Page 77 of You. Me. Us.

Rebecca glanced at Julius, a knowing smile playing on her lips. “You know, you should probably thank Ethan for being there for Hillary.”

Julius grimaced, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. “I know, I know. It’s just... hard to imagine him being the one to support her when it should have been me.”

“But he did,” Rebecca pointed out gently. “And that’s what matters. Even if he is a bit of a loose cannon.”

A chuckle escaped Julius’s lips, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “That’s putting it mildly.”

As they wove their way through the maze of trailers and equipment, Julius’s thoughts drifted to Hillary. He pictured her smile, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she laughed. He imagined pulling her into his arms, whispering apologies and promises against her skin.

“Earth to Julius,” Rebecca teased, waving a hand in front of his face. “You still with me?”

Julius blinked, shaking himself out of his reverie. “Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about Hillary and what I’m going to say to her.”

“Okay, Casanova, let’s get to work. Good thing this was just a single day of shooting.”

thirty-four

. . .

The sleek limousinesped down the bustling street, each turn causing Hillary’s heart to beat faster in anticipation. Finally, it glided to a stop outside the grand premiere venue, but her heart continued to race, fueled by excitement and nerves. Through the tinted windows, she could already sense the energy of the crowd and see the flashing cameras awaiting her arrival. With trembling hands, she smoothed out her glittering plum dress and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before stepping out into the spotlight.

She almost regretted turning down Ethan’s offer to be her red carpet date.

Almost.

Being seen with him in public was not on her to-do list. Not after the swirl of interview questions she already faced, and the additional she’d face once the press tour officially kicked off tomorrow.

Her nerves may have little to do with the terrifying red carpet and all to do with the fear of being alone with Julius when she still loved him and it seemed he’d regretted ever sitting down with her.

Someone from the outside tugged open the limo door, and Hillary stepped out onto the red carpet, her purple gown shimmering under the lights before her silver-clad heel set foot on the red runner. If she moved wrong, everyone would see her trip, because there was no part of her body that didn’t seem to be trembling.

For a moment, the cacophony of shouts and camera shutters overwhelmed her senses. She blinked, fighting the urge to shrink back into the safety of the vehicle.

“You’ve got this, Hillary,” she whispered to herself, squaring her shoulders. With a deep breath, she plastered on a radiant smile and began to walk, her stride growing more confident with each step. Poses came very unnaturally as she turned to face the photographers, and the flashes continued to assault rather than dazzle as her name was called back and forth.

Someone out there, Justin from Muse was covering this event instead of her.

“Over here, Hillary! Give us a smile!”

“Who are you wearing tonight? You look stunning!”

The compliments and requests washed over her, boosting her courage. She laughed, giddy with the realization that she was actually enjoying herself. The anxiety still churned in her stomach, but for once, she refused to let it show. Tonight, she would dazzle them all with her grace and poise and when she was alone she could reflect on have brave she was being.

As she made her way down the carpet, Hillary caught sight of Ethan out of the corner of her eye. He grinned at her, giving a subtle thumbs up. She returned the smile, silently thanking him for understanding her need to do this on her own.

“Hillary! Can you tell us about your experience working with your co-stars on this project?” Justin’s voice stood out above the rest because she’d heard it daily for almost three years.

Hillary turned toward the reporter, her smile warm and genuine as she’d practiced the exact response to Justin asking it half a dozen times back at the office. “It was an absolute pleasure. Things were a bit rocky with Ethan and I for a moment when our characters’ closeness shone through, but everyone was welcoming to this newcomer.”

“And what about Julius Theon? There have been rumors of a romance between you two despite the moment with Ethan. Care to comment?”

Her heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name, but she maintained her composure. “Julius is an incredible actor and a dear friend who I owe all of this to. We support each other both on and off set, but our focus tonight is on celebrating the hard work of the entire cast and crew.”

As the reporters continued to shout questions, Hillary’s eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the one face she longed to see.

Where is he?

Her pulse quickened with each passing second, anticipation building until it thrummed through her veins like an electric current. If there was ever going to be a resolution for them, it would come tonight. Tonight, she was going to force him to sit down and find a way to work together in case there was more interviews after the movie released next month.

---