“Well, I miss you on set,” I say, rolling to a stop at a red light. I look over at her, wishing I could take in her beauty in a better way. Like by having her in my arms instead of sitting next to me in a car.
“It was an experience I’ll never forget. But I won’t be applying for acting jobs ever again,” she says with a chuckle. “It’s dramatic and stressful.”
“Ouch.”
“No, I didn’t mean you!” She touches my arm and it sends a shiver of heat up my body. “Working with you was fun. I just mean all the hustle and bustle of it. The early call times, getting yelled at by various crew members, losing my clothes… it’s crazy.”
“Try working alongside Andrea Block,” I say with a grimace. “The woman is a nightmare. That’s why I went for a drive today… I just had to get out of the hotel and away from the set. I wanted to feel like a regular human for a few hours.”
“Well…” she says, peering at me. Then she points. “Turn here. Sorry, forgot to tell you where I live.”
I turn. “Well, what?” I ask, wondering what she was about to say. Judging by the way she said it, it was something good.
“I don’t know… I thought about inviting you to something, but it might not be your scene.”
“What is it?”
“My best friend is getting engaged tonight and we’re throwing a party for the happy couple at Roger’s Diner. If you wanted to come with me, you could.” She shrugs and shakes her head like she immediately regrets asking me. You’d think she just asked me to the prom with how awkward she looks now. “I mean, it’s no big deal. Like, I was going to ask you but then I remembered you’re a famous celebrity so obviously stupid dinners in small towns isso notyour idea of a fun night—”
“I’ll do it,” I say, interrupting her before she talks herself out of inviting me. “I’d love to go.”
“Are you sure?” She peers at me while biting her bottom lip. “Turn left,” she says. “It’s that white house up ahead.”
“Is food involved?” I ask.
“Of course.”
“And your company?”
“Yes, I’d be with you the whole time.”
I grin. “Then it sounds like a perfect night. I’d love to go.”
I pull into the parking lot of the little white home she pointed out. It’s a small, well-maintained house, filled with small town charm.
“Okay, cool.” Annie’s nervous grin is adorable. It makes my heart beat faster. She puts a hand on the door handle but doesn’t open it yet. “Should I… call your assistant or something and give you the address?”
I quirk an eyebrow.
“I don’t know!” she says with a shrug. “How are you supposed to contact celebrities? It’s weird. I don’t know how it works.”
“Annie, I’m just a regular guy,” I say, my voice soft. I want her to see me that way, like any other guy she knows. I know it’s not entirely true, but I wish it was. I wish we were just two people who could fall in love and live happily together. “I know where you live now since I’m here in your driveway, so what time should I pick you up?”
“Um, seven?”
“I’ll be here.”
CHAPTER15
Annie
I’m so filled with secrets I’m about to burst. The biggest secret of all—that my best friend is about to get engaged—is swelling around inside my ribcage making me feel almost sick with excitement. And then the second secret is Trevor. Is it technically a date if you invite a man to a surprise engagement party? And that man is a celebrity? And you’ve kissed him?
I clench my teeth together to stop myself from squealing out in excitement. Of course it’s not a date… or maybe, technically, itisa date, but it’s not like this can go anywhere. Trevor Owens is a famous celebrity. He doesn’t even live in here in Sterling. Now that I think about it, I don’t even live here in Sterling. I’m just couch-surfing at Julie’s until I figure out my life. Moving to Hollywood in the hopes that Trevor would date me is definitely not the plan. I may be stupid when it comes to gazing into his gorgeous golden eyes, but I’m not stupid enough to think I can chase after a celebrity and make him like me. Nope. Not that stupid.
I take a deep breath. Trevor dropped me off at Julie’s house half an hour ago. She’s in her office writing her next book and didn’t even notice the strange car in the driveway, or how we stayed there talking for several minutes before I finally walked inside. Luckily, when Julie is in her “writing zone” she’s pretty much blind to the world going on around her.
I use this to my advantage as the day goes on, staying in the living room on my computer, acting like I’m just looking for jobs. I can’t be suspicious. I can’t look like I’m hiding something. This proposal needs to be a total surprise. Max and I have planned it out, so when he comes over after work to hang out, it’s so simple and normal that Julie doesn’t even question it.
