Chapter 2
2
K ate curled her legs beneath her on the sofa, her gaze drifting to the script on the coffee table for the third time since Elliot arrived. The bold black letters on the cover page beckoned. After a week of anticipation, Elliot finally had the script for her, and it sat right there, within reach.
Elliot sat across from her on the loveseat, his designer loafers tapping an irregular beat against her wood floors. The setting sun cast long shadows through her living room windows, painting everything in amber hues. His silence stretched on as he studied her face with an intensity that made her skin prickle.
“You’re making me nervous.” Kate tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What’s going on?”
“You know I always have your best interests at heart. And sometimes opportunities arise that we need to... carefully consider.”
“This isn’t about the script, is it?”
“The script can wait.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I have a proposition that could change everything for you.”
Kate’s stomach dropped. The last time Elliot had used that tone, he’d convinced her to take a role that ended up launching her career. But something in his expression now, a calculated gleam in his eyes, told her this was different.
Kate’s pulse quickened as Elliot’s words sank in. Had he found something better than the script he’d brought with him?
“I know you’ve shown remarkable restraint these past few weeks. Months really.” Elliot’s voice softened. “Waiting to come out when you were ready to shout it from the rooftops.”
She pressed her lips together as she slowly nodded. She’d spent countless nights drafting social media posts, only to delete them by morning. Each time, Elliot’s voice echoed in her head: Wait for the right moment . Don’t do something like this on a whim.
“The universe has handed us the perfect opportunity.” He straightened his tie. “An A-list actress needs a girlfriend. Well, a pretend one. For the press.”
Kate’s mouth fell open. “What?” This was not the kind of opportunity she needed.
“Think about it. You’d make headlines, but on your terms. Protected. Strategic.” His eyes lit up with the same enthusiasm he showed when pitching her breakthrough role. “This could be your moment.”
The California sun beat through the windows, too bright, too harsh. Kate stood, needing to move, to process. Her bare feet pressed against the cool floor as she paced.
“I don’t-” She shook her head. “Coming out isn’t a publicity stunt, Elliot. It’s my life.”
“Of course it is. But why not make it work for your career too?”
“By pretending to date someone?” She couldn’t even believe she was having this conversation. This was not why she waited to come out. “That’s not how I want to do this. I want it to be real. Honest.”
Elliot’s expression shifted. “Kate-”
“No.” She crossed her arms. “I won’t start my truth with a lie.”
Elliot pushed himself up from the loveseat. “Would it help if I told you who it was?”
The question hung in the air. Kate’s fingers stilled their nervous dance along her forearm. Her mind raced through the possibilities. Which A-list actress would be desperate enough to want a fake girlfriend?
“Maybe.”
“Kate.” His voice dropped lower, serious in a way she rarely heard. “What I’m about to tell you - the mere possibility that this person is considering a fake relationship - it absolutely cannot leave this room. Not a word to anyone.”
She turned then, studying his face. The usual playful glint in his eyes had vanished, replaced by an intensity that made her realize just how serious this was.
“Of course.” Kate wrapped her arms tighter around herself. “I won’t say anything.”
“Okay.” Elliot inhaled a deep breath. “It’s Vanessa Prescott.
“Vanessa Prescott?” Her voice came out as a whisper.
“The one and only.”
Kate sank onto the sofa arm. The same Vanessa Prescott whose performances had inspired her to pursue acting. The woman whose coming out story had given her hope during sleepless nights.
“That’s-” She shook her head. “No. That can’t be right.”
“And why not?”
“Because she’s-” Kate’s throat tightened. “She’s Vanessa Prescott.”
The name alone carried weight, decades of acclaimed performances and industry respect. Kate pictured Vanessa at award shows, commanding red carpets with an effortless sophistication that Kate could only dream of matching.
“She wouldn’t want someone like me.” The words slipped out before Kate could stop them. “I mean, there must be dozens of more established actresses who’d jump at the chance.”
“You underestimate yourself. And you underestimate what Vanessa needs right now.”
Kate’s mind raced with images of Vanessa: her graceful presence at premieres, that infectious laugh during interviews, the way she’d thanked her longtime partner Lauren in acceptance speeches. Lauren, who’d just thrown it all away.
“But why me?” Kate’s voice cracked. “There has to be someone else. Someone more... suitable.”
Elliot’s eyebrows arched. “Have you seen the headlines? Lauren’s writing her own fairytale with Ruby. She’s so famous, she doesn’t need a last name.”
Kate doubted that there wasn’t a person in the world who didn’t know her name or her music. And for the past two weeks, the singer’s face had been splashed across every entertainment site, always with Lauren by her side.
“The industry loves a good parallel narrative.” Elliot held her gaze. “Lauren chose youth and vitality? Well, Vanessa deserves her own fresh start.”
“With me?” The words came out smaller than Kate intended.
