“So we’re not going to have sex anymore?”
“No. That’ll make it that much easier to drop this act two months from now.”
She crossed her arms. “I read that you’re having an affair with Emma Stone. Is that true?”
“What? No. I barely speak to her between takes. Are you sleeping with Bradley Cooper?”
“No, not currently. We did do it once, but—”
“Just go Selena,” I shook my head in exasperation.
“I’m sorry…Are you still coming to my launch party tonight?”
“Sure. Whatever.”
She planted a kiss on my neck before I opened the door. She winked at me and walked out as Joan and security re-entered the room.
“Where’s Miss Turner?” I asked.
“I told Miss Turner we would continue the interview later. You have two free hours tomorrow so we’ll do it across town, perhaps at your dance school?”
“You’re the best, Joan.”
She gave me a sympathetic smile. “The boys and I are going downstairs to speak to the general manager. We’re going to get you out of here as quietly as possible.”
“Don’t worry about that. I don’t mind now.”
“Okay well, we’ll go retrieve the car. Do you want one of the boys to stay here with you?”
“I’ll be okay. Thanks.”
She shrugged and they all left the room.
I walked around the suite and turned on the TV. Nothing was on except celebrity news and I did my best to avoid those types of shows. I refused to believe I was the only celebrity involved in a pseudo-relationship and it didn’t make sense to watch anyone else’s staged for TV romance.
I decided to get some fresh air.
I stood in front of the elevator and waited. As the doors opened, I collided with a woman and a crate of papers.
“I’m so sorry,” we said in unison. We both bent down to scoop up the folders. When I stood up, Melody Carter was facing me.
“Oh. It’s you,” I purposely dropped the folders to the ground.
“You’re more mature in person than you are in your movies, Mr. Sterling,” she bent down to pick them up.
Get down there and help her!
Before I could help, she’d collected the folders and was staring at me. I stared back. We stood staring at each other for a few more seconds before she broke the silence.
“Weren’t you going to use the elevator?”
She’s definitely blushing!
“I was until some lady tripped over herself and dropped her folders,” I pressed the down button. “I seem to have that effect on all women though.”
“That sounded halfway convincing, like you actually believed what you were saying. You should try more of that when you’re on set,” she rolled her eyes and turned away.
Say something! Say anything!
“Maybe you could teach me?” the elevator doors sprung open.
She turned around. “In your dreams, Matt Sterling.”
If only you knew.
Chapter 9
Melody
I pressed the gray button on the remote and watched the curtains draw back. I walked around my suite for what must have been the hundredth time, running my fingers along the Fendi furniture and lush linens.
I wanted to live there, to forget about shopping for a condo of my own. Then again, the elaborate design of the room was beginning to anger me. Everything from the selection of books on the shelf, to the grooves of the soap dishes, seemed planned—like every single detail was fretted over and calculated. Like Sean.
I contemplated playing sick to avoid going out. I hated going to parties, especially launch parties. The debut product was the topic of discussion for all of five minutes, and the remaining hours were dedicated to watching snobby people interact with other snobby people.
The press always did their best to create massive stories out of the smallest moments: “Tom Cruise danced with Mariah Carey!” “Brad Pitt drank two cocktails!” And the rest of the partygoers took advantage of the necessary open bar.
I flipped open my invitation card and read the description: “You are cordially invited to join Miss Selena Ross and her newest fragrance Forever Young at the renowned Roseland Ballroom. Bask in the splendor of the softest floral notes. Escape to your earliest memories. Live like you’ve never lived before. Be bold. Be fearless. Be Forever Young.”
Selena Ross’ new perfume was supposedly all the rage. Our team had reviewed it and given it an A rating.
I was pretty sure Selena had absolutely nothing to do with the scent’s production, but I’d watched an interview where she gushed over how she “personally mixed the wonderful and sultry floral notes.”
I assumed Matt Sterling would be at the party, and after one too many encounters, I was determined to avoid him at all costs.
I tried on the dress I would’ve worn at my wedding reception: a short and backless satin dress with a pleated waist and spiral organza waves. I put on a couple of sparkling bangles and the Breakfast at Tiffany’s necklace. I strapped on my silver five inch Jimmy Choos and looked in the mirror.
Sean would’ve loved this…
I held up my left hand and stared at my engagement ring. It was still beautiful, still a reminder of how much I thought he loved me.
I was slowly starting to accept that Sean’s love was past tense. He was never coming back for me. He had someone else.
I carefully twisted the ring off my finger and placed it on the dresser. I eyed myself in the mirror again and picked at my hair. It was red how I liked it, but it still wasn’t me.