Chapter 11
11
T he bartender placed a fresh gin and tonic before her, condensation beading on the glass. She lifted it, ice cubes clinking. Vanessa took a long drink as Lauren’s laughter echoed across the room.
Kate’s arm slipped around her waist. “You okay?” Kate’s breath brushed against her ear.
The touch sent electricity down Vanessa’s spine. Her closed her eyes for a second, willing herself not to feel anything, but her body betrayed her, melting into Kate’s embrace.
“I’m fine.” The words came out rougher than intended.
Lauren appeared in her peripheral vision, chatting with a group of actors and producers.
Kate guided them toward the doors to the terrace, her hand finding Vanessa’s, their fingers intertwining. The contact felt too natural, too right. This was supposed to be an act, but Vanessa found herself wishing for just a second that she could be with someone like Kate, someone who respected her, who cared about her feelings, who had kissed her like Kate had. Vanessa swallowed. Kate’s protective instincts, the way she positioned herself between Vanessa and Lauren’s line of sight, it sent a warmth through Vanessa’s body that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Vanessa’s gaze dropped to their joined hands. Kate’s thumb traced over her knuckles, the simple touch igniting sparks she couldn’t ignore. She’d spent decades mastering control over her emotions, yet here she was, coming undone by the smallest gestures.
“What do you want to do?” Kate asked softly, glancing around her to make sure that no one could overhear their conversation.
“We could leave.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. She took a sip, the bite of gin steadying her nerves. “I mean, we’ve made our appearance.”
“Is that what you want?” Kate’s question held no judgment, just quiet understanding.
Vanessa stared into her drink. The truth was, she didn’t know what she wanted anymore. When she looked up she noticed Kate’s eyes narrow slightly as her gaze fixed on something over Vanessa’s shoulder.
“She’s heading this way,” Kate murmured.
Vanessa took a deep breath, steeling herself. “I need you to look at me like I’m the love of your life.” She paused, meeting Kate’s gaze. “I mean it. Really sell it. This isn’t for some staged photo op. This is Lauren. She knows me better than anyone.”
A subtle change came over Kate’s expression, a hint of uncertainty or surprise, but it was gone before Vanessa could decipher it.
Kate held her gaze as if she was silently accepting Vanessa’s challenge. This was the moment when the truth of their situation would become evident, when the boundaries of this fake relationship would be tested.
“Okay.” Kate leaned closer, her voice lowering. “You don’t owe her anything. Alright?”
Vanessa nodded, and Kate smoothly segued into a new topic, asking Vanessa if she wanted to get away next weekend, that she knew of the perfect place.
And then Vanessa became aware of Lauren’s presence. She imagined she could sense Lauren’s eyes on them, searching for answers, maybe even wondering if Vanessa had cheated on her with Kate.
“Vanessa,” Lauren said. “I’m glad I caught you.”
Vanessa held her breath as she turned, steeling herself for whatever was to come. Lauren’s eyes flicked to Kate, taking in their joined hands, their closeness. For a moment, Vanessa saw a flicker of something in Lauren’s eye, an emotion she couldn’t quite read. Was it hurt? Surprise? Jealously?
Then, Lauren’s gaze shifted back to her, and the mask of composure slipped effortlessly back into place. “I wanted to talk, clear the air.”
Vanessa felt Kate’s body stiffen beside her. “Now?” She couldn’t keep the edge of irritation from her voice.
Lauren’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I understand if you don’t want to?—”
“What is it you want to clear exactly? You cheated. Multiple times. And the whole world knows about it. My name’s been splashed across every tabloid because of your affair.”
Lauren’s perfect eyebrows arched. “Oh? And what would you call these recent headlines?” Her gaze cut to Kate, sharp as a blade. “Didn’t take you long, did it?”
“You want to do this here?” She lifted her chin. “Fine. But let’s be clear, you checked out of our relationship long before the photos with Ruby hit the press.”
Lauren scoffed. “That’s not-”
“We should have ended this months ago. Maybe even years.” The words tasted like acid on Vanessa’s tongue. “I just wish you had the decency to say something. To tell me you weren’t happy anymore. Instead, I had to find out with the rest of the world that you were seeing someone else.” She shook her head. “Do you know what that felt like? Seeing those photos?”
Lauren’s perfect composure cracked, just for a moment.
Vanessa steadied her breathing. The familiar ache of betrayal threatened to overwhelm her, but she refused to give Lauren the satisfaction of seeing her pain.
“The air is cleared, Lauren. You made your choice.” Vanessa glanced at Kate. “And I’ve made mine.”
Ten years of memories flashed through her mind.
How had she missed the signs? The last year had been full of them. The late nights, the canceled plans, the growing distance. She’d thought it was due to their busy schedules, to the natural ebb and flow of a long-term relationship, but the truth had been far simpler, and far more devastating.
Kate stepped forward, her voice carrying a quiet authority. “I think you should leave now. You’ve said what you came to say.”
Lauren’s mouth opened, then closed. For once, she seemed at a loss for words.
Vanessa watched as Lauren’s back disappeared into the crowd, the contact of Kate’s fingers laced with hers grounding her. She became aware of the hum of the room around them: the clinking of glasses, the low hum of conversations, the laughter. It was like the world had started moving again after pausing for their tense exchange. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling Kate’s steady presence by her side.
Kate studied her. “You okay?”
Vanessa nodded, squeezing Kate’s hand. She wasn’t sure what she was feeling—relief, regret, anger. It was a mess of emotions swirling inside her.
She took another sip of her drink, realizing her hand was shaking slightly. She searched Kate’s eyes for any sign of judgment, but found only understanding and concern. “Thank you,” she said softly.
Kate tugged at her hand. “Let’s get some air. The terrace should be quiet.”
Vanessa followed Kate through the French doors onto the terrace, her legs unsteady. The chilly night breeze hit her face as they stepped outside, clearing some of the fog from her mind. String lights twinkled above, casting a soft glow across the empty terrace.
Kate released her hand and leaned against the railing. Vanessa missed the contact immediately. She pressed her palms against the cool metal, focusing on the fact that she hadn’t let Lauren see how much she’d hurt her.
The distant sound of traffic rose from below, mingling with the muted music and chatter from inside. Out here, away from prying eyes and expectations, Vanessa let herself relax a little, and the weight of Lauren’s words, of their confrontation, began to lift.
Vanessa pressed her lips together. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Kate turned toward her, and Vanessa caught the gentle concern in her eyes.
“This is what we agreed to, remember?”
“I know, but-”
“You were incredible in there. I don’t know how you kept your composure.” Kate’s blue eyes searched her face. “If someone had hurt me like that, I wouldn’t have been half as dignified.”
Vanessa couldn’t miss the genuine admiration in Kate’s voice. “I’m not really sure how I did,” she said with a lopsided smile.
Kate’s eyes found hers in the dim light of the terrace. “Would you like to leave?”
“Yes.” The word came easier than Vanessa expected.
Kate extended her hand, and Vanessa took it, their fingers sliding together. The contact steadied her, grounding her after the confrontation with Lauren. They stepped back inside, the warmth and noise enveloping them.
Kate guided them through the crowd with practiced ease. Vanessa kept her chin high, aware of the eyes following their progress across the room.
They wound their way past clusters of Hollywood elite, the faces blurring together. Vanessa focused on Kate’s back, on the way her dress caught the light, on anything except the lingering echo of Lauren’s words.