CHAPTER SEVEN
Paige threw the covers back and sat up in bed. It was hard to sleep in hotel rooms and harder still when her mind was whirling, her thoughts too numerous and varied to let her rest. The movie premiere had been as horrible as she’d predicted but then had turned rather pleasant. Nate Mason had somehow managed to pry her out of the limousine and get her to her seat without a zombie apocalypse starting.
He’d been…nice. And comforting. A strong arm she could lean on when she was overwhelmed. She hadn’t seen much of him after the movie began; he’d been seated far away from herself in the Hollywood star section while she’d been in the “minor celebrity and no one knows who the hell you are” section but once or twice she thought she’d felt his gaze on her when she wasn’t looking.
Because she’d felt so badly about her panic, she’d even attended the after-party with Helen and Carrie where her publicist introduced her to a few movers and shakers in the film industry. Paige called on all the charm she possessed to be friendly and entertaining, hopefully gaining the attention of a few powerful producers while also watching Nate from the corner of her eye.
A man who was not only used to being the center of attention, he clearly reveled in it. A circle of pretty and giggling women had formed around him, just like at the coffee shop that morning and he’d danced with each female one by one. The hard partying man who flirted and charmed every woman in the place was in stark contrast to the gentle and encouraging man who had talked her out of the car.
Even Helen had been smiling by the end of the evening. Paige later apologized and the older woman had been kind but blunt. If she wanted control of the movie she was going to have to learn to play the game. If she didn’t think she could do that, they could part ways. No hard feelings. Helen had urged Paige to take a few days to think it over.
She wanted it so badly. Flynn brought to life was a dream she wasn’t willing to give up on. Not yet anyway. Her agent had assured her they were close but Paige had some work to do with her public relations.
Swinging her legs down to the floor, she stuffed them in a pair of slippers while she reached for her bright pink hoodie she’d thrown on the chair next to the bed. Slipping it over her head, she padded out to the living room and pulled a bottle of water from the small refrigerator.
Nate. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. How he’d helped her. For no other reason than he was a gentleman. He hadn’t done it because she had something he wanted. He hadn’t pleaded with her to sign the contract, hadn’t listed all the reasons she should. He’d just been there when she really needed him. It said a great deal about the man that he was.
It was there, staring out over the New York City skyline that she made her decision. She’d been playing it safe in her life for so long and if there was ever a moment to go big it was right now. If she wanted her dream to come true she had to be willing to do something she’d never done before to get it.
Grabbing her room keycard, she shoved it in the pocket of her hoodie and headed for Nate’s room, just one floor up where they’d met earlier. As she raised her arm to knock on the door, she hesitated for a moment. Not because she was unsure as to what she wanted, but because he had no idea she was coming. He might not even be back from partying. Or worse, he might have a…guest…in there with him. That would be mortifying.
What’s the worst that can happen?
Inwardly rolling her eyes, she made six sharp raps on the door, holding her breath the entire time, her heart beating against her ribcage. No one came to the door and she was about to turn and flee when it swung open, a sleepy-looking Nate standing in the doorway.
He looked adorable and it wasn’t fair. Dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt, his hair was standing on end and his eyes were squinty and unfocused. She’d woken him up.
“Paige, are you alright?”
Sucking in a breath, she nodded. “I’m sorry to wake you up. Can we talk?”
He blinked a few times and then stepped back so she could enter his room. “Of course, come on in.”
He flicked on a lamp in the sitting area and motioned toward the sofa while he sat on the coffee table right in front of her, their knees brushing. “Now why don’t you tell me why you’re here? You look a trifle upset, love. Did something happen at the after party?”
She’d completely forgotten the party already. “No, I wanted to talk to you.”
He sat there and waited patiently, his warm scent wafting around her. A little citrus, a little whiskey, and just a touch of fabric softener. “I’m listening.”
He was too, watching her intently as she tried to form a coherent sentence. “I’ve been thinking. You know…about what we talked about yesterday afternoon.”
That famous brow quirked up but he still didn’t say anything, although he looked like he was dying to. It said something about his self-control that he stayed quiet.
“I’ve been thinking,” Paige said again, her fingers tangled in the cord from her hood. “I think that maybe I’d like to say yes.”
His smile was immediate and he reached out to clasp her cold hands, his large and warm and comforting. “That is wonderful news. I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear you say that. What changed your mind?”
She was about to tell him that he had, the way he’d acted, but for some reason she didn’t. This wasn’t an emotional free-for-all. This was a business deal and there wouldn’t be hugs and cookies when they inked the contract.
“Clearly I need help at these social events,” she said instead, happy that her voice sounded normal when inside she was shaking like a leaf. She was scared to death. “I don’t think I can do all of this by myself. Plus, these events will raise my profile which in turns help me in contract negotiations. It’s a big win for me.”
“And for me,” he said deeply, his blue gaze shining with happiness. “I promise you that I will bring Flynn to life in a manner that you’ll be proud of.”
She believed him, although that might be foolish. He appeared completely sincere but he was an award-winning actor. He was paid to convince people that lies were truth. It was a detail she needed to remember in the coming weeks and months.
“I think you will. We have the same goal basically. Get the movie deal and then make the film. I think if we work together we can get it done. I know I can’t do it alone.”
He shook his head. “I think you could actually but it might take longer and it would be harder. But why go through that all alone when I can be by your side?”
Like a team but not quite. Business partners, maybe. Yes, that’s how she’d think of them.
Paige pulled her hand from his grasp, slightly trembling but hopefully he wouldn’t notice. “Shall we shake on it?”
His smiled widened and his big hand engulfed hers. “We shall. It’s a deal, Paige Mitchell. We’re a couple.”
A couple of idiots. There was one fly in this ointment. No one was ever going to believe they were together.