“Not like it was the last time I saw her.”
“What’s changed since then?”she asked with a sexy smile.
He glanced at her, returning her smile as he took hold of her hand.“Everything.”
Flynn and Natalie took the stage a few minutes later to thundering applause.
“Thank you so much for being here,” Flynn said to the full house.“As you know, this film was a passion project from beginning to end.Every shot, every detail, every aspect has been a labor of love for my amazing wife and her inspirational story.Natalie, it’s an honor and a privilege to walk through this life with you by my side, and to raise our four babies together.Thank you for allowing me the honor of sharing your triumphant story with the world.”
The audience clapped for his embarrassed wife.
She took the microphone from him.“Thank you, Flynn, for spearheading this special project from the start and for the love and care that was put into every frame you’ll see tonight.To Hayden, Kristian, Aileen, Jasper, Ellie, Emmett, Leah, Marlowe and the entire team at Quantum, I’m deeply grateful for your hard work on this film.From the start, you’ve made me part of your Quantum family, and I love you all so very much.To my sister Olivia, who brought my story to light in the most breathtakingly beautiful performance I ever could’ve imagined, I’m so proud of you and our other sister, Candace, and everyone on screen and behind the scenes of this film.Thank you all for being here tonight.”
“We’re proud to presentValiant,” Flynn said to applause.
“In case I forget to tell you later,” Isla whispered to Julian, “this is the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.Thank you for inviting me.”
“My pleasure, honey.I’m so happy you’re here with me.”
From the first minutes of the movie to the last, Isla was transported by Natalie’s story.Olivia’s performance was indeed breathtaking and captivating, and the Hollywood ending of Natalie’s Las Vegas wedding to Flynn, mere weeks after they first met, had Isla wiping away tears of joy and deep admiration for the courage it’d taken for Natalie to start over after utter devastation.
As the closing credits rolled, everyone in the theater was on their feet, cheering as Flynn, Natalie, Olivia and everyone involved with the film took the stage to soak up the audience’s enthusiastic response.
Isla glanced at Julian and saw him staring hard at someone across the aisle.“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.Just saw someone I know.”
“Is everything okay?”
He put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze.“Yes, everything is fine.”
Despite what he’d said, she could tell everything was not at all fine.
What isCarson doing here with Cresley?Julian wondered, his mind racing with thoughts and implications.As the firm’s chief investigator, Carson avoided the spotlight like the plague so he could do his job without people recognizing him.So then, what in the world was he thinking coming to a Hollywood premiere with one of the most famous women in the world?
It took forever to leave the theater and walk the short distance to where the reception would be held.As they followed the crowd, Julian ignored his phone, which vibrated nonstop in his suit coat pocket.
“Is that your phone?”Isla asked.
“Yeah.”
“Should you get it?”
Julian wanted to keep his full attention on her tonight.“Whatever it is can wait.”
He spotted Jackson and Roman standing off to the side, looking at their phones with grim expressions.
“Hey,” he said to them.“What’s wrong?”
“You might want to check your phone,” Jack said.“TMZ posted that Mom and Dad are back together, and the whole world is going nuts thanks to the freaking reality show that made them the poster children for ugly divorces.”
Jack’s words had barely registered when Julian became aware of people looking at them the way they’d observe survivors of catastrophe, with sympathy and anticipation of all the salacious details.
“Julian.”
He’d almost forgotten Isla was there, which he wouldn’t have thought possible a few minutes ago.He glanced at her.
“Let’s go,” she said.
