Back to December (Ward Sisters Book 1) (33 page)

“He wasn't that mean. I think he was sympathetic because I wasn't Amy or Anja.”

“Too true. I've got to go, but if you need a touch-up,” Reggie said as she walked away, “come backstage with him later.”

“Thanks, Reggie!”

“You're...friends with his makeup artist?” It was said with disdain.

Emily looked at Rachel. She had nearly forgotten the woman was there. “Yes. I guess you could say that.”

Rachel snorted, “Next you'll tell me that you're friends with his entire staff.”

“Well, given that most of them are his family, yes. But I like everyone else I've met so far. My bodyguard and I are great friends.”

“He gave you a bodyguard?” She seemed surprised.

“I don't have any other reason to have one. Liam isn't really like a bodyguard, though. He's more like a big brother.”

“
Liam
is your bodyguard?”

“Oh, right. You two know each other.”

“Yes, he worked for Deac when we were together.”

“No, I meant from school.”

“He
told
you that?”

“Like I said, we're great friends.” Emily smiled, hoping she had unnerved Rachel.

Rachel looked uncomfortable. Whatever Liam knew about her, she was afraid he had told Emily.

“Well, let's head inside. I'm sure they're starting to seat everyone by now.”

As they walked into the auditorium, the first thing Emily noticed was the stage. It was a looming presence, with bright lights and huge panels that almost looked like sculpture. There were countless tables and things were bustling. Catering worked frantically to finish preparations before everyone was seated.

They arrived at a table near the stage. “This is our table. I don't know about
you
, but I want to freshen up before everything starts.”

Emily felt her palms sweat again. They were near the stage. And more than likely, whenever they panned the audience, their table would be on camera. She started naming art movements in her head to change her focus. Rachel's voice brought her back to herself.

“Are you coming or not?”

“Oh. Yes. Definitely.” Em tried to smile, but it was hard. She wished Rob was there so he could make her laugh.

“Hard to believe you're not a performer,” Rachel said sarcastically.

“It's not my thing, that's for sure.”

Rachel said quietly, “No, I imagine it isn't.” She shook her head. “He always falls in love with his co-stars,” she remarked, louder.

“We didn't meet on a movie set.”

“Oh, no, of course. But you did play Cinderella to his Prince Charming at the ball, didn't you?”

Emily began to wonder if Rachel knew more than she had implied. “I don't know what you mean.”

“Well, you were his date for that ball, were you not?”

“It was a gala, but yes.”

“He discovered you, swept you off your feet and turned you into a princess for the night. You're his Cinderella. He does love to play the handsome prince. Kind, benevolent, generous. Surely you wouldn't have been invited to the ball without him?”

“Actually, I was. I hosted.”

Rachel looked surprised. “Oh, well. My mistake. I just assumed you were like all of his female co-stars. Easy come, easy go. Once the big production is over, so is the relationship.”

Emily was offended both for herself and for Rob. “Our relationship isn't like that.”

As they walked into the ladies room, Rachel exclaimed with mock surprise, “Oh! You think he really cares for you?” Emily knew her face was getting flush with anger. “You're in love with him. You think he loves you, too. I thought that, too, once. But it was hard to have him come home from a set enamored with the latest young thing to cross his path. And they always fall
so
easily in love with him. Well, you know. It's impossible to kiss him and not fall in love with him every time. But I'm sure it's different with you two. Don't mind me. I'm just an old married woman now. It makes you jaded.”

Rachel disappeared into a stall and Emily did the same, highly irritated. Where did that woman get off? What a wench. Emily was convinced that Rob's previous statement about Rachel being as nice as she seemed was his way of covering for the fact that he'd nearly married a total bitch. What had he been thinking?

Emily came out of the bathroom first. Her dress was, apparently, easier to maneuver. As she washed her hands, a beautiful woman a little younger than her walked into the bathroom. Like Rachel, she was blond, but she was taller and voluptuous, with plump lips and huge eyes. She was striking. “That's a great dress,” the woman remarked.

“Thanks. Yours is beautiful. Nice shoes. Louboutins?” The woman was wearing a bright red, strapless mermaid dress covered in shimmery stones the way Em's gala dress had been. It made her wonder if it was the same designer. Her shoes were red patent peep-toes, similar to the ones Amy had worn for the gala.

“Yeah. I prefer Manolos, but my stylist insisted that my shoes shouldn't distract from my dress. I told him if he was going to make me wear such boring shoes, he had to get me some fabulous jewelry. I guess I can live with what he chose.” Emily couldn't see how she would object. She was wearing a necklace of diamonds that had to be worth more than six figures, along with diamond chandelier earrings and a 2-inch diamond cuff.

Just then, Rachel came out of the bathroom. “Lola,” she spat with disdain.

“Rachel,” Lola replied with the same level of disgust. These two were not friends, apparently.

“Well, isn't this adorable,” Rachel remarked as she washed her hands and began to touch up her lipstick. “Deac's women, all in the same room.”

“What are you talking about?” Lola asked, annoyed.

“Didn't you know? This is Deac's latest young thing. Though, she says she's older than you are, so maybe he's regaining
some
dignity.”

Lola looked Emily up and down, seeing her differently now that she wasn't just a woman flattering her wardrobe. “You're Deac's girlfriend?”

“Yes. Rob and I have been seeing each other since before the holidays.”

“Oh? And what movie did you make together?”

Before Emily could reply, Rachel interjected, “She's not an actress. She's a
writer
.”

Lola laughed. “He's slumming it with script writers these days? I didn't think he needed to be
that
desperate yet.”

