Page 40 of Gage (Love Under the Lights 1)

Oh shit. I’d gone full Valley Girl and had to force myself to stop talking. I’d been two seconds away from calling the reporter—a female—dude.

“Wow. I really should’ve had a V8,” I quipped as I tried to get myself together.

A titter of laughter went through the crowd before someone shouted, “You didn’t answer the question.”

“We’re dating,” Gage answered, his voice seeming to ring out through the room.

His eyes were full of encouragement as they met mine, and I found myself relaxing for the first time.

If I thought the room was insane before, his announcement only made it worse.

The yelled questions were shouted without hesitation.

“Is this for real?”

“What’s happening?”

“Gage! Gage! You’ve not had a steady girlfriend since 2009!”

“It was you she was with in Georgia, wasn’t it?”

“Is she pregnant?”

A voice over the loudspeaker interrupted to announce that the reporters needed to settle down or the interview would end.

I used those few seconds to get myself together. Taking a calming breath, I turned back to the microphone and made a face at the reporters.

“That’s really rude,” I scolded. “I think it’s pretty obvious I’m not pregnant,” I noted as I gestured down at my gown. The damn thing hugged every curve.

“Then why is he dating you? Did you cast a spell or is this voodoo?” someone called out.

That was the moment I’d had enough. My hackles were up when I glared over toward the direction the question had come from.

“You should be ashamed of yourself for thinking that, much less saying it out loud. Gage is dating me because he wants to. I assure you it’s not because I’m pregnant or because I used witchcraft on him. Maybe next time, think about the words coming out of your mouth.”

There was a stunned silence in the room for a few seconds before someone started clapping. One clap was followed by another and then another. Once again, a voice over the loudspeaker interrupted and reminded the press that there were more winners coming.

The next few minutes flew by as I was given some standard questions about the theme of the movie, working with Gloria, the experience shooting it and, of course, my cursing on live television.

“Final question from 132,” the voice over the loudspeaker announced.

“It’s a Gage question,” the reporter said tentatively. “If I don’t ask, I’ll be fired.”

“As long as it’s not about what spell I used to get him,” I joked, “go ahead.”

“Is this relationship serious?”

I instinctively turned Gage’s way. His eyes met mine without hesitation as he inclined his head once. My stomach was full of butterflies as I smiled at him.

I turned back to the microphone and smiled. “Yes, it is.”

As the announcer spoke about who was up next, I walked across the stage. Gage came forward and waited for me at the bottom of the stairs, holding his hand out to me as I stepped down. No one was shouting, but I could hear flashbulbs and murmurs from the assembled crowd.

The second he touched me, I forgot they were there.

“You ready for me to get you onto the dance floor at some of the after-parties?” he asked.

I grinned and squeezed his hand as we made our way out of the room.

“I see we’re making no attempt to be subtle,” I teased.

“I think subtle left the train station about ten minutes ago when we got caught making out in the hall,” he laughed. “I’m more than fine with everyone knowing we’re together.”

I was, too. It had been a wild half hour, but I was happy because he was with me. In the span of an hour, I’d won an Oscar, been caught making out with Gage in front of the press, and then announced to the world that he was my boyfriend. The night was clearly one for the record books. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.TwentyGageIt was official; hell had frozen over. The impossible had happened, and I was headed to the Governors Ball with my girlfriend on my arm. Morgan wasn’t some woman alleging to be in a relationship with me that she’d made up in her head, which had happened often enough over the years. I’d had to set the record straight each and every time. Morgan was different; she was the first woman I’d claimed publicly in front of the press for the entire world to see and hear about.

It was an instinct I hadn’t been able to ignore; the urge to guarantee there wasn’t any confusion about the fact that Morgan wasn’t available. Not that I’d really tried. I was the one who’d told Lemon we were dating. I was the one who’d announced to the reporters that we were dating. And I was the one who’d nodded, giving Morgan permission to confirm that our relationship was serious.

Walking into the Ray Dolby Ballroom on the top level of the Hollywood & Highland Center with Morgan at my side, I didn’t have a single regret over my actions. I’d gotten exactly what I wanted, after all.

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