Page 108 of Reel Love

“Yeah. Celeb status. It’s a cross I bear silently.”

I laugh some more.

Being with him is like taking a hot air balloon ride. Everything that usually surrounds me in a looming presence fades into perspective as I drift aimlessly over it all, carried by the wind of whatever it is he makes me feel. I’m light, airy, carefree.

And then, as if she has some crystal ball that tells her when I’m having too good of a time, my mother calls.

I look over at Stevens. His sleeves are rolled up and he’s chopping the ends off asparagus like he’s in some Williams Sonoma ad featuring hot guys who cook. I’ll take ten of those knives and twenty cutting boards, thank you. I’m so sold.

“It’s my mother.”

“Take it. I’m not finished. We’ve got about twenty minutes til we eat.”

I accept the call. “Hi.”

“Alana. Hi.”

“We just saw one another less than five hours ago.”

“I’m aware, darling. I forgot to remind you of thefundraiser. Next week. I’ll put it on Brigitte’s calendar, but I want you to be aware. It’s the evening of the day you’re here for the photo shoot with Rex.” I hear the smile in her voice.

“Still not happening, Mother.”

“I know. I know. You are holding fast—for now. Anyway, this will be another opportunity for you to be seen with Rex in public.”

“Yippie,” I deadpan.

“Alana.”

“Okay. Okay. I’m assuming you’ll arrange all the details with Brigitte.”

“Yes. I will. And have you seen the papers or checked the feeds?”

“No, I have purposely avoided all that. I just got in a few hours ago and I’m about to eat.”

“Well, it’s all good. So good. The two of you look the part. And the press is having a field day with all the buzz about your reunification. Some of the pictures of the two of you should be printed and framed. Maybe one day.”

“Not one day. We’re friends.”

I look over at Stevens. His brow furrows.

I mouth,Rex, to him. And then I roll my eyes so he’s certain about where I stand.

“I’m going to eat. Thanks for the update. I’ll see you then.”

“We could actually have a conversation, Alana.”

“I know. And we did have conversations—all morning. I need a little breather tonight. It’s been a long few days.”

Stevens turns the burner off, rounds the counter and walks right up to me. I’m so nervous he’s going to say something loud enough that my mother will overhear and want to know who he is and what’s going on. If he did speak, my mother would have to deal with it. But I want to keep him to myself a little longer—a lot longer, actually.

But he doesn’t say a thing. He simply steps behind me and wraps his arms around me from behind. And he holds me. I leanback into him, letting him take the weight of everything, knowing he’ll gladly absorb it.

“I’ll talk with you tomorrow,” I tell my mother.

“Okay, darling. We can talk later.”

We say our goodbyes and hang up.

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