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Sheisbeautiful.Mybreath catches when I see her. She looks like an actual princess. My princess. Her familiar scent tickles my nose when I step closer to her. I close my eyes and breathe her in. I can’t believe it took me so long to realize that she is my whole world. She is my perfect mate. I take her hand, and we walk up the red carpet. Her smile makes me lose all sense of time.
I watch her look around the old theater with wide eyes of wonder like a kid discovering a new toy. I let her experience the atmosphere of one of Hollywood's most famous places. She places her hand in mine, and we walk around.
The director finds me, and I introduce him to Erica.
“Erica, it is so lovely to meet you. I only know what has been in the news. Aaron likes to keep his private life private, but the media just can’t let things be.” The director lets go of Erica’s hand after he kisses it.
She is blushing like a teenager. “It’s nice to meet you as well. I’ve known Aaron my whole life; what you see is what you get. Privacy is a priority for him.”
I see the director notice her “engagement” ring. I asked her to wear it to keep up appearances.
“Well, he must value you quite a bit. Aaron, let's chat at some point after the premiere, shall we?”
Excitement rushes through me. “Yes, of course. I’ll come to find you afterward.”
We shake hands before Erica, and I continue our walk.
Erica suddenly stops dead in her tracks. I looked at her and then looked to see what caught her eye. One of the A-list actresses is standing alone. I know Erica has been dying to meet her since I told her about the film.
“Aaron, can we…uh…would it be okay if…” Erica stops talking. I smile and walk her over.
I introduce Erica to Kate. Erica stares at Kate for what seems like minutes.
Finally, Kate breaks the silence. “That is a stunning ring. Aaron did right by you.”
Seemingly coming out of a trance, Erica says, “Thank you. I’m sorry for just staring. I am a huge fan of yours, and meeting you here tonight is a dream come true for me.”
Erica is gushing, and I’m laughing. “Honey, it’s ok. This happens to Kate all the time.”
“I know, but I feel kind of foolish now.” She is crimson and laughing nervously.
“Don’t worry about it. You are the most stunning woman here. I should be asking for your autograph.” Kate delivers the compliment smoothly and takes Erica’s hand. “It’s so nice to meet you. I have enjoyed working with Aaron on this film. You both deserve this night.”
Kate shakes my hand just as a photographer comes over.
“How about a picture with the three of you?” the photographer asks, arranging us for the photo.
Kate is in the middle, with me on one side and Erica, beaming from ear to ear, on the other. After the photo, he hands us a card where we can contact him for a copy. I stick it in my pocket and thank Kate for being so gracious.
As we walk away, Erica whispers her excitement, “Oh my god, I just met Kate. I can’t believe it.”
She throws her arms around me and thanks me profusely. A kiss lands on my lips, taking me by surprise. It surprised Erica, too, because she blushed and pulled back.
We walk around some more, Erica taking it all in, admiring the ornate detail of the theater, catching glimpses of all the famous people. I’m proud to be with her. The feeling I have walking into my premiere with Erica on my arm is like no other feeling in the world. It comes with its own high. I am proud to be with this woman — my best friend, and hopefully more, after our fantastic weekend that I have planned.
Still, I can't help but feel like Erica is hiding something from me. She’s been reticent. I know she worked her butt off to finish her work so she could be here for the premiere. I’m so grateful she is here. It could be that she is just tired from too little sleep and a lot of excitement. Her taking a nap today surprised me. She is not usually a nap taker. I am hopeful that her presence here tonight will dispel all the rumors and skepticism that have been floating around about our relationship since the clinic video. This premiere could do so much for my career. I don’t need rumors and uncertainty about my personal life affecting that.
We are making the rounds about the room, shaking hands and exchanging small talk. I introduce Erica every chance I get. A reporter stops us as we mingle and asks if we can answer a few questions. I look for my representative, but she is otherwise engaged, so I make an executive decision and say yes.
The reporter begins the onslaught.
“It’s wonderful seeing you both here tonight. Erica, it’s nice to finally get to meet you officially. We contacted you and your family for interviews once the news broke that you were engaged to Aaron, but no one returned our calls.” The reporter slides the jab in unexpectedly, throwing Erica off balance, but she recovers nicely.
“Yes, we don’t want media attention on our private lives. We hope you can understand that.” She smiles sweetly at the reporter, who loses some of her smugness.
“How is the distance working out with your relationship? It must be tough being separated.”
Again, Erica handles her like a pro. “We are doing as well as can be expected. Many couples do the long-distance thing, and it works out just fine. We will too.”
