19. Cassie
We make our way into the diner after Dave runs off the reporter and find our group sitting at a table in the back left corner. On one side are Lane, Max, Lucy, and Tyler. The other side has two open seats and Marcy. There are only a few clusters of people in the diner tonight, but our group of friends talk loud enough to know where they are the minute we walk through the door.
I see Dave again and give him a smile. I’ve only been in a few times since I’ve quit, and every time, his face lights up and he always wants to catch up. I wonder if that’s what it’s like to have a parent that cares, that asks you questions about your day and if your job is going well. Dave filled that semi-parent role over the past few years since my mom is practically absent from my life.
We sit at the table and find they have already ordered what appears to be one of every appetizer. It is enough food to feed double the amount of people we have.
We spend the evening eating too many fries and talking about the movie coming to a close.
“I don’t know about you all, but I cannot wait for a break,” Tyler says. He leans to the middle of the table to grab a fry and shoves it into his mouth.
“You think you’re ready?” Marcy practically yells across the table at Tyler, throwing a fry at him. “I’ve been running around between not one, but two sets! If I didn’t have Cassie, I would seriously go insane.” She looks over at me and we both start laughing.
“You’re welcome,” I say with a smile. I grab a fry for myself, dip it in some ketchup, and stick it in my mouth. Emmett squeezes my leg under the table. I glance at him. I should glare, but I’m smiling and trying to stop myself from saying something out loud that would make what”s happening obvious to the others. Instead, I resort to trying to give him a mental “Will you stop that?!” before he forces my hand and I say something to give us away.
“It’s been fun for me, though. Obviously, it’s been great to meet you all and become friends.” I smile at everyone around the table.
“It’s been great for me, too. There are so many things I’ve loved about this film,” Emmett says. I look over at him and find him looking at me. I grab more food to eat, trying to hide the fact that this man is causing me to blush like a horny teenager.
“Same here, dude,” Max thankfully chimes in.
We eat and chat. Lane tells us about the next project he and Max are working on. Tyler comments on the food and somehow relates it to his catering.
Marcy talks about the film that she’s been working on offsite. Apparently, that director has asked her to help in the next movie they’re shooting.
People ask Lucy about her art and she mentions her show is coming up this fall if any of them want to go. She doesn’t know that we have all already bought tickets and plan to support her, like everyone supported me tonight.
I should have known they would come, but I didn’t want to be optimistic and then find that no one showed up. Everyone knew my show was tonight, but I never asked if anyone was coming. I would have asked Emmett, but I didn’t know if it would be a good idea, since it was a public event.
At past showcases, we have had a few people who could be considered celebrities attend. They were mostly lower-level actors or directors there to help scout for extra roles or smaller indie films. But Emmett is on a whole other level. Not only is his dad a known actor, he’s one of Hollywood’s best. Seeing the way people reacted was interesting, considering Emmett”s fast-growing reputation as an actor in America. Emmett didn’t have any bodyguards or anything, and luckily everyone was respectful of his space, but I got a few questions backstage and texts afterwards from people asking how I knew Emmett.
I simply answered that we work together and left it at that.
Somehow, two hours have passed, and all the food is gone on the table. We were so busy chatting and snacking that I didn’t even realize how late it was.
“Emmett, do you need a ride back home?” Lane asks.
“Cassie offered to give me a ride home when we were on our way over here, but thanks, man,” Emmett says casually, tossing Lane a smile.
“Yep, no big deal,” I say.
I didn’t even realize Lucy wasn’t at the table until she walks back over.
“Okay, dinner is all covered. Dave said it was on the house tonight to celebrate your showcase, Cass,” Lucy says with a grin.
If Dave has one quality, it’s that he is overly supportive. Working in a diner that has a target demographic of actors and people who work with film, you have to be. Most people who work here dream of working in the industry in some capacity. They’re just waiting for the right person to walk in and give them their first chance.
Is that what happened with Emmett? Even though I wasn’t looking for anything or anyone, he just stumbled in here randomly one night when I was already having a long day and somehow has become this constant in my life.
A day doesn’t go by where I don’t see him. I didn’t know how I was going to handle secretly dating Emmett, but it’s not bad since we live so close and we are still friends at the studio, although I have to ignore him a bit. I am afraid I will push him into a closet like I did at the showcase or that he will pull me into his trailer and people will start wondering why his trailer is rocking back and forth. It would not be a good look.