“The press loves nothing more than a rising star.” Elliot’s hands moved with practiced animation. “And you are blazing across their radar. Your latest film’s creating a lot of buzz.”
Her throat dried. “That’s different.”
“Is it? The timing couldn’t be more perfect. Vanessa needs someone the public can root for. Someone genuine, talented, and yes-” He paused. “Someone who’s been wanting to share their truth with the world.”
Kate sighed. Of course, Elliot would leverage her desire to come out. He’d been tempering that impulse for months, always finding reasons to wait. Now here he was, dangling it like a prize.
“You’ve been wanting to do this for a while now, and I’ve told you to wait.” His voice softened. “And when I asked you to wait, I never could have imagined an opportunity like this coming your way. What better way to come out than to be on the arm of a legendary actress like Vanessa Prescott?”
The mere thought of standing beside Vanessa, of being introduced as her girlfriend, even if just for show, sent Kate’s pulse racing. She’d watched Vanessa’s coming out interview so many times she could quote it verbatim. The grace, the dignity, the way she’d owned every word.
“Think about it.” Elliot’s voice cut through her thoughts. “You get to come out on your terms, with built-in support from one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses. Vanessa knows what it’s like to come out when no one is expecting it. And she gets to show Lauren, and the world, that she’s moved on with someone...” He waved his hand in Kate’s direction, “...who is absolutely perfect for her.”
Kate’s heart pounded in her chest as Elliot’s words sank in. This is not what she had in mind when she’d told him months ago that she wanted to come out. She’d been trying to decide between a one-on-one interview or spontaneously coming out on the red carpet some day. Fake dating Vanessa Prescott had not been one of the options.
But now that it was… Would it really be so bad?
“What do you think?” Elliot’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Will you do it?”
Her chest tightened at the thought of standing next to Vanessa at events, sharing secret glances, playing the part of…
A detail nagged at her, something that didn’t quite fit. She lifted her gaze to meet Elliot’s expectant expression.
“How did you propose this to Vanessa?”
The corner of Elliot’s mouth twitched, almost imperceptibly. He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve, a gesture Kate recognized from countless contract negotiations.
“If you’re asking whether I outed you-” Elliot’s voice took on a defensive edge. “I would never betray your trust like that.”
Kate’s shoulders relaxed a fraction, but the knot in her stomach remained. “Then how did you pitch this idea to her?”
“I simply suggested that I knew someone who might be perfect for what she needs right now. Someone talented, discreet, and...” He paused, smoothing an invisible wrinkle from his pants. “Someone who understands the complexities of Hollywood’s expectations.”
“So she doesn’t know that I’m gay or that I’m thinking of using this as a way to come out?”
“No.” Elliot’s response was immediate.
Kate exhaled, running her fingers through her hair. The thought of Vanessa not knowing felt both relieving and terrifying.
Kate pushed herself off the arm of the sofa. “How can you be sure she’ll even want me?”
“Kate-”
“No, really. Vanessa Prescott could have anyone. There must be dozens of actresses who’d be more…” She gestured vaguely at the air, searching for words.
“More what?”
“More her type.” The more Kate thought about this, more problems started to pop up. “She’s used to being with someone established. Someone powerful. Lauren Sanders isn’t exactly an easy act to follow.”
Elliot’s eyes narrowed. “Is that what this is about? You’re comparing yourself to Lauren?”
“I’m being realistic.” Kate wrapped her arms around herself. “What if she wants-” The words caught in her throat as an image of Vanessa’s smile flashed through her mind, the way her eyes crinkled at the corners during interviews. Kate’s chest tightened. “What if I-”
She stopped herself, heat rising to her cheeks. She couldn’t say it out loud, not even to Elliot.
She couldn’t admit that her biggest fear wasn’t Vanessa rejecting her, but rather it was falling for someone who would only see their relationship as a publicity stunt.
Elliot studied her. “What if you what?”
“Nothing.” Kate shook her head. “It’s not important.”
“I’m calling Vanessa tonight,” Elliot said. “But I needed to check with you first. To see if you were interested.”
The script on her coffee table caught her eye again. The role she’d been so excited about moments ago now seemed trivial compared to this opportunity.
“Are you?” Elliot pressed.
“Yes.” The word escaped before she could second-guess herself. “But Elliot, she needs to know. About me. Before anything else. I need her to be happy with me and what I stand to gain from this arrangement. I don’t want her to feel blindsided.”
“Of course.” He nodded, pulling out his phone. “I’ll make the call tonight. Set up a meeting.”
Kate’s stomach flipped. She’d have to look her in the eye and pretend this was just business, just another role to play. When really, it was everything she’d dreamed of and feared wrapped into one impossible package.
“Kate?” Elliot’s voice softened. “Are you sure about this?”
She met his eyes, channeling the confidence she wore on red carpets. “Yes. I’m sure.”