“Just that she’s not used to needing an invitation,” I explained.
“Because she’s your best friend, right.” She pressed her lips together in a firm line. “Got it.”
I cringed at the description. “I wouldn’t call Maddie my best friend. We’d barely seen each other in years before she came out here after the breakup.”
Pulling her hand free from mine, Serena leaned back. “Well, that’s what she calls you all the time.”
“I know, but she’s always said shit like that.” At her doubtful look, I added, “She didn’t have a lot of other friends growing up, so she kind of latched onto me.”
“I’m sure she did,” she mumbled, some of the tension easing from her shoulders. “I know you think she’s just being nice or needs more time to adjust, but it’s starting to feel like she’s inserting herself everywhere. And I'm really tired of pretending it doesn’t bother me.”
Reaching for her hand again, I searched for the right thing to say. I knew she had a point, but I also saw my childhood friend struggling to find her footing in a city that could be brutal.
“I hear you,” I murmured. “And I’ll make sure she gives you more space.”
“That’s a start, I guess,” she sighed as she looked down at our joined hands.
I wished I could pull her onto my lap and kiss the tension away until she melted, but our schedules didn’t have enough time for that today. So I just leaned across the table and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, then her temple, and finally the corner of her mouth until I coaxed a reluctant smile out of her.
“I hate when there’s any weirdness between us. How about we stay at your place tonight, eat way too many tacos, and forget the rest of the world exists. Sound good?”
She nodded against my cheek, but I felt the tension lingering in her shoulders. “Yeah. Really good.”
Someone knocked on the trailer door, calling that she had five minutes until they needed her back on set. I let her go reluctantly, stealing a final kiss before she got up.
I hated that our time was up, but I felt a fuck of a lot better after talking through the shit with Maddie so we were on the same page. The last thing I wanted was for my friend to fuck up my relationship.
5
SERENA
Hudson came over just like he suggested. The tacos were long gone, and the Pinot bottle was down to its last glass. Avery had used a test tomorrow as an excuse to head to her room as soon as she was done eating, giving us some much-needed alone time.
We were curled up on my couch, his arm draped across my shoulders while some rerun played in the background. For the first time in days, the knot in my chest had loosened. Tonight felt normal. Like how we were before Maddie came to town.
I was laughing at something he whispered against my neck when my phone buzzed on the cushion beside me. I ignored it until I saw the name flashing on the screen. I couldn’t think of any reason the designer I’d used for a movie premiere this weekend would be calling. She’d already delivered my gown a week ago, after my final fitting.
“That’s weird.”
Hudson asked, peering over my shoulder at the screen. “Maybe it’s a fashion emergency?”
I knew he was just teasing, but a call this close to a big event worried me. Sitting up, I swiped to answer. “Hey, Delia. What’s wrong?”
Her voice sounded panicked as she blurted, “Serena, I’m so sorry. The full details of your gown were posted on a big fashion account an hour ago. She even made renderings based on the description. It’s everywhere now. We can’t use it. The look is completely compromised.”
“What do you mean leaked?” I shook my head, my stomach sinking. “We were so careful.”
“I know. I kept it under wraps. But it’s out there. The influencer even tagged the fabric house. We have to pivot. I can have a backup ready for Friday, but it won’t be the same. Beautiful, but not the statement piece we wanted.”
I closed my eyes, my mind racing as I tried to push down my aggravation. The bold dress we planned, with a deep plunge in crimson silk, was perfect for the red-carpet premiere of a fashion-forward movie with a blockbuster budget. Anything we came up with would pale in comparison, but it was better than a gown that had already been leaked on social media.
“Whatever you can do will be very much appreciated.”
“I’ll follow up with you tomorrow?” she asked.
“Please do.”
After I ended the call, Hudson’s hand settled on my knee, concern etched across his face. “What happened?”
