“Sure. Let me open my calendar.”
“Thanks so much. Here’s the problem, I have a series of interviews scheduled in Studio City next Friday, but I’m also supposed to go to a dinner in honor of some up-and-coming directors that night. I don’t think I’ll be finished with the interviews in time to make the dinner.”
Lily clicked to the appropriate date and scrolled through her reminders. “Looks like that won’t be a problem at all. I have some appointments scheduled that morning, but my afternoon and evening are clear. I’d be happy to cover the dinner for you. Send me the details, and I’ll be there.”
Eight days later, Lily stood in the ladies’ room at the Beverly Hilton, checking her lipstick and adjusting the multiple strands of black pearls lying against her red sheath dress. After smoothing the side of her up-do, she was ready to make her way to the ballroom.
She found the media table and spoke to a few industry representatives before taking her seat. She took her recorder and notepad from her black clutch.
A few tables away, Nate had no trouble spotting the lady in red. He was deep in conversation with some fellow publicists when he saw her enter and had been more than mildly distracted since then. Lily seemed focused on work and had not seen him.
In a way, Nate was glad she hadn’t seen him. It gave him the opportunity to look at her. He noticed how easily she conversed with the others at her table. He noticed—once again—how seriously she took her job. He noticed a single diamond among all the pearls, sitting in the hollow of her throat, causing him to smile. He also noticed that she looked just a little thinner and had faint circles under eyes. It didn’t matter—he still thought she was the most beautiful woman in the room.
The evening progressed slowly, with what seemed like an endless parade of people lauding the efforts of the three honorees. Nate should have been paying attention to what was being said about his new client, but he found himself unable to concentrate on anything other than Lily.
With one final round of applause, the dinner ended, and everyone headed toward the nearest exit. Lily took her time, knowing that waiting an extra ten minutes would make it much easier to get out of there.
A handful of people remained in the room while staff entered to clear the tables. As she put her things back into her clutch, she could feel someone’s eyes on her. More specifically, she felt his eyes on her. When she glanced up, her eyes found the soft green pair looking back at her.
Nate tipped his head toward her in greeting, a small smile gracing his lips. After she waved back at him, wearing a small smile of her own, she saw him move to stand up and assumed he planned to leave. Instead, he cautiously walked toward her table.
“Hi. Mind if I join you?” he asked.
“Not in the least,” she responded with a radiant smile as he took the seat beside her. “How are you?”
“Doing well. And yourself?”
She shrugged. “I can’t complain.”
The awkward small talk frustrated them both. They knew each other so much better than two acquaintances who exchanged pleasantries. Finally, the frustration broke through Lily’s think-before-speaking filter.
“You have no idea how good it is to actually see you.”
Her hand clamped over her mouth as soon as the words were out.
She felt relieved when she heard Nate’s light chuckle. “I feel exactly the same way.”
“Is it inappropriate of me to say that I’ve missed you? I’m still angry that you didn’t believe me, but . . .” She couldn’t look at Nate as she tried to explain. She instead focused on her nervous hands picking at the edge of her napkin.
Nate sighed. “No. Because I’ve missed you, too. And I know we have a lot to talk about. It doesn’t excuse my behavior, but please know that my reaction had nothing to do with you.”
Lily’s brows furrowed. “What does that mean?”
Nate cleared his throat. “Long story short, someone I dated before you took advantage of my work to further her own career. Logically, I know you would never do that, but the situation felt eerily familiar, and I handled it badly.”
Lily noted the sincerity in his eyes. “Thank you.” She blinked back tears as she changed the subject. “So what brings you here?”
He smiled. “I represent one of the directors. He’s a new client.”
“That’s wonderful, Nate.” She hoped he heard the pride in her tone.
“And I’m guessing you’re here covering it for the site?”
She nodded. “Speaking of, thank you again for scheduling a one-on-one for us.”
“I don’t mind at all. I’m glad you’re going to be there.”
“How is Daniel? I haven’t talked to him since he started filming the new movie.”
“He’s good. I actually just got back from New York last week. My family owns an estate close to where they’re filming. He’s staying there, and Anthony and I went up there for a few days to help him get settled.”
“That was nice of you. Did you have fun?”
“We did. It was a working vacation for me, but it was nice to get away for a few days—clear my head a bit.” Nate’s expression clouded over. “I know I overreacted to the photos. It’s something I’ve thought a lot about lately.” He stared intently at the tablecloth and mostly empty plates in front of him. “I have no idea where that leaves us, and I know this isn’t the time or place to discuss it. But I need you to know that I realize I was wrong.”
Lily waited until he met her gaze. When he did, there were tears swimming in her blue eyes. She gave him a small but sincere smile.
“I do know,” she said. “And I forgive you.”
He tentatively reached for her hand across the table, letting out a breath when his fingers found hers. “How can you be so understanding?”
She squeezed his hand and sighed. “I’m not even going to try to pretend that I’m not furious at you for jumping to conclusions. You should have had more faith in me.” He winced at the harsh truth of her words. “But . . . I should have trusted you, too, instead of trying to handle it on my own.”
