How was I supposed to cool it with Jared when I saw him every single day? He was the guy I thought about when I couldn’t sleep, whose touch set my nerves on fire, whose voice haunted my every step. The guy who always believed in me and made me want to reach for more. I didn’t want to give him up. And maybe the article had struck a nerve or something because for the last hour all I’d been able to think about was my father and what he’d done to my mother and how I refused to become her. I didn’t want to be Jared’s secret anymore.

“Can’t we just tell everyone the truth?” I asked. Yes, the producers didn’t want us to be together, but it wasn’t up to them who won the show. People liked our music, and some of the viewers might even be happy we were together.

“You already saw what they’re saying online about us after one innocent photo. If we admit that we’ve been lying and sneaking around, the backlash could be huge. Not to mention, the guys will completely lose their shit, and you know what Dan says about cohesion and all that.” He shook his head, his face pained. “We’re so close to the finals and the spot on the tour. We can’t afford to mess things up now. If nothing else, we owe it to the other guys to focus on the band for the next two weeks.”

I wanted him to pull me into his arms and tell me he didn’t care what anyone thought, that he was tired of the lying and sneaking around, that he’d do anything to be with me. But he was right; the truth would only make things worse right now. If we could just get through the rest of the show, win or lose, we might be able to have a real future together when this was all over.

“All right.” I stared out the window at downtown LA sparkling with lights, at the Hollywood sign cresting the hills, at anything other than his pleading eyes and the lips I longed to kiss.

He cleared his throat. “Maybe you should go out with that Sean guy, too.”

“You want me to date someone else?” I’d spent the night in his arms, and now he was pushing me toward some other guy?

“No, of course not.” He drew a ragged breath. “I can’t stand the idea of you with him. I just think it might throw people off, make them less focused on the two of us.”