Page 24 of Beyond the Red Carpet

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Kate gazed out the car window, the lights of the city blurring as they sped through the night. Her heart raced, replaying the feel of Vanessa’s lips on hers, the warmth of her hand entwined with her own. It had felt so real, so achingly genuine, despite the fact that it had all been for show.

She stole a glance at Vanessa, whose expression was unreadable, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. Kate’s stomach churned with uncertainty. How could she reconcile the passion they had shared with the knowledge that Vanessa felt nothing for her?

Kate’s gaze drifted to the wing mirror again, scanning the road behind them. There were no flash of headlights, no cars getting a little too close. That photographer hadn’t followed them. So, why had Vanessa wanted them to go back to hers?

The invitation had come just a few minutes after they’d gotten into the car. “Come back to mine?” Vanessa had asked.

Without the excuse of maintaining appearances, without an audience to convince, Kate struggled to understand Vanessa’s motives. Their kisses at dinner had seared through her defenses, leaving her raw and exposed. But those had been calculated,orchestrated moments - hadn’t they? The memory of Vanessa’s fingers threading through her hair, drawing her closer, sent electricity down Kate’s spine.

The houses grew larger, more palatial as they wound through the exclusive neighborhood. Each curve in the road intensified the flutter in Kate’s stomach. Their evening had already delivered the photos they’d wanted. There was no reason to extend their time together, no need to maintain the illusion behind closed doors.

So why had Vanessa asked? And why had Kate said yes without hesitation?

The car’s bluetooth chimed, breaking the thick silence. Vanessa tapped the steering wheel control.

“Vanessa, darling.” Elliot’s voice filled the car’s interior.

“Hi Elliot.”

“Are you home?”

“Almost. Kate’s with me.”

“Perfect! I’m five minutes away. Mind if I stop by?”

Kate watched Vanessa’s jaw tighten, a brief pause before her response. “Sure. See you in a few minutes.”

Kate acceptedthe wine glass from Vanessa’s outstretched hand, their fingers brushing, just as the front door opened.

Kate sank into the plush cushions of Vanessa’s sofa, her heart thumping in her chest. Vanessa perched casually on the arm beside her. With each subtle shift, the brush of Vanessa’s thigh against Kate’s shoulder sent a tingling sensation down her arm. She swallowed hard, stealing glances at Vanessa out of the corner of her eye. The way Vanessa held herself, poisedyet relaxed, only heightened the tension in the air. Kate tried to breathe normally as a rush of warmth crept up her neck.

Just then, Elliot breezed into the living room, his phone held high like a trophy. “Ladies, you’ve outdone yourselves. The internet is ablaze! Look at these headlines.”

Elliot leaned closer to them, angling his device so they could see. Kate’s throat tightened at the image. Her and Vanessa on the rooftop, bodies pressed together, lost in what had been an amazing kiss. At least it had been for her.

Vanessa leaned forward too, their shoulders almost touching as they peered at Elliot’s screen. The closeness sent another thrill through Kate.

“‘Hollywood’s New Power Couple’!” Elliot read aloud with exaggerated flair. “And this one: ‘Vanessa Prescott Moves On with Rising Star Kate Monroe!’ Plus, TMZ is calling this the romance of the year.” Elliot paced the room, his excitement filling the space.

“The response on social has been astronomical.” Elliot scrolled through his phone. “The chemistry is—” He paused, looking up at them with narrowed eyes. “Well. Let’s just say no one’s questioning the authenticity.”

Kate’s cheeks burned. She took a long sip of wine, avoiding Vanessa’s gaze.

Kate watched Elliot drop into an armchair across from them, crossing his legs. His enthusiasm radiated through the room.

“I’m glad that your here, Kate,” Elliot said. “I’ve already had three major outlets request exclusive interviews. But before we do any of those, you two need to spend some quality time together. Away from the cameras. Get comfortable with your story, make it feel natural. We need authenticity,” Elliot continued. “When they ask how you met, when sparks first flew? You can’t hesitate. You can’t give different answers. The tabloids will tear that apart faster than you can blink. I know you’vehad a bit of practice with this last night on the red carpet, but I’m talking about in-depth interviews here. Follow up questions. You need to be comfortable with that or all of this has been for nothing.”

Kate bit the inside of her cheek. The idea of spending more time with Vanessa both thrilled and terrified her. Their staged moments already felt too real. Could she really keep going like this? And even if she could, how was she going to go back to her normal life after this?

“What kind of quality time are we talking about?” Vanessa’s voice carried a hint of wariness.

“Well,” Elliot gestured at them with his phone, “continue what you’re doing right now. You’re both here sharing a bottle of wine, and no one is watching. Just talk.” He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “Get to know each other beyond the surface details. Share stories about your childhood, your first acting gig, favorite memories. The stuff real couples know about each other.”

Kate’s pulse quickened. She glanced at Vanessa, catching the slight furrow in her brow, the way her fingers played with the sleeve of her blazer.

“The best lies,” Elliot continued, “are built on truth. So find your common ground. Oh, and there’s just one other thing.” He stood up as he glanced around the room. “The contracts. I left them in the car. Be back in a sec.”

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