42. Rae
Rae
Running my hand down the fabric of my dress, it’s so soft under my skin.
Every inch of it hugs me perfectly to my hips where it falls around my legs; the slit stretches from the floor up to my mid-thigh.
The neckline gives me more cleavage than usual.
I feel…sexy for the first time in my life.
Other than when I’m with Grayson and Asher but that’s different.
That’s when it’s just the three of us, and they treat me like I’m the sexiest woman in the entire world.
But right now, I really feel like that.
It’s the first time I’ll be stepping out in public like this, with both of them. Not the good girl the public thinks I am.
I used to be, but not anymore.
This is the new Rae Sparks.
We flew into California this morning, and I was whisked away to get ready while Grayson and Asher were taken to another area to change. They haven’t seen me yet. My parents came separately last night because my mom was having dinner with some colleagues.
They also don’t know that Grayson and Asher are here.
I thought about telling them, but I didn’t know how to bring it up. Maybe it’s a mistake to let our families find out along with the rest of the public, but I also don’t plan on making it extremely obvious.
It’s not like I’m going to make out with both of them on the red carpet or anything.
I fluff my hair that’s curled and hanging around my shoulders. My makeup is darker than I’m used to with false lashes and a deep red lipstick.
There’s a knock on the hotel room door, and my designer Jaqueline looks to me for permission.
“Let them in,” I tell her, assuming it’s Grayson and Asher, or at least one of them.
But they aren’t who walks in, it’s my parents. My dad has a bouquet of roses that he hands me, and my mom immediately pulls me into a hug.
“You look beautiful,” she tells me, pulling back and fixing one of the curls in my hair.
“Thank you, so do you,” I tell her honestly. “I didn’t think I’d see you guys beforehand.”
“I wanted to make sure to check in before all eyes are on you.” My mom smiles.
“More like on you. The legendary Spencer Sparks.”
She barks out a laugh. “Hardly, but there’s been talk that you will have a date tonight.”
“Who has said that?” I look around, wondering who I can’t trust that’s close to me.
“Mothers intuition.”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Who told you?”
“Brynn let it slip that Grayson is here.”
“Does nothing stay secret in this family?”
“Nope. I know everything.”
I raise my eyebrow at her, seriously doubting that. “You think so?”
“I know so.”
“We’ll see about that.” I smile because she may think she does, but I’m very sure she has no clue that Asher and I are involved. I look at my dad to see if he has any reaction. “And you knew too?”
He shrugs. “Your mother and I don’t have secrets.”
“Please tell me you’re not going to pull the protective dad card.” I cringe.
“Not to him. I may have a talk with his dad though.”
I roll my eyes. “You just want an excuse to start something with Colton.”
My dad smiles. “He deserves it.”
Mom nods. “He does.”
I chuckle; the history my parents have with their friends is something that should be in history books. They leave me to finish getting ready, and even though I think about mentioning that Asher is here too, I just can’t bring myself to do it. They’re going to find out soon enough.
Grayson, Asher, and I are in the SUV on the way to the theater and my hands are sweating already. We almost didn’t leave the room because as soon as they saw me, they tried to convince me it would be smarter to stay in with them than leave.
I was tempted.
And now I’m even more tempted. I’m sure we could turn the car around and go back. This may be a mistake. A decision I made in the heat of the moment because I want to fully embrace my new image, but maybe it’s too much all at once.
“We don’t have to do this, you know,” Grayson tells me, taking one of my sweaty hands in his own.
“I know we don’t, but I want to,” I insist weakly.
Asher is looking out the window, and shifts in his seat.
“Do you want to?” I ask him, nudging my shoulder against his.
His eyes swing to mine and soften. “I’ll be wherever you want me.”
I smile, leaning my head on his shoulder while Grayson continues to hold my hand. Even though I don’t know what’s going to happen once we step out of this car, I do feel comforted by both of them and knowing we’re all doing it together.
Through the tinted windows we can still see the flashes of lights from the cameras of the paparazzi and the small amount of calm I had is gone once again. The car stops, and none of us move right away.
“Want me to get out first?” Grayson asks, calmly. I nod, debating if I’m even going to get out of the car at all. He takes my face in his hands, forcing my eyes up to his. “We do this at your pace. We’ll be around as much or as little as you want.”
He presses his lips to mine softly, not pushing just a gentle kiss.
I turn to Asher. “If you want to leave, tell me.”
“I want to leave,” he deadpans, then grips the back of my head and pulls me in for a kiss of his own. His is much less gentle than Grayson’s and I’m a little worried that my lipstick is going to be smeared, but I also can’t find it in me to care.
We break apart, and he has a small smile. “I guess I can stick around for a little longer.”
