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It was time to play her part in this performance, she decided. Soon, Tessa was lost in the thrill and wonder of it all. Time flew by without her even realizing it. Thirty minutes later, the shopping cart was full of diapers, outfits, and other assorted items.

“This is great,” Damon said. “But I feel like you need something big. Like from over there.” He jerked his head toward the back where the rocking horse and other large items were.

“Uh, are you sure? All that looks expensive.”

“Money is no object.”

Tessa was once again pondering the different worlds they inhabited when someone called out, “Damon?”

There was no reason to even see who the voice belonged to. Tessa had heard Lissa Keller on the screen enough to know exactly who it was.

She followed her on Instagram too. Ironically enough, it was one of Lissa’s videos that had inspired Tessa to wear her makeup and hair the way she was today.

“Lissa? Hey!” Damon said.

Okay, his performance was cracking a little now, Tessa thought. It was obvious he wasn’t as excited as he had been.

Or was that part of the act?

Who knew? She just needed to roll with whatever tone he set. Thinking about it too much would only complicate things.

Every fiber of her being wanted to just keep looking at the items in front of her, but she knew that would make things even more awkward than they were already going to be.

So, she slowly turned around and forced a smile.

She hoped it was a smile, at least. Images of her looking as awkward as she felt flashed through her mind.

Calm down. You’re not the Joker. Don’t grin too big. You’re going to scare her, not make her jealous.

It became quickly apparent to her, though, that this wasn’t about her.

The moment was all about Lissa Keller.

Tessa suspected every moment was. Because she’d never seen anyone who seemed to own the very air around her.

Damon was confident. He carried himself with a certain poise and grace befitting of screen royalty. Multiple celebrity stereotypes were hit with him.

But Lissa?

She had barely spoken and already Tessa could see that she was supremely confident, yet not in an exaggeratedly arrogant way. It was just evident she knew she was on top. She was well aware of her beauty and elegance.

Under such circumstances, what else could she be?

Tessa instantly felt insignificant.

Perhaps she was. Damon saw her as just a prop in his quest to regain Lissa.

And Tessa couldn’t really blame him.

But she still wished she could fade into the background and never be in this magical world again. She didn’t belong there.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Lissa said with a laugh, as if she was in on how outdated her statement was.

Gosh, she somehow even made that sound cool.

Tessa watched as the two movie stars did that hug that was really more just gripping each other’s shoulders and giving those kisses on each cheek that seemed rather fake and forced.

The tension was thick.