A significant part of me just wanted to let the phone call from my mom ring out, but the other part knew doing so would only result in her attempting to call me ten more times until I answered. Or worse, show up on my doorstep. She didn't know exactly which apartment was mine, but she did know which apartment building I lived in. I hadn't even wanted to disclose that information to her but did it solely for safety reasons.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting myself have three extra seconds before I pushed myself into a sitting position and answered the call. "Hello?"
"Maisie, do you remember my friend Mikaela?"
"Yes," I said even though the honest answer was no.
"Well, she called me the other day and said she has a mole on her skin she thinks looks a little funny. She sent me a picture of it and I told her I would ask you if it was cancer or not."
It took everything in me to hold in a groan. This was exactly why I didn't want to answer. "Mom, why would you tell her that? How could I know if she had cancer? Even if I look at the mole?"
"Because you're a nurse," she responded, as if a nurse would have answers to every single medical question in the universe.
Let alone someone lying about being one.
"I'm an ICU nurse," I said, the lie coming too naturally to my tongue. "I'm not a.. a..." I panicked, momentarily forgetting what kind of doctor specialized in skin, afraid my hesitation would cast doubt on her belief of my lie. "Dermatologist!" I nearly shouted a moment later. "And even if I was, she'd still need to get tested to find out."
"So, you don't have cancer patients in the ICU?" she said and I could imagine her lips were pursed.
My grip on my phone tightened. "Even if we do, all I do is monitor them. I don't treat cancer. I'm not a doctor."
"Yet, right?" she hedged, as she always did.
It was never enough for her. I always had to have a higher goal for my career. I couldn't be content where I was. And so, it just forced me to keep on lying to her. "I'm still looking at medical schools."
"You should really hurry. Your brother finished his Ph.D. at your age."
"I know."
"Imagine the money you could make. Then you wouldn't have to live in that tiny apartment anymore."
I glanced around my so-called tiny apartment. A one bedroom with an office space, it was more than enough space for myself. My living room alone comfortably fit my couch, a recliner, my coffee table, a T.V-stand, a standing lamp... as well as my two floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that held copies of my own books, the books I collected, as well as a dozen or so nursing textbooks that I'd googled college students used for their courses. I'd been able to decorate it the exact way I wanted, unlike my room at my parent's house. They hadn't even let me re-arrange my room growing up.
"I'm happy here," I said.
"If success was based on how happy you were, you'd still be writing books holed up in your old bedroom."
I pursed my lips, trying not to let her words get to me. I didn't want to argue. "Did you need anything else?"
"Oh, don't get mad, Maisie. I know you understand everything was for your own good. And look at you now! Preparing to go to medical school, making your parents proud."
"I'm not mad," I said steadily, even though my pulse pounded in my ears and my stomach felt tight. I didn't want to hear this. "I'm just busy."
"Too busy for your own mother?"
"It's dinner time. I'm about to eat."
"Something healthy, I hope."
"A salad," I threw out, the healthiest thing that popped into my head. "I don't want the lettuce to get wilted, so I'm going to go eat now."
My mom sighed. "Oh, alright. I'll hang up. Should I still send you the photo for Mikaela?"
"No. Tell her to go to her primary care doctor and they can give her a reference to a dermatologist."
"Ugh, I'd hate to disappoint her like this. I talked you up so much."
And that's my fault, how? I thought to myself but kept my mouth shut. I could hang up soon. "I'm sure she'll understand why cancer can't be diagnosed by a photo."
"No need to be sarcastic, Maisie. I'll let you go, but I'd like you to send me at least five medical schools you're interested in attending by tonight so I can do some research, too. We'll help you choose the best one."
And by help, they meant they'd select the one they'd believe I would attend because it would become just another thing I had to lie about. I realized I was clenching my jaw and forced myself to relax the muscles. "Fine. I'll talk to you later."
"Don't forget. Love you."
