Sign On The Dotted Line

Chapter 15

Beth agreed as she put her arm around my shoulders, "if it makes you feel any better, they'll be equally as disappointed in me."

I choked out a chuckle as we continued walking, Beth's arm still around me. I looked from table to table, multiple vendors trying to entice us to stop by their tent.

I turned my head slightly to the right and to my horror, I saw that sleazy reporter Gary. We've had a couple of run-ins where I've asked him to respect my privacy but he ignores it and instead writes heinous articles about me.

I knew I recognized him from somewhere! I leaned over to Beth and whispered, "don't turn around, we have company."

She looked at me strangely, "what do you mean?"

I looked behind us subtly as Gary continued taking pictures at us, "paparazzi, and not even the good kind."

She stepped in front of me, looking past me, "the guy with the red cap with his pants hanging halfway down his butt? God, has he never heard of a belt? or like, rope?" She squinted here eyes, "wait I bumped into him on the way here. Doesn't he live in the same building as us?"

I frowned, "definitely not."

She mimicked my expression, "I always see him on my way out on the way to work. I literally thought he was a neighbour."

I sighed, "it's his job to hang around where celebrities live." I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked at her with affection, "so I'm going to play up the acting a little bit, ok? Don't freak out."

Beth's face blushed pink and grew to a darker red when I leaned in close and gave her a kiss on the cheek. I giggled quietly to myself as we continued to walk a little longer until we reached a small table with jewelry lined up neatly.

"Ooooooh! can we stop by here!" I squealed as I steered us to the table. I didn't wait for Beth to answer and just hoped she didn't mind.

The vendor was a young woman who stared at us wide-eyed, "Y-you're Claire Edwards," she stuttered.

"Huh, that was my first words when I met Claire too," Beth joked beside me.

I smiled at the woman, "this is my girlfriend, Beth. We're trying to keep a low profile."

"Yes! yes, of course, we are so happy you guys decided to stop by."

Beth raised an eyebrow, "we?"

The woman gestured behind her at a little girl clinging onto her leg looking up at us, "this is my daughter Charlotte."

Beth got down to Charlotte's eye level and grinned, "Hey, I'm Beth. My little sister's name is Charlotte too, but she likes to be called Charlie."

The little girl smiled shyly but stayed hidden behind her mom's leg.

I bent down and looked at the jewelry, "wow, these are amazing."

The woman smiled at the compliment, "thank you, they're all handmade."

My eyebrows shot up, "really? that's incredible," I picked up a ring with a small blue sapphire diamond in the middle, it kind of reminded me of Beth's blue eyes, "omg this is beautiful."

"Believe it or not, Charlotte was the one that designed it," the woman replied.

"No way," Beth exclaimed, "you have a bright future ahead of you," she said to Charlotte.

"I agree," I held up the ring, "Well I have no choice but to take this one, y'know before this she becomes famous." I took my wallet out and was about to give her the money when Beth stopped my hand.