Emily was offended for both herself and Rob. “I'm a features writer at
Art Wurks
. We cover Modern and Postmodern art. Rob and I met in Minneapolis when my magazine was hosting a Fluxus event.”

Lola looked at her like she had three heads. “Well, none of that means anything to me. Good luck. I'm sure you'll be around until he gets to his next set, anyway.” Without another word, she turned and went into a stall.

As Emily and Rachel left the ladies room, Em said, “I take it you two aren't friends?”

Rachel scoffed. “Hardly. That tart is the reason Deac and I broke our engagement.”

Funny, that wasn't the way Emily had heard it. “She doesn't seem to like you much, either.”

“It's no skin off my nose. Though, at least mine is original,” she laughed to herself. “When are you getting yours done?”

Emily shook her head. No wonder her mother liked all that crap in the tabloids, she thought just like them. “Never. I got this nose from my father and I'm proud of it.”

“Oh. I suppose there's room somewhere on the canvas for someone like you.”

“I have no interest in being on camera.”

As they opened the door to the auditorium, Rachel gave her a wry smile and patted Em's hand. “Of course not,” she said, as though she didn't believe it for a second. “I'll see you at the table. I have a few people I need to speak with.”

Across the room, Emily could see Rob talking to someone she thought might be actor George Perry. The two men turned to look at her and Rob waved. They spoke for a minute, laughing, and then clapped each other on the shoulder as they shook hands. Rob strode toward her as she headed toward the table. When he met Em in the middle, he linked his arm with hers.

“Miss me?” he asked as they slowly walked to the table, leaning close so she could hear him.

“Every second.” She kissed his cheek. Em lowered her voice to a whisper. “How did you live with that woman? She's insufferable!”

Rob laughed and said quietly, “I was blinded by love? Is that a good excuse?”

Em laughed in response, voice still low. “I guess. I hope she was nicer back then. We ran into Lola in the ladies room.”

Rob winced. “Did you? I'm sure Rachel gladly pointed out who you were?”

Emily nodded. “She seemed to take great joy in it. They're not each other's biggest fan.”

“No. They both pretend it's about me, but it's professional jealousy. Were they rude to you?”

“Nothing I can't handle. That, I assume, was not professional jealousy.”

He smiled. “No, that was personal. They're both envious of you.”

“Because you're mine, now?”

“No, because you're sexier than they are and you don't need to try hard to make people like you.”

Em rolled her eyes. He knew she didn't believe the sexier part, but his look said she was wrong. “Speaking of which, we saw Reggie, and Rachel thought it was strange that I was friendly toward her.”

“She thinks it's beneath her to associate with anyone who is an employee.”

“Well, doesn't that make it kind of awkward when your family works for you?”

“Precisely. She wasn't happy when Rick and Amy became my staff.”

“But
you
were happier.” He nodded. “Then that's what matters.”

Tilting his head, he smiled to indicate that she'd hit the nail on the head, then brushed his lips against hers.

“Let me introduce you to Harvey.”

“Emily!” Harvey exclaimed, kissing her cheek.

“Either you're hiding a secret career from me or you two already met,” Rob joked.

“Rachel introduced us earlier,” Emily noted.

“That's very tactful of you, Emily.” Harvey snorted, proving that Rachel's behavior was not lost on him. “Are you two coming to the party?” he asked, looking at Rob.

“Of course. We'll see how long Emily lasts.”

Harvey laughed. “Our party is the best one. You won't miss anything if you skip the rest.” He winked.

“I'm looking forward to it.” Just then, they were being asked to take their seats. Em grew nervous again, which registered on her face.

“You weren't joking about faking emotions, were you?” Harvey noted, grinning.

“That obvious?” Emily asked.

“Don't sweat it. Half the people in here will be drunk before they're through the first quarter of the show. They'll have plenty of other stuff to put on the screen. It's too bad you don't want to be on camera, Emily. You already caught the eye of every director in the room.” He winked at her again and clapped Rob on the shoulder before they took their seats.

Rob pulled out her chair and as they sat down, he leaned in and said, “He's right. George saw you across the room and made a comment that's not for polite company. I had to threaten to kick his ass if he hit on you. You're almost too old for him, but he didn't know that.”

Emily laughed. “Thanks. I needed you to make me laugh.” She kissed him.

He whispered in her ear, “If you keep kissing me, I might have to mess up your makeup before the show is over. I'm having a hard time not taking you somewhere private for a few minutes as it is
without
feeling your lips on mine.”

Em blushed. She whispered, “Don't talk like that before we have to be on camera! You know I can't hide it when I want to take off all your clothes.”

Rob laughed. “And I'm always glad for that. Let's find a distraction.” Then he introduced her to the rest of their table, which comprised a couple other actors from the film and their dates, Rachel and her husband, and one of the other producers and his partner. The director was sitting at Harvey's table. Em hoped that it meant most of the focus on
Shattered Glass
would be aimed at that table instead. She suspected that Rachel felt the opposite, however.

Before long, the show was in full swing. Whenever Emily felt a little anxious, Rob squeezed her hand or whispered something funny in her ear. When it was time for him to head backstage, Emily followed so that Reggie could touch up her makeup and she could use the ladies room on her way back to her seat. As they left the auditorium, George winked at Rob, who shook his head. “He thinks we're going out for a quickie, doesn't he?” Em said wryly.

“If his arm candy was as hot as you and I saw them leaving together, I'd think the same thing,” Rob joked.

“Ha-ha. His arm candy is always hotter than me.”

Rob laughed. “That was a good one!” They made their way backstage and Reggie got Rob ready to go on camera – Em was surprised that it wasn't just a touch-up, but that she actually added makeup.