Page 123 of Stuart Woods' Golden Hour

He and Peter shook hands.

“My apologies. I really wanted to be there.”

“No apology necessary.” Tom lowered his voice. “By the way, we all know that if you enteredStorm’s Eyeno one else would have a chance.”

“I don’t know about that, but at least allow me to buy you a drink while we’re in town.”

“That’s a great idea,” Hattie said. “You two can chat about that project you were thinking about.”

“Project?” Tom asked.

“More a loose idea at this point,” Peter said.

“If it involves us working together,I’llbuy the drinks,” Tom said.

“Tessa!” another familiar voice called out.

Mari Chen jogged over and gave Tessa a hug. “I’m so happy to see you.”

“I didn’t think you were getting in until tomorrow,” Tessa said.

“Your talented PR rep, Lizzie, was able to get me tickets to the screening and party tonight so I—” She stopped and her mouth fell open. “Oh my God. You’re Tom Norman.”

Tom looked equally transfixed by her. “You’re Mari Chen.”

“You know who I am?”

“Weareworking together on the award show at the end of the festival.”

“Yeah, but you’reTom Norman.”

“And you’reMari Chen.”

To Peter, Mark whispered, “I’m going up to my room before anyone else shows up.”

“You mean like Bianca Barone? Because she’s sitting in the restaurant right now. I take that back. Looks like she’s seen us and is starting to get up.”

Mark made a quick exit toward the elevators.

Vesna was waiting in thesuite when Teddy entered.

“You’re late,” she said.

“Blame it on the famous and fabulous.”

“Please tell me that’s not a fancy way of talking about yourself.”

“There was a celebrity traffic jam in the lobby of much more famous people than I.”

“I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but your life has taken a strange turn.”

“I cannot argue with that, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Now, shall we get started?”

“If we must.”

“Madam, your makeover awaits,” he said and headed into his bedroom.

An hour and a halflater, Teddy had transformed the raven-haired Vesna Martic into a strawberry-blonde she’d christened Rita Dane, the two bearing little resemblance to each other.

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