hadn’t known of the decision to approve another charity.
Seeming to sense her vexation, Damian caught up to Gemma as they exited the building with Nicki, Elizabeth and Perrin. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You alright?”
Gemma looked up at him. His smile always made her smile. “I’m fine,” she laughed at herself. “Just… the same old stuff. The day started with kind of a tense meeting with Mira, and then some tabloid ran a story about me cheating on Tyler, so I guess I’ve been on edge since then.”
Once they got outside and drew the paparazzi, Damian let his hand drop off of her shoulder. “Damn. I’m sorry you have to deal with all that.”
“It’s fine, it’s part of the job,” Gemma said, trying to sound less fazed. “That tabloid’s just particularly annoying because I was literally nowhere close to the place they said I was. Yutaka? I’ve never even been there in my life. I don’t get why people would make something up entirely.”
“Because your name sells,” Damian answered, shielding his eyes from the camera flashes. “People want anything that has to do with you.” He paused. “I mean, look at this – you turned me into something that people are interested in.”
Gemma looked at him guiltily. “I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s not a bad thing.”
“You’re right, it’s not,” Gemma murmured, though as she felt the breath of strangers on her neck and their camera lenses just inches from her face, she realized just how little she believed herself.
- Chapter 5 -
“So, some intern just changed the whole thing on us?” Zoe exclaimed. “What the shit is that? How does she have the power?” Before Gemma could even answer, Zoe’s dark eyes narrowed mischievously. “Oh, I know how.” With a lewd gesture, even Gemma was forced to defend Elizabeth.
“Oh my God, stop. I’m sure she didn’t do that,” Gemma pulled Zoe’s hand away from her mouth. “Perv.”
“Sorry,” Zoe giggled. “But honestly, it could be true. How else could a random teenager get a job at The Hoerner Group? And her own apartment in West Hollywood?”
“Damian said her mom is in PR. And her dad owns some huge company, so he can obviously afford her place,” Gemma answered distractedly, holding two designs by Armand.
Since the meeting at the agency two weeks ago, several important interviews had been scheduled for Gemma, Tyler, Zoe and Damian. The four of them were rarely all free at the same time, so when such a day arose, a media circus followed. Lined up for them on that particular Sunday were three interviews in succession of each other.
At the Chateau Marmont, Gemma and Zoe got ready in one suite with Perrin and Penelope while Tyler and Damian prepared themselves next door. Gemma chewed her bottom lip as she tried to decide between two dresses – one of blue feathers and the other of white fringe. The decision was stressing her out to an abnormal degree, but then again, everything was causing her great stress recently. More than ever before, she was terrified of making any sort of misstep. Her radar was constantly up, though she wasn’t sure for what.
Finally, after considering Zoe’s strapless white dress, Gemma went with the feathers.
“Are you sure?” Perrin asked. “The star should be wearing white.”
“Perrin!” Gemma shot her a look, glancing apologetically at Zoe. “I’m wearing the blue.” She shook her head and laughed, catching Penelope’s eye roll at Perrin.
“Anyway,” Zoe changed the subject as she adjusted a lace cuff around her wrist. “I’m in love with the fact that Tyler and Damian are bros for life now. All you have to do is become BFF with that Nicki girl and it’ll be double-date heaven.”
Gemma’s laugh turned into a frown as she plucked a stray feather on her bodice. “Yeah, I don’t know about that. She doesn’t
Seeming to sense her vexation, Damian caught up to Gemma as they exited the building with Nicki, Elizabeth and Perrin. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “You alright?”
Gemma looked up at him. His smile always made her smile. “I’m fine,” she laughed at herself. “Just… the same old stuff. The day started with kind of a tense meeting with Mira, and then some tabloid ran a story about me cheating on Tyler, so I guess I’ve been on edge since then.”
Once they got outside and drew the paparazzi, Damian let his hand drop off of her shoulder. “Damn. I’m sorry you have to deal with all that.”
“It’s fine, it’s part of the job,” Gemma said, trying to sound less fazed. “That tabloid’s just particularly annoying because I was literally nowhere close to the place they said I was. Yutaka? I’ve never even been there in my life. I don’t get why people would make something up entirely.”
“Because your name sells,” Damian answered, shielding his eyes from the camera flashes. “People want anything that has to do with you.” He paused. “I mean, look at this – you turned me into something that people are interested in.”
Gemma looked at him guiltily. “I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s not a bad thing.”
“You’re right, it’s not,” Gemma murmured, though as she felt the breath of strangers on her neck and their camera lenses just inches from her face, she realized just how little she believed herself.
- Chapter 5 -
“So, some intern just changed the whole thing on us?” Zoe exclaimed. “What the shit is that? How does she have the power?” Before Gemma could even answer, Zoe’s dark eyes narrowed mischievously. “Oh, I know how.” With a lewd gesture, even Gemma was forced to defend Elizabeth.
“Oh my God, stop. I’m sure she didn’t do that,” Gemma pulled Zoe’s hand away from her mouth. “Perv.”
“Sorry,” Zoe giggled. “But honestly, it could be true. How else could a random teenager get a job at The Hoerner Group? And her own apartment in West Hollywood?”
“Damian said her mom is in PR. And her dad owns some huge company, so he can obviously afford her place,” Gemma answered distractedly, holding two designs by Armand.
Since the meeting at the agency two weeks ago, several important interviews had been scheduled for Gemma, Tyler, Zoe and Damian. The four of them were rarely all free at the same time, so when such a day arose, a media circus followed. Lined up for them on that particular Sunday were three interviews in succession of each other.
At the Chateau Marmont, Gemma and Zoe got ready in one suite with Perrin and Penelope while Tyler and Damian prepared themselves next door. Gemma chewed her bottom lip as she tried to decide between two dresses – one of blue feathers and the other of white fringe. The decision was stressing her out to an abnormal degree, but then again, everything was causing her great stress recently. More than ever before, she was terrified of making any sort of misstep. Her radar was constantly up, though she wasn’t sure for what.
Finally, after considering Zoe’s strapless white dress, Gemma went with the feathers.
“Are you sure?” Perrin asked. “The star should be wearing white.”
“Perrin!” Gemma shot her a look, glancing apologetically at Zoe. “I’m wearing the blue.” She shook her head and laughed, catching Penelope’s eye roll at Perrin.
“Anyway,” Zoe changed the subject as she adjusted a lace cuff around her wrist. “I’m in love with the fact that Tyler and Damian are bros for life now. All you have to do is become BFF with that Nicki girl and it’ll be double-date heaven.”
Gemma’s laugh turned into a frown as she plucked a stray feather on her bodice. “Yeah, I don’t know about that. She doesn’t
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