"Are those Air Jordans?"
Chase smiled and finally looked up at her. "Like them? I customized them on the website with the retro colors so I could wear to conventions. The old ladies love them."
"What old ladies are complimenting you on your sneakers?"
Chase gave her a small smile. Without saying a word, she knew what his answer was.Nana.
"So." Chase started patting his pockets in a move that Emma had become familiar with. "Wallet, phone, room key. Ready?"
"Yep. Yeah. Ready."
Chase gave her another look up and down. "Do you have a purse or something you need to grab?"
"Pockets!" She announced that too loudly and decided to take another shot at it. "The dress has pockets," she said in a softer tone as she stuffed her hands in her pockets to show them off.
"Alright, then," he said with an amused smile. "You ready to take your pockets downstairs?"
She nodded and they headed out of their roomwith Chase putting his warm palm on her back as he directed them out into the hallway. She wished it was longer than just that moment.
But Emma had to stay focused. They were there for a reason — or rather two reasons. First, because of the convention, and second, to spend money. Together. She was starting to worry that she wouldn't be able to spend all this cash by the deadline, and she was worried that Chase was a distraction. She needed to drop lots of money, not spend a little here and there on dinners and drinks and quiet nights eating take-out in Chase's kitchen. But she had at least a bit of a plan for this weekend.
A security guard was waiting for them at the end of the hotel's hallway by the service elevator that the convention was using to get some of the celebrities from their rooms to the convention floor while missing all the fans milling around. It felt kind of V.I.P. and Emma had to remind herself that things like this weren't normal. It would only last a few more weeks until her challenge from her grandmother was over.
He took a step closer to her as the door closed while still staying at a respectful distance. "I didn't warn the guys from the movie that you would be here, but I'm sure they'll be happy to meet you."
"Me?"
Chase turned and gave her a knowing smile, as if he had some secret, and didn't say another word until the doors opened to a bland hallway andanother security guard telling them where to go. It didn't take long for them to run into other people that she immediately recognized: Hunter Price and Vanessa Flynn, stars of the Project Lyonheart movie series. And yeah, they definitely looked like movie stars. It was like they had an aura around them that made them stand out in this boring hallway.
Then she remembered she was with another of those stars, but for some reason, Chase didn't give her the same rush or the same butterflies. She knew him now, or as well as a person could know an actor they were stuck with for a challenge.
Hunter looked up, his eyes landing on Emma, and then turned to Chase. "Hey, man," he said casually before looking back at his phone.
"Hi," Chase replied with a chipper voice. "Hello, Vanessa."
"Hey." She said with a small smile before politely turning to Emma. "I'm Vanessa."
"Emma."
Chase rolled his eyes. "EmmaColton," he said, emphasizing her last name.
Hunter's eyes snapped up from his phone. "Colton? Like Dorothy Colton?"
She couldn't stop the smile on her face. "Yeah, that's my grandmother."
"Oh, you knew Nana!"
Emma still found it weird to hear someone else call her "Nana" but she ignored it now because it was Hunter Price calling her grandmother that.
"I'm so glad you're here," Vanessa gushed. "We were so sorry when Chase said she passed away. We always loved seeing Nana at these conventions."
"I thought it would be nice to invite Emma tonight so she can see all of this."
"And people say you're a dick," Hunter replied.
Chase stared at Hunter with mocking anger. "Who said I'm a dick?"
Emma had to try hard to shut down the laughter that was threatening to break free. Chase wasn't really offended, she could tell, but she also knew there was probably some truth to that. There was someone somewhere who thought he was aloof or a stand-off celebrity. She could see him falling into behavior like that. Hell, she thought that about him when they first met.