She hung up before I could respond and I tossed my phone onto the couch before falling back against the cushions, feeling more exhausted from one simple conversation than an entire day on set. All our conversations went the same and they all left me with an unsettling feeling. I didn't enjoy lying to my parents, and I hated that it seemed I had to add to the lies with every phone call, but I had no other choice. But then it gave me anxiety not only because of the lies, but also because I had to remember everything I'd said to keep my stories straight.
"If they just let me live the way I wanted to, I wouldn't have to do this," I mumbled to myself, throwing my arm over my eyes.
I'd wanted to write tonight and maybe get an update out for my readers, but now I didn't think I could. If I sat in silence, I'd just replay the conversation with my mom in my mind over and over again trying to figure out a place where I slipped up even though I know I didn't. I needed to find something else to distract myself. Videogames? K-dramas? Maybe Levi would want to chat over the phone?
Levi sounded like the best idea, and I wanted to tell him about my day anyway, so I picked up my phone again to text him. As I did, a text from Director Ahn popped up, reminding me of the get-together, asking if I would come, and giving me the address. I ignored it, shooting a text to Levi, asking if he was around to chat.
While waiting for his response though, curiosity ended up getting the best of me, and I went back to Director Ahn's message, clicking the address to find out the location of the party. The Chateau Marmont popped up, making my eyebrows raise. I didn't know much about the hotel, but it seemed like a pretty fancy place to host a get-together. Had they rented out the restaurant or something?
A response from Levi appeared on the screen and my spirits rose until I read the contents.
Levi: I'm sorry, Maisie. I'm busy tonight. I might be able to talk after midnight if you're still up?
I frowned to myself but wrote back to Levi saying it was okay. He seemed to be busier than ever as of late. I knew a lot about Levi, but there were a few things I didn't know— where he lived, what his job was, and what he looked like. And to anyone else, those things might have been important to know before claiming someone was your best friend, but Levi and I were a unique case. After all, we'd met after getting into a fight in a game.
A smile crossed my face at the memory. I was usually never the type to get into voice chat, but I'd felt especially heated that day after arguing with my teammates in the in-game chat, and I'd demanded one of them join my Discord to continue our argument after the lobby closed. Levi was the one who'd had the courage to show up, and after going at each other for a few more moments, he suggested we team up for a game to test our skills again, and it was history after that.
My stomach rumbled and I pulled myself from my reverie, getting off the couch to wander into the kitchen, figuring cooking myself dinner would distract me for a little bit. But when the bare contents of my fridge stared back at me after I opened its doors, I remembered I'd meant to put in a grocery order the day before, and hadn't. I closed the fridge, cursing at myself. This was what I got for being lazy.
I opened the fridge one more time, just to double-check, but the brown mustard and half a tomato lying in it didn't tempt me. My stomach growled again, and this time I started to feel hunger pains, reminding me that I'd been so busy on set that I'd not eaten anything. Groaning, I closed the doors again, banging my head lightly against them. Did I have to order delivery? It always felt like a waste of money. But what else choice did I have?
I grabbed my phone again, ready to browse the Uber Eats app when another text from Director Ahn popped up. This time, an image of a delicious-looking plate of food. Grilled chicken with the perfect char, a medley of colorful vegetables like carrots and green beans, and, best of all, a fat helping of creamy mashed potatoes covered in butter and chives.
Director Ahn: You're missing out here, Maisie...
The image set my stomach off again. I couldn't be tempted by food. I couldn't.
I clicked the address again. An eight-minute walk from my apartment. Not bad. But so many people would be there...
But Director Ahn would be happy. And maybe I could just hide my face. There'd be so many people I could blend in with everyone else, and I doubted anyone would approach me. I could get in, say hi to Director Ahn, get the food, and then get out. It'd take all of maybe thirty minutes.
And it beat moping around in my foodless apartment.
