Page 55 of Between the Lines

I had a job to do here tonight that required my focus.

I stopped every few feet as I traveled through the crowd of people, accepting congratulations, taking pictures, asking questions, all the usual shit that came along with something like this. It seemed like there was a celebrity everywhere I turned, many of them much,muchbigger than me, but I’d trained myself out of most of the typical “fan” reactions.

I had to look “cool.”

And after that little run-in with Stella, that had been witnessed by God knows who…I should probably find Ellie before it got back to her.

Or beforeStellagot to her with any static.

“Shaw! Let me holler at you for a second.”

Shit.

I turned in the direction Nolan’s voice had come from, trying not to let the frustration show on my face. As polarizing as he was, Nolan was good in my book—I just wanted to get to Ellie before Stella did.

“You good?” he asked, approaching me for a quick hug-and-hand-shake combination before taking a step back. “This is your big day, what’s with the frown?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head, glancing around. “And what you mean,mybig day—it’s all of ours, right?”

Nolan smirked. “Not according to Charlotte—she made a point of pulling me aside this morning to remind me that today’s festivities aren’t about me.Ormy ego, might I add,” he chuckled. “She really doesn’t like me.”

“I don’t think it’sthat,” I lied. “Well…not necessarily. She’s just passionate. This is her baby, you know?”

“Even babies need a schedule—and a budget,” he added, shrugging. “But of course, no mother wants to hear it, so…”

“Nolan…Shaw should be talking to journalists, mingling with peers—not stuck over here with you.”

A fresh grin spread across Nolan’s face as Charlotte approached from behind us, her pretty face pulled into a scowl directed right at him.

“I don’t think he needs babysitting, Ms. Fox,” Nolan said, unfazed by Charlotte’s clear disdain. “He’s a grown man. He can communicate anything he needs to say just fine, I’m sure—isn’t that right, Shaw?” he asked, and I chuckled.

“Yes, but— I probablyshouldbe talking up the show right now,” I said, seeing an opportunity to return to my previous intention. “So…I think I’m gonna follow Charlotte’s lead on that.”

“See?” she spoke up, smug. “Shawknow this side of the business.”

“And I don’t?” Nolan countered.

“You sure you want me to answer that?”

“I do, as a matter of fact—tell meeverythingyou seem to think you know more than me about this business.”

“I can write a whole thesis for you, if you’d like.”

“You know what? I am so sick of?—”

“O-kay,” I mumbled under my breath, slipping away from them without either seeming to notice—they were too wrapped up in what was quickly turning into a half-whispered fight.

I made it a few steps out into the crowd, still keeping my eyes peeled for Ellie. I spotted Alec chatting it up in a corner with Vanessa, but still no?—

“Mr. Brooks, do you have a moment?”

Shit.

Again?!

I planted a smile on my face and turned in the direction of the voice—good thing, because there was already a camera in my face.

“Hey, how are you?” I greeted the journalist who’d stopped me—she was probably somebody who was at all the events, but I couldn’t place her name.

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