suspicions and she opened the door slightly. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself.” Marissa stood with hands on hips. “You were supposed to meet me for breakfast fifteen minutes ago.”
“I know,” Emma nearly whispered “I’m sorry.”
A frown swept across Marissa’s face. “Do you feel okay? Because you look like hell.”
Actually other than being a little tired she felt great. “I’m fine.”
Marissa’s frown deepened. “Why are you whispering?”
“No reason.”
For a moment Marissa said nothing. “Well, go grab a shower because dad is planning that whole photo op thing this morning with me and Garrett. You know, promoting how Daddy’s little girl has been corrupted by the bad boy.”
Emma damn near slapped her head at the reminder. She’d completely forgotten about the video and photo op that was supposed to prop up the Marissa and Garrett story line. For a moment she absently wondered if Gene knew how Marissa really felt about Garrett. She said her family understood, but Gene was known to sometimes turn a blind eye to what he didn’t want to believe. Just what would Mr. France think about his baby girl falling in love with Garrett for real?
Her next thought turned to Holt and terror streaked through her. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed to be seen with him. She loved the man and would be proud to be seen by his side, but she wanted to break the news to Derek before anyone else found out. Walking into the hotel restaurant where half the crew would be eating would surly start the rumor mill churning. “Um….you don’t have to wait on me. Why don’t you go on down and I’ll be there shortly.”
Marissa’s frown slowly morphed into a look of confusion. “Don’t you remember how we scripted this? We’re supposed to walk in together.” Marissa pressed a hand on the door. “Just let me in. I’ll wait.”
Knowing she wouldn’t be able to convince Marissa to leave, Emma slowly opened the door so Marissa could see into the room. Marissa took one step and stopped, her eyes going wide with shock. “Oh. My. God.” Her attention turned from the bed to Emma and a grin slid across her face. “Well it’s about damn time.”
Emma glanced from her best friend to her lover and back. “Riss.”
Marissa held up at hand. “Don’t give me some lame excuse, Emma. It’s been obvious to everyone who has spent any time around you two that you guys are in love. Honestly, I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you,” Emma sighed and let the door close behind them. “I am really happy, but it just happened and I haven’t had a chance to tell Derek and I don’t want him finding out from some promo op.”
“Well, I don’t think you’re going to have a choice, Em. Now go get in the shower while I wake up lover boy.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later Emma barely managed to swallow down the bile creeping up her throat as she walked into the hotel restaurant with Marissa and Holt. With his arm around her waist, he was obviously advertising their relationship to the crew. The camera men moved in on the three of them and Emma caught sight of Derek sitting at one of the back tables. Shit! This wasn’t how she wanted Derek to find out about her and Holt.
His gaze drifted from her to Holt and he sat up a little straighter in his chair. Bryan leaned in from across the table and whispered something to Derek. The next moment they both pushed up from their seats.
Shit! Marissa and Garrett’s photo op was about to become overshadowed by her and Holt. Derek strode across the room and stopped directly in front of Emma. “What the hell is this?” He looked at Emma.
“What’s it look like,” Holt countered with his typical cocky on stage attitude.
“I wasn’t talking to you ‘Pretty Boy’. So just shut your face before I shut it for you.”
Holt stepped in front of Emma, shielding her. “I’d like to see you try.”
Panic
“Hey yourself.” Marissa stood with hands on hips. “You were supposed to meet me for breakfast fifteen minutes ago.”
“I know,” Emma nearly whispered “I’m sorry.”
A frown swept across Marissa’s face. “Do you feel okay? Because you look like hell.”
Actually other than being a little tired she felt great. “I’m fine.”
Marissa’s frown deepened. “Why are you whispering?”
“No reason.”
For a moment Marissa said nothing. “Well, go grab a shower because dad is planning that whole photo op thing this morning with me and Garrett. You know, promoting how Daddy’s little girl has been corrupted by the bad boy.”
Emma damn near slapped her head at the reminder. She’d completely forgotten about the video and photo op that was supposed to prop up the Marissa and Garrett story line. For a moment she absently wondered if Gene knew how Marissa really felt about Garrett. She said her family understood, but Gene was known to sometimes turn a blind eye to what he didn’t want to believe. Just what would Mr. France think about his baby girl falling in love with Garrett for real?
Her next thought turned to Holt and terror streaked through her. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed to be seen with him. She loved the man and would be proud to be seen by his side, but she wanted to break the news to Derek before anyone else found out. Walking into the hotel restaurant where half the crew would be eating would surly start the rumor mill churning. “Um….you don’t have to wait on me. Why don’t you go on down and I’ll be there shortly.”
Marissa’s frown slowly morphed into a look of confusion. “Don’t you remember how we scripted this? We’re supposed to walk in together.” Marissa pressed a hand on the door. “Just let me in. I’ll wait.”
Knowing she wouldn’t be able to convince Marissa to leave, Emma slowly opened the door so Marissa could see into the room. Marissa took one step and stopped, her eyes going wide with shock. “Oh. My. God.” Her attention turned from the bed to Emma and a grin slid across her face. “Well it’s about damn time.”
Emma glanced from her best friend to her lover and back. “Riss.”
Marissa held up at hand. “Don’t give me some lame excuse, Emma. It’s been obvious to everyone who has spent any time around you two that you guys are in love. Honestly, I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you,” Emma sighed and let the door close behind them. “I am really happy, but it just happened and I haven’t had a chance to tell Derek and I don’t want him finding out from some promo op.”
“Well, I don’t think you’re going to have a choice, Em. Now go get in the shower while I wake up lover boy.”
* * *
Twenty minutes later Emma barely managed to swallow down the bile creeping up her throat as she walked into the hotel restaurant with Marissa and Holt. With his arm around her waist, he was obviously advertising their relationship to the crew. The camera men moved in on the three of them and Emma caught sight of Derek sitting at one of the back tables. Shit! This wasn’t how she wanted Derek to find out about her and Holt.
His gaze drifted from her to Holt and he sat up a little straighter in his chair. Bryan leaned in from across the table and whispered something to Derek. The next moment they both pushed up from their seats.
Shit! Marissa and Garrett’s photo op was about to become overshadowed by her and Holt. Derek strode across the room and stopped directly in front of Emma. “What the hell is this?” He looked at Emma.
“What’s it look like,” Holt countered with his typical cocky on stage attitude.
“I wasn’t talking to you ‘Pretty Boy’. So just shut your face before I shut it for you.”
Holt stepped in front of Emma, shielding her. “I’d like to see you try.”
Panic
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