Decided, I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my purse and keys, and headed out the door, throwing my hood on. Although it was getting late, the streets were still flooded with traffic, doing more to light up the sidewalk than the actual street lamps. I didn't mind, though. It made me feel safer. I set off at a brisk pace, always a little hesitant to be walking alone. I'd never run into much trouble, but my mother constantly talked about the crime rate around here, and I couldn't quite keep it out of my mind. I knew she only did it to try and get me to move back home, but it still stuck.
As I approached the hotel, my nerves kicked in full force, and I suddenly didn't know how I'd convinced myself to go so easily. The building stretched into the night sky as if trying to intimidate me. Each step closer felt like I was slogging through the mud. I tried to shove the anxiety away, hating how it made my chest tight, and my hands numb. There was no reason to feel anxious. Everyone there would be people I'd face almost daily as the filming continued. And to them, I was some no-name script assistant. No one would be interested or focused on me.
Although I just wanted to turn back and go home, I forced myself inside, relieved to see there were signs instructing where guests were to go for the party and where to check-in. I kept my head down as I checked in with the hotel staff, giving them my name, and getting the go-ahead to head to where the event was being held. It seemed it spread out from the restaurant to the garden terrace. There were a few people milling about the hallway that led to the garden terrace, but I couldn't place them. Perhaps from the filming crew?
I walked past them, admiring the interior of the hotel. I'd driven and walked by it dozens, if not hundreds of times, but I'd never visited. Both the inside and outside gave off a quaint, rustic feel, if not an outdated one. The architecture felt gothic—high ceilings, marble floors, and arched windows. From the windows, I could see warm light coming from the dark gardens, and eventually, the hall led me out to the garden terrace, where dozens of people were dressed elegantly, wine in hand, standing around chatting.
I froze, immediately realizing that I had made a huge mistake. Not because of the people, but because of my outfit. Why had I shown up in a hoodie? I should have expected this not to be a casual event! A blush burned at my cheeks and I quickly moved to hide in a little nook off to the side as someone brushed past me. Her long, beautiful dress rustled in the light wind, once again reminding me of how stupid it was to have come in here in a hoodie.
Was it too late to turn back and go home? I hadn't run into any familiar faces yet. I could make my escape and nobody would even know I showed up in the first place. I'd just text Director Ahn later and tell her I'd been too tired. Nodding to myself, I attempted to step out of the nook, but as I did so, Director Ahn appeared, stepping out of the door I'd come through and out onto the terrace.
I backed up, startled, bumping into a garden chair and losing my balance. I fell onto the soft cushion of the chair, nearly biting my tongue as I held in my gasp of surprise, hoping that Director Ahn wouldn't notice me. She didn't even look in my direction as she passed by and the chatter between her and a few crew members overtook the sound of me tripping. I breathed a sigh of relief, moving my hands to push myself off the chair, and pausing when they touched something soft and warm... too soft and warm to be the metal arms of the chair.
I nearly fell over again with how fast I shoved myself up from the chair. Dread filled me as I slowly turned to see what I'd sat on. While it was indeed a chair I'd fallen into, it was an occupied chair. My face flamed as my gaze traveled from polished black shoes, to smooth black slacks, to a crisp maroon button-up, and finally to Theo Park's pink lips. Lips that were pressed in a firm line as he sat stock-still.
I refused to even look into his eyes.
I would run.
I twisted on my heel, ready to bolt, but before I could take one step a firm grasp on my wrist stopped me. "Don't move." All thoughts of escaping fled my mind, and instead I turned back, meeting Theo's dark gaze. He lifted his free hand, pulling my hood off my head, and his lips curved down. "It's you again."
"I'm so sorry!" I blurted out. "I didn't know you were there and I just got startled—"
"Are you trying to say this was another accident? Like walking into my dressing room earlier?"
My heart skipped a beat at his harsh tone. Right. He'd thought I was a pervert earlier. "No, that's really not—"
"Did you wait for Rowan to leave my side first?"
Rowan? The woman from earlier on set? I shook my head, trying to take a step back, but he held my wrist firm. "I just got here. I wasn't trying to find you or anything, I promise!"
