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Just when I got my big toe in the last slipper, Jake’s voice echoed up the hall and into the room.
“Babe, you coming down?” he asked.
I was nervous about being in front of the cameras, but being on his arm was going to make it all worth it.
I took a deep breath and came down the stairs of our house. We had been living there for six months after Jake had sold his bachelor pad and bought a bigger home that we could both appreciate and be comfortable in. It wasn’t too big or too small, just big enough to keep Hilda on staff four days a week.
The woman had been so good to me and helped me settle in, and she had even given me a few pointers about the red carpet.
When I walked down the stairs, I didn’t expect he’d be standing around waiting for me. He paced the floor, and when my footsteps grew heavy on the stairs, he looked up and his mouth fell open like he couldn’t believe it was me.
“Wow, you look amazing, Kate. You make that dress look so good, I want to take it off you right now.” He closed the distance between us and pulled me close.
“Don’t ruin my face,” I warned, leaning back from him.
He laughed and kissed my cheek, barely brushing his lips against my flesh to mind my makeup. “Is that all I get?” His hand slid down and patted me on the behind.
“You keep your hands to yourself. I didn’t get all fixed up for your red carpet to become another scandal with a wrinkled dress. I don’t want one hair out of place.”
“Then we had better get going. Fashionably late is okay, but if we get there after the movie starts, we’re in hot water.”
The doorbell rang, and Jake walked over to get it while I found my clutch handbag that I’d left on the coffee table.
“The car is ready,” he said. “Are you?”
I took a big breath, thinking of how many eyes and camera lenses were going to be on us once we arrived at the theater. “No, but I know this is all part of your fame, and it’s what I signed up for.”
“You’re too good to me,” he said with a wink.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re worth it.” It wasn’t like he didn’t spoil me too, taking me to the university’s charity dinners and making large donations to causes that I loved, especially the one he’d made to save my job.
We arrived at the show just behind Tess, and Jake had us wait until she had her big moment before we got out of the car. Through the window, we watched her, and she not only looked like a real pro, working the carpet and the crowd, but she looked like a goddess in her long red dress.
“She’s stunning,” I said. “They love her.”
“Yeah, I’m glad the critics finally saw her true talent. She’s getting better reviews than I am.”
“Please, they keep talking about you and Oscar. I was beginning to think it was your new last name.”
He chuckled. “Well, we’ll see. I’m not one to count my chickens too early. You never know what will be released next week. There are a lot of other talented actors out there.”
Jake’s humility made me smile. “No way. You’re the only actor that matters to me, and I personally think you’re the hottest.”
He turned and leaned in close. “I’d kiss you, but it would mess up your makeup, and I’m not going to spend the rest of the night in the doghouse.”
I leaned in and kissed his cheek. “There. Now it’s all my fault.”
He belted a laugh as the driver pulled up and stopped.
“Are you ready?” Jake asked.
“No, stop asking me that. I’m not ever going to be ready.”
He turned and stepped out of the limo. He stopped as the crowd cheered, and the lights flashed as he offered me his hand. “Don’t let the lights get to you,” he said quietly.
I kept my eyes focused above the crowd and smiled big enough to show my teeth, which I had just whitened just for the event. It was still nothing compared to Jake’s snow-white smile.
As we walked up the red carpet, waving and smiling to the crowd, Jake put his arm in mine and kissed my cheek, making the crowd go even wilder.
What else would one expect for the hottest man alive?
Finally, after Jake and I got into the theater, we greeted the staff, cast, and crew, and then situated ourselves in our seats for the movie.
Tess and Austin were in our row, and while they’d come in separate cars, she had made sure to have her stuntman boyfriend seated beside her.
When the movie started, the crowd cheered, and Ben stood up and took a bow when his name was flashed on the screen. Then he sat down as the movie’s opening scene began.