It’s been nice getting to know him privately. I like the moments we spend together no one knows about, so it’s just for us and no one else. We can pretend to be a normal couple instead of a celebrity couple where cameras are waiting on every corner. I don’t know what to expect when we go public. Part of me feels like it’s too good to be true with him, like all of this has a ticking timer and when we don”t have to hide our relationship anymore, he will realize that I’m just me and not the girl he envisioned.
But I look at Emmett like I am right now in this diner and he gives me this look that makes me forget all my worries and doubts. When he looks at me, it feels like the rest of the diner fades away and it”s just the two of us.
We say goodbye to everyone and get in my car. Since it’s Friday, we won’t be seeing our friends again until Monday. I might see Lucy if I make it back to our apartment, but for everyone else, we have a free weekend and don’t have to be at the studio.
I plan to spend a long time with Emmett. Particularly in his bedroom. We’ll get food delivered, drink too much coffee, and watch movies. It’s going to be the perfect weekend.
I let Emmett drive us to his place. It’s a short commute, but I think he enjoys driving when he can since he normally has a driver take him everywhere. His touch on my thigh sends a tingling sensation through my body as he gives it a gentle squeeze. I take my gaze from the window and glance over at him. In a fleeting moment, his eyes meet mine as he steals a quick glance, a smile blooming on his lips.
“You were great tonight, babe,” Emmett says with another squeeze on my thigh. His hand trails higher, and the heat spreads through my body.
I’m unable to resist rolling my eyes in response. “You have to say that.”
“I don’t have to say anything, Sass. You were great, really, really great. I almost teared up.”
I slap him on the arm. “Shut up.”
We both start laughing.
“Thank you for being there. It meant a lot. You know, it was the first time I had people come to see me.” I shift in my seat and grab his hand with mine, looping our fingers together.
“Lucy’s never gone?”
“She has, but she works a lot of the time and I tell her it’s not a big deal.”
“But it is a big deal, Cass. You deserve to be seen,” Emmett says, pulling into his apartment complex and into the garage. I look out the window and turn back to him, getting ready to say something.
“It’s late, no one is around. We don’t have to worry about going separately.” Emmett answers the question that I was going to ask.
“Oh, okay. Great,” I reply.
He helps me grab my bags from the car and we head to the elevator to go upstairs to his apartment. I’ve been in this elevator a lot over the past month. The beige carpet has slowly grown on me to the point that it’s calming. The elevator music plays just loud enough to get stuck in your head for the next five hours. Normally, I’m alone and I have to pinch myself to remind myself that this is real and not some long-standing dream.
This time, I’m with Emmett. I look over at him and find he’s already looking at me. I’m not surprised. He’s always looking at me when I glance his way.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask as we get out of the elevator. We walk to his apartment. He reaches into his back pocket for his keys, opens the door, and lets me in first, closing the door behind me.
“You,” he replies, taking my bag from me and setting it by the door.
We walk into the kitchen. I take a seat on a stool at the island. Emmett walks over to the cabinet and grabs two mugs, starting our nightly routine of drinking tea and talking about our day. At the studio, we don’t typically talk about things other than work because we’re always around others. Here, we use the first hour to chat about everything else. We talk a lot about our childhood and what it was like growing up, taking time to learn more about each other. It’s become my favorite part of the night, well, one of my favorites because what normally follows this is also great.
Tea and sex. Two things you normally wouldn’t put together, but it works for us.
Emmett leans onto the island. He is looking at me with a focused gaze, as if we’ve known each other for far more than just a month. I smile, the warmth of the tea in my hands comforting me as I take a sip.
“I have something I want to show you,” Emmett says, stepping away from the counter. He walks around to my side and holds out his hand. I grab it, then follow as he leads us down the hallway and into his office.
Taking a seat on the couch, a mix of excitement and curiosity bubbles inside me, and I wonder what he wants to share.
“You’re not going to tell me you’ve written a script about me, are you?” I tease.
Emmett looks at me from over his shoulder and chuckles. “No promises.” He winks, and I blush instantly. My body has a consistent response whenever Emmett persists with his winks.
He walks over to the bookcase and grabs a box from the top shelf. Holding it in his hands, he walks over to me and sits next to me on the couch.