His eyes narrowed, and it really didn't look like he believed me at all. A twinge of annoyance sparked in me, replacing the panic. Why was he being so accusatory? Because of one accident? But he'd even accepted my apology earlier!
"This is an invite-only event," he said.
"I was invited," I told him quickly. "Director Ahn invited me."
"Why would Director Ahn invite the script supervisor assistant?"
I opened my mouth to answer that but realized I didn't have an answer. I'd just assumed this had been a get-together for the entire crew, but now that I was thinking about it, there was no way that was true. We wouldn't even all fit here. "That's... because we're friends," I eventually said hesitantly.
It didn't help my case. Theo's lips pursed. "Let's catch up to Eileen and see if you're telling the truth," he said flatly.
"Huh?" I stared at him, my mouth falling open. No, I was trying to avoid Director Ahn. I needed to escape before she noticed me! "Ask her yourself— I'm leaving."
"So now you're leaving now that you're caught?"
I could feel my frustration mounting and the pitch of my voice rose. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Then let's see what Eileen has to say," Theo answered, standing from the chair, but not releasing his hold on me, moving it to my sleeve instead. "You shouldn't have a problem with that if you're truly not doing something wrong."
"I gave my name to the hotel staff and they let me in," I pointed out, staring up at him, feeling intimidated by our height difference. My head barely reached his shoulder.
His expression remained stern. "I've heard that one before. Let's go."
As he began walking, towing me in his wake, I turned over his words in my mind. I've heard that one before. Did that mean something like this had happened before? Then, had someone broken into his dressing room before, too? Was that way he'd acted so coldly earlier and now, too? Why he refused to believe me?
In a way, I could believe it. Theo was rising quickly in fame and was incredibly handsome. I'd heard horror stories of famous people who'd had stalkers before and fans that took it too far. It was actually part of the reason I was glad my identity was a secret— even readers could take things too far with their favorite, or least favorite, authors. On any given day I had threats in my direct messages online.
I kept my mouth shut as I followed Theo, resigned to this fate. If it would relieve him to confirm my words, then I'd let him. We had gotten off on the wrong, awkward, foot. I supposed I couldn't blame him for being cautious, especially if something had happened to him before. I eyed his hand still encased on my sleeve. His knuckles shone white against his skin revealing how tightly he held it as if he didn't want me to escape.
"Theo."
A voice called from behind Theo and I, making me glance over my shoulder back at them. The red-headed woman from earlier, Rowan, marched toward us, looking stunning in a form-fitting black dress that had a slit which showed off a toned leg every time she took a step. Her heels were so high I couldn't believe she could walk as easily as she did.
She came to a stop in front of Theo, her heels putting her at almost the same height as me, making me feel incredibly short with both of them towering over me. Her eyes met mine briefly before returning back to Theo's.
"Did you get it fixed?" Theo asked her.
"They put the wrong name," Rowan said, her expression pinched.
Theo frowned at her. "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Rowan waved him off. "I took care of it already."
I glanced between them, wondering if they forgot I was there. Maybe I could just slowly make my escape...
"What's with her?" Rowan asked.
"Trespasser," Theo responded.
"I'm not," I piped in.
Rowan fully turned toward me, her arms crossing over her chest. "Who even are you?"
"I'm the script supervisor assistant," I told her, straightening out my back to stand to my full height, but still not even coming close to being level with her.
"Should I take care of her?" she asked Theo, still staring at me.
"Not yet," Theo said. "On the off chance that she's telling the truth."
"I am!" I said, exasperated.
Theo ignored me. "If Eileen doesn't verify her identity, feel free to remove her."
Rowan smirked a little, eyeing me again. "Of course."
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at her look. Bow lips as red as blood, sharp green eyes surrounded by black eyeshadow, a flawless face with a jawline a model would envy. She gave off a very femme fatale vibe.
