I nod as she talks. This is fairly normal for actors.
“I was so lucky to have Edna as an agent. She took me in and treated me like family. I trust her more than my family sometimes!”
I should confess right now that I know her brother.
“Edna is amazing,” I say. “One of the real people in Hollywood. She’s been a mentor and role model for me as well. And I completely get it. I’m tired of watching the seventh sequel to another action franchise or another remake of a nineties hit when there are so many fresh stories and storytellers out there. And so many of them are women.”
“That’s why I was dying to meet you.” She turns back to me and takes my hands in hers.
“Ok, ladies. I’m due on set.” Brandon looks up from his phone. “I’ll let you two talk about your plans for women to take over the world, and I’ll see you after lunch,” he tells Sophia as he leans in to kiss her cheek.
“Don’t be a hater, Brandon!” Sophia teases with a playful slap on his arm.
“You know I’m not. My sisters made sure of that. I grew up and live in a world ruled by women. It’s been a fantastic life!” He winks as he heads toward the exit.
Right as he opens the door, I hear a voice I’ll never forget call out, “Who’s hungry?”
I turn and see the gorgeous man I’ve been stalking on the internet in the name of research. I freeze. I must look like a deer in headlights. I watch as Wyatt Bradford steps inside the room with that charming smile and slight dimple on his left cheek, completely oblivious to what he’s just walked into.
He scans the room, and the moment his gaze lands on me, recognition erupts on his face. “Blair?”
I look back at Sophia and can see the look of surprise and confusion on her face.
“You know Wyatt?” Sophia says.
Yes, Sophia. Yes. I know him better than I’d like to admit.
four
. . .
WYATT
She looks incredible.I guess I should have expected that, but it’s been twelve years since I’ve seen her. At least in person. I do my best to take a casual look up and down without it being creepy.
“Yes, Wyatt and I went to high school together.” Sophie looks back and forth between us, still surprised. “He dated my best friend, Holly.”
Blair is responding to Sophia, but her eyes are locked on mine. And yes, I dated her friend Holly, but there’s a little more to the story than she’s sharing.
“I remember Holly! She was so nice to me. And so pretty, too. What happened to her?” Sophia asks. “I don’t think you’ve had a proper girlfriend since.”
Ouch. Unfortunately, Sophia doesn’t realize what a wound she’s just opened.
“What did happen to Holly? We lost touch after graduation,” Blair spits out with an edge to her voice.
That stings.
“What a coincidence. We did, too,” I bite back.
I watch as she slowly rises and walks my way, and my heart threatens to explode out of my chest. She raises her arms and wraps them around my neck, leaning in to hug me.
“It’s nice to see you again,” she says.
I can feel her breath on my neck, and chills run down my arms. I realize my hands are still hanging at my side, and I move quickly to wrap her in an embrace. She feels so good against me. Her hair still smells like citrus and vanilla. I don’t realize that my eyes are closed and I’m leaning my cheek on the top of her head until I feel her pull away.
“Yeah, you, too.”
I’m flooded with unfamiliar emotions, feelings I thought I’d gotten over long ago, but obviously, I’ve just buried them. I’m pulled between longing to be in her orbit again—where we can hide away from the world and tell each other our dreams—and resentment and shame. Blair knew my deepest secrets, but she’s also the only person who saw what a coward and fraud I really am.
