Page 67 of Between the Lines

“It’s real. Believe it.”

“They’re much smaller than I thought.”

I laugh. “Yeah, film people always are. Don’t say that to them, though. Logan put on forty pounds of muscle for the role.”

Her eyes turn to me. “You don’t know them, do you?”

“Not all. Him, I do.”

“You’re lying.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I’d never lie to you, Chaos. Want me to prove it?”

The fire in her eyes is back. I love that expression. The one that tells me she’s game, she’s down, she wants to play just as much as I do. I’ve never met anyone like her.

“If you can,” she says.

I grip her hand again. It fits easily into my palm this time, her fingers curving over mine. Like they belong together. “Come,” I say.

Three and a half hours later, Charlotte is smiling by my side. She’s also wobbling. The steps from the theater to the after-party aren’t many, but for a woman not used to heels, it’s a trek.

I wrap my arm firmly around her waist to steady her. “As soon as we get out of here,” I say against her temple, “you’re taking those shoes off.”

She giggles. “But they’re so pretty.”

“They’re also hurting you. Aren’t they?”

She shoots me a look. But then she sighs. “Yes. Is it obvious? I wanted to look all ethereal and cool for an evening.”

That makes me smile. “If it’s any consolation, you do lookveryethereal and cool.”

“It is. Thank you.” She leans into me a little.

There’s chatter around us. Behind us. In front of us. As the hordes of guests migrate from the theater to the after-party, with the film screening done. There was a Q&A with the actors and then the director, as well. Charlotte had been on the edge of her seat. I watched her more than I watched either of the discussions or the movie.

“Maybe I should just carry you.” I move closer, like I’m reaching for her.

She laughs and swats at my arm. “No, you won’t. Not in front of these people!”

I’ve never had this much fun at one of these events before. It’s always been work. Networking. You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.

We arrive at the after-party. The venue has been decorated like a desert landscape, to make it feel like the scenery in the movie. And I have to give it to them, it’s a stellar job. The large room, the DJ’s stage, the area for taking photos. It all looks appropriately beige.

Charlotte marvels by my side. Her wide eyes take in the space, and a broad smile lights up her face. She’s beautiful.

She always is.

But when she has that look about her…

“Thank you,” she says. “Thank you for taking me here. I know I’m just shadowing you today, but… You could have decided to go somewhere else. To Costco, for example, to do a giant grocery run.”

I shake my head. “Right. That’s ontomorrow’sagenda, actually.”

“Whew, thank god.” Her smile widens, and she looks back out at the people. “I never thought I’d get a chance to speak to Logan Edwards! Or any of them. Even toseeany of them. This is the sort of thing that—” Her voice dies abruptly, eyes locked on something across the party.

Her body tenses.

On instinct, I take a step closer to Charlotte and look where she’s staring. But all I see are other people mingling about. Some are close by. A few individuals are standing in a half circle, chatting. There’s a beautiful Hollywood actress I vaguely recognize as an up-and-comer. A reality star that, if I recall correctly, has been on a few of the shows Titan had produced. Not someone I’m going to talk to tonight.

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