“Ready?” Grayson asks us both.
I nod, and he opens the door, the flashing lights practically blinding me, but I do my best to paste on a smile and turn into Rae Sparks.
This is who I am, and this is what I do.
Once I get through this, we can go back to the hotel, and I can spend the rest of the night with these two men who have managed to make me fall completely for them both.
Paparazzi are yelling out my name as soon as I step foot outside the car.
Demanding me to look at them, asking who I’m with, who I’m wearing, what I’m working on, and a million other questions that I can’t even keep track of because they’re all yelling things at me at the same time.
I feel Asher behind me and keep my eyes on Grayson in front of me as we’re led to the area where I’m expected to pose for pictures.
Arguably the worst part about coming to events.
There’s nothing like being yelled at to look at various people and pose like I’m a doll just to be admired.
But I smile and pretend like I’m not wanting to jump out of my skin.
Grayson and Asher stand back letting me do this myself, which I appreciate because I’ve already been yelled at about who I came with, but I’m avoiding any and all responses.
I look to my right and see Noah, smiling at my new friend, and waving him over to stand with me. He smiles widely, it makes him look so boyish, but I know that look can get him anything he wants.
My brother, Nash, is like that, but I know he doesn’t use it to his full potential like I’m sure Noah does.
“Damn look at you.” Noah wraps his arm around my back and poses with me for the cameras.
I can’t help but look over at Grayson and Asher to gauge their reaction. Asher’s jaw is clenched and he looks like he’s about to storm over here while Grayson looks like he’s trying to remain calm, but his hands are itching to grab for me.
“I could say the same for you. It’s nice of you to wear a shirt for once,” I tease Noah.
“Please, we both know I look better without one, but apparently I needed to look more presentable.”
I bark out a laugh, shaking my head.
We’re bombarded by questions if we are together, but I think it is pretty obvious from our body language, at least to me, that we’re purely friends.
Or maybe because I can feel the eyes of two other men on me and know that they’re the only ones I want to be with.
They’re also the ones that I’m sure are going to make sure I know who I’m really with later.
Noah looks over to where my eyes are fixed and makes a humming noise.
“Damn, are those two our inspiration?”
I look back at him with my lips rolled together in a small smile.
“I completely get it. No explanation needed, but now when we record, I’m also going to be thinking about them,” he taunts.
I shake my head. “Think about them all you want, but they’re mine.”
“Don’t worry, with the way they’re looking at you, I don’t think they want anyone else.”
Again, I look over at them, and know we need to move on to go inside, but first I wave them over. Grayson steps closer immediately but Asher hesitates; I have to gesture for him again.
“Noah, this is Grayson,” I introduce first and then continue when Asher finally joins us. “And Asher.”
“Nice to meet you both.” Noah’s tone is friendly even though I can feel the tension coming off the two men.
We all pose for a couple more pictures together before being guided inside the theater where the award show is going to take place. Noah is seated somewhere else, and he’s escorted over to his table while we’re brought to ours.
Asher continues to be quiet, and I catch the tension in his jaw. I squeeze his bicep to get him to look at me. As soon as his eyes are on me, they soften.
“Are you okay?” I ask quietly.
“Yeah,” he grunts. “Just a lot of people.”
I nod. “I know, it’s a lot. But it’ll be over soon, then you get me all to yourself.”
He smirks, leaning closer. “Does that mean you’re sending Grayson home early?”
I giggle. “No, you get me mostly to yourself.”
“You’re lucky l—” he cuts himself off and I tense as he clears his throat. “You’re lucky I like sharing you.”
“Seems like we do still have secrets in our family.” My mom’s voice appears and I look up to see her and my dad taking their seats at the table with us.
Asher goes back to being tense, but I try to help soothe him with a hand on his thigh.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Colver,” Grayson greets easily, but I sense the small shake in his voice.
My dad grabs his shoulder, shaking him gently. “We’ve known you since before you were born, no Mr. and Mrs. bullshit from you.”
“Dad.” I give him a look that I hope he sees as take it easy.
“Asher, we didn’t expect to see you here.” My mom smiles, and Asher tenses even more under my hand.
“I didn’t expect to be here either,” he grunts.
“I didn’t realize you and Rae were such good…friends?” my mom goads.
“Mom.” I give her the same look I just gave my dad.
“Please tell me they serve good food at these things,” Grayson pulls the attention to himself, and my shoulders drop in relief, looking at him with a smile. He may not fully realize how much he just helped, but he did.
Asher may not admit it, but I can see the way he relaxes as well. They may act like they don’t get along, but maybe there’s a small chance they could be friends. And even though I’m the common ground between them, it could be enough. At least I hope so.