Page 26 of Beyond the Red Carpet

Kate’s heart clenched at the vulnerability in Vanessa’s voice. She wanted to cross the room, to gather Vanessa in her arms and hold her, to reassure her that everything would be alright. But the knowledge that none of this was real kept her rooted to the spot.

“Vanessa...” she began, unsure of what to say. “I...”

Vanessa raised a hand, silencing her. “I’m sorry, Kate. I shouldn’t have asked you to come back here. I just...” She sighed, her gaze drifting back to the window. “I needed to talk to someone, and you...” She paused, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Well, you’re the only one I can talk to about this.”

Kate slipped off her heels and crossed the room to join Vanessa at the window. Vanessa turned to face her, her eyes searching Kate’s face with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat.

“Are you happy?” Vanessa asked. “With how this has all played out? You’re officially out now, and I’m...” A slight smile tugged at her lips. “Well, I guess I’m a cougar now.”

“No one cares about the age difference.”

“At least it works for you,” Vanessa said, a hint of a smile still on her lips. “That first night we met. You said you were interested in older women.”

“I did. And I am.”

Vanessa took a sip of her wine. “You’ll have your pick, Kate. When this is all over, you’ll have your choice of women. Young, old, it won’t matter. You’re a rising star. Everyone will want you.”

Kate felt a pang in her chest. The thought of being with anyone else felt wrong somehow.

“But you still didn’t answer my question,” Vanessa said. “Are you happy?”

“I’m...” Kate paused, choosing her words carefully. How could she explain that being with Vanessa, even in this manufactured way, felt more real than anything else in her life? “I’m happy that I’m out, yes, and I’m glad it’s you,” she said finally. “That I did this with you.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened, and Kate couldn’t help but notice the way her lips parted slightly in surprise. She wondered ifVanessa could hear the tremble in her voice, the way her heart pounded in her chest.

“You’re glad it’s me?” Vanessa asked.

Kate nodded, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks. “Yes,” she said softly. “I am.”

Vanessa’s gaze softened. “I’m glad it’s you too, Kate,” she said. “When Elliot suggested this… I didn’t know if I could do it. If I could really put myself out there so soon, even if it’s just for pretend. But you’ve made it surprisingly easy. But we should probably sign those NDAs,” Vanessa said, her voice quiet but firm. She gestured toward the coffee table where Elliot had left the papers. “Before he has an aneurysm.”

Kate watched as Vanessa moved away from the window, her bare feet silent against the hardwood floor. The older woman disappeared into the kitchen, returning moments later with two pens.

Kate knelt beside the coffee table, the legal documents spread out in front of her. She pulled one closer, scanning the dense paragraphs. Vanessa settled beside her, close enough that Kate caught the scent of her perfume again. Vanessa’s dark hair fell forward as she leaned over the papers, creating a curtain that partially obscured her face.

Without hesitation, Vanessa picked up one of the pens and signed her name with elegant strokes. She slid the second pen across the table to Kate, their fingers brushing briefly.

Kate’s hand trembled slightly as she gripped the pen. She stared at the signature line, before moving her gaze to the start, reading over every line before she signed it.

The scratch of the pen seemed impossibly loud in the quiet room. When Kate finished, she looked up to find Vanessa watching her, those hazel eyes unreadable in the soft lighting.

Kate watched as Vanessa gathered the papers, tapping them into a neat stack against the glass surface of the coffee table.

“Do you want to stay?” Vanessa slipped the papers back into the manila envelope. “Or I can call my driver to take you home?”

Kate hesitated.

“We can take Elliot’s advice and get to know one another better.”

“True.” Kate swallowed. This was a bad idea. “Okay, I’ll stay.” She glanced down at her jumpsuit. “Although at this rate, I should start leaving clothes here.”

“You probably should.” Vanessa’s eyes lingered on Kate for a moment before she stood, envelope in hand.

Kate’s breath caught at Vanessa’s words. Even these small moments of closeness, wrapped in the excuse of their arrangement, made her head spin.

15

Vanessa stood in her kitchen, the morning light filtering through the large windows, casting a soft glow on the marble countertops. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as she cradled the warm mug in her hands, her thoughts drifting to the events of the previous night.

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