Written in the Stars Series Collection

by L. L Hunter

  He kissed me then, long and passionate, but gentle and respectful. Then he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear and studied me. At that moment, I felt like he was finally seeing the real me, and I had never felt more naked.

  “I don’t want to be on the opposite side to you either. I want to be on the same side. I want you to walk down that red carpet with me tonight and show the world the real Chloe. Show them you’re not fake and that you’re not a liar. And we’ll show them that what we have is not a publicity stunt.”

  He held my face in his hands. My heart beat wildly and my nether regions pulsed with desire. Oh, boy. I had never wanted him more badly than I did then.

  “All those things I said a few weeks ago when we met, they were real too. I have never met anyone like you before. You’re real. You’re dorky, you’re funny. You’re incredibly sexy, and I want you in my life, Chloe Vanderbilt.”

  It was official. I was melting. I was melting into a big puddle of swoony goo in Jack’s lap. I couldn’t believe what he was saying. Somebody pinch me. I pressed my lips against his and then climbed off his lap so we could finish getting ready. And so I didn’t combust right there. Or have an orgasm in front of Aflie and Emma. God, that would be embarrassing.

  32

  I could hear the screams as soon as we turned onto the street. Our limo pulled up in front of the theatre where the awards ceremony was being held, and I turned to Jack, suddenly petrified. I grabbed his hands and squeezed.

  “Hey, it’ll be okay,” he reassured me. But I wasn’t so sure.

  Lights flashed outside the car, and a moment later, a burly security guard opened the door on the red carpet side. My stomach was in knots. I was sweaty and shaky. Oh, God. This was it. I was about to make my first real public debut with Jack. But he was going to be right by my side. As long as I was with him, I would be fine.

  “You ready?” he asked.

  “Uh… to be honest, not in the slightest.”

  He kissed my lips and then moved to open the door on his side. I took a deep breath and stepped out of the limo.

  The lights were so bright, and the screams were so loud. As I stood on the end of the red carpet, I took it all in. Jack came around the car and walked up to me. He turned to me and smiled. Then he offered me his hand. I slipped my hand in his, and with a smile, began walking the long walk down the red carpet at the Golden Globes.

  At what I guessed was the halfway point of the carpet, Jack was called away by a reporter, and I was left alone. My heart beat wildly as I stood. I looked around at the fans, at the reporters, at the other actors, directors, and artists. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing. Me? I had no fucking idea. I felt lost. Until someone called my name.

  “Chloe! Chloe!” I scanned the crowd for the person who’d called out to me and found them. A couple of reporters and media people were waving me over toward the barricade they were standing behind.

  As I walked toward them, I remembered what Jack’s manager had said about what to do. “Just strike a pose, and you’ll be fine,” he’d said. “Put one hand on your hip and give them a closed mouth smile. Not too big, more mysterious. Make them want to know more about you. Don’t reveal all your secrets to them. They’re vultures.”

  So, I stopped, put one hand on my hip, the one that wasn’t holding my clutch purse, and stared past the cameras. Jack had told me not to look directly at the camera, but just past the person’s shoulder. So I did what they’d told me, but everything was swarming around and around in my head, going faster and faster. And the crowd seemed to be getting louder and louder. The camera flashes, brighter and brighter. I stepped to the left just so I wasn’t standing frozen like a statue, and stepped on the tail of my dress. The dress I wore was a long red number by a designer I didn’t know. They were an up and coming designer, I had been told. I didn’t care who they were. The dress was absolutely gorgeous. I had never worn something so expensive before. The fabric was heavy and form-fitting. It hugged my curves like a second skin, without revealing too much. It had a wide leg slit on one side, and the back ended in a long curtain of fabric. Which meant I had to hold it when I walked upstairs or moved. My shoes, clutch and jewellery were gold, and all by other designers, I couldn’t recall either. My hair was slicked back and straight, giving me a wet look, without actually being wet. And my lips were painted a deep crimson. When I had seen my reflection in the mirror earlier, I could hardly believe it was me. I looked like a goddess. But at this moment, I didn’t feel like one. It was too loud. Too bright. Too hot. I started to walk away, ready to flee, when Jack swooped in and rescued me. We posed for a photo or two, and then he pulled me away from the cameras.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  I looked up at his face and then threw my arms around him. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

  But I was lying to myself and to him.

