The Gravity Between Us (New Adult Contemporary Romance) (31 page)

I relieve her of one of the glasses. “You’d better not be complaining. This is a dream come true for most people, I imagine.”

“It is. I can only hope to be nominated someday. But this is a helluva good start, for sure.”

“Well, cheers to a helluva good start,” I raise my glass to hers. They make a louder
clink
than either of us anticipates.

“Thought they might’ve broken there, for a second,” she beams. “You can’t take me anywhere.”

My amusement is interrupted as Kendall enters my sightline again. She follows Gunner down the aisle to their designated table, which is rather inconveniently located diagonally across from ours. She notices that I’ve seen her and brandishes an ill-at-ease smile. I return the gesture, pretending to be unaffected by her presence.
Great. She’s gonna be three feet away from me all night, smack in my view.

“Christ, I’m sorry,” Lauren says, motioning her head at Kendall’s table. “That has to suck for you more than words can express.”

“Kinda,” I affirm. “It’s okay, keep that champagne coming and soon I won’t care.”

“I got this.” She signals to a roving server holding an uncorked bottle. He scurries over to us faster than a rat on speed. “Please make sure my friend’s glass is full at all times,” she says and slips him a hundred dollar bill. He nods graciously as he pours more bubbly into my flute, then returns to his place at the end of the aisle. I take a sip, but nearly spit it out after realizing he is eyeing me like a hawk.

Lauren also notices that he is focusing penetratingly on my flute. She erupts into a booming fit of laughter. “Tonight is gonna be
awesome
,” she says, then taps her imaginary wristwatch and mouths to the waiter, “every twenty minutes.”

An hour and three alcoholic beverages into underage drinking night at the Elite Awards, and I’m feeling quite fine. I do, however, decide to cut myself off after the third glass. Both Lauren and my vigilant waiter frown at me, but I shoo them off good naturedly. The plan was to drink enough to loosen up, not enough to get tanked—and at this point, Kendall’s occasional peeps in my direction aren’t bothering me half as much as they did in the beginning of the ceremonies. In fact, we locked eyes a moment ago, and my stomach didn’t lurch one bit.

She isn’t looking so well anymore. She’s tense and panicky and utterly unable to hide it. She tried to play it cool by saying that winning an Ellie wasn’t important to her, but I know in actuality it’s one of the most significant things that could happen to an actor. I never thought she would be freaking out as badly as she is though. I want to go over there, drape my arms around her, and whisper the most relaxing things I can think of into her ear. However, I know that would be a detriment to the mental health I’ve been working so hard to repair this last month.

“Best Actress is coming up in ten,” Lauren murmurs.

I clamp my gaze on Kendall again. “Cool.”

Lawrence notices me eyeing her up, but doesn’t alert her to it. Instead, he excuses himself from the table and starts very gingerly making his way toward me. Kendall doesn’t track him with her eyes, just continues to gawk uneasily at the stage.

“Hi, sweetheart.” He squats down in front of me, resting his elbows on his knees.

Oh, a good scolding! That is exactly what I need right now.
“If you’ve come over here to remind me of how I should be staying as far away from Kendall as possible, I’m sorry. This is where Lauren and I were told to sit,” I reply to his greeting with a hint of brazenness.

“On the contrary, I’m here to encourage you to go wish her luck. She could use some support.”

I thought I was supporting her by keeping my distance.
“Isn’t that what she has you for?”

“Yes, but I know she would much rather have you than me sitting next to her.”

“What about…”

“You’re not a box of rocks, so stop being dumb.” Lauren chimes in. “The man told you to go talk to her. Best get to steppin,’” she shoos me off.

“All right, jeez.”

Lawrence escorts me to the table. I make myself at home in the seat he previously occupied, and he moves over to a vacant chair. Kendall doesn’t seem to notice that I’ve arrived; she’s stuck in some kind of eerie stupor. I clear my throat. She turns her head. I watch her scrap through the tears clouding her irises so that she can focus on me.
Oh, to hell with doing the right thing for her. I’m going to do what’s right for me for a change.
I take hold of her hand and squeeze it tight. “It’s okay. No matter what happens, you’re going to be fine. Win or lose, you will always be the best actress in the business as far as I’m concerned. But you’re going to win so don’t worry.”

