Hollywood Ever After (Red Carpet 1)

“Actually, I’d have enjoyed that.” Josh still sounded unsettled.

“I guess that’s what happens when you’re a celebrity.” Natalie said. She was watching me, her face concerned. “It’s okay, Mom. It wasn’t a big deal, really. They were loud and it scared Will a little bit.”

Mom entered the room, pulling a suitcase behind her.

“Grams, we were attacked by these horrible dorky men!” Will announced. “And Josh would have let me light saber them if I’d had my light saber. But I didn’t.” He recovered quickly.

My mother’s eyebrows arched. “Oh?”

“Photographers,” Natalie explained. “I guess that was our first brush with paparazzi.”

Josh stood. He dragged a hand through his hair, sending it every which way, before it fell to his side. His hands fisted and he wouldn’t look at me.

“You can tell me all about it on the train, Will, every little detail.” My mother was amused.

Natalie sat forward, her blue eyes growing wide. “Oh my gosh. Does this mean I’m going to be in the paper?” she asked, staring at Josh.

He sighed, nodding his head. “It’s possible.”

She hopped up and ran to the tall gilt mirror over the entry table and surveyed herself. “Okay. I mean, I guess I look decent.”

Josh stared at her in surprise then chuckled. “You look great, Natalie. No worries there.”

She smiled at him. “It’s kind of exciting, you know? I mean, not the jumping out part, but the whole picture in the papers part.”

Josh shook his head.

There was a knock on the door and the bellboy entered. The next few minutes were devoted to making sure nothing was left in the hotel. Will crawled under the beds and chairs, checking every nook and cranny before we took the elevator to the lobby. There was a taxi waiting to take Mom and the kids to Paddington Station and their train.

Will babbled about the sweets trolley the whole ride down. I pleaded with my mother to restrict the sweets trolley purchases to one item per child. She patted my hand and told me not to worry. Which wasn’t the answer I was looking for, but the one I kind of knew to expect.

“I’m afraid there are some photographers out front, Mr. Wiley.” The concierge met us at the elevator doors. “We’ve been able to keep them out so far.”

I smiled as Natalie patted her hair and straightened her shirt. “Let’s just say goodbye here. You’re going to have a terrific time and we’ll see you at the station in Stratford in a few days.”

Will hugged Josh fiercely, whispering, “And don’t worry, Josh. I have my light saber this time.” Josh still looked concerned, but he tried to laugh for Will’s sake.

Kisses, hugs, and several cheerful goodbyes later, the kids and Mom were safely stowed in the cab and off to the train station.

Josh asked the valet to bring the car to the back door. We headed back up to get my bags.

Once the elevator door closed, I turned to him. “Will’s right, Josh. This isn’t your fault.”

He finally looked at me and I saw how upset he really was. He nodded his head, but his face remained stiff.

I hugged him, wrapping my arms around him. “It’s okay.”

His arms caught me to him. “It bloody well isn’t okay and I know it. Will was scared. I think Nat was a bit, too, though she’d never admit it now. It shouldn’t have happened.”

I wasn’t thrilled about it, but there’d been no harm done. I was, after all, dating someone in the public eye. It was something I was going to have to be prepared for if I wanted this to work out.

And I did.

I tried teasing. “It’s not a big deal. If I become some big-time published author, it’ll happen all the time.”

“I’d like to have Meg look into security for the children. Maybe for me and you as well?” He was asking for permission.

“Will it make you feel better?”