Simone gapes out her window. “Sheesh, Cristiano does nothing by half measures.Lookat this.”
Our driver opens her door and we slip out, two girls among hundreds. The sidewalk outside the restaurant is packed with people and photographers clustered together in front of a branded step-and-repeat. I rise onto my tiptoes, trying to spot Cristiano or Juan Carlos, but then Simone nearly gets bowled over by a pushy woman trying to edge her way closer to the entrance.
“No need to step on my foot!” Simone calls after her. “I’m sure there’ll be enough food for all of us!”
I smile and take her hand so we don’t get separated in the crowd.
“Maybe let’s try this way?” I suggest, carefully edging closer to the step-and-repeat.
“Did Cristiano tell you where to go?” Simone asks.
The knot in my stomach tightens as I shake my head. I didn’t think to ask, either. I should have realized it was going to be crazy.
“Right. Then let’s just join the masses and see where we end up.”
There’s no other option. I’m half tempted to go up to one of the security guards and explain the situation, but what would I say? I’m not Cristiano’s girlfriend, I’m his friend, and judging by this turnout, he has a lot of friends vying to get into Sabor a Sol.
The crowd only continues to grow, and I hate the feeling of being surrounded by people on all sides. A security guard shouts at someone for pushing and everyone calms down a little, but even then, I’m close to calling it when another ten minutes pass and we haven’t made much progress.
“Line’s not moving at all,” someone notes beside me.
I recognize the American accent right away and, curious, look up to see a tall guy reposition the glasses on his nose. He’s handsome, blond, tan, and wearing slacks, a dress shirt, and a press badge. With his height, he has the advantage over the crowd.
“Can you see why?” I ask.
“Oh.” He laughs.“Him.”
I try to angle my body to see what he’s referring to, but it’s hard with so many people densely packed in front of me. Then when someone shifts, there’s suddenly a window in the crowd, and Cristiano comes into view on the step-and-repeat, standing alone. My heart leaps and then starts to race. He’s so handsomein his fitted black suit and pocket square. He’s skipped a tie and chosen to leave the top button of his white shirt undone. It’s an effortless style that he pulls offtoowell, especially with his hair freshly trimmed and his jaw cleanly shaven.
He only poses in front of the photographers for a moment before he steps to the side as if he’s eager to get off the carpet, but then Juan Carlos and a few of his friends I recognize from Aura move to join him. Juan Carlos throws his arm around his shoulders and Cristiano smiles genuinely for the first time. Their friends gather close. Daniella slips in on Cristiano’s other side, wearing a beautiful black dress and sky-high heels. She beams with pride and turns her body into Cristiano’s so she can drop her hand on his chest. The touch hurts to watch. I feel suddenly ridiculous standing here in this crowd watching them like a voyeur.
A woman nearby wonders aloud about Daniella, complimenting her outfit.
Simone squeezes my hand even though I haven’t let on that I’m in any way bothered by what I’m seeing. I stand stock-still as the photographers snap photos and the group disbands, but not before Daniella prods Cristiano to stay on the carpet, smiling up at him so they can get one more photo of just the two of them.
She laughs and teases him and he smiles.
My stomach feels queasy.
I step back, but Simone holds firm. “No. Look, the crowd is moving now.”
I don’t want to be here. I think of Annika watching Ethan kiss another girl. I don’t want to do this.
“Here, stick close and I’ll get us through,” the American guysays to Simone and me. “Unless you want to walk the step-and-repeat? That line looks like it’ll take a while, but I can get us in through the media entrance.”
“Yes, please!” Simone says cheerily. “What’s your name?”
“Logan.”
“Logan. Brilliant. I’m Simone and this is Elle.”
I’m not quite paying attention to the introductions and I feel bad for it. I shake myself out of my annoyance and look away from the spectacle. I try to smile once I realize Logan is peering down at me curiously.
“Are you here with the press?”
I frown. “No, I—”
He grins and winks. “Let’s try that again… Are youhere with the press?”
