Lana

I slipped my sunglasses over my eyes just before exiting baggage claim. The flight from Portland to LAX had been uneventful, but it had felt as if it lasted weeks. Once I’d decided to give Matt a second chance, every second was too long away from him.

There were no photographers as I turned right toward the taxi stand. Hopefully Ruby was right. I was yesterday’s news. I wasn’t the movie star, after all.

I wanted to be able to talk to Matt face-to-face. I didn’t want to tell him the things I had to say over the phone. He’d accused me of running away from him. And I wanted to show him that I was back if he’d have me.

I slid into the back of the cab and tried to relax, to tell myself I was doing the right thing. I really didn’t know how Matt would react when I showed up. Thanks to social media, I knew where I’d find him this afternoon, and I’d managed to get a ticket to the same charity lunch. It had cost me a month’s profit from the shop, but he was worth it.

It seemed fitting that it was a big public event. Perfect to prove to him that not only was I not running anymore, but also I’d forgiven him about Bobby and accepted the attention from the press was a part of him that couldn’t be changed. I wanted him to understand all that mattered to me was that we were together.

Sooner than I expected, we pulled up to the Beverly Hills Hotel. My stomach twisted with anxiety. I’d thought this would be the perfect setting for a reunion. But now that I was here, I realized I hadn’t considered what it would do to me if I had to bear a very public rejection.

A red carpet had been laid outside and photographers were snapping away, shouting questions and requests as guests made their way toward the entrance.

The cab came to a standstill a little way down from the start of the step and repeat and I got out, craning my neck to try to find Matt.

I turned to the driver and gave him a huge tip in return for him delivering my overnight bag to reception.

I had a red carpet to walk.

Trying to muster the courage to take that step toward Matt, I took a deep breath, hovering at the velvet rope. My knees almost gave way as I caught sight of Matt’s bright-blue eyes and too-long hair further along the line of guests slowly making their way up the red carpet. I wanted to push past everyone and launch myself at him, but that would attract a little too much attention.

Carefully, I stepped inside the velvet rope, never taking my eyes off him. I willed him to look over at me. He was smiling, chatting to photographers as he made his way along the carpet. There were about eight or ten people between us but the walkway wasn’t wide enough for me to overtake anyone.

“What’s your name, please?” one of the photographers in front of me asked. My attention was pulled from Matt.

“Me?” I asked, half relieved that he didn’t know and surprised that he cared. When he nodded, I took a breath and replied, “Lana Kelly.”

I heard people ahead of me mutter and they turned to glance in my direction. I didn’t care. As Ruby said, I didn’t know them and their opinion of me was none of my business. I kept my gaze on Matt as I took a few steps forward.

Someone whispered in Matt’s ear and he lifted his head up and our eyes met.

I couldn’t help but smile at him. I’d missed him so much and even being this close to him made me feel better.

Matt looked like he’d been turned to stone. His expression wasn’t fierce, but it wasn’t joyful either.

People were looking from him to me and back again. And I didn’t care one bit. I just wished he was close enough to touch, to pull into a hug.

The line kept moving forward except Matt stayed still. I inched closer and closer to him until finally he was right in front of me.

“Hi,” I said, my voice trembling.

“Hi,” he replied, then froze as if he didn’t know how to greet me. What I wanted him to do was pull me into his arms. “You’re here.”

I nodded. “I’ve stopped running.”

His eyes widened. “Does this mean that . . .”

“I know what you did. Ruby told me everything.” I sucked in a breath. “It proved you were the kind of man who would do his best to shelter me from any storm. But no more secrets, right? I feel like I can handle anything if we’re together, side by side.”

“I promise,” he said. “And I’m so sorry.”

“And I promise I’m done running. When I’m with you, I’m where I need to be.”

His face burst into a grin and then he glanced around at the photographers taking picture after picture.

I reached up and stroked his jaw, bringing his attention back to me. “As long as I have you, I can handle whatever strangers have to say about me. Or whatever pictures. I didn’t understand how if I let myself love you, the other stuff just dissolves into noise.”

He frowned. Had it been the wrong thing to say? It was a risk to tell him I loved him, but he deserved to know. And if he didn’t love me back? Well, that was what ice cream and reality show reruns were for.

“You love me?” he asked, his voice a low rumble.

“I do,” I admitted. “I’m sorry if that’s too much, but we agreed no more secrets. I am in love with you, Matt Easton.”

“Thank God,” he gasped as his gaze dipped to my mouth, then back to my eyes. “I’ve loved you since the moment you rescued me from the Worthington bandstand,” he said. “And I thought I’d lost you.”

Relief burst through my body and he pulled me toward him and cupped my face.

He wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Don’t cry. I only want to make you happy.”

“You do. I’ve never been so happy.”

He pressed his lips to mine and I sank against him. No matter where in the world I was, I was home if I was with Matt.

The snap of cameras drifted out of my hearing. Nothing mattered. Not if I was with this man.

He snaked his tongue into my mouth and I set my palms against his shoulders. I might not care that everyone knew Matt and I were together, but my views on PDAs hadn’t changed.

He pulled back. “Did I hear someone suggest we get a room?” His hands circled my waist.

“Nope, but I think that’s an excellent idea. As much as I don’t mind being in public with you, I like being in private with you even more.”

He might be one of the world’s most famous movie stars, but no one knew the Matt Easton I did. No one knew quite how sexy he was. Or how kind, generous and thoughtful. Because when the cameras were gone, it was just him and me. Boy and girl. Two people in love.

Forever.