  I wasn’t fine.

  He was right. This was too much for me. I didn’t know how he did it.

  “You did great. But next time, don’t stay there for so long. Don’t give one reporter all the glory. You look beautiful, by the way. I don’t think I told you that before.”

  I gave him a small smile and nodded. “Thanks.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” He knew. So I shook my head. He pulled me closer and kissed my head. “Let’s go inside.”

  I nodded and took his hand. We went inside the theatre, and I had never been so thankful.

  33

  The awards ceremony was long and boring. There were a few music performances and funny speeches, and the host was pretty amusing too. But somehow, I just wasn’t feeling it. I don’t know if it was the nerves or the fact that being here was mentally draining. But I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

  When Jack’s category was called, though, I sat up a little in my seat. I had slowly been sliding down, silently hoping the ground would swallow me up again, and I could disappear. But when another talented actor was announced as the winner, we clapped as a physical show of strength and support, but we were both gutted. I kissed Jack’s cheek and rubbed his arm sympathetically.

  And then it was over, and it was time for the after party. Jack told me this was the time for all the actors and talent and VIPs to let their hair down and finally eat. Speaking of food, I was so famished I was tempted to eat my lipstick. Or Angelina Jolie. Speaking of celebrities, I met a lot of famous faces I had grown up admiring on the big and small screen. In the bathroom during the awards, I ran into Jennifer Lawrence and got a selfie with her. She was lovely and supportive and asked if I wanted to catch up for brunch one day. I wanted to pinch myself. Was this really my life?

  At the after party, Jack and I sat at a table with a few of the cast and crew from his latest film. They were all friendly people and accepted me as part of the family. Except for his female co-star, the one who played his on-screen love interest. Alexa Long. The one who set up the first picture and started this whole thing. She kept giving me these strange looks across the round table in between sips of her wine. What was her problem?

  By the time the third course was served, I’d had enough. Especially since, after she’d finished her main meal, she’d gotten up to go to the ladies’ room and ran her fingers along Jack’s shoulders and across his neck. Jack shuddered and gave her a smile, watching her a little as she left. I leaned back in my chair to watch her go, and she deliberately sashayed her hips. That bitch. She was totally flirting with my man! I excused myself from the table, kissing Jack on the cheek on the way past, and made my way to the bathroom. I had to sort this out.

  The bathroom in the hotel at which the after party was held was all shiny surfaces. The basins and the stall doors looked like they were made from hematite, and the taps and soap dispensers were trimmed in silver. The actress was a tall brunette with legs for days, large boobs and butt and puffy, collagen-filled lips. She reminded me of a particular reality TV show personality. She was reapplying her mascara at the mirror. I walked up and stood beside her, waiting for her not
ice me. She paused, looked at me in the mirror, and went back to doing her make-up.

  “Hi, look. Listen. What was that back there?”

  “What was what?” she asked, in a typical valley girl accent.

  “You know what. But if I have to remind you, you were glaring at me from across the table and openly flirting with Jack.”

  She put her mascara wand back in its tube and flicked her straight hair over one shoulder.

  “I wasn’t flirting with Jack.”

  “Look, I don’t care what you were or weren’t doing, but Jack asked me to be here with him. As his date.”

  That did it. She put down the lipstick she had picked up and twisted to face me. She put a manicured hand on her hip and pushed it out.