“Thanks,” she whispers as the presenter takes the stage.

He clears his throat and begins reading from the teleprompter. “The Elite Awards Nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role are…” After each name he calls, he gives a short speech about the actress’ career. Four names are announced and four speeches are made before he gets to Kendall. “Kendall Bettencourt,” he starts, “this is your first Elite Awards nomination, though it surely will not be your last. You bring the enthusiastic passion of youth to every role you play and particularly to your breakout role as Heaven in
In Heaven’s Arms
. All of Hollywood looks forward to watching you grow throughout what is sure to be a long and impressive career.”

Kendall smiles bashfully and mimes an earnest “thank you” to the announcer as a round of applause rings throughout the room. Then she looks at me stolidly. “Please don’t cry. If you do, I won’t be able to get through it without crying myself,” she murmurs.

I don’t get the chance to ask her what she’s talking about before the presenter opens the velvet envelope. “And the Ellie goes to Kendall Bettencourt!”

The crowd roars to life with a standing ovation and wild cheering. We stand up simultaneously, and I’m in her arms, hugging her gleefully without the slenderest hint of foot-dragging. “You won!” I shout, both of us still cleaving tightly to the other’s shoulders. I repeat myself in immeasurable elation as she releases me from our embrace. “You
won
!”

“I know,” she counters my excitement with a staggering soberness and a tepid grin. Lawrence leans over, gives her a light cuddle, a kiss on the cheek, and an anemic “Congratulations.”

I watch her take off toward the stage. As she ascends the stairs, I turn to Lawrence. “Why isn’t she ecstatic? Why aren’t
you
ecstatic?”

He answers with a shrewd smile and a wink. That’s when it hits me: They already knew she was going to win. Both of them knew it as certainly as they know that the sun rises in the east.

“Here comes the interesting part,” he utters once he realizes I’ve figured it out. “You’ll want to pay close attention.”

Of course I want to pay close attention! It’s her acceptance speech!
I watch intently as she takes the golden statuette into her hands and steps up to the podium. The audience takes a seat and quiets down in anticipation of her address.

“Okay, I’m going to try and get through this as quickly as possible. Firstly, I’d like to thank the Elite Awards Council for this amazing and kind of terrifying moment,” she begins and the crowd chortles collectively.

“Lawrence Mackin, James Sovkov, and everyone at the Sovkov Agency, thank you so much for helping me achieve this. To the
In Heaven’s Arms
cast, crew, and director Michael Jarvis—thank you for putting your faith in me; I appreciate it so very much. To my dad, David Bettencourt, thank you for being a voice of reason in my life. Mom, I want you to know that I love you. A huge thank you to all my friends and all my fans for being awesome, and lastly,” she pauses and scans the crowd. She finds me and gestures to me with an outstretched arm and open palm. A thousand pairs of eyes target me and a vast silence blankets the room. I feel the heat of blood furiously whooshing to my cheeks. “To Payton Taylor, the woman who taught me how to use that thing in my chest commonly referred to as my heart—thank you for always,
always
being there for me.” She stops again to wipe away a tear that has rolled down her left cheek. “I love you more than words can say. Letting you walk out that door was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I hope that someday we can start again.”

Music pumps through the sound system signaling the end of her oration. The usher motions for her to exit stage left, but the audience explodes into Fenway Park style applause—complete with loud whooping and wolf whistling—before she can leave the stage. She folds her hands around her trophy and takes a cordial bow then withdraws backstage.

I witness it all, but none of it penetrates. I’m in an advanced state of dumbfoundment or something.
Did she just out herself on prime time television, and tell the entire universe that she loves me?
Yes, she did. And
you
cannot breathe. Breathe, Payton!

“Payton,” Lawrence grabs my shoulder, gives me a gentle shake that brings me back to earth.

“Yeah,” I exhale. “Why is my face wet?”

His brows furrow. “Because you’re crying.”

“I am?” I touch my fingers to the skin below my right eyelid. “I am.”

He chuckles, then removes his VIP lanyard-badge and places it around my neck. “Follow me.” He takes my hand and leads me through a side door out of the auditorium and into a long, bright hallway.