I decided there and then to never test her. As Theo started walking again, I followed him eagerly, Rowan trailing behind me. Director Ahn wasn't too far off, settled into the middle of the garden terrace at a table underneath a couple of strands of string lights, giving the area just enough light to recognize faces, but keep a romantic atmosphere. Feeling like a prisoner being led to their cell, I let Theo position me at his side as we came to a stop in front of her, and he finally let go of my sleeve. There was a crowd of people around her, and I really hoped Theo wouldn't draw their attention.
Her eyes lit up at the sight of me, and she put her drink down, standing up and stepping away from the tables a bit to greet me. "Maisie! I'm so glad you decided to come!"
I tilted my head back to look up at Theo, satisfied by Director Ahn's response. Theo would have to believe me now. "See?"
"You invited her?" Theo asked Director Ahn, ignoring me.
Director Ahn nodded happily, beaming at Theo. "Of course! Why wouldn't I?"
"Since she's only a script supervisor assistant, and Zara wasn't even invited."
A blank expression crossed Director Ahn's face for a moment and even I froze. I hadn't known Zara wasn't even invited. Didn't it make it suspicious that I was? How would Director Ahn respond? She wouldn't give me away, would she?
Director Ahn's eyes met mine briefly and I looked back at her, worried. She wouldn't...
"That's because Maisie is so new to all of this that I wanted her to be able to mingle with everyone," she eventually said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I asked Zara to come, too, but she said she'd already had plans. That's why she isn't here."
"Are you friends with Maisie?" Theo asked.
"Oh, yes, that, too. We've been friends for quite a long time now. But inviting her was more for professional reasons," Director Ahn explained.
I nodded along to Director Ahn's story, awkwardly putting my arm around her waist, in an attempt to show how close we were. It wasn't all a lie. I had known Director Ahn for a few years now. She'd been a fan of mine that had become a friend... and a colleague. If it wasn't for her, I wasn't sure my book would be being made into a movie.
"You're much older than her, Director Ahn. How did you two meet?" Rowan asked, leaning back as if trying to gauge Director Ahn's body language with her response.
My arm went taught around Director Ahn's waist and I forced myself to keep a polite smile on my face. Why were they digging so deep into this? Hadn't they got the confirmation they wanted?
"It's not polite to mention someone's age," Director Ahn chided. "Also, you both should know age doesn't matter with friends, especially in this career. People of all ages work on set. We should strive to befriend everyone and make it a welcoming place."
I nodded again, lifting my eyebrows, and staring at Theo and Rowan in an I-told-you-so way.
Silence stretched between the four of us for a tense moment before Theo sighed. "Alright. Sorry for the misunderstanding."
Not expecting his apology, I just kept nodding, not responding, but then Director Ahn nudged me in the side. I flushed, forcing my head to stop bobbing. "Oh. Well, me, too. Sorry about earlier. It really was an accident."
"I suppose it was."
"What happened earlier?" Rowan asked.
"Nothing!" I said quickly, throwing Theo a pleading look. "I just bumped into him."
"Hmm..."
Theo shook his head, putting his hands in his pockets. "Nothing, Rowan. It's fine. She's on the list. I suppose I'm just a bit on edge."
Rowan didn't relax her stance. "I'll be keeping my eye on you."
"Me?" I said, pointing at myself.
"Let's go, Theo," she said, ignoring me. "You haven't eaten anything all day."
Director Ahn waved as the pair left us, heading back into the hotel. I finally stepped away from her, heaving a long sigh as I adjusted myself so I stood in front of her. She put her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow questioningly at me. "What was that all about?"
"Theo seems to be a bit suspicious of me."
Her eyes widened. "As in he knows who you are?"
I put a finger to my lips, glancing back at the people still seated at the table behind her. "Not so loud!"
"Oops," she responded, scratching her neck sheepishly.
"But no. In a different way. We had an awkward run-in earlier." I ended it there, not wanting to elaborate. She didn't need to know he thought I was some pervert.
"Theo is a bit cold, but he warms up to people quickly," she assured me, and I wonder how she construed my explanation.
