“Are you ready?”

We’re sitting in the back of the Escalade, seconds away from walking down the red carpet for the premiere of Reason To Love. Tanner is beside me in his crisp, black W. Harris tux. He’s never looked hotter. And from the look on his face every time his eyes land on me, Walter must have outdone himself on me, too.

I’m wearing red.

“Is anyone ever truly ready for this?” I ask, looking out at the pandemonium that awaits. After tonight, my movie is officially out in the world.

Our movie.

I nervously touch my chignon that Walter instructed my stylist to do as an homage to Audrey.

My career is not quite at Hepburn level yet, but I have received three movie offers since Reason To Love finished filming. There’s a psychological thriller I’m really excited about, and a girl’s-trip movie that should be a lot of fun. But my favorite upcoming project is another romantic comedy co-starring none other than Tanner James.

Apparently critics love us on the big screen together.

I can’t say I blame them. We’re my favorite couple, too.

But there are still butterflies in my stomach tonight. This is my first real premiere, the first red carpet I’m walking for my film, not just on Tanner’s arm, like the old days. I take a deep breath, and glance down at my ring, a tangible symbol of the love that we share. With this on my finger, and him at my side, I’m ready for anything the world can throw at me.

We step out of the car and the screams of the fans packed outside the ropes reach a fever pitch. The butterflies in my stomach are doing back flips. Tanner can tell. He reaches over and grabs my hand.

“I won’t leave your side,” he promises. And I know he means it.  

Outside the car, fans are screaming both our names. Jenna! Tanner! We love Janner! It’s overwhelming and amazing at the same time. For so long that celebrity pet name Janner made me cringe, but now it represents where we are today, not where we were back then.

Out of the corner of my eye I catch Angela standing next to the publicist from the film. She gives a mincing little wave, and I give a giant one back.  It’s easy to bitch about the way she tried to manipulate Tanner and I, but in the end, getting together was the right thing to do, and not just for the box office receipts.

Up ahead we see Polly finishing up an interview with the team at Film Week magazine. I hear them ask her some questions about the script, the set, the cinematography. It would be lovely if that was the kind of thing we get asked too, but I know better. No one wants to discuss role prep or comedic timing with Hollywood’s newest It couple.

“Tanner? Jenna? Are we ready for interview number one?” I hear a young girl in a headset ask.

“You bet,” Tanner replies.

“Perfect,” she says. “We’ll start with the team from TMI.”

My stomach sinks. The irony would be hysterical if it wasn’t so terrifying. Of course the very first interview Tanner and I are forced to do on the movie that brought us back together is with the outlet that tore us apart. I wish I could think of this as sweet justice – we survived despite their best efforts – but I’m too nervous.

Tanner squeezes my hand, sensing my unease.

“Don’t worry,” he says, “I’ll do the talking.”

We both step up into the section reserved for the TMI reporter, a perky blonde wearing a teeny, tiny cocktail dress and six inch heels.

“Hey you two,” she says, “I’m Tina and I cannot wait to ask you a few questions.”

“Jenna. I’ll start with you,” Tina says, “What is it like to be back with the man who broke your heart a decade ago?”

It’s an intense question, on purpose. I can see the excitement in Tina’s eyes as my body freezes. She knows she’s got me, which was exactly her intention. But New Jenna isn’t about to let this intimidate her.

I stare her down until she blinks nervously and moves on.

“How did he propose? And when’s the big day? Everyone wants to know.”

I keep staring silently, and Tina from TMI is starting to look like she would rather be anywhere else.

Finally, Tanner steps in. “Everything you get from us will be on the screen tonight. The rest of our story belongs to us.”

       God, I love him.

       We step off the TMI platform and back into the red carpet fray. The rest is a total blur. We’re asked a million questions about our wedding plans, but Tanner’s response is all they’ll get from us. Our story is ours.

       And then, finally, we find our way to our seats. There’s a little box of popcorn with our faces on it waiting at our seat, a cute touch from the sweet marketing department. Carrie is sitting a few rows behind me, snapping pictures of the popcorn containers, no doubt for me to share on social media tomorrow. Polly is on the other side of Tanner, looking stunning and giving us a thumbs up. I’m sitting dead center, directly next to my co-star and fiancé.

I see a flicker of light flash on the velvet fabric of the seatback in front of me. It’s the light from the chandeliers catching on my engagement ring. I look down at it and smile, like I do every time I think about what the future holds for me and the love of my life.

There’s the secret vineyard wedding we have planned for next month, and the month-long honeymoon to Bali that will follow. My mind wanders to what will happen once we’re back in Los Angeles, as husband and wife. Maybe we’ll move to Malibu like we’ve been talking about, where Tanner can surf every morning and I can find a new Hot Pilates class. Maybe we’ll adopt a puppy and name him something that will remind us of those amazing months on set in Vancouver. Maybe we’ll start trying for a baby.

Our future is a blank book, just waiting for us to fill with love and adventure.

The lights dim in the theater. The crowd cheers. Camera lights flash as the paparazzi try to steal one more shot of Tanner and me taking in this incredible moment.

Suddenly I understand why everyone is so fascinated with my life – our life.

It’s perfect.