“Where are we going?”

He shakes his head and pushes open another door.
This
room is bustling with reporters, photographers and recording devices. I’m under fire as soon as my arrival is noticed. People are tossing questions at me and cameras are snapping pictures in automatic mode. “All right, everyone back off!” Lawrence yells. “She’s not going to answer any questions.” We cut through the sea of press and stop at a roped-off area. There’s a hairy, muscular security guard standing next to a sign that reads ‘Awards Staff /Award Winners and Handlers Only.’ Kendall is standing in the distance with her back to me.

Lawrence takes me by the shoulders. “The ball is in your court, sweetheart. But if I were you, I’d go over there and tell the girl you love her, because honestly, outing herself to the entire world on television took more courage than I can imagine. And she did it because she can’t live without you.”

With that, my mind makes
itself
up. I make a beeline for Kendall. I reach out for her shoulder and spin her around. We stand vis-à-vis, but remain silent until I can no longer stand the sound of my own respiration. “I cannot believe you did that.”

“I
had
to. I never should have let you leave in the first place. All that fear and confusion I was feeling… it was like a dark cloud blocking out the sun, it just needed to pass so I could see things clearly. Payton, I love absolutely everything about you. You are the kindest, most thoughtful person I have ever met. You’re smart, and brave, and beautiful in every way. And I love that I can be myself with you; I love that you let me be a dork who makes lame puns.”

I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, but you’re a cool, sexy dork.”
That’s the last thing I say before I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into the most fervid kiss—the kind of kiss that makes your lips go numb, lingers on your tongue and on your mind long after it’s over. She rests her hands on the back of my neck. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner,” she whimpers softly into my lips.

“Shhh,” I mutter. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she beams. “There’s nothing keeping us apart anymore. Will you please come home?”

Home. I miss everything that word involves
. “Yes, absolutely.” I say. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask.”

EPILOGUE

Kendall

“H
oly Christ on a cracker! Why didn’t you warn me Atlanta was going to be hotter than hell?” Payton gripes as she drops her duffle bag on the hotel room floor. I laugh, hand her a bottle of ice water, and smack a proper kiss on her lips.

“Yeah, like LA is any better right now? It’s
July
.”

“Why do you think I was hanging out at Gunner’s place so much before he left for Paris? And why the hell is it
so
much cooler in the Valley anyway?”

I flash an amused grin. “Because it’s a
valley
, Payton.”

She gives me the evil eye and tackles me onto the bed. I swat at her hands as she tickles me. “Listen, smarty-pants,” she says. “I spent four and half hours on a plane to come visit you on set and maybe catch a glimpse of you in chainmail. You’d better be nice to me, or I’m gonna go home.”

“You can’t go home.” I feign a scowl. “It’s my birthday tomorrow! Besides, isn’t this the first time you’ve had two consecutive days off since you started your new job?”

“Oh, man.” She yawns. “I had no idea an assistant composer’s job would be
so
intense. And to boot, the lead composer is a neurotic mess. But at least I’ve been keeping myself occupied. It’s totally a bonus that
The Relishing
is going to have a killer score. It might even make this film worth watching.”

I whack her arm lightly. “What? Lauren and I aren’t enough to make it worth watching?”

“Of course you two are enough—especially you, you gorgeous thing.”

“That was a very good answer.” I kiss her nose.

She climbs off the bed, stretches her arms. “I’m gonna hop in the shower. Then what do you say we take a nice, long nap?”

“I am
so
down for a nap before dinner,” I holler after her as she disappears into the bathroom.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” she pokes her head into the room again. “I made a reservation for 8:30 at that Sundial place you wanted to check out.”

“Aww, baby! You’re so good to me.”

❄ ❄ ❄

Eight o’clock rolls around, and I’m still stranded in front of the bathroom mirror trying to finish up my makeup. Payton’s reflection appears in the glass. She folds her arms across her chest, leans against the doorframe, and proceeds to scrutinize my every move. “You know, for a movie star you are ridiculously typical,” she says with a grin on her face. “Primping yourself to perfection, throwing our whole schedule into total upheaval. Such a
girl
.”