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“Mr. Stride,” comes a woman’s husky voice from the other side of the closed bedroom door. It’s Samantha, the bodyguard Hunter hired to keep me safe. The vetting process had been a rigorous one. Not only has Samantha worked for some of the most important people in the world, she also has experience as a tutor and nanny, qualifications I assured Hunter would be incredibly useful to us once the baby arrived.
“Come in,” Hunter barks as he offers me his hand, helping me stand up from the bed. I’m perfectly capable of getting around on my own, but I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t like how he spoils me in these little ways.
Samantha pokes her head in. “The limo is out front, sir,” she says. “Charlie and Annabeth are also here. They mentioned sharing the limo?”
Hunter nods. “Yes. Our marketing team thought it best for the lead actress to arrive with us for the photo op.”
When we get downstairs, I’m floored at the beautiful gown Annabeth has chosen for the evening. It’s a deep emerald-green satin with golden beads sewn along the hems in an intricate floral pattern. Her hair is done up in classic Hollywood curls, her lipstick bright red and her eyelashes long and curled. Her neck is decorated with a gorgeous emerald and diamond necklace that compliments her overall ensemble.
“You look gorgeous,” I tell her.
Annabeth smiles. She looks every bit the part of an A-list celebrity. “Thank you, sweetie. One of these days, I’m going to bring you along as my red carpet date.”
I laugh. “That’s very nice of you, but I’d rather not be in the spotlight. That’s your thing.”
“Eden!” Taylor gasps as she rushes up the front steps of the mansion on Charlie’s arm. Charlie’s dressed in a tuxedo just like Hunter, though I’d argue that my man looks a tad more dashing. Taylor on the other hand is dressed casually in a pair of jeans and an old ACDC shirt she thrifted a couple of years ago.
I frown at her in confusion. “I thought you said you were joining Charlie at the premiere.”
“To be honest, I thought about it, but flashing lights make me dizzy. Plus, it’s also the first day of my period, so I’m feeling and looking absolutelyblah.”
Charlie chuckles. “I think you’re gorgeous all the time, but I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to.”
Taylor smiles sweetly, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek. “You know this doesn’t mean I’m not proud of you, right?”
“I know, sugar, don’t worry.” He squeezes her ass. “Besides, I’d rather keep you away from prying eyes. I want to keep you all to myself.”
She giggles. “Oh,you.”
Hunter clears his throat, checking the time on his phone. “We should get going. They can’t exactly get started without us, but I’d rather not deal with the traffic.”
I make sure to give Annabeth and Charlie a hug before giving Hunter a deep kiss. “Have fun,” I tell him. “And remember to smile for the cameras. Otherwise, the whole world will think you’re having a bad time at your own premiere.”
“I’ll be thinking about both of you the entire time,” he tells me, planting a kiss on my forehead before turning to leave out the door. We say our quick goodbyes and they’re off in style, disappearing past the tall gates and around the bend.
Taylor and I join Mei-Lee in the living room. The TV’s on, switched to a live stream of the premiere. Mei-Lee’s graciously made us all a big bowl of buttered popcorn and set out all sorts of sweet snacks for us to munch on while we watch the red carpet proceedings.
“Nowthisis the life,” Taylor says as she plops down on the couch. “Why spend the day getting ready to be scrutinized from every angle when we can watch everything from the comfort of our own home?”
I giggle. “My thoughts exactly.” I turn to Samantha and smile. She stands apart from us a reasonable distance away, her back against a wall with her hands folded neatly in front of her. “You’re welcome to join us, if you want.”
“That’s very kind of you, Ms. Spencer, but I’m on the clock.”
“You made sure the gate’s closed and the door’s bolted, right?”
“Of course, Ms. Spencer.”
“Then I don’t see why you can’t take a five-minute break.”
“Mr. Stride wouldn’t be pleased. He gave me very specific instructions to be on alert while he was out.”
I roll my eyes. “That worrywart. Please take a break and join us for a bit. We won’t tell a soul.”
Samantha looks like she’s weighing the pros and cons inside her head. After a moment, her stance relaxes. While she doesn’t sit down on the couch, she hovers just behind us and casually leans against the back, peering up at the TV.
“Have you ever worked a red carpet event?” Taylor asks.
“I have, actually. I used to work for a pop princess.” My bodyguard says this with a grimace. “Events like this are pretty secure. It’s the fans you have to worry about.”
