Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100873 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
It was a tip Catie took seriously.
Walking out, she almost swallowed her tongue. Danny had pulled on and buttoned his tuxedo jacket and put on his shoes. Add in hair that was neatly combed, cuff links, and a perfectly knotted bow tie and he looked like a Samoan James Bond.
He glanced up from his phone. And did a double take.
A long pause fell between them as they stared at each other. Until the air thickened and Catie couldn’t take it. “You clean up pretty good, Esera.”
He coughed. “You too, River.”
Walking across, she smoothed down the lapels of his jacket even though they bore not a single wrinkle. When he took out his phone and held out an arm, she tucked herself against him and smiled. He smelled so good that bubbles of champagne fizzed in her blood, the arm he’d slid around her back warm and muscled, his hand curving gently around her hip.
Click.
Lowering his arm, he showed her the photo, and her damn heart, it skipped. Because they looked happy, both of them smiling in a way that was so very real. “I like it.” It came out softer than she’d intended.
“Me too.” But rather than posting it, he slid away his phone.
She didn’t poke at him about that. She didn’t want that photo posted either. It showed a little too much, things she didn’t want anyone else to see. Especially not their families. Because they’d know.
What exactly she was worried they’d know, Catie didn’t want to face.
Danny’s phone pinged.
Looking down, he said, “Limo’s here” and squeezed her waist.
It was only then that she realized she’d stayed tucked up next to him. It had felt… natural.
Cheeks burning, she pulled away at last. He dropped his arm but then held it out, crooked at the elbow, his smile roguish. “My lady.”
A smile cracked her lips as she accepted the offer. “I hope the theater is warm, otherwise I’m going to freeze.” She’d decided not to take her coat since they were planning to go from the apartment to the car to the red carpet at the theater to inside, then back again the same way. If there was an after-party and they decided to attend, they didn’t plan to walk.
“I shall be gallant and sacrifice my poor, shivering body and offer you my jacket,” Danny said as they stepped out the door.
“Then I’ll be wearing two jackets.” She pulled the door shut behind them.
“Yeah, but mine would cover your stomach.”
“Excellent point.” She loved the way his jacket was cut, the fit flawless yet elegant—it gave her a glimpse into the future, of what Danny might look like with ten, twenty more years on him.
Good. He’d look good.
She pressed a hand against her stomach, certain the flutters were visible. “It’s not looking poochy, right?”
Danny drew back, face stretched in a silent horror-movie scream. “Did you just ask me what I think you did? Because there is no fucking right answer to that. Every man on the planet knows this.”
His overacting was so bad that she started laughing and was still grinning when the elevator arrived. Stepping in, she said, “Sorry, had a bout of nerves. I know we’re going to be the focus of a lot of cameras tonight.”
He took her hand, squeezed. “You look awesome, Catie. Like your badass sprinter self.”
That was the best compliment he could’ve given her. She almost leaned over and kissed his cheek, caught herself just in time. Jeez, Louise, she had to be careful or she’d give herself away, wreck everything.
On the other hand, she had to fake-like him for the duration of their agreement, so maybe she’d work through her unexpected fascination without anyone else being the wiser. “Let’s go be fabulous and lie our faces off.”
13
RED CARPET… KISS?
Leon was going to be ecstatic, Danny thought as their limo came to a stop at the end of the red carpet outside the stately old theater. His friend had gone all out, inviting everyone with even a smidgen of media clout—but, despite his track record working on major productions, he’d been ignored by the vast majority of his invitees. He’d told Danny that over their most recent video call, his face crestfallen.
Leon’s theater buddies would’ve come en masse, of that Danny had zero doubt. They were as much a tight unit as any sports team—but most were currently appearing in shows in other parts of the world and could only offer their support long-distance.
Even the fact that Danny was a sure bet hadn’t eased Leon’s stress. Like Danny, he’d known that he’d need a few of the media darlings to turn up, the celebrities whose job it was to see and be seen and whose presence would ensure his play got mentioned online and in the papers.
Danny’s sports clout didn’t usually transfer over to this sphere.