposed to let you in, Thomas said, his tone flat as he took her in. Hailey was a bit hurt that he didn’t say anything else, but she supposed it made sense. Eddie had told everyone his version of the truth, painted the whole breakup to be her fault even though she was the one who’d been hit out of left field. His friends were going to take his side, of course they were. Out of all of them, though, she’d thought she stood the best chance with Thomas. They seemed to have a real friendship once, a connection formed over a shared love of Tarantino movies and Thai food. Still, sides had to be taken in a breakup, she knew it.

I don’t need to come in, I just need him to come out and talk. Five minutes. I promise, she said. Thomas nodded, glancing over his shoulder, but his face was a little more relaxed when he looked back at her. There was a hint of something she hoped wasn’t sympathy in his eyes.

Wait here, he said, closing the door. Hailey could see the outline of her reflection in the wavy glass panel and started fixing her hair a little. The humidity had made it kinky where she’d smoothed it down with her flatiron and sprayed it into submission before leaving home that morning, flyaways all around her face reaching for the sky. Don’t fidget, she told herself, smoothing out her scrubs and then forcing her arms to her side. She’d worn her sensible shoes, the white sneakers all the girls at the office favored, but now she felt too plain and wished she’d gone home to change. You would have gotten home and talked yourself out of coming here, you know it. You look fine like this. The man knows what you look like.

The door clicked open, seeming to take forever to swing back and reveal his face, and she steeled herself to see him for the first time in months.

Eddie looked the same as always and better than ever all at once, and Hailey tried to force herself to keep her face neutral as she took him in. She knew he hated taking pictures, and never updated his Instagram stories, but it wasn’t until they’d broken up that his disdain for social media really started to bother her. It made it much too hard to stalk him and keep up with the changes he made to his appearance.

His skin was a darker shade of brown than when they’d last seen each other, but that was to be expected with the South Florida summer coming and the sun growing more intense by the minute. Against the white tank top with a black Nike logo, the mahogany tone of his skin stood out in contrast. She took in the defined muscles in his arms, the stubble he had let grow in along his jawline, all the little changes that added up to him looking just different enough to remind her how long they’d been apart. He’d shaved the beard she’d bitched about him trying to grow, saying it made his face feel like the microdermabrasion brush her aesthetician used on her skin to make it smooth. She wanted to reach up and feel the soft side of his clean cheek, the way it had been when she’d first met him, but she forced her hands to stay at her side even as they itched to move. He broke your heart, remember? Stay strong. He owes you this much after all the crying you’ve done over him. She felt his eyes look her over and wondered if she looked different to him. He never looked at the selfies she posted to her story, a fact that frustrated her endlessly.

What are you doing here, Hailey? The tone of his voice was harsh, but the volume was soft. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, and she had known him long enough to know that was a sure sign he was nervous. She decided to interpret this as a good sign. Nervous was better than furious. At least he didn’t yell for me to get out.

I need to talk to you. It’s important, I promise, she said. Eddie didn’t respond, his eyes still fixed on her, face unreadable. He had drawn back so much that she couldn’t tell what his expressions were trying to convey,