Harper scoots across the seat to help Jamie. She’s borrowed a red dress of mine with sheer lace paneling that runs up the side. “Just take it off. The undone look is hot.” She flushes and stammers as she clarifies. “Like, in general, as a trend.”
I haven’t had a chance to tell her about wedding planning, but when things die down a bit, I’m going to ask her to be one of my bridesmaids and help me through all of this like she’s helped me through everything else.
Jamie’s shoulders quiver in a light laugh. “You’re good, Harp. I know what you mean.” He turns back to me, eyes shining with eagerness. “So?”
“You earned that rating. Those critics get off on tearing people down. It isn’t a mistake,” I reassure him. It’s the best I can do since even though I sat there for two hours and was in the damn movie, I don’t remember a thing.
“And you?” Lines crinkle the corners of his swirling amber eyes, like my thoughts matter more than everyone else’s.
My stomach clenches, knowing I’ll have to lie if I don’t want to disappoint him. “I saw you in every part of it. It was perfect.”
“You guys are so cute!” Harper chirps, her smile so wide, it verges on pained. “Absolute power couple.”
The hotel hosting the after party towers over us with its whirling historic hand carved stonework. I suck in a breath as I note how, even through the tinted windows of the town car, the camera flashes of the paparazzi and journalists lining the entrance are bright.
Just smile, Avery!
Just smile and wave and play nice and don’t slouch and don’t trip and don’t accidentally get caught in a bad angle that will live forever on the internet even after your career is dead.
Jamie rests a tender hand on my knee and squeezes. “It’s these cameras and then it’s over.”
If only that were true. But his steady reassurance rolls over me. I attempt to ride the cool wave of calm as we exit the car and head to the entrance, but it dissipates the moment questions are hurled our way.
“God. Who would have thought we would have gotten such a great romance from you two? You must be sick of people asking, but how did this start?”
My head has been somewhere else all evening, so I speak without thinking. “Now that I think of it, I am tired of—”
Jamie cuts me off, eyes flicking to me in a furtive glance. “We were on set and I couldn’t stop staring. When she caught me, I lied and said I was checking out her tattoos. It’s not every day the woman whose poster you had pinned up on the wall of your college dorm waltzes onto your movie set like she owns the place.” He lets loose a chuckle. His hand lands firmly on my lower back. “If you’d excuse us, we’re excited to celebrate.”
A few more steps and we’re finally through the doors. “Thanks for the save, I guess I’m just tired.” My control is slipping. Even though Jamie jumped in, I know at least one camera caught the start of my response. The few honest words I’ve spoken today—and they felt good. At least they do now, but I doubt they will later when they’re used to tear me apart.
I can only imagine the headline.Is it a fairytale? Prince Charming and the Evil Queen
“It’s what I’m here for.”
We may not be a love match, but he balances me out and shows up in the way I need. Love can come eventually, but what we have is a firm foundation of understanding. But I need to stop relying on him to do the heavy lifting while I mentally check out and make mistakes.
“Let’s get you to that party.”
Once we step inside, Jamie is torn away from me. I lose Harper when she spots a social media star she loves, so I make polite small talk about the upcoming award season and the engagement with other guests.
“Yes, it would be great to have an Oscar nomination, but really it was just nice to be included on the project,” I say tothe woman in a black cocktail dress. I can’t figure out if she introduced herself or if she just assumes I know who she is. She looks vaguely familiar, but that could be because half the people here use the same pictures as references for their surgically constructed noses. If that’s true, it’s a good nose and she got her money’s worth.
“It’s good to branch out when things aren’t working. Do you think you’ll be sticking with movies?” she asks.
“Have you seen her net worth? If that’s what it looks like when things aren’t working, the rest of us are screwed.” Kendal walks up to us, standing closer to me than my companion with the good nose. “Looks like you need a refill.”
“Oh yeah, I think I do.”
She doesn’t. Her glass is half full, but Kendal has one of those voices that make you want to do whatever she says, good thing she’s in a career where she can put it to use.
“I see everyone is chatting up your man, leaving you to fight off the sucker fish,” Kendal says when we’re alone.
“Shouldn’t you be out there with him, brushing shoulders with the execs? Not that I’m complaining.”
“Because half of them want to know what’s next, and it’s taking everything in me to not say, ‘the next fucking movie, dumbass, so let me get drunk and celebrate the one I just finished working on.’” Her face pinches. “And if it were up to the rest of them, I’d never be on a set again.” She sips her drink, cocking a brow. “Don’t look so surprised. It’s not a misogyny thing. Okay, it’s partly misogyny and mostly the fact I’m on a TV personality’s shit list.”
“I respect it.” It’s not a lie. In some ways, Kendal reminds me of my younger self, saying what she wants, not caring who hears. “If that’s the case, how did you connect with Jamie?”
