Page 96 of Love on the Byline

Val smiled brightly. “Bran tells me the three of you went tocollege together.”

“We did.” Blake accepted the glass of wine Ollie poured forher. “Though, I was a year behind.”

“How long have you been in L.A.?”

“Not long.” Realizing she hadn’t eaten, she eyed the plateof the chocolate-covered strawberries at the center of the table. Ollie pickedit up and brought it closer.

“Really?” Val glanced at Ollie and then back at her, a slysmile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “Not long?”

Bran snorted, but Val’s gaze moved back and forth betweenher and Ollie, standing behind her.

“Long enough to gain Oliver’s full interest,” she said,before looking up at him, her eyes mischievous. “It’s hard to come by, and Iknow it’s not given easily.”

His neck flushed as he glanced at Blake, a small smileplaying on his lips. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Val.”

She laughed, and despite the fact that she was a mega star,Blake felt an almost instant camaraderie.

The lights flashed, signaling that the presentation part ofthe evening was about to begin.

“We should head back to our table,” Ollie said.

“Stay. We have room.” Val gestured to the empty seats totheir left. “Two of my co-stars couldn’t make it.”

“Alright, thanks.” Blake hadn’t paid much attention to theagenda, and only just realized it was a launch party for a new independent filmstudio. The giant Azure Studios logo all over everything probably should havebeen a clue, but she had been too busy chatting with Val and people-watching.

“Is that Robert DeNiro?” she asked Ollie, keeping her voicelow during the speech happening on stage.

He nodded.

“Oh, God... That’s...” She nearly swallowed her tongue asViola Davis was introduced onstage.

“Careful,” Bran said, leaning close to her ear. “One mightthink you were actually having fun.”

She rolled her eyes, but he was right. Maybe she was a littlestarstruck after all.

21

“How much did she have to drink?” Bran asked as Ollie helpedBlake to her feet.

“It’s not the wine,” she protested, swaying in her heels. “Ihaven’t eaten anything all day.”

“That’s not good.” Ollie wrapped his arm firmly around herwaist and was relieved when she proved to be steady on her feet. It wouldn’tlook good to have her drunk and stumbling around so many people. Around Bran.Too many reporters, some of which were probably her colleagues.

“No kidding,” Bran said. “I’ll tell Rory to bring the car tothe side entrance, so we don’t have to walk through that crowd. We’ve got foodat the house, right?”

“I can whip up something.”

“No, no. I drove here,” she protested. “I’m fine. I shouldhead back to my apartment anyway. I’ll pick up something on my way home.”

Bran met his gaze, eyebrow raised.

He nodded. “This isn’t a negotiation. You’re in no conditionto drive.”

She opened her mouth as if to protest.

An older man stopped in front of them. “Blake.”

“Mr. Farrell.”

---