11. Chapter Eleven
And the entertainment reporter says, “It must be serious if she has him making appearances at her mother’s grand openings.”
* * *
I hate that my body is reacting to my lunch and my stomach is growling as Graham and I walk toward the new spa my mother is opening.
I know he can hear it, and to his credit, he hasn’t said anything.
It’s not until we are on the outskirts of the crowd that has amassed around the balloon arch and the podium that he finally reaches for my hand and interlaces our fingers.
This is it. Not that my parents have paid any attention to the media, but my mother will see me holding hands with Graham now.
I hike my purse up on my shoulder and put on my biggest smile as we walk through the crowd.
Penny sees us and moves to me. “Your mother is in the office and wants to see you before she makes her appearance.”
My thought is that she should already be working the crowd. But this is normal for her. She must know what she’s doing.
I give Penny a nod and turn back to Graham. “I have to go see my mother. I’ll be right back,” I say.
He nods, but as I try to pull away from him, he pulls me back by our joined hands. I look up and him and he leans his head down and moves toward me, pressing a gentle kiss on my lips.
Smiling, he eases back, but I’m worried that my expression is terrified.
“I’ll be right here,” he says gently and softly, as if it were meant just for me to hear, and not for those who are watching us.
I give him a nod and follow Penny into the office where my mother is having her makeup done.
“Sweetheart, you made it,” she says, keeping her head still as the woman applies lipstick.
“Of course I did,” I say, wondering if I had an option. “I just had lunch in the restaurant.”
“I heard you were in there with Graham Crowley.”
I swallow hard knowing how quickly news travels. “I was. He’s here with me.”
“Since when do you see him socially? I thought you didn’t like him.”
I look around the room at the few people I don’t know. There is a look people have when they’re trying to do their job and act as if they aren’t listening for personal information. I’ve been around it my entire life. So, you watch what you say and when you say it.
“Things seem to have worked out differently for us,” I say, and then decide to change the subject. “There’s quite a crowd out there.”
“Honey, this concept spa is going to be big,” she says, turning in the chair as the woman doing her makeup begins to put away her brushes.
“I look forward to having the new services,” I say.
“You can book before you leave.”
No special treatment for me, I think selfishly. I know they have couples’ services. Maybe I could book for Graham and me.
I suck in a breath the moment I realize that I’ve lumped us together. I don’t want to spend time with him like that. What in the hell was I thinking?
“What do you think?” My mother stands before me and does a little spin in an elegant green suit.
“You look stunning,” I say.
She reaches for my hands. “Make sure you have some champagne,” she says before her publicist ushers her out the door.
I stand in the room now with the women who had done my mother’s hair and makeup, and Penny, who is watching me. I’ve all but been dismissed by my mother so she can go be in the spotlight.
Penny moves to me. “Can I get you anything?” she asks.
“I’m good. Really, you don’t have to stay for all of this,” I say.
Penny’s eyes go wide, and her mouth opens and closes as if I’ve taken her by surprise.
“Are you sure?” she asks.
“I’m sure. Enjoy your day.”
Her mouth twitches as if she wants to smile. She thanks me and hurries out the door.
I think about what just transpired. Do I not allow her time away from my social agenda? I consider it for a moment. No, I don’t. I’ll need to be more aware of that. Penny should have her own life, too.
Checking myself in the mirror, I retrieve a tube of lipstick from my purse. I fix my lip color and drop the tube back into my purse. Before I leave the room, I smile at those who are quietly watching me.
The moment I step out of the office and into the crowd, I look for Graham. He’s standing to the side talking to Penny, but I notice the cameras and phones aimed at him taking pictures.
I move to him, and Penny says goodbye and heads out.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“Yeah. I’m fine,” I say, smiling up at him, and then I slip my hand into his. Honestly, I never thought Graham Crowley would be my comfort.
* * *
“You’re awfully quiet,” Graham says as we drive away from the hotel. “Are you sure everything is okay?”
“I’m sure.” I turn in my seat and look at him. “I guess the press got what they were looking for today, huh?”
He grins. “We’re still not the hottest couple out there,” he says.
“Enough to make life a bit interesting, I guess.”
He lets out a low hum. “Interesting. That it is. Do you think your mother even realized we were there together?”
“She mentioned it when I went to see her before she spoke.”
“And?”
“And she asked what that was about. She thought I didn’t like you.”
A grin curls up the side of his mouth. “You don’t like me. So, what did you tell her? Did you tell her it’s just a publicity scam?”
I brush my hands over my skirt. “No. She doesn’t need to know that. I just told her things worked out differently for us, and she let it go at that.”
“Interesting. I’m surprised I haven’t heard from my mother about it yet. I mean, we’re nearly four days into this,” he says with a laugh.
“Don’t you speak to your mother?”
“All the time. That’s why it’s interesting. But she doesn’t watch gossip shows. She just doesn’t care about it.”
“You’re in the industry. Doesn’t she keep up on it for that reason?”
“My brother is a marine. She cares about the danger he might be in, but she’s not into following politics. I’m in the entertainment industry. If I were being stalked, she might care. Me being seen with a woman I work with, that’s not newsworthy to her.”
I’d like to say my family was the same, but he knows that’s a lie. My mother is obsessed with seeing herself in the press, and though my father doesn’t say anything about it, he’s equally obsessed. It’s not always easy either. Though big producers don’t always get the same amount of applause when they step out into public, their dirty laundry is shouted equally loud.
Uncomfortable with the intimate conversation, I change it. “What plans do you have for the rest of the day?”
“I’m working out with my trainer.”
“Oh,” I say. Of course he has things going on. I’m probably one of the only people in this town that’s lonely if I’m not working.
“Would you like to work out with us?” he asks.
“No,” I say quickly, and he lets out a little chuckle.
“You’re considering that In-N-Out offer, aren’t you?” he asks, a bit too amused.
I purse my lips, but the smile breaks through anyway. “Yes.”
“How about we get it and take a drive down the coast?”
“But you have plans.”
“Plans can always be changed.”
Now I smile at the consideration he’s giving me. “Thank you,” I say. I guess I’m desperate for companionship. I mean, I’m agreeing to more time with Graham Crowley.
Graham laughs. “Thank you? Are you kidding? I’m excited to watch you eat. It’ll be like an event.”
“If you’re just going to tease me?—”
“I am. But I like teasing you because your cheeks get all red when I get under your skin.”
“Well, it’s not nice.”
“I’m sorry,” he says sincerely, and he reaches for my hand. “This isn’t easy on either of us.”
I look down at our joined hands and wonder why he did that. But I don’t pull my hand back. For some reason there is comfort with our palms pressed together and our fingers entwined.
“What’s not easy? The being nice?”
He gives that some thought. “Yeah, I guess that’s what I mean.”
“Just because I agreed to food doesn’t mean I like you.”
“I get that. Just because I want to feed you doesn’t mean I like you either.”
“Good. I’m more comfortable loathing you.”
He grins, and I can’t help but smile too. Surely the meaning of loathing one another doesn’t mean the same thing as we hold hands.
“Double-double, animal style?” he asks and my mouth waters at the mention of the menu item at the hamburger chain.
“Make sure to get animal style on the fries too,” I say, and he actually laughs.
My decision is made. I’ll hate him tomorrow.