2

The smile on her face was so fake that it hurt, but Amara would be damned if she would let Tyler feel any sense of power over her. He may have broken her heart, but he was going to see that she was over him.

Tyler extended his hand to Silas. “Hello, Silas,” he said with a smirk, “It must be nice to be the town hero, huh? Everyone's talking about you. The way you rushed into that building to save Senator Smith and came out with little to no injuries… One would think you had supernatural strength or powers or something.”

Silas didn't respond or even attempt to shake Tyler's hand. Instead, he just glared at him. Amara wondered if she'd picked the wrong man for her ruse, because it seemed that the two men already knew one another, and judging from the energy and tension between them, she could tell that they didn't like each other very much… Or at all. 

Tyler dropped his hand. 

Shit. 

“You two have met before?” she managed to ask as she swallowed hard, wondering just how well the two men knew each other. Did that mean Tyler would know that she'd lied for his benefit? 

“Oh, we do know each other… Not too well unfortunately, but we've met… once or twice,” Tyler replied, glancing from Silas to Amara, “So, you're with our famous firefighter hero.”

“Yep, I am…” Amara gushed. She didn't know what else to say, so she just repeated Tyler's words, “...With the firefighter,”

“Ah,” Tyler said in a voice that sounded suspiciously like mockery. “Very nice indeed. One of our city’s first responders. I salute you.”

Vanessa's eyebrows shot up. “I've been seeing your picture all over the news lately. Very sexy.”

“That’s me,” Silas said. The only words he'd spoken since Tyler and Vanessa arrived, and it sounded like a grumble. 

“I didn’t quite recognize you out of your uniform when you were up on that stage tonight,” Vanessa went on. 

Amara's eyes widened with alarm at the way Vanessa's eye lashes fluttered. Was she flirting with her pretend man? Amara held on to Silas a little more proprietarily. Vanessa had already stolen one man of hers, and she wasn’t about to let her sink her teeth into her new fake boyfriend, as well. 

Tyler also didn’t look happy. “You remember Vanessa,” he said, snaking his arm around her waist. 

“Vanessa,” Amara said, without an ounce of enthusiasm. “Good to see you again.”

“Likewise,” Vanessa replied, barely able to force a smile on her face as she spoke.

The tension only made it more apparent to Amara that Vanessa had been involved with Tyler while they’d been dating. Amara wanted to ask her how long she had been sleeping with her boyfriend, and if it had started the moment Tyler had cast her for his movie. But she didn’t bother. She was over Tyler, and all she wanted now was for him to know it.

“Tyler and I are dating!” Vanessa announced. “A little over two years and a half now.”

“More like a year and a few months,” Tyler said, then chuckled uneasily. “On and off,”

Two years and a half! Tyler had definitely been cheating on her! 

“Oh, right,” Vanessa said, catching on. “A year and a few months. We were working together and couldn’t deny our attraction.”

Not wanting to hear another word, Amara turned to the bar and began to search in her purse for god knows what. She needed another alcoholic beverage, and fast, so she ordered a vodka tonic and promptly took a liberal sip. 

When she turned around and tuned into the conversation again, Tyler was asking, “So how long have you two been together?”

“Not too—” Silas began.

“A few weeks,” Amara interjected, before Silas would say anything to give her away, but she was glad that he was at least playing along, even though he didn't say much. “I have only just returned to Oakhaven,”

Two years ago before she left she'd contacted Tyler, foolishly asking if they could once again work on their relationship. He hadn’t told her that he’d been involved with Vanessa, but he had told her that she needed to move on. 

“Great,” Tyler said. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

“We’re very happy. Still in the honeymoon stage obviously, so it's great,” Amara said, and placed a hand on Silas chest. Feeling a jolt of heat, she withdrew her hand. And took another sip of her drink. 

“Listen,” Tyler began, “I’m glad I ran into you. I just finished one of my movies, and the premiere is in two weeks. I would love for you to come… And you can bring Silas as well.”

As he said it, his gaze returned to Silas, and once again, Amara didn't miss the tension between the two men. Tyler seemed to be daring Silas. To do what, she had no idea, while Silas just returned the stare with pure dislike he didn't even bother to hide. 

“I don't think so…” said Silas. 

“Oh wow,” Amara cut in, “How nice,”

It was bittersweet. When they were together, she used to assist him as much as she could. Their breakup had meant the end of her involvement in any of his projects. 

“Yep,” Tyler said. “I'm introducing my new baby to the world.”

At Tyler's statement, Vanessa leaned into him, and Amara wanted to roll her eyes. He’s not referring to you, dimwit, she thought. Instead, she also moved closer to Silas, taking his hand in hers. “I’m really happy for you, Tyler,” she said in a sweet tone. “But I’m sorry. I’m sure I'll be busy, seeing as I just came back. Also, Silas and I might have plans.”

Silas, who up until this point had been mostly silent, suddenly spoke, agreeing with her. “Yes, some of us have lives.” 

Amara's eyes shot to his. “Oh dear…” then she gave Tyler another fake smile, “...I suppose Silas is too exhausted after all the meeting and greeting to play nice anymore,” she met Silas eyes again, “...But surely he can try…”

“I don't think so,” he said. 

She wanted to elbow him in the ribs. What was he doing? Yes, she had kissed him without warning, but surely he must have figured out that she was playing a role. All she wanted him to do was look hot and  play nice. Not make it look like she'd downloaded the bitter details of her relationship with her ex to him. She wanted Tyler to know she'd moved on. Moved on so much she didn't care to be bitter over him or tell anyone about him… Unless this was about whatever was going on between the both of them. She couldn’t help wondering what it was. 

“Well,” Tyler continued, “There will be an after party, as well. At The Diamond Club, and just in case you change your mind, I'll email you two tickets. They'll get you into the premiere.”