Page 25 of Beyond the Red Carpet

The front door clicked shut behind him, leaving Kate alone with Vanessa. The air thickened between them.

“More wine?” Vanessa’s voice broke the silence.

“Please.”

Kate watched as Vanessa rose from the sofa’s arm, her tailored cream blazer shifting with the movement. “I’ll grab the rest of that bottle from the kitchen.”

The click of Vanessa’s heels against the hardwood marked her path across the living room. Kate took a steadying breath, but the lingering warmth where Vanessa had sat beside her remained.

Vanessa returned, bottle in hand, and her fingers brushed Kate’s as she took her glass. The touch, brief as it was, sent electricity through Kate’s arm. She watched, transfixed, as Vanessa poured the wine, golden liquid catching the soft lighting. Vanessa’s perfume drifted over Kate. A subtle, intoxicating scent that made her head spin more than the wine.

The front door opened again, and Elliot strode back in, manila envelope in hand. “Now, ladies, can you please sign these contracts? Every day I grow more anxious.”

Kate watched him open the envelope and fan the papers across Vanessa’s glass coffee table with theatrical precision.

“I know there’s no money changing hands,” he continued, “but there has to be some kind of guarantee that if things go sideways, no one’s running to the press about being someone’s fake girlfriend.” He looked at both of them. “The NDA at least? Please. It’s keeping me up at night.”

Kate glanced at Vanessa, who raised an eyebrow at Elliot’s dramatics. The paperwork lay in front of her, reminding her that this was all business.

Vanessa’s voice cut through Elliot’s theatrics. “Leave them on the coffee table. We’ll look at them later.”

Elliot’s phone buzzed. “Oh! That’s Logan. I should get going.” He slid his phone into his pocket. “You’ve given me life tonight. Those photos were even better than the last ones.” He pressed air kisses to both their cheeks. “Kate, you’re a natural. And Vanessa—” He paused for dramatic effect. “Lauren who?”

Kate’s shoulders tensed at the mention of Lauren.

“Get some rest,” Elliot said, and then he showed himself out.

The silence that followed Elliot’s departure was deafening. Kate sat frozen, the sound of the front door clicking shut reverberating through the expansive room. The distant sound of a car engine pulling away punctuated the silence, the muffled roar fading into the night. Kate found herself holding her breath, waiting for Vanessa to break the tension that had settled between them.

Vanessa was still standing, and she bent down to slip off her heels before she padded across the room, wine glass in hand. She stopped at the windows that overlooked the city in the distance.

In the reflection of the glass, Kate could see Vanessa’s expression. It was pensive, her brow slightly furrowed as she gazed out at the night. Kate found herself transfixed, trying to decipher the thoughts that played behind those hazel eyes.

Was Vanessa thinking about the events of the evening? The way their bodies had fit together on the rooftop, the heat of their staged kisses that had felt anything but fake? Or was her mind on Lauren? On the confrontation at the after-party?

“Vanessa?” Kate ventured, setting her wine down on the coffee table. “Why did you ask me to come back here with you?”

Vanessa turned to look at her, her eyes flicking to the stack of contracts Elliot had left behind. She opened her mouth, then closed it again in a rare moment of hesitation from someone who always seemed so sure of herself.

“I...” Vanessa sighed. “I wanted to talk to you. About all of this.” She gestured vaguely between them.

“Is something wrong?” Kate asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

“No, nothing’s wrong, exactly.” She took a deep breath. “I just... I wanted to make sure you’re still comfortable with all of this.”

Kate blinked, caught off guard by Vanessa’s words. Her heart raced as she wondered if Vanessa could somehow sense the truth. That Kate’s feelings for her were genuine.

Kate swallowed hard, trying to keep her expression neutral. She couldn’t risk Vanessa discovering the truth. What would Vanessa even think of her if she knew?

With a steadying breath, Kate met Vanessa’s eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. “I am,” she said, though the words felt heavy on her tongue. “Are you?”

Vanessa’s expression shifted, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features. She took a sip of her wine, the motion graceful and measured, before turning to gaze out the window once more.

“I don’t know,” Vanessa said quietly. “We’ve done what we set out to do, and the headlines are...” She paused, her brow furrowing slightly. “The photos look good. Everyone thinks we’re together, but I...” She trailed off, her eyes fixed on the glittering lights of the city.

Kate watched Vanessa closely, the tension in the older woman’s shoulders betraying her outwardly calm demeanor. She longed to reach out, to offer some comfort, but the invisible barrier between them felt impenetrable.

“I should be happy,” Vanessa said. “This is what we wanted, isn’t it? A fairytale romance to distract from the mess with Lauren.” She turned to face Kate, her expression unreadable. “But I...” She shook her head, a wry smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I don’t feel happy.”

---