Page 22 of In Her Arms

The street below her hotel room looked like it had a life of its own. Cars honked and people rushed by, each absorbed in their own dramas and utterly unaware of who was watching them from above. She appreciated the anonymity of a hotel. It was arare feeling for someone like her, but in places like this, she felt unknown, ignored, and free. The city was immense, yet it felt impossibly small from where she was standing. Tonight, she was just another woman looking down from a balcony, her face bare and hair wrapped in a towel.

As she sipped her drink, Goldie’s thoughts drifted to stories she’d heard about Marilyn Monroe. How she could step out onto the streets and not be recognized until she chose to embody her star persona, turning on “Marilyn.” Goldie wondered if she had that ability too. Did she have a switch? Was there a part of her that she could turn on and off? Could she remove herself from the glamorous, untouchable persona that everyone adored? And what would that actually look like?

Her phone buzzed on the table beside her, breaking the silence of her contemplation. It was a familiar sound, yet it filled her with dread. She glanced at the screen but quickly turned away. It wasn’t Cameron. It never was. It was just reminders from her assistant, updates about the upcoming movie, and congratulatory messages from colleagues about her recent nominations. But not a word from Cameron.

Goldie took a deep breath. She thought about how they had clicked, how easily they had slipped into a rhythm when they had sex. Their first laugh, the way Cameron’s eyes sparkled when they chatted, the warmth of her skin. The connection they had forged had gone, though. What they now had was like glass waiting to shatter.

“Why did I let her go?” Goldie muttered to herself, frustration bubbling beneath her calm exterior. She was supposed to be strong, the confident actress who didn’t need anyone. Yet, here she was, on the verge of tears.

“Come on, Goldie,” she chided herself. “Get it together. You can do better than this.” This was why she always avoidedfeelings. This was why she buried that part of herself deep down below.

The press had already started posting pictures online, questioning Goldie’s newlove affair.Maybe this was it. Maybe this was when her sexuality finally came to light.

Fuck it. She had no more energy to care. Even though she knew she should be proud of who she was, the industry made that feel impossible at times.

The door to her suite creaked open, and Steve stepped in. He looked smoking hot in a well-tailored suit, though his tie hung loosely around his neck, a sign of the long hours he’d been putting in.

“I thought I might find you out here,” he said. He saw the glass of whiskey in Goldie’s hand and moved to pour himself one. “The view is nice from up here, right? But what are you doing skulking?”

Goldie shrugged as she forced a smile. “Just enjoying the night air, I guess. It was a scorcher today.”

Steve sat down next to her and took a deep breath. He held it for a second before releasing it with a long sigh. “I didn’t come here to chit-chat about the weather, honey. You’ve been avoiding everyone. Not just the press because, hell, why wouldn’t you? But your friends too. What’s going on, chick?”

Goldie ran a hand through her hair. “It’s too complicated to get into with you. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“You could try me. I might be your agent, but I am also a very good listener,” he encouraged, taking a sip from his glass.

Goldie rolled her eyes. “It’s Cameron. We… Things got out of hand. I guess I was thinking I could keep it casual, you know? But then it turned into something else, something more, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I don’t think she did either.”

Steve leaned in closer, curiosity getting the better of him. “What do you mean? Did something happen?”

“Sure. Yeah, something happened,” Goldie replied, her voice straining as she let out the words. “It was a week ago at the club. Everything just…exploded. I think I pushed her away. Or she pushed me away. I don’t know what happened. But now she won’t talk to me. I didn’t think I’d care this much, but I do. And I’m so upset, Steve. I don’t know what to do with myself.”

Steve nodded slowly as he absorbed her words. “You don’t do intimacy, do you?”

“Ha! That’s rich coming from you, Steve!” she snarked back at him.

“I’m just saying that you keep people at arm’s length. But now, you’re actually feeling something, aren’t you? This is different, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it is,” Goldie admitted. “I didn’t realize how much I cared until she was gone. I thought I was having fun, but I can see it was deeper than that. I suppose I was scared. Scared of what it meant to let someone in. But I told her, and it didn’t go down well. At all.”

Steve smiled at her before continuing, his tone firm but gentle. “You know you’re allowed to be vulnerable, right? It doesn’t make you weak. It just makes you human.”

Goldie felt the tears welling in her eyes. She could hardly see Steve through her blurred vision, but she could feel his hand on her shoulder. “I just don’t know how to fix it. I tried calling her, texting, but nothing. It’s like she’s vanished.”

“No. She wouldn’t have gone anywhere.” Steve laughed. “She’s just gone into hiding. And if you care about her, you need to show it. Don’t wait for her to come to you, Goldie. Take charge.”

“Me? Take charge?” Goldie repeated, incredulous. “Do you have any idea how terrifying that sounds to me right now? I’m sure she won’t want to hear it.”

Steve leaned back into the sofa and crossed his arms across his chest. “You’ll deal. That’s what you do. But at least you’ll know you tried. Why are you choosing to be stuck in this limbo? You know it’s no good for you. This is not the Goldie I know. I’ve never seen you like this before.”

Goldie took a long sip of her whiskey, letting the warmth seep into her. “You really think I should just reach out? That’s what you’d do?”

“Yes,” he replied simply. “And don’t overthink it. Just let her know how you feel in no uncertain terms. Tell her you miss her. But don’t make it about you, babe. This has to be about her too. It’s how these things work. You can tell I have a subscription toCosmo, right?”

“Yes. Everyone can tell you have a subscription toCosmo.”

He was right, of course. She had always been so focused on her own fears and insecurities. But now, she knew that this was about more than just her.

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