“Listen, Jack saved seats for you and Nick right behind him and his dad. You should go in before they do, though, so you aren’t walking in together. We’ll continue to deny this as long as we can, although you giving your name to the paparazzi was not too smart,” she admonished.

“I didn’t mean—” I started, but she shushed me.

“Let’s not talk about it tonight. We’ll play this off. I just need to think about how,” she said.

“Where are you sitting, Holly?” Lane asked.

“I’m sitting with my client,” she said and turned back to me. “Scoot. Nick’s waiting for you.” She gave me a little push.

I drained the rest from my glass and set it on the bar. I was starting to feel a little unsteady on my feet, but I kept it together—in exactly the way someone who’s been drinking thinks they’re fooling everyone. I heard Lane say something to Holly in a low voice, then Holly shot back, “Later!” But I couldn’t miss the excited flush to her skin when she said it.

This was a weird night.

I circled the room looking for Nick and found myself semi-hidden behind a potted palm. I noticed a well-dressed older man talking with Marcia, and as I heard his accent I realized he was likely Jack’s father. He was tall and very distinguished, and I caught a glimpse of Jack in thirty years or so. Classy. And here I was hiding behind a potted palm—again.

Jesus, could I get any more After School Special?

Nope.

He definitely knew Marcia, though. They were having quite a chat.

I totally listened. Their talk wasn’t so small.

“I like her. I think she’s good for him,” Marcia said. My chest burned.

“She is lovely, but I do wish he’d mentioned how much older she was.”

“Well, Jack’s kind of an old soul, and she seems to have a positive effect on him. I haven’t seen him this happy in a while,” Marcia said, suddenly my biggest fan.

I was an asshole…

“You haven’t met her yet?” Marcia continued, leaning in.

“No, not yet. I thought Jack might introduce her last night, but at the last minute he canceled our dinner and decided to eat with her instead. I suppose I’ll meet her later. I wonder if Jack will make it through the film, though. You know how he feels about watching himself onscreen.”

They both laughed.

I headed for the theater before I could hear anything else about me being an old bag, and I finally spied Nick by the door.

“Where the hell have you been? Holly’s ready to have a cow,” he said, hands on hips.

“Oh, would you settle down, please?” I said, listing slightly.

“Grace, you’re drunk,” he said, sniffing me.

Very nearly.

“No, no. But I am pleasantly lit, so back the fuck up, pretty boy,” I said, loudly enough to attract the attention of a few people walking in to take their seats.

“Oookay, let’s get you inside,” he said and took my arm.

We went down almost to the front, then slipped into the second row. I saw Rebecca talking to the director and waved exuberantly. She smiled and waved back, then whispered to him. I could tell she said the word “girlfriend,” and they turned to look at me.

Ah, well.

I saw Jack enter the theater with his father and Holly, and they all walked down to the front row. He winked at me as he passed and gestured me over. Nick helped me out of my chair, and I leaned across the back of the front row.

Jack stopped in front of me and went through the introductions with his father. This was now officially the most fucked-up night of my life. I was meeting my twenty-four-year-old boyfriend’s father at the Hollywood premiere of a movie in which he had the starring role. And I was also well on my way to public intoxication.

“So, I finally get to meet the mysterious Grace who has my son so thoroughly charmed,” Jack’s father said as he reached for my hand, which he quickly brought to his lips.

I was the one thoroughly charmed. “And I get to meet the man from whom Jack obviously got his good looks. I can’t tell you how pleased I am to meet you, Mr. Hamilton.”

“Alex. You must call me Alex. I must be on a first-name basis with any woman who has swept my son off his feet the way you have, yes? Although I dare say that if I’d met you first, my son would have had a little competition.” He chuckled, and Jack rolled his eyes.

“Well, Alex, I dare say that I’ve always had a thing for older men, especially those from across the pond,” I bantered back. Jack’s father was still holding my hand.

“Well, there’s something to be said for those of us who have a little more life experience, isn’t there? Something Jack will no doubt learn as he gets a little older as well.” He smiled again and released my hand to slap Jack on the back.

I might be more than a little tipsy, but I could still small talk with the best of them. At least, as far as I knew. According to my internal drunk-o-meter, I was cool as a cucumber and not at all showing the effects of my numerous cocktails. No effects at all…

The three of us chatted warmly for a few more minutes until the director headed up to the stage to make a little speech before the movie began. I accepted a kiss on the cheek from Alex before returning to my seat in the second row, behind Jack. He turned and leaned in just as I was about to sit down.

“I got this for you. I know you like a little snack while you watch a movie.” He smiled and handed me a box of Milk Duds.

“Candy!” I exclaimed, ripping the box out of his hands with a little too much enthusiasm. I heard Nick sigh next to me as I tried to open the box. Then Jack offered to help me.

“I got it, I got it!” I insisted. I finally wrenched the top off and spilled Milk Duds all over the place. I smiled to everyone sitting around us. “Sorry, I just thought you might all like some candy,” I joked, finding myself hilarious.

“Funny, I thought Grace never shared candy,” Jack said, looking at me more carefully.

“Nope, I just don’t share candy with you.” I laughed back loudly, and Holly turned from talking to Jack’s father.

“What the fuck?” she mouthed at me, and I dropped into my chair.

I saw her and Nick exchange glances, and that pissed me off. I wasn’t going to be handled. I started to stand up and say something to Holly to that very effect when the lights dimmed. The film was about to start.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked.

“Fine, love. I’m fine,” I said, shoving a Milk Dud in my mouth.

He glanced at Nick as well, and now I was really starting to get pissed. He sat down, directly in front of me.

I was sitting behind my boyfriend on the biggest night of his life. I couldn’t even hold his hand, whisper to him, or give him a congratulatory kiss—although apparently the entire entertainment news community now knew Jack Hamilton had a granny fetish.

I sighed loudly and slipped my shoes off.

Nick leaned over and whispered, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“The next person who asks me that will get their balls handed to them. I’m not kidding,” I whispered back through clenched, caramel-coated teeth.

He backed off.

The movie started.

I watched the back of Jack’s head watch his movie.

Ten minutes in, after fussing about in his seat the entire time, he took off. Literally. As soon as Jack saw himself on the screen, he bailed.

I’d tentatively reached out with my fingertip to touch the back of his neck when I saw him begin to fidget. I was not the only one who fidgeted when nervous. Nick had slapped my hand down. He was well versed in Holly’s rules for the night.

For fuck’s sake. I’d had about enough.

When he stood to get up, I almost did too. As it was, I had to force myself to wait five whole minutes before I stole out of the theater. Nick tried to grab my arm to stop me, but I was the one slapping his hand now. I was going to follow my Brit.

I found him by the bar. He was not alone. Marcia had already found him, and they looked to be sharing a cocktail. They were laughing. He looked calmer already. She was calming him. I saw a rogue photographer draw close. I no longer cared.