Page 86 of Holly Freakin' Hughes

“Twentyyears ago, I finished reading a short story that my best friend had finishedwriting. It was one of the most incredible things I had ever read in all of mysixteen years, and I sat there, amazed that he could create this … thismasterpieceso effortlessly. He just shrugged, as though it were as natural as breathing ortaking a dump—” The crowd interrupted with a burst of laughter, and Nick beamedwith pride at his own wit. “But see, that’s because it was for him, and I said,‘Dude, someday when you finish your first book, I’m going to be your agent andwe’re going to make you fucking famous.’”

Helooked around the room with a humbled smile and a glint in his eye, and shookhis head. “We’ve been through our share of shit over the years. Heartache, thefear of getting nowhere fast, and way more drunken nights than either of us arewilling to admit in the presence of his parents, butfuck…” He shookhis head again. “Twenty years later, look where we are. I’m his agent, he’sstillmy best friend—my brother from another mother—and he is really,reallyfucking famous.” A roar of applause and cheers filled the room, and I urgedmyself not to cry from the overwhelming magnitude of it all.

“Anyway,you don’t care what I have to say, and I’ve talked long enough. So, in just aminute, the man of the hour will be down here. So, excuse me while I go fetchhim another Scotch, and thank you all for coming.” And with that, Nick joggedback towards the stairs, taking them two at a time with his long gazelle-likelegs.

Iswallowed hard at the thought of seeing Brandon again—this time as hiscelebrity persona—and I took another gulp of my water.

Pleasedon’t hate me for being here, please don’t yell at me in front of all thesepeople, and please, please, please still be in love with me.

Awaiter approached and asked if he could get any of us a drink. Brandon’s motherand Birdy both asked for white wine spritzers, and his father ordered a gin andtonic. Bill and Jessie waved their hands as they declined. Ashley expressed howbadly she wanted to drink, but couldn’t because she was apparently nursing.

“Andyou, miss?” he asked, coming around the table to me.

Atthe risk of looking like a lush in front of his parents and closest friends, Isaid, “Your largest glass of any red wine you have, thanks.”

Andwith a chuckle, he walked away while the table chatter transformed intogiggles.

Ashleyput a hand on my arm and smiled knowingly. “It’s going to be fine,” she saidsoftly. “Even if he’s pissed that you came here, he won’t cause a scene infront of all these people.”

“Oh,how comforting,” I laughed, trying my best to sound relaxed while my nervesdouble-knotted themselves around every vital organ. “I can’t believe how manypeople are here.”

“It’sa lot to take in,” she laughed, and nudged her head into the direction ofanother table. “Elijah Wood is sitting at that table, and over there is GeorgeR.R. Martin … You get used to some of it, but my God, I don’t think I’ll everget used toScarJohanging all over my husband theway she does whenever they’re together.”

“Youmean—” I gasped.

Ashleynodded. “Uh-huh. And I don’t get it either. I mean, I love Nicky, but I’m notblind. You’d think she’d be all over B., but …” She shrugged and took a sip ofher water.

Andthen, the room exploded.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

BRANDON

The roar of applause blastedme with the force of asonic boom, and I grinned through it with the confidence of a seasonedprofessional. The attention never ceased to be a humbling thing albeitnerve-racking. I slowly began my descent down the stairs, praying I could makeit through everything I had to say without my nerves sending me into a fit of “uh’s” and “um’s.”

“Ladiesand gentlemen, the man of the hour—Brandon Davis!” Nick passed the microphoneto me at the bottom, clapping me on the shoulder as he leaned in to my ear.“Deep breaths, dude. You got this,” he whispered.

Inodded as my grip tightened around the mic, and I brought it to my mouth.“Wow,” I said over the enthusiastic crowd of friends, family, and professionalacquaintances. “Thank you, guys, thank you.”

Iturned, nodding to the room as the cheering lowered to a dull murmur, and thatwas my cue to begin. “You never get used to it, you know. A lot of people thinkthat over time celebrities grow accustomed to the applause and requests forautographs, and maybe some do, but I don’t. How am I supposed to get used tothis?”I gestured out towards the room. “And all I did was write a book.”

Isniffed a laugh as I began to walk around the room, allowing my eyes to scanthe tables of faces looking at me. “That book has taken me places I couldn’teven dream of. In fact, I received a phone call this morning from HBO with apitch to turn that book and its sequels into a television series.” A lumplodged itself in my throat at the memory of that surreal conversation;something I could never even fathom happening to me. The tables burst with yetanother round of excited applause. I nodded. “Iknow.Breckenridgewill be coming to television screens all over the world in just a couple ofshort years—and all I did waswritea fucking book.”

Myeyes landed on the table that I knew held my parents and friends, but before Icould acknowledge them, my gaze was stolen by the person I had been lookingforward to seeing most of all. The person I had been banking on being there;the same person Nick informed me had taken the bait, despite how much of anasshole I was to her, and managed to find her way there. She looked panicked,like I would erupt in a fury of hatred at any moment, but I just lifted acorner of my mouth and took a deep breath.

Heregoes nothing.

Isucked in a breath of air and slowly exhaled, running a hand over my ponytailedhair and cursing the hairstylist. “You know, many of you know that this day isone to celebrate, but what most people don’t know is that it also weighs heavyon my heart. Because, you see, five years ago today, before I was set to attendthe release party forBreckenridge, my fiancée left me.” My walk aroundthe room became one of passion; my arms waved theatrically as I told the story,allowing my truth to spill out all over the dance floor. “There I was, thinkingmy life was just beginning. A whole new world had opened up to me with thisincredible job, one of success and pride. I thought we—my fiancée and I—wouldembark on a journey into that new worldtogether, but a couple monthsbefore we were to be married, she just … threw the ring at me, told me shehated me, and left. She was jealous of everything that was happening for me,and while I was thinking she was busy planning a wedding, she was busy buildinga wall of hatred around herself and I was too consumed by all ofthistonotice.”

Iignored the sympathetic murmuring and looked to my feet, shaking my head. “Itruly believed that she could be the only person out there for me, and so Itook the beginning of my career to be the end of my love life. I threw myselfentirely into my work, and closed myself off to any prospect of a relationship,and I managed on my own for nearly five years, until I met her.” I pointed atHolly across the room, her jaw falling open. I watched as my mother clapped ahand over her mouth, while Birdy gripped the hands of Jessie. “It took meetingher to realize that I wasn’t really managing at all, and that I desperatelyneeded the company and affection that I soon understood could only be given by her.”

Irounded the room, heading back towards her with my heart hammering in my chest.“But I fucked up. I hid things from her, out of fear of being hurt again,because this life isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. I wasted the time Icould have spent convincing her that shedoesdeservethis—morethan anybody—because I was too stupid to open the door and see what was rightthere on the other side.” My feet stopped moving when I was standing in frontof her, and I dropped to my knees at her feet. I placed the microphone on thetable with an ear-piercing squeal through the speakers, and I reached with ahand for one of hers, gripping the cherished fingers in mine.

Ibrought her hand to my mouth, kissing her knuckles gently, before speaking in alow voice. “The other day didn’t go at all how I wanted it to, but ... You’rehere, and Holly, I swear to God, I’m not letting you go again.”

Heropposite hand wiped a tear away hastily. “But … you were so mad …”

“Baby,I was mad at myself for failing. I was mad that, after everything, you stillthought you were more deserving of mediocre sex and crockpots.” My eyes didn’tstop watching her as she burst out with a tearful giggle. “But … you’re here,and that tells me you’ve changed your mind about that.”

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