Page 65 of Heavy Shot

Kline grinned and glanced in the general direction of the voice and called back, "I love you, too!"

Without a beat he went back to reading his lines, then awarded the prize for Best Original Score, then disappeared off into the wings again. In a few minutes he was back in his seat and Rhiannon smiled at him as the seat filler slipped away.

"How was I?" he asked.

"Perfect, as usual," Rhiannon said, leaning up to kiss him.

He smiled, slipping an arm around her and settling in for the rest of the show. His category was one of the very last, and the anticipation had grown with the level of drunkenness in the room. Half the place was already well into the sixth martini of the night between breaks, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Kline started getting antsy when the Best Actress award was being presented and he held Rhiannon's hand. “I wish we could just leave now.”

“So do I,” Rhiannon said. When had this become her life?

When the ceremony finally ended, it was a melee of stars crowding around to congratulate one another and squeeze in some last minute schmoozing before they all retired to their corners at various after parties. Kline accepted compliments on his presentation with a saccharine humility until Jill groaned. "It's us, Kline. Just say thank you."

He feigned shocked surprise before laughing too. "Should have known better than to play up to the ones who know the real me, eh?"

"Mmm," she hummed to him. "Besides, you were the best of the lot. Next year, you’ll be accepting an award instead of presenting one."

"Well, I'm really going to enjoy handing you the award the year after when you win Best Actress," he said. "Be sure you wear something like that, so I have plenty to look at."

Jill laughed again and August rolled his eyes. "That's it.I'm dressing her in flannel from chin to toenail."

"Somehow, I doubt it will matter," Rhiannon said, fairly gagging on their act. "He's seen her at her worst, remember? Hasn't changed a thing."

"Jilly doesn't have a worst, do you, darling?" Kline grinned, missing the barb. "Jilly's worst is the envy of every woman out there."

August blinked, wrinkled his nose and said, "Bugger.I agree with Kline. I hate agreeing with Kline."

"It's less painful if you don't do it often," Rhiannon said.

"We're off to the Vanity Fair party," Kline said, looking around. "Anyone for sharing a limo?"

"We're going there, too," Jill nodded. "Rick?Cheryl?Mark?"

There were nods of agreement, and Rick stood up. "Might as well share a limo, otherwise we'll be stuck in traffic for two hours as opposed to one."

"We're going to Maxim," Cheryl said, shaking her head. "I'm doing a spread for them next month."

As Cheryl was speaking, Rhiannon noticed Jill whispering to Kline, who blanched and glanced in his date’s direction. He cleared his throat. “It is cold in here. Rhi? You cold? You want my jacket?”

If looks could kill, Rhiannon would have dropped Jill Parker to the floor right then and there. Had she just told Kline to cover her up to walk her out the door?

“I’m good,” Rhiannon said, squaring her shoulders. “I’m feeling pretty hot, actually.”

“As you should,” Kline smiled, shrugging back into the garment he’d already started sliding down his arms. “You’re warming up everything in sight!”

Rhiannon faced down the cameras that flashed as the group left the building, pretending to herself that it was only Kline they wanted to see, holding in her growing anger as her date completely ignored all signs of discomfort that she tried to show him. Even more irritated when they slid into the limo only to have Kline, August and Jill start laughing like hyenas, praising one another.

The three old friends were cackling. Jill threw up her hands, “Did you ever even imagine we’d be here on a night like this?”

“Remember how I used to practice my Oscars acceptance speeches in the bathroom mirror?” Kline laughed, bumping his forehead against hers, forgetting his date entirely.

“And you made me hand you the hairbrush over and over so you could practice how to take the award and make it look casual and elegant?” Jill chuckled. “Over and over.” She put on a voice to imitate him, “Okay, but now like you’re taller than me. Get that stepstool. What if it’s someone taller than me? And I always had to tell you there was no one taller than you.”

“And I made you look up how tall everyone was.”

“Which was stupid because Best Actor is always presented by the Best Actress, and even in heels, who is taller than you? Maybe Gwendoline Christie, but no one else.”

“You had your Tony speech prepared,” Kline reminded. “And to the love of my life–”

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