Page 27 of Beyond the Red Carpet

She had been so close to telling Kate the truth, to confessing that this arrangement was becoming too much for her. The lines between reality and pretense were blurring, and Vanessa didn’t know how she could keep going like this.

But in the end, they had signed the non-disclosure agreements, cementing their commitment to this charade. Vanessa sighed. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had made the right decision.

As she took another sip of coffee, Vanessa’s mind wandered to all the moments they’d already shared. She thought of the way Kate’s hand had felt in hers, the warmth of her skin and the electricity that seemed to flow between them whenever they were close.

It was becoming increasingly difficult to separate her true feelings from the act they were putting on. She couldn’t deny the pull she felt towards Kate, the way her heart raced whenshe looked at her with those expressive eyes, the way her breath caught in her throat when they kissed, even if it was just for the cameras.

As she finished her coffee, Vanessa tried to push those thoughts aside, to focus on the task at hand. She needed to call Elliot.

Vanessa took a deep breath and picked up her phone, dialing Elliot’s number. She paced the kitchen as she waited for him to answer.

“Vanessa, darling!” Elliot’s voice rang through the phone. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning call?”

“I need you to hold off on scheduling any interviews,” Vanessa said.

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. “Why?”

Vanessa sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter. “I’m just...exhausted, Elliot. These last few days have been incredibly hectic, and I need some time to catch my breath.”

She could practically hear the gears turning in Elliot’s head as he considered her words. “Okay. I get that.”

Vanessa felt a wave of relief wash over her at Elliot’s understanding. She had been worried that he would push back.

“Actually, that reminds me,” Elliot continued, his tone brightening. “Logan had a cancellation at his cabin, so I went ahead and booked it for you and Kate. Two weeks from tomorrow. I thought it might be a good opportunity for you two to get away from the city for a bit, to relax and recharge. And of course, I’ll have a trusted photographer tipped off.”

Vanessa’s heart sank at Elliot’s words. A weekend away with Kate, under the guise of their fake romance, was the last thing she needed right now. She couldn’t help but feel like she was being swept away by a current she couldn’t control.

But she knew that refusing the trip would only raise more questions, and she had agreed to all this.

“Sure, that sounds great,” Vanessa said. “You’ll tell Kate?”

“I’ll call her right now.”

“Thanks. Oh, and Elliot? We signed the NDAs.”

“Oh, thank god!” Elliot’s voice rose with relief. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.” His words tumbled out in a rush. “Anyway, I’ll let you go. Bye!”

The line went dead before Vanessa could respond. She placed her phone on the counter, staring at its dark screen. She leaned heavily against the counter, her eyes closing as she tried to steady her racing thoughts. She knew that each moment they spent together only made it harder to separate her true feelings from the act they were putting on.

How had this even happened?

She thought back to when Kate had come here with Elliot, when they officially agreed to all this. Vanessa had thought Kate was attractive. Most people would. But how had she gotten to this point so quickly?

Looking back, her relationship with Lauren had been over for longer than she cared to admit, but it wasn’t like her to fall this hard, this fast.

Vanessa took a deep breath. She knew that if she really wanted to, she could cancel the trip.

But a part of her, the part that longed for Kate’s touch and craved the warmth of her smile, couldn’t bring herself to do it. Despite the risk to her heart, despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead, Vanessa knew that she wanted this time with Kate.

16

Kate pulled her suitcase from the closet and dropped it on her bed. The afternoon sun streamed through her bedroom window as she started to pack.

The last two weeks had dragged by. When Kate had left Vanessa’s the morning after signing the NDAs, Kate had imagined they’d see each other again in a few days for whatever Elliot had lined up for them, but Elliot had called just a few minutes after she’d gotten home, saying that Vanessa needed some space.

Kate pulled one of her favorite blouses down from its hanger. She folded it and added it to the suitcase, thinking about how every touch, every look between them had seemed so real even though Kate knew none of it was.

Kate paused at her dresser, staring at her reflection. Her cheeks flushed pink at the memory of Vanessa’s hand in hers as they left the restaurant, of the way Vanessa had asked if she could kiss her. What if Kate had given too much away? That was all she could think about these last two weeks.

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