Page 65 of A Little Bit Extra

“Same here, dude,” Max thankfully chimes in.

We eat and chat. Lane tells us about the next project he and Max are working on. Tyler comments on the food and somehow relates it to his catering.

Marcy talks about the film that she’s been working on offsite. Apparently, that director has asked her to help in the next movie they’re shooting.

People ask Lucy about her art and she mentions her show is coming up this fall if any of them want to go. She doesn’t know that we have all already bought tickets and plan to support her, like everyone supported me tonight.

I should have known they would come, but I didn’t want to be optimistic and then find that no one showed up. Everyone knew my show was tonight, but I never asked if anyone was coming. I would have asked Emmett, but I didn’t know if it would be a good idea, since it was a public event.

At past showcases, we have had a few people who could be considered celebrities attend. They were mostly lower-level actors or directors there to help scout for extra roles or smaller indie films. But Emmett is on a whole other level. Not only is his dad a known actor, he’s one of Hollywood’s best. Seeing the way people reacted was interesting, considering Emmett's fast-growing reputation as an actor in America. Emmett didn’t have any bodyguards or anything, and luckily everyone was respectful of his space, but I got a few questions backstage and texts afterwards from people asking how I knew Emmett.

I simply answered that we work together and left it at that.

Somehow, two hours have passed, and all the food is gone on the table. We were so busy chatting and snacking that I didn’t even realize how late it was.

“Emmett, do you need a ride back home?” Lane asks.

“Cassie offered to give me a ride home when we were on our way over here, but thanks, man,” Emmett says casually, tossing Lane a smile.

“Yep, no big deal,” I say.

I didn’t even realize Lucy wasn’t at the table until she walks back over.

“Okay, dinner is all covered. Dave said it was on the house tonight to celebrate your showcase, Cass,” Lucy says with a grin.

If Dave has one quality, it’s that he is overly supportive. Working in a diner that has a target demographic of actors and people who work with film, you have to be. Most people who work here dream of working in the industry in some capacity. They’re just waiting for the right person to walk in and give them their first chance.

Is that what happened with Emmett? Even though I wasn’t looking for anything or anyone, he just stumbled in here randomly one night when I was already having a long day and somehow has become this constant in my life.

A day doesn’t go by where I don’t see him. I didn’t know how I was going to handle secretly dating Emmett, but it’s not bad since we live so close and we are still friends at the studio, although I have to ignore him a bit. I am afraid I will push him into a closet like I did at the showcase or that he will pull me into his trailer and people will start wondering why his trailer is rocking back and forth. It would not be a good look.

It’s been nice getting to know him privately. I like the moments we spend together no one knows about, so it’s just for us and no one else. We can pretend to be a normal couple instead of a celebrity couple where cameras are waiting on every corner. I don’t know what to expect when we go public. Part of me feels like it’s too good to be true with him, like all of this has a ticking timer and when we don't have to hide our relationship anymore, he will realize that I’m just me and not the girl he envisioned.

But I look at Emmett like I am right now in this diner and he gives me this look that makes me forget all my worries and doubts. When he looks at me, it feels like the rest of the diner fades away and it's just the two of us.

We say goodbye to everyone and get in my car. Since it’s Friday, we won’t be seeing our friends again until Monday. I might see Lucy if I make it back to our apartment, but for everyone else, we have a free weekend and don’t have to be at the studio.

I plan to spend a long time with Emmett. Particularly in his bedroom. We’ll get food delivered, drink too much coffee, and watch movies. It’s going to be the perfect weekend.

I let Emmett drive us to his place. It’s a short commute, but I think he enjoys driving when he can since he normally has a driver take him everywhere. His touch on my thigh sends a tingling sensation through my body as he gives it a gentle squeeze. I take my gaze from the window and glance over at him. In a fleeting moment, his eyes meet mine as he steals a quick glance, a smile blooming on his lips.

“You were great tonight, babe,” Emmett says with another squeeze on my thigh. His hand trails higher, and the heat spreads through my body.

I’m unable to resist rolling my eyes in response. “You have to say that.”

“I don’t have to say anything, Sass. You were great, really, really great. I almost teared up.”

I slap him on the arm. “Shut up.”

We both start laughing.

“Thank you for being there. It meant a lot. You know, it was the first time I had people come to see me.” I shift in my seat and grab his hand with mine, looping our fingers together.

“Lucy’s never gone?”

“She has, but she works a lot of the time and I tell her it’s not a big deal.”

“But it is a big deal, Cass. You deserve to be seen,” Emmett says, pulling into his apartment complex and into the garage. I look out the window and turn back to him, getting ready to say something.

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