Hollywood Ever After (Red Carpet 1)

“Baring your soul for the sake of inspiring stories,” Victor said. “You were great in the film tonight, Jen. Really great.”

It took me a moment to recognize her. She’d had short black hair in the movie. Her most memorable scene had been while she was mostly naked and wrapped around Josh for a good five minutes. I felt a flash of envy and rubbed a hand over my hair. What’s the matter with me?

I needed space. Now.

“Food?” I spoke into Shannon’s ear.

“Table.” She pointed toward the buffet table across the deck.

I got up and made my way to the table, intentionally avoiding warm hazel eyes as I went. He stood too, making my heart leap, before disappearing into the crowd without saying anything. I dismissed the sense of disappointment pulling at me and focused on sustenance. I filled a little plate with things that looked to be more vegetable and protein than starch, hoping to quiet the buzz in my ears.

&nbs

p; As I nibbled, I let my gaze wander. In one group I found Josh, laughing, his face totally animated. The rest of the group stopped laughing long enough for someone to say something else, and then started up again. The camaraderie was evident. I smiled in spite of myself. His eyes flashed to mine, wandered over me deliberately, never wavering as he continued talking with his friends. He was staring at me in a way that left little doubt about his thoughts, his color rising slightly and his jaw rigid.

My heart was pounding in my ears. Was I imagining this? That he was looking at me like…that?

I must have had more to drink than I thought. I put down the plate on a nearby tray and made my way back to Shannon.

She was still deep in conversation with Victor and the others, so I whispered into her ear. “I’m going for a walk on the beach. I just need a minute to clear my head. Too much to drink… You know me.”

She nodded. “The water is cold, so no skinny-dipping.” I rolled my eyes at her.

I slipped out of the group and made my way down to the beach, making note of any people of interest I could tell Natalie about later. Unless I met Darth Vader himself, six-year-old Will couldn’t care less about any of this. I missed them both as I walked on the soft sand. Mom would have them settled in and sleeping peacefully by now. Bedtime was my favorite time. It meant cuddles, talks, and love. I hugged myself, the sudden rush of homesickness sharp. I hadn’t left the kids, ever. But things were different now. I didn’t need to watch over them all the time. It was time to relax.

I shivered as a gust of wind hit me, jolting me from my reverie.

My eyes adjusted to the moonlight; the sand glowed white. The crisp, salty sea air tickled my nose after the various perfumes and scents crowding the party. The soothing sound of the waves muffled everything; only an occasional rise in volume from the party broke through.

There were a few couples strolling, but it felt delightfully deserted compared to the crowd of the party. The only drawback was the temperature. It was colder here, away from the fire pits and people. I wrapped my arms around myself, but there wasn’t much to keep out the chill. I wandered down to the surf, keeping my toes safely on dry land.

“Claire?” Josh’s voice made me jump. “Sorry I startled you. I saw you make your way down.”

“Just lost in the moment.” My voice was strained. “It’s lovely.” Almost as lovely as you are.

Josh’s gaze remained on me, not the ocean or the beach or the moon. “It is.”

My heart thumped, warming under his inspection.

He asked, “How did you meet Shannon?”

“College. We had a Creative Writing class together. She was this outspoken, pushy chick that loved to talk at the class versus with the class. We both loved to write and we just clicked. She’s been trying to push me out of my shell ever since.”

“She’s rather…opinionated at times.” He stole a glance from the corner of his eye, smiling.

I nodded. “That’s putting it very nicely. But, all stubbornness and opinions aside, she’s the most loyal friend in the world.”

“I’ve never read anything of hers.” He stared up at the moon.

“She’s exceptionally talented.”

“It appears that she feels the same way about you—as you’re her muse.”

“She’s…I don’t know…” I had no idea what to say. I didn’t want to have this conversation, ever. Certainly not on the beach, under the stars, with him. Wasn’t there anything else to talk about? I shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what she’s thinking.”

I felt it the instant Josh’s hazel eyes were on me, but I refused to meet his gaze. I waited, keeping my mouth shut and a small smile on my face. I knew he was waiting for me to elaborate, but I had nothing to add. The quiet grew. The wind whistled as it blew around us. Goose bumps covered my skin and I shivered.

“Here.” Josh removed his jacket and placed it around my shoulders. His thumbs stroked softly over my collarbone, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.