“You know where I stand with our relationship.”
Wes bows his head, then lifts it again only for his eyes to meet mine—full of desperation.
“It’s been weeks Em, and the only time you let me touch you is when we’re filming. Don’t you understand how sorry I am? I’d do anything to take it back but I just can’t okay?”
“This isn’t the time to talk about it. The limo should be downstairs waiting and I forgot to tell you that Ash and Logan are coming. We’ll pick them up,” I say quickly, grabbing my purse and checking my hair one more time, avoiding his apology.
It was an awkward limo ride over to Scarlett’s house. I finally introduced Wesley to Logan and almost instantly, there was this weird tension. Thank god that Ash talked about his restroom mayhem the entire ride over.
“Are you sure you didn’t order a different curry to mine?”
“Positive.”
“And you didn’t go to the bathroom once?”
“Nope. Iron stomach.”
“I just don’t get it.” He shakes his head.
“So, why are you both in town?” Wes places his hand on my knee, a gesture that wouldn’t normally bother me but right now, it does.
There’s a visible flush in Logan’s cheeks; his eyes following the movement of Wes’s hand as they rest on top of my knee. With his mouth turned down, he speaks through clenched teeth. “We’re trying out for the US soccer team.”
“Nice.”
I wanted to strangle Wes for being a stuck-up, arrogant jerk.
The rest of the ride was uneventful. We carried on with some small talk about the latest movies out and who would be at the party. Ash kept the conversation rolling, talking non-stop just so the tumbleweed wouldn’t roll past. I knew how he felt about Wesley but he was never one to keep his mouth shut.
Ash switches topic to the relief of Wesley who looked bored with the conversation. “So, I guess I forgot to say congratulations. You know with the engagement.”
Wesley keeps his smile fixed, not letting on that we weren’t together. He slides his hand above my knee until it’s resting on my hemline. I wriggle to move it away, only for him to grip tight.
“Thank you. Your sister is quite the catch.”
“Just take care of her or else you’ve got me and Logan to answer to,” Ash warns him in a serious tone.
“Right. Of course. I would never do anything to hurt her.”
Wesley places his arm around me, moving my hair to the side and kissing the crook of my neck. Across from where we sat, Logan looks at me with a deep curiosity. No other emotion on his face aside from that. His muscles are flexed underneath the navy short-sleeved shirt he wore; his fingers tapping impatiently on the headrest beside him. His expression turns to boredom; staring out the window uninterested.
“We’re here,” I announce with relief.
Scarlett’s mansion is just above the hill. A large, modern home hidden behind many trees to keep the property private. In the last few years, any movie she starred in became blockbuster hits. The tabloids were forever in a frenzy over her love life. She had apparently dated actors and funnily enough, our friendship began when she was rumoured to be dating Wes.
Stories like that never fazed me, so when I ran into her during a red-carpet event, we had a good old laugh and ended the rumor right there.
Scarlett is the most wanted woman in the industry. She’s barely in town but when she had some downtime, we would catch up for dinner or drinks. I admired her ability to juggle it all; often seeking guidance in how to cope with this demanding lifestyle we call showbiz.
There is a small booth at the bottom of the driveway with two security guards checking the guests’ names off on the list. Our limo drives through and up the steep hill till we stop in front of the house. I couldn’t have been more grateful. There was way too much testosterone in the car and I was desperate to get out.
Our regular camera crew were already positioned out front. Scarlett permitted the network to use footage for the show providing she saw the final edit. She told them that they could only film in the foyer, living room, and outdoor area, where most guests congregated.
“Okay guys, we need you to walk into the house. We’ll film you entering from here.” Josie points to the statue that sat out front. “Then Karl will come in from the right.”
Ash waves goodbye, heading into the house with Logan beside him. I wait for Logan to turn around but he doesn’t—looking eager to join Ash and the loud music streaming from the house.
I take a deep breath while waiting for Josie to hook me up with the mic. She clips it on and tucks the rest of the unit into the back of my dress then does the same to Wes. I try to keep my shoulders poised as Wes holds my hand while walking into the foyer.