"You can say that again," someone said from behind me, making me jump.
Director Ahn's gaze went behind me and she held up a hand in greeting. "Oh, you came?"
"Could I give up free food?"
When I turned to look at who was speaking, I nearly stepped on their shoes with how close they stood to me. I backed up a step before taking in their appearance. Tall, lean, blonde hair, beautiful green eyes that glowed under the string lights... I realized it was the man I'd bumped into earlier. I opened my mouth to greet him, but he spoke before I could.
"Oh, you're from this morning!" he said, grinning. "I guess you ended up finding Director Ahn, huh?"
"Yes, thank you," I mumbled, lowering my gaze again, feeling shy for some reason.
"You two have met already? I didn't realize you went to the set today," Director Ahn said.
The man nodded, snagging three drinks off a tray as a member of the hotel staff walked by carrying a platter of champagne. After offering one to Director Ahn, he handed one to me, which I took, even though I didn't drink much, if at all. "I just came to scope things out. I'm on the call sheet for tomorrow."
I took a sip of the champagne, nearly recoiling at the acidic taste. Nope, champagne was not for me.
"I'm looking forward to finally shooting with you. I'm sure we'll get the perfect takes," Director Ahn said.
Takes? I looked back at the blonde, studying his face a little more. He did look familiar, and not just because we'd bumped into each other earlier, but who...
"Didn't you have a ponytail before?" I asked, realizing that his hair, while still a bit on the long side, was missing the little ponytail I'd noticed earlier.
"Hm? Our first meeting held such significance to you that you remembered my hair was a little longer?" he teased, leaning toward me.
I lifted up my champagne again to use as a barrier between us, hoping the heat in my cheeks didn't show. "I just remembered it, is all."
"Well, I wanted to keep it, but the character I'm playing is supposed to have short hair, so the hairstylist chopped it off."
He was an actor? I studied his face again, brows drawing together. Who was he supposed to be playing? The only character with blond hair in my book was... "You're the actor playing Oliver?" I asked.
"Yep. I'm Levi Sinclair," he said happily.
"You must not have recognized him because his hair was black at the script reading when you attended," Director Ahn said, amused.
"Oh!" I said, now embarrassed. No wonder Levi looked familiar. I'd stared for hours at the casting photos, where he'd had black hair. I tried to keep my excitement down as I took Levi in anew. I hadn't formally met him yet. Oliver, the character he played, was the second lead in my book. He would have a lot of screen time. I remembered seeing the actor's name was Levi and immediately texting my Levi about the coincidence.
This Levi noticed my sudden interest and gave me a lopsided grin. "Oliver must be your favorite character to recognize him by just his hair color."
"Haha, yeah..." I needed to keep my mouth shut.
Director Ahn quickly stepped in. "Levi, this is Maisie. She's the assistant script supervisor, so you'll see her around a lot."
"Looking forward to it," Levi said with a wink.
Director Ahn rolled her eyes. "There's no time to be flirting on a movie set. Come on, I want to introduce you to a few other people, Maisie."
"I'll tag along," Levi said. "I haven't met most of the crew yet."
Director Ahn allowed this, and she started her introductions with everyone she had been sitting with at the table behind her. I was glad Levi had decided to tag along— it wasn't as awkward when a member of the main cast was being introduced alongside me. Most people probably thought he was the one being introduced and I was the extra. Which was good, because I didn't need the extra attention. I had a secret to keep.
The rest of the night went by in a blur. I'd met too many people, tried to learn too many names, and taken too many gross sips of the champagne before giving up, and placing it down at a random table. Levi and Director Ahn chatted it up with everyone that came by and my social meter was so drained I figured I'd need six months to fill it back up.
When we finally made it to the restaurant area, I immediately bee-lined for the food, parting from Levi and Director Ahn. I tried to make myself inconspicuous while I filled up a plate with mashed potatoes, barbeque chicken, green beans, fingerling potatoes, asparagus... I used up every spot on my plate before making a second plate of desserts and finding an empty table to eat at.