  “I don’t know who you are, little girl. But Jack promised me we were coming together. We used to date, you know. We were THE ‘it’ couple. Hollywood’s sweethearts. But ever since he got back from Australia, he’s been different. I saw that photo. And then I saw you on his arm on the Red Carpet. I knew I had to do something to remind him of what he used to have.”

  What they’d had? Jack had told me the photo was staged. But was this true? Had Jack lied to me? Or was Alexa just trying to get under my skin? I couldn’t let her see she had affected me, though. I took a step toward her.

  “Look, Jack might have been with you in the past, but now he’s with me. He chose me.”

  I never had in my wildest dreams thought I would ever speak to another woman in this way. Especially one that was out to steal my man. But it felt good. I felt empowered. So, I kept going.

  “We’re together, so keep your hands off him.”

  She stepped up to me so we were eye to eye. But even with my heels on, she was still almost a head taller than I was. So my eyes met her mouth. I had to look up. Which was really awkward.

  “Is that a threat?”

  “No. It’s not a threat. But if you don’t leave Jack alone…”

  Someone walked into the bathroom at the moment, but they didn’t go to a toilet stall. And a second later, I knew why they were just standing there. I heard the click of a camera going off and then the sound of heels on tiles fleeing. Someone had snapped a photo of Alexa and me in a compromising position. It was probably about to be blasted across all social media platforms and all tabloids. But I didn’t care. I turned back to Alexa.

  “I don’t know who you think you are, little girl…”

  “My name is Chloe. Stop calling me ‘little girl’. It’s not nice to make fun of short people.”

  She rolled her eyes and flicked her hair again. “Whatever. Who are you anyway?”

  Who are you anyway?

  Who was I? Alexa’s question struck a chord. It got me like a punch to the stomach.

  “I’m nobody.” I turned around and walked out of the bathroom.

  As soon as I walked into the dining room, everyone turned to look at me. And then the whispers began. I heard a few phones beep with an incoming message. I saw a couple of people look at their phones, and then look at me. And it clicked. The picture the stranger took in the bathroom of Alexa and me. She’d already posted it online. And judging by the looks and the whispers, it had already gone viral. I didn’t go back to the table to Jack. I walked right out the front entrance and out toward the kerb. I pulled my phone out of my clutch and called Stephen to come get me.

  Alexa was right. I was nobody. I was a fraud. This wasn’t my world, and I was stupid to think I would fit in here. Jack and I were worlds apart. We weren’t in sync.

  34

  Stephen picked me up about ten minutes later up the street from the hotel. He didn’t talk or ask questions, for which I was glad. He took me back to my accommodation, and I told him to wait while I ran inside. I quickly packed my bag, and when I was back in the car, I called the airport. If I’d left anything at Jack’s, I’d worry about that later, or get someone to post it to me.

  “Hi, I’d like to leave earlier. Is it possible to change my flight to tonight? Please?”

  “Sorry, ma’am, there aren’t any available flights until tomorrow morning.”

  Dammit. I sighed. “That’s okay. Just book me on the first available flight to Sydney, thanks.”

  “Certainly. There’s going to be a bit of a charge to change the flights.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t care about the money or whether it’s business or economy. I need to get home.”

  I noticed Stephen was watching me in the rearview mirror.

  “Shall we go back to the house, Miss Vanderbilt?”

  “No. Just head to the airport. Please. Thanks, Stephen.”

  When we got to the airport, Stephen got my bags out of the car.

  “Thank you for all your help, Stephen.”

  “You’re welcome, Miss Vanderbilt. Are you sure I can’t do anything else? Is there something you’d like to talk to me about? I’m a good listener.”

  I hesitated, pondering his offer. “Thanks, Stephen. But I’m just not sure this life is for me. I did my best. I accompanied Jack to the awards, but now I have to go home.”

  He nodded. “Fair enough. It was nice to meet you. Good luck in all your future endeavours.” He tipped his chauffeur’s hat at me and walked back to the driver’s seat. The old man knew I was conflicted but didn’t push me to talk. I liked that. I had grown to like him. I waved as he drove off, then turned and walked into the departures terminal.

