Her gaze flicked over my shoulder, searching, a smirk twitching her lips. “Where’s Luca?”
“He should be here by now, shouldn’t he?” Mark added, a knowing lilt to his tone, as he took a sip of whiskey. “Did you arrive on the carpet alone?”
I parted my lips to reply, but my mother cut in. “I hope not. That’s not good press, isit?”
“He’s running late. He’s stuck in traffic.” I shifted my weight from side to side. “We’ll make sure to get some good shots when he arrives.”
“You’ll be able to help with that, won’t you, Mark?” My mum turned to Mark, speaking to him as if he were some magical wish-granter. She’d always been like this with him. Mark had the ability to pull strings in high places, and for my mum that was the ultimate prize. She had loved the spotlight that had come with our relationship.
“I’ll definitely see what I can do, Julia.”
“Thank you so much,” my mother gushed, and Lauren looked away in an attempt to hide her eye roll. As much as she mightdislike me, we were both in agreement that Mark was a complete tool. “You’re lucky Mark is willing to help you out,” my mother added.
“He’s just stuck in traffic. It’s really not the end of the world.” The words tumbled out in a frustrated huff before I could think them through. I couldn’t let her realize that I didn’t know where Lucawas.
“You say that now, but when the headlines hit tomorrow, you don’t want them to be speculating on why you’re alone, do you?”
My heart rate kicked up a notch. This inquisition was not what I needed right now. “Look—” I started, but was interrupted.
“Hi, Matilda,” a voice called behind me. “Can we get a minute with you?”
It was a journalist.
I plastered on a smile, shaking off the growing pressure between my shoulder blades. “I need to go,” I said to the three of them and turned to face the young man with the oversized microphone without a second glance.
“Hi, of course.” I offered a small wave to the camera on the shoulder of the woman who stood next tohim.
“Tell us, how has your training been going with Luca Vasvault? It must have been daunting being partnered with one of the biggest celebritiesStars on Icehas ever had.”
“Honestly, training has gone really well and I’m confident in our partnership—we’ve got some super-exciting performances to show everyone over the next few weeks. And yes, it was daunting being partnered with Luca, but he’s…” I paused for a moment to search for the right words. “He’s a fantastic partner—he’s incredibly down-to-earth and very thoughtful.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. Hewasa pain in my arse too, but he was a fundamentally nice person to those he cared for. I’d seen it in the way his voice softened when he spoke about his mum, full ofaffection he probably didn’t even know he was showing, and in the way he joked with Jack, trading barbs as if they were brothers.
“And where is he tonight?” the journalist asked into the mic before shoving it back in my face.
My smile faltered.
“He’s on his way.”
The journalist looked skeptical. “Is he? Or is this another one of Luca’s classic disappearing acts?”
I shook my head vehemently. Luca was a lot of things, but he always stuck to his word. He knew how important the press event was to me and he’d said he’d be here.
“He’ll be here soon.” I smiled sweetly, willing it to look genuine.
We continued talking for another fifteen minutes or so, but my breaths turned shallow and my chest got tighter with every minute Luca didn’t show. Around us, people were chatting about the upcoming season, but their voices merged into one overwhelming echo.
Where the hell are you, Luca?
After I left the journalist, I grabbed another drink and spotted Jack across the room, music thumping in the background. To anyone else, Jack probably looked normal. Talking animatedly with his hands, he nodded and laughed with the other agent he was speakingto.
But after spending five weeks in his company, I recognized his tense shoulders and stiff smile. Approaching him, I quickly asked about Luca.
“I was hoping you’d be able to tell me.” He rubbed the back of his neck. The room got a little tighter, worry gnawing at me.Is heOK?
“Do you think something’s happened to him?”
Jack shook his head reluctantly. “He messaged me twentyminutes ago saying he wasn’t coming. I tried to call, but he didn’t pickup.”
