Love in Reality

All's Well That Ends Well

INT. COMIC BOOK SHOP – DAY

Jesse stops and does a double-take at Claire’s face.

JESSE

Hey, what happened to your eyes? Someone give you a one-two on the street?

Claire looks to the side and catches a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the wall. She looks like a zombie, her eyes ringed in reddish-purple. She touches her face.

CLAIRE LE MAYES

Tessa’s eye cream.

She rubs at it but it won’t come off.

JESSE

Tessa gave it to you? That explains it.

CLAIRE LE MAYES

What do you know about Tessa?

JESSE

A lot, now. That’s why I grabbed you. Here, take a look.

 He leads her to the corner of the shop where the TV is still set up. There are a few customers there, watching, as well as Ian. Jesse pushes his way up to the front. David is on the screen.

 DAVID VERDIN

...I’m a fraud too. I didn’t go onto The Man of Your Dreams to find a wife. I went onto the show to make money. I thought, if I faked a romance with someone, and then faked a bitter break-up afterward, we could both rake in the tabloid money. I convinced Claire to go along with this. But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling fake.

TALK SHOW HOST

How did it feel? 

DAVID VERDIN

It felt real. Claire is none of those things I said about her. She’s not an ice queen, she’s not overbearing, and she hates Lady Leopard. She only agreed to go along with this because she needed money to start a charity. She’s sweet, and genuine, and clever. They named the show The Man of Your Dreams, but when it comes down to it, I’m the one who doesn’t deserve her.

Claire searches in her pockets for her phone, and then realizes she left it at her apartment. She turns to exit the comic book shop, but as she does, David ENTERS. They stare at each other. His interview is still playing in the background.

CLAIRE LE MAYES

What are you doing here? I thought you were in L.A.?

DAVID VERDIN

The show wrapped yesterday. I took the first flight out here I could.

(a beat)

I didn’t sleep with Tessa.

He stares at her face.

DAVID VERDIN

And by the way, did you happen to try Tessa’s eye cream? Because that is not a good look for you.

Claire steps forward and shuts him up with a KISS. David drops to one knee.

DAVID VERDIN (CONT’D)

I wanted to do this without the cameras. Just you, and me...

(he peers around Claire)

...and the eleven or so people behind you. Claire, I promise to never tell another lie about you, to be faithful, and to work out more so the next time an evil woman brings you eye cream, I can chuck it far enough away.