After Serena made sure everyone’s NDAs were up-to-date, they all sat at the dining table that Shayne had decorated with a sequined nipple pasty on each plate. He’d clearly raided the bachelor aisle of the party store, too,because there were paper boob straws in everyone’s glass, and the napkins were covered with illustrations of bras. You would think that the Hollywood star showing up at the house would have made him reconsider decorating like this, but Shayne insisted that even Serena Vox couldn’t stop him from celebrating Marley’s foobiversary.
Nikhil made sure Marley’s plate was full before taking any food for himself. Marley chuckled. “I’m fine.” She looked at the others at the table. “He dotes.”
“It’s adorable,” Caroline said.
Marley liked Caroline already. She was honest and down-to-earth. Serena less so, but it was clear the two were close.
“This house is really cool,” Caroline said. “It’s… peaceful. It’s lovely, isn’t it, Serena?”
“Yeah, it’s nice,” Serena said.
“We call it geriatric-core,” Shayne said. “Coastal-Caribbean Grandma.”
“My grandmother lives in Palm Beach… Add a few more palms, and this place would be a dead ringer for hers,” Caroline said.
After they all had food on their plates, Serena took a breath. “Thanks for letting us crash your party.” She looked at Marley. “I wanted to apologize to you specifically for that whole Instagram mess.” She then explained the story she’d shared with Nikhil upstairs.
“Wow,” Marley said. “Why the hell would Lydia do that? They’re sabotaging their own movie!”
Serena shook her head. “No, they’re not. Relationship drama between the stars sells tickets.”
Caroline nodded. “And it’s a great way to deflect attention from the information theydon’twant people to talk about.”
“What information?” Shayne asked. “What are they trying to suppress?”
Serena looked over to Caroline, a question in her eyes.
“You don’t have to tell them anything you don’t want to,” Nikhil said before Serena answered the question.
Serena sighed, then looked at Marley. “You trust these people?”
Marley looked around at her closest friends at the table. “With my life. They’re the best.”
Serena smiled. “Okay then. I’ll trust them, too. Caroline and I were photographed in a… compromising position over the weekend.”
Marley raised a brow.
“We were kissing,” Caroline clarified. “We’ve been dating for a year, and the studio doesn’t want Serena to go public with it. Not until the film premiere, at least.”
Holy shit. That explained it. But why did the studio care so much? This wasn’t the 1950s.
Shayne grinned. “OMG. I can’t believe I know what would be thebiggest gossipof the year if it got out.”
“You cannot say anything,” Serena said quickly.
“Are you kidding?” Shayne shook his head. “I’mthrilledthat I can’t say anything. I know something about Lily Lavender that very few people know.Exclusivityis hot.”
Marley rolled her eyes at Shayne. “Look, I get it. I’ve dated women, too.” That seemed to surprise Caroline and Serena. But Marley kept going. “And of course, you know the risk to your own careers better than we do. But Nikhil’s career is just starting. You can’t let them throw him under the bus to save yourself. Not to mention me. I lost myjobbecause of this.”
Serena recoiled. “Youlostyour job?”
Marley nodded. “They claim I violated the NDA, even though I didn’t. I suspect they think a sales consultant who ruined Serena Vox’s relationship would hurt business. Reid’s is anti-home-wrecker.”
Serena cringed. “Ugh. I can have the studio call them.” She picked up her phone. “Let me—”
“No.” Marley shook her head. She sighed. “Reid’s was toxic. The fact that they would let me go for this is proof.” Marley sighed. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”
Serena shrugged. “Go freelance. Make it known that you were the one who created this one”—she pointed to Nikhil—“and you’ll have a line of clients waiting for you. Seriously.”