My stomach rumbled and I felt like I couldn't eat fast enough. Everything was as delicious as it looked in the photo Director Ahn had sent me, and finally, I felt like it was worth coming here. When I finished my main meal, I moved on to my dessert plate, relishing in the sweet chocolate of the mousse cake, and the tartness of cherry pie.
Then, when I was full and sated, I wandered my way back over to Director Ahn to tell her I was leaving... using the excuse of I had deadline work to do.
She easily accepted my white lie and I booked it to the hotel entrance to get out before she decided I needed to meet another dozen people. Although I tried to move quickly, the inside area was extremely crowded, and it took forever to squeeze through the throngs of people congesting the restaurant and hallway.
As I stepped out into the hotel's portico, relieved to be free, I came to a dead halt as I noticed rain pelting from the sky. My heart sank. When the hell had it started raining? We'd been outside for most of the night! Had it started when we finally made it inside to the restaurant? The stairs, sidewalk, and road were all wet, glistening, and reflecting the blurred lights from buildings and the headlights of cars passing by. Light cut through the darkness as a car passed by, almost invisible under the density of the rain.
I was going to get drenched. Of course, this would be my luck. I'd just have to make a run for it.
I put my hood on, even though I knew it would be soaked through within seconds, but it would at least offer a thin barrier from the rain. Giving myself one more moment to prepare myself, I took a deep breath and marched forward.
I expected to be bombarded by raindrops immediately, but I stayed surprisingly dry. Confused, I looked up, and realized the sky was pitch black now— no wait, that wasn't the sky. It was the plastic underside of an umbrella.
I turned around to see Theo holding an umbrella over me, his features softened by the glow of the streetlights. "Are you walking home?" he asked.
"Uh, yeah," I responded, barely able to make out his low voice over the drumming of rain on the umbrella.
He took my hand that lay limply by my side and pressed the umbrella handle into it. "Take this."
I tried to push it back. "No, that's okay—"
"I'd offer to drive you home, but I have to head back in. I'm the star of the hour," he said, the last bit taking on a sarcastic tone as his voice lowered.
I accepted the umbrella, our knuckles brushing as I did so, still feeling bewildered. How did he know I was here? Had he brought me an umbrella on purpose? And why would he even offer me a ride home if he could? Didn't he think I was some weird pervert stalker?
Silence stretched us for a moment, the only noise the rain. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed, lowering his gaze. "About earlier... I'm sorry."
"You're sorry? For what?"
"For grabbing you and dragging you around. It must have been uncomfortable to have an adult man you barely know treat you that way. I shouldn't have done that, even if I had my own suspicions. I should have let security handle it."
"Oh, um..." I didn't know what to say. "Thank you for apologizing, but as you said, you had your own reasons."
He looked back up at me, his lips curving down, his deep brown eyes trained on mine. "You shouldn't excuse the actions of someone who treated you like that."
"Then what..." I trailed off, not knowing what he wanted from me, feeling heat crawl at the back of my neck. It was hard to stand this close to him. I could smell the scent of his cologne, a sublime masculine scent of cedarwood and geranium. And with him up close, I could see how flawless his skin was, making me both jealous and self-conscious.
"Take this umbrella and get home safe," he said firmly.
"Okay, thanks," I responded, readjusting my grip on the umbrella. The October air felt colder with the rain, and I could feel my hand shaking a little. Although I really wasn't sure if that was from the chill, or from my nerves.
A hint of concern crossed Theo's face and he reached into his pocket for his phone. "Actually, stay here. I'll ask Rowan to give you a ride—"
"That's okay!" I said quickly. I didn't think Rowan liked me much. And sitting in a confined space with her did not sound like a great time. "I live close. Thanks for the umbrella!"
"Hey!" he called after me as I turned and jumped down the front steps of the hotel, nearly slipping on the saturated stone.
Embarrassed, I turned around and gave him one quick wave before hurrying off into the rain.