I don’t know what’s inside the box. It’s a cube box, kind of the same size that fits in those IKEA cube shelves. I think it’s normally for random stuff, or maybe pictures, so I’m not sure what he’s keeping in here.
“I’ve kind of been busy when we aren’t together…” Emmett starts and stops, taking a deep sigh. I put a hand on his and give him a squeeze. “If you can’t tell, I’m nervous. Cassie, I thought I would be an actor for my entire life and always just wonder what my life would look like if I wasn’t. I’ve been writing. A lot. About anything that comes to my mind. I didn’t write for a long time because I had nothing to write about, but now I have you.”
“Are you saying I’m your muse, Hotshot?” I tease again, enjoying seeing the flush of red on his cheeks from my response.
“Maybe.” Emmett smirks at me and pulls off the lid. There are notebooks and folders inside. Few, but enough to fill the box over halfway.
The top notebook has a title printed across it, “One Last Time—Emmett Davis.” He takes it out and hands it to me, but he doesn’t let go right away.
I look up at him from the notebook to find him looking at me, like always.
“You have been busy.”
“Be nice, okay? I know you read my past work, but this is recent.” Emmett finally releases the notebook.
I open to the first page. It’s the synopsis of a film. I turn to the next page and find the opening lines of the script. I keep turning the pages to find they are all filled with scenes and lines. This whole notebook is full. There are no empty pages.
“Are these all scripts?” I ask. He nods but says nothing.
I hand back the notebook which Emmett files back in the box. He puts the lid back on and takes the box back to the top shelf where it was.
“I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember.” Emmett turns to me, walking back over to join me on the couch. “But my dad has always made it seem like I wouldn’t be good enough. You know? Like if I didn’t follow in his footsteps, then the Davis name would be worth nothing once he’s gone. It’s obvious he cares more about the family name in Hollywood than his actual son, but for some reason I feel like I can’t stop acting.”
“Even if it’s what you want?” I loop my fingers with his.
“I’m not sure anymore. Seeing you chase your dreams is helping me, Cassie. You have so much drive. Hell, you moved here because of your dream and you work your ass off to make it happen. I can’t even stand up to my dad, even though what I want is to be a writer.”
“I think you could do it, for what it’s worth. You’re stronger than you think.” I nudge his shoulder and give him a smile, which gets a laugh out of him.
“Thanks, Sass.” He leans over and presses a kiss on my forehead. “I just wanted to show you what I’ve been up to lately when you’re not around, and I guess thank you for showing me I can still achieve my dream.”
“I’m glad you did. It suits you, you know. I mean, you’re great at acting, don’t get me wrong, but I could also see you as a writer. You can do whatever you set your mind to, Emmett. I think people think getting older means we need to remain content with whatever we’re currently doing, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If I woke up tomorrow with a new dream to… I don’t know, open up my own coffee shop, I could do it. We create our own glass ceilings and sometimes they need to be shattered.”
Instead of using his words, Emmett lets go of my hand and pulls me on to his lap so I’m straddling him. A surprised squeal escapes my lips. My hands grab his shoulders, then quickly find their way to the back of his head.
Emmett pulls me closer. I dip my head and press my lips against his. Our kiss is full of passion and heat. I’ve never felt like this before with anyone. I’ve never had this desire to want to get to know someone, to wake up next to them in the morning. With Emmett, I’m safe. I’m able to be myself. Like I could wake up one day and decide to do something different with my life and he would support me.
For the next few moments, we remain like this. Our hands moving around each other’s backs, memorizing the shape of each other. I turn my head to the right to deepen our kiss.
Emmett’s hands find my face, and he gently separates us.
His hand tangles in my hair as he takes a strand and tucks it away, leaving a soft, lingering touch.
“I don’t know why fate put us together now, but I’m falling for you.” Emmett’s lips find my neck. My lips part, releasing a soft moan.
I lean close enough that my lips are almost touching his left ear. ”I”m falling for you too, Emmett Davis,” I say with a shy smile, my cheeks turning a rosy shade. Because of Emmett, I’ve started believing in happily ever afters again.
As soon as I finish getting his name out, he wraps his hands around my butt, lifts me from the couch, and guides us into the bedroom, his lips never leaving mine.