  My flight wasn’t until early in the morning, so I made my way to the nearest business lounge for my airline and checked in. Thankfully, the air hostess accepted me as soon as she saw the status of my ticket, and let me in. I had tried to enter an airport lounge once in the past, and the rude woman treated me like Julia Robert’s character in Pretty Woman when she’d decided to buy a new outfit in a designer store dressed in her old clothes. Now that I was dressed in my designer gown and had a business class ticket, the staff treated me like royalty. I felt like rolling my eyes or walking out again, but I was tired, not just physically. I needed a stiff drink and some fried food to feel human again.

  I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc and some pad thai and sat down near the windows. I kicked off my heels and watched the planes coming and going on the other side of the glass.

  Somewhere between my second and third glasses of wine, I heard a commotion near the entrance to the lounge. I turned my head toward it and saw Jack being accompanied by two security guards and two air hosts. I sank down in my chair.

  What was he doing here? How had he found me?

  I heard him say, “That’s her, thank you.” I quickly turned back to my wine glass and studied it like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

  “Chloe, there you are. I found you. When you didn’t return from the bathroom, I went looking for you. When I couldn’t find you, I called Stephen to come get me. I eventually got the truth out of him. I can’t believe he would betray me like that. I need to be able to trust people.”

  I peered up at him, running a finger around the rim of my glass.

  “It’s a funny thing, trust.”

  “What do you mean?” He pulled out a chair beside me and sat down. He was sitting so close his knees touched my thigh. Electricity shot through my body, his touch bringing me back to life. But I ignored it and focused hard on my wine. My wine was far more interesting than Jack. And it understood me.

  “Chloe? Please talk to me. Why’d you run away? Tell me what happened.” He reached for my hands, but I pulled away.

  “It’s not you, Jack. It’s me.” Oh, God. Had I actually just said that?

  “Why?”

  “You and me? We will never work.”

  “How do you know if we haven’t tried? Come back with me now. We can go back to yours or mine. We can do whatever you like. We can make love, or we can watch Netflix.”

  “No, Jack. I need to go home. L.A. is nice, but it’s not me. Sydney is more my style. I miss Sydney, the commuter chaos, the rude people, the suits, the beaches, the
harbour. I miss it all.”

  “I understand. But please just stay a few more days. We don’t have to do any typical Hollywood stuff. We can just hang out, go to Universal Studios or Disneyland, and climb the secret stairs to Griffith Observatory… Whatever you want. Just stay a few more days, and then decide.”

  As I thought about his offer, and being in L.A., I realised this was a once in a lifetime experience I might never have again. Here I was with one of the hottest movie stars on the planet, staying in a luxury mansion in the Hollywood Hills, and I was about to throw it all away.

  “Fine. I’ll stay for a few more days or so. But no more cameras, no more interviews with botoxed Oompa Loompas or sleazy old men, and definitely no more celebrity parties.”

  He took my hand, and I grabbed my purse and carry-on luggage (thankfully, I hadn’t checked anything in), and accompanied him out of the airport lounge.

  “Oh, come on. I thought you loved all that,” he teased, laughing and flashing me those sexy as sin dimples again. I shoved his chest and kissed him.

  “Shush, you.”

  35

  “What went down at the Golden Globes after party?

  * * *

  Tonight, on Celebrity, we look at the exclusive photos of Jack Dean’s two ladies. It looks like the Hollywood golden boy has turned into a bit of a bad boy.

  That’s right, Jack Dean has not only been linked to the sexy Alexa Long but a new woman by the name of Chloe Vanderbilt, a writer from Australia.

  Now it looks like Miss Long has found out about Jack’s secret love affair down under, and confronted Jack’s new love in the bathroom of the Globes after party.

  It looks like things got a bit heated between the two, and sources say some words were changed between them. We would have loved to have been a fly on that wall.