“Honestly, I think that was the part that pushed me over the edge. I had been so certain that you would come to me in that kind of situation, and when you didn’t, I assumed the absolute worst.”
Lily nodded. “I wondered. I mean, I knew you wouldn’t like it . . . but I had no idea I would lose you because of a simple misunderstanding.”
Nate moved his hand to entwine their fingers. “You haven’t lost me.”
“Good,” Lily replied as another smile stretched across her face. “I agree that this isn’t the time or place, but we do have plenty to talk about. This isn’t going to work unless we can find a way to trust each other again.”
“That’s true. And I do want that opportunity to work through things.”
“Me, too.”
Nate smiled before noticing someone to his right. “I think we have to leave,” he said gently. The staff stood off to the side, waiting to clear their table.
Lily looked around, noticing them for the first time. “Oh. I guess so.”
Nate laughed. “We’ll talk soon. I promise.”
Lily felt comforted by that assurance and stood to gather her things. As Nate slipped her wrap across her shoulders, she subconsciously leaned in to his touch. She was thrilled when he took her hand once more as they exited the ballroom.
Neither of them seemed to want the night to end now that they’d reached a sort of compromise. They walked slowly to the valet booth, taking as much time as they could, and fidgeted as they waited. As Lily’s car approached, Nate suddenly took both her hands in his, turning her to face him.
“I know I’ll see you at the Pierce junket,” he said, gripping her hands more firmly in his own, “but come with me to the premiere, too. You know we make a good team. Work the press line with me again.”
Lily couldn’t hide her excitement. She laughed as she nodded, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. “I’d love to.”
>
Nate’s tension eased with her acceptance of his offer. “By the way, I meant what I said. We will talk soon.”
“I’ll be waiting,” Lily said, giving his hand one last squeeze before getting into her car.
“Bye for now,” Nate replied as he gently closed her door.
As she drove away, she raised one hand in a small wave and grinned when Nate returned her gesture.
By the time Lily walked into her apartment, she had a new text message.
Is it later yet?
She giggled as her fingers flew over the touchscreen.
Technically, yes. Someone’s eager!
A few seconds later, his response appeared.
To talk to you? Always. Thank you for tonight.
Just promise that it won’t be the last time.
You have my word.
That’s all I need. Sleep well, Nate.
You, too. Sweet dreams.
His last sentiment was unnecessary. Lily would have the sweetest dreams now that a future with Nate seemed possible.
Lily and Nate talked frequently after that night. Sometimes their conversations centered on business. Other times, they talked about whatever was on their minds. They took things very, very slowly—almost painfully so at times. And for a while, both felt the need to continue to apologize to the other, despite constant reassurance that apologies were no longer needed. Nate was the first to make a move, surprising Lily.
Coffee sometime this week? Would love to see you.
The screen eventually went black, stirring her out of her shock.
Sounds great! Would love to see you, too.
On Saturday morning, Lily checked her reflection in the visor mirror one last time. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. It wasn’t a date, but it was close enough for Lily to get her hopes up.
As she walked through the door at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, she spotted Nate smiling at her from a table in the back. Ever the gentleman, he stood as she approached, causing her own smile to widen.
“Hi, Lily,” he said, pulling her in for a quick hug.
Lily took her seat, still smiling at him. “Hi, Nate. It’s good to see you.”
“You, too. By the way, I got you an amaretto latte. I know that’s your favorite.”
That small gesture touched Lily. “Thank you.”
Nate cleared his throat. “So how are you?”
“I’m doing well. Busy, as always, at work. How about you?”
Nate scratched the back of his neck. “Oh, you know . . . same old, same old.”
The way things were going, Lily almost expected him to ask what she thought of the weather. After a moment of silence, she sighed and sat her coffee mug down. “Okay, why does this feel so awkward?”
Her honesty caused Nate to laugh, breaking the tension. “I have no idea.”
Lily leaned forward, resting her crossed arms on the table. “It’s you and me! This shouldn’t feel weird.”
“You’re right, it shouldn’t.” Nate took a deep breath. “So for the sake of honesty, I’m just going to throw this out there . . . I would very much like for us to try again.”
His eyes turned serious as he continued. “I don’t think I deserve a second chance, but I’m hoping you’ll give me one.”
Lily’s brows furrowed. “Why don’t you think you deserve a second chance?”
Nate sighed. “Because not only did I behave like an ass, but I also broke your faith in me. I wouldn’t blame you for not taking another chance on me.”
“Well, it takes two to tango. I know that I broke your faith in me, too. But you’re willing to give me a second chance. And I think you deserve one, too.”
Nate’s eyes flew to Lily’s and a tentative smile tugged at his lips. “Do you mean that?”
Lily reached across the table, and Nate automatically took her hand in his. “Yes, I do.” Nate brought her hand to his lips and kissed it as she continued. “But I think we need to go slow—keep doing what we’re doing. It’s going to take time for us both to rebuild our trust in each other.”
