Chapter Twenty-One #2
Amy was suddenly taken back to the 88th Academy Awards, when J.K.
Simmons had stood at the podium and had announced Best Supporting Actress.
Kate had won for her role as the tragic heroine in The Velvet Shadow.
She’d even beaten Alicia Vikander. During her speech, Amy had cried literal tears.
Were they all going to be swept off their feet?
The answer was yes.
“I came into this game knowing exactly how people see me,” Kate said.
“They expected a star. They expected me to shine brighter than the rest of them. But after spending two decades in the limelight, I learned one very important thing... it’s the people in the background who actually run the show, the producers, makeup artists, set designers, and directors calling cues in the dark, who hold all the real power.
” She paused and flashed that Hollywood smile of hers.
“Which was why I played my game behind the curtain. I quietly pulled strings, making the right people feel safe. It was my idea to keep Ezra close after Sloan got heatstroke, to blindside Brenda, to form the Lake Alliance. I brought up the topic of Ozempic knowing Avery would have a strong opinion, and I found the note about the shared reward. I knew that if I gave it to Luna, she would make a scene.”
“She’s literally throwing Luna under the bus,” Savannah whispered, her breath brushing hot against Amy’s ear. “How is Luna going to top that?”
Amy had no idea. But Luna was like a Russian nesting doll. Just when you thought you’d seen every version of her, another layer popped out.
When Kate finished her speech, Naomi turned toward Luna. “It is your turn to convince the Final Council that you’re worthy of the title of Ultimate Outlast Her.”
Luna stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in her dress.
Then she eyed her best friend, who might not be her best friend after tonight.
“There’s an old saying back home: You can’t fear the fire when you’re born from the embers.
” She sighed as if the saying brought back actual memories before adding, “Kate may have hidden in the shadows, but I let this game burn me. I literally caught fire and resurrected myself from the ashes...”
The claps that sounded were just as strong as the claps they’d given for Kate earlier. This vote was going to be a doozy.
“All right, Final Council,” Naomi announced, stepping toward the infamous pedestal. This time it held only two cups. “It is time to vote.”
Before Amy knew it, Naomi was standing with her hands clasped in front of her and a gleaming smile on her face. Moments earlier she’d counted the stones from the respective cups. “The winner of the twelfth season of Outlast Her is...” There was a literal drum roll. “KATE BELLINA!”
Kate leaped up and flashed that Hollywood smile as if she’d known she’d win all along.
Then everyone held their breath. Would this ruin a friendship between two women who were as thick as thieves?
But then Luna shot up, looking equally as happy, and threw her arms around her best friend.
She even half-lifted Kate off the ground before planting a kiss on her cheek.
In the next moment, the confetti came down like rain.
Then, all of a sudden, Kate was holding a bottle of champagne.
Amy was paying so little attention to what was happening that she didn’t even see where it had come from.
It was no wonder she hadn’t seen a PA carrying a bottle of Moet.
Her focus was entirely on Savannah, on the way she had her head tilted back, her eyes closed, eyelashes fluttering, as if she were looking at the sun.
Her delicate gold hoops caught the light, and her lips were parted, soft and slick.
Amy might not have won Outlast Her, but she was leaving with the real prize.
“Just kiss her already,” Maya Lin’s voice drawled from behind her.
Amy didn’t need to be told twice. She closed the gap between them, one hand snaking around Savannah’s waist, the other cupping Savannah’s jaw.
“I know you never wanted to be my inspiration,” Amy muttered.
“But I’m so fucking happy things turned out the way they did.
You’re my favorite muse.” Then, before Savannah could get a chance to reply, Amy pulled her in until their lips met.
Golden glitter swirled around them. She was literally living the scene in The Notebook, only instead of torrential rain, it was a downpour of shimmering foil.
How fucking romantic.
When Amy’s lips finally tore away from Savannah’s, she took Savannah’s hand in hers and led her away from the celebrating crowd toward the beach.
“Where are we going?” Savannah muttered, half-laughing.
“Somewhere away from the thirty cameras,” Amy said, stopping just short of the shore. Then the sun was nearly all the way down, streaking the sky in melted peach and molten gold. This was one of those textbook romance moments.
She almost made a joke about it. Thank goodness the producers timed the final Sending just so we could get the most romantic sky in history. But instead...
“I don’t want to go back to Broken Arrow,” Amy said, and as soon as the words were out, she imagined telling her boss that she was resigning.
Victor would be utterly crushed, considering Amy was Schusterman-Benson’s best librarian yet.
“I’m going to find an apartment in New York somewhere.
It doesn’t matter if I have to live in a shoebox or share a bathroom with a shell-necklace-wearing hipster who plays guitar till three in the morning.
As long as there’s enough space for Barnaby. ”
“Barnaby?” Savannah asked, frowning.
“My cat,” Amy said. “I’ll introduce you two. You’ll love him, but he might not love you. He barely loves me and—”
“Move in with me,” Savannah interrupted.
Amy blinked several times. Had she heard correctly? Had Savannah seriously skipped straight to the U-Haul part of their relationship?
“It doesn’t make sense for you to move to New York and look for an apartment,” Savannah said quickly before Amy’s brain had the chance to think it through. “I’ve got tons of space, and my apartment allows indoor cats. It just makes more sense for you to move in with me.”
Amy didn’t know what to say. Well, except for...
“Yes!” she exclaimed a little too loud. Romance was all about skipping steps if it felt right, and it did feel right.
It felt so fucking right, Amy nearly said the big four-letter word but instead decided to show a tiny bit of self-control and save it for their first real date off the island. “I’d love to.”
“Are you sure?” Savannah asked.
“Did Kate’s character in Orion’s Peak leave Thomas for her hot lesbian professor by the end of the movie?”
Savannah frowned. “I don’t remember that scene.”
“Well, yes, she did,” Amy muttered, her arm already curling around Savannah’s waist, pulling her flush. “And you can’t take it back, by the way. I’m moving. No backsies.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” Savannah laughed. Then she slipped her hands beneath Amy’s blouse and slid them upward until her palms flattened against her bare ribcage. Her fingers were like tiny electric currents sparking against Amy’s skin. “Now kiss me while the sky’s still golden.”