Mabel laughed, then I heard her take a breath, switching gears. “Okay, okay. Back to business.” Her voice shifted into crisp publicist mode. “This is actually perfect from a narrative standpoint. A love story between a movie star and a regular woman. The public will eat that up. But we need to control the rollout.”
“Agreed,” Bob said, all business again. “The ‘cater-waiter’ angle is condescending and needs to be corrected immediately.”
“She’s an author,” I said, unable to keep the pride out of my voice. “An award-winning author. She’s brilliant and talented, and she comes from this hilarious and huge New Orleans family that’s been here for generations. And… she’s just amazing.”
There was a pause.
“Oh, he’s got itbad,” Mabel said softly. “And for the record? I like her already. Anyone who’s got you this smitten is clearly something special.”
Bob cleared his throat. “We’re going to make this the feel-good story of the year. Luke’s in love with this woman, and we’re going to make sure everyone falls in love with her too.”
Mabel broke in. “Luke? If you see a camera, smile like you just won an Oscar.”
“Got it,” I replied.
“Good luck, Romeo.” Bob’s voice was brimming with amusement.
I hung up, and from the other room, I could hear Anna humming to herself. My phone buzzed again, and I glanced down at the screen. A text from Topher lit up:You’re trending, bro.
I stifled a groan, slipping the phone into my pocket.
I walked back to the couch where Anna was sitting, her face half-lit by the soft glow from the window.
I stepped closer, brushing a hand lightly against her arm. “How about tomorrow we take a break from all this? Just you and me. No phones, no headlines. Let’s make a day of it.”
She tilted her head, her brow furrowing slightly. “Are you sure? Don’t you have to… I don’t know, do some crisis management?”
“Mabel and Bob have it handled,” I said, squeezing her hand. “Right now, all I want to do is to be with you.”
Her lips curved into a small smile, and she leaned into me, resting her head against my shoulder. “Okay. That sounds really nice, actually.”
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo. Outside, the world was probably buzzing with speculation and gossip and hot takes about us. Reporters were probably already staking out Muses. The tabloids were sharpening their knives.
But sitting here with Anna tucked against my side, her hand in mine, her quiet humming resuming as she relaxed, none of that noise mattered.
Yeah, once the reporters figured out where we were staying, it might get complicated. But as I looked down at her, seeing the trust in her eyes when she looked back up at me, I knew one thing for sure.
She was worth it.
All of it.
39
ANNA
It wasthe kind of perfect day you never wanted to end.
After the whirlwind of media chaos, Luke and I were given strict instructions: lie low, but, if we chose to go out, stay disguised. The publicist hinted at the possibility of future public appearances together, but for now, discretion was key. No one knew we were staying at Topher’s mansion, which made sneaking in and out relatively easy.
I’d taken a few days off from Muses to avoid the inevitable crush of curiosity. Marie Antoinette had texted me a picture of the crowd crammed into the bar, standing room only, people hoping to catch a glimpse of Luke or at least hear some gossip.
The media frenzy didn’t appear like it would let up, either. The paparazzi had unearthed every awkward high school and college photo of me they could find. There were even interviews with people I’d never met, all claiming some intimate connection to my life.
Luke’s publicist had pulled off a minor miracle. Public opinion was shockingly positive, with headlines hailing me as a “regular woman” who had “caught the eye of a Hollywood heartthrob.” Newer headlines identified me as a writer, highlighting the award I’d won in college.
Still, the constant noise felt suffocating. That’s why the day after everything broke, Luke and I went wandering through City Park, and both of us had to wear disguises.
We started at the Sculpture Garden, where Luke pretended to narrate each piece like a museum tour guide.