He nodded. “I agree. And I think this is a good start.”
Lily and Nate managed to see each other a handful of times before the press for the last Grady Pierce movie ramped up. They had another coffee date. They spent an afternoon at Santa Monica Pier. Lily even cooked dinner for Nate at her apartment.
As difficult as it was for them both, they kept their agreement to go slow. But that didn’t mean they had to give up everything. They still teased each other, and there were more than a few innocent good-night kisses. But Nate always managed to behave himself—sometimes to Lily’s chagrin.
Before Lily knew it, the day of the junket arrived. As she drove to the Four Seasons, she reflected on how much had changed since the first time she covered this particular franchise. She also contemplated how much had stayed the same. The thought of interviewing Daniel Brighton still caused her nerves to jump like live wires.
The check-in process went smoothly, especially since she was more than half an hour early. Because she had a few minutes to spare, she grabbed a cup of coffee from the hospitality suite and made her way to the garden area outside the ballroom.
The sight of hydrangeas in bloom made her smile. She spotted a bench and sat in one corner. Then, allowing the serene space to calm her anxiety, she did one last check of her notes.
A few minutes later, a shadow fell across her notebook, and she glanced up to see Nate.
“Fancy meeting you here” he said, a wry grin dancing on his lips. He sat beside her on the wrought iron fixture, close enough for their thighs to touch.
“I could say the same. Everything ready in there?” she asked.
“I certainly hope so. I should go double-check with them, though.”
Lily nodded, looking solemn. “There you go, ditching me for work again,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Well, you know what they say about all work and no play.” He leaned over and kissed her temple. “I’ll have time to play later. For now, duty calls. I just wanted to say hello before things got crazy.”
Lily laughed. “Okay, okay. Go. Before I lock you away in one of these fancy rooms and have my wicked way with you.”
Lily was sure he tried to keep it quiet, but she heard a distinct groan. “You have absolutely no idea how tempting that sounds.”
“Of course I do,” she responded, not the least bit contrite as she watched his eyes darken.
“You definitely know how to distract me.” His fiery gaze remained on hers.
Lily grinned, resting her forehead against his. “Go. I’ll see you in a little while.”
Nate sighed before standing and walking toward the ballroom, his hands buried in the pockets of his slacks.
Lily followed a few minutes later. As she entered the room, she noticed Nate standing near the platform, talking with two men in suits holding walkie-talkies. He glanced up at her with a quick wink, which she returned as she scouted out the perfect place to sit.
The morning progressed efficiently. She greeted the familiar faces in the ballroom as she’d been in Los Angeles long enough to become friendly with reporters from other media outlets. And she got in the questions she wanted to ask during the press conferences and saved the follow-ups for her scheduled one-on-ones.
After the press conferences ended, those with scheduled interviews rode the elevator back to the hospitality suite to wait for their designated time. The staff had already set out a buffet of sandwiches, pasta salad, and various desserts. Lily made herself a plate and found a seat between two colleagues from websites similar to FilmInsanity.com.
Nate intermittently passed through the area, and she observed him at work, his self-confidence apparent in the way he carried himself. She loved that he took his job as seriously as she did.
By the time the staff called her name for her interview with Daniel, she’d already spoken with the director and screenwriter. She felt at ease as she walked down the hall
to where Daniel waited.
When she’d reached the right room, she saw Nate leaning against the wall beside the door with his head back and eyes closed, one foot propped in front of the other.
“Long day?” she asked.
He stood up and nodded with a tired smile.
“I wish there was something I could do to help.”
“Well, just seeing you makes my day a little better,” he said, making Lily grin. “Not to mention that I can’t even look at these rooms without thinking about what you said earlier. That definitely helped.”
Lily giggled. Her own imagination had run a little wild throughout the day. “I’m glad . . . because I’m still tempted.”
Nate hummed lowly. “Me, too, sweet girl. Me, too.” He leaned down and quickly kissed her lips, catching her by surprise. It didn’t take her long to melt into the kiss. Much sooner than Lily would have liked, Nate ended it, stopping to whisper a soft goodbye in her ear.
As Nate walked down the hall toward the elevators, Lily found that she was now the one leaning against the wall. She brought her right hand gently to her lips.
It was the first time Nate had kissed—really kissed—her since the night before he’d left her apartment. The spontaneity of it thrilled her. His momentary lack of control made Lily want to throw caution to the wind. She couldn’t help but wonder if they were finally back to the way they had been before.
She closed her eyes and took three deep breaths, trying to focus.
It didn’t work.
When she opened the door, her thoughts were still a million miles away.
“Uh-oh. I know that expression.”
Daniel’s smooth, rich voice brought a smile to Lily’s face. “Hi, stranger.”
“Hey, Lily,” he replied, gathering her into a warm hug. He then held her at arms’ length, evaluating her carefully.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’d been ravaged by my best friend.”
Lily raised an eyebrow at him. “Something like that.”
Daniel scrunched his face into a look of mock disgust. “Ugh. That’s more than I needed to know.”
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