“Are you going to the after party?” Amina asks, breaking into my thoughts. She nods at the screen. “Seeing as you’ve got another success on your hands.”
I look back at the photo of Kane, front and center in my Insta feed. I wasn’t going to go, since there isn’t anyone I need to talk to and I’ve got a full day tomorrow. But I’m invited, and Kane will be there, probably basking in this first victory…
“I think I will.”
CHAPTER NINE
“Champagne!”Tami declares, thrusting a glass into my hand. “You need to celebrate, because you aretrending, baby!” Her grin is wide as she lifts her own glass in salute. She’s been almost as excited as me ever since the first messages from our publicist arrived, ninety seconds after we entered the lobby of the theater the premiere was being shown at. At the studio’s request, we had to check our phones before going into the cinema itself—they don’t always ask that, but given the type of movie this is, they’re paranoid about spoilers getting out before release—and I swear the movie lasted thirty hours.
But once I finally got my phone back and could check my socials again, it was totally worth the wait, because as Tami said, I’m trending, and in a good way.
“Thank you so much for coming with me tonight.” The words are raw with all the anxiety I’ve been feeling lately. Walking that red carpet would have felt like torture if she hadn’t been with me.
“I got you, boo,” she says, an understanding glint in her eye. “And hey, it worked out great for me. I’m standing right beside you in that video that went viral.”
I laugh and finally drink from my glass. There were drinks being circulated in the lobby before the movie, but I was still too nervous to have any then, so this is my first of the night. I’ll have to make sure to grab some of the food that’s being passed around too. Tonight isnotthe night to make headlines for being sloppy drunk.
“This place is pretty cool,” I say, looking around at the art gallery the after party is being held in. “I wonder if—” My phone vibrates, and I forget what I’m saying in my eagerness to get it out of my pocket. Maybe?—
My shoulders sag.
“Why so glum?” Tami asks, and I glance up to see her curious gaze on me.
“What?”
“You look disappointed. Bad news?”
“Oh—no. It’s Selena again. She’s made a list of events she thinks she might be able to get me invited to now that I’m not a disaster, and she wants me to okay it.”
Tami’s eyebrows rise. “And that disappoints you?”
I shake my head. “No, of course not. I just… thought it might be someone else.” I regret it as soon as the words leave my mouth. Now she’s going to ask?—
“Who?” She leans in, a huge grin on her face. “Are you seeing someone?”
“No! Nothing like that. I just thought Damian might have texted.” I shrug. “You know, since things went so well. But he probably hasn’t seen yet.”
She scoffs. “Please. As if a stylist at Damian’s level wouldn’t have been watching socials with his client at a red carpet event—or at least having an intern do it.” Her eyes gleam with an unholy light. “But youdoseem awfully upset that your stylist hasn’t texted you yet. Come to think, you’ve talked about him a lot these past few weeks.”
I roll my eyes, even though my heartbeat picks up a little. There’s no way she can know about my stupid little crush that I’ve barely admitted to myself. “Of course I’ve talked about him. He’s helping me rescue my career—rebranding me, remember?” Never mind that I keep thinking about the other meaning of that word—brand—and how choosing all my clothes could be a twenty-first-century Hollywood way of branding me. Not that I’m into possessive guys, but…
“Yeah, but lately when you say his name there’s this, like, breathiness in your voice,” Tami teases, and I glance around, horrified that somebody might have heard that.
“Tam! I?—”
“Oh, relax. You know it’s okay for you to be interested in him, right?”
I give my shoulders a restless little wiggle. This jacket fits me so perfectly, I have full range of motion, but somehow right now it feels like a straitjacket. “I’m not, but even if I was, it would be complicated. I’m his client. And he’s not interested in me like that,” I add.
She waves a hand. “Pfft. You might be his client, but he’s the boss of his company, and it’s not like he needs your business. There’s no power differential that would make it creepy.” She must see how much I really want to not talk about this, because she relents and pats my arm. “I’m sorry. We’ll drop it. It’s not like I don’t get it, though—he’s good-looking, talented, successful, and my god, he looks criminal in a tux.” Her gaze goes over my shoulder, and before I can stop myself, I’m turning to look.
Damian’s talking to someone over near the entrance, and fuck me, she’s so right. Though I couldn’t actually tell you what his tux looks like, since I’m too busy staring at his face in profile. Damn him for being this hot.
As if he hears me, his head turns, and our eyes meet. He says something to the people he’s with, then walks across the room, headed straight for me.
“Not interested in you, huh?” Tami whispers. “Bullshit.”
“I’m his client,” I hiss. “He just wants to talk about how tonight went.”
