“The one and only,” I say, looking down. “I’m sorry, I never told you I was pansexual, I should have, but I—”

He grabs my hands, and the words die on my lips. “Don’t apologize to me, Charlie,” he says fiercely.

We stare at each other for a quiet moment before he breaks it, laughing uncertainly and running a hand through his blond hair. “Since you said Vivienne, I’m assuming pansexual doesn’t mean attraction to pans.”

A hesitant giggle escapes my own lips. “Not quite. More like an attraction to all genders.”

Emmitt blinks, then cocks his head. “Huh. You learn something new every day.” He reaches forward again, this time to flick my nose. “Won’t you please stop frowning, and tell me how I can help instead?”

“You’ll help? Really?” I ask, my eyes wide.

He smiles softly, leaning forward to press a featherlight kiss to my cheek. I inhale sharply in surprise, since that wasn’t a part of the script. “Always.”

“And scene!”

I pull away from Emmitt so fast I nearly twist my ankle. I open my mouth to say something—anything—to draw attention away from my flushed cheeks, but thunderous applause fills the auditorium instead.

I look out at the audience, and everyone is on their feet, clapping enthusiastically. Even Rosie is watching us with her mouth hanging open, something like awe written across her expression.

And I know it’s not because of me.

I turn to Emmitt, but he’s back to an impassive expression, nothing like the gentle and kind character he adopted mere seconds ago.

Knowing Emmitt Ramos is a professional actor is one thing. Seeing it for myself, being pulled in by his acting to a point where I nearly forgot how much I detest him, is an entirely different thing.

He’s good. He’s really, really good.

And for the first time it occurs to me that we might win. We might actually win the Golden Ivy film competition. My future is no longer a far-off impossibility.

There is hope. There is more than hope.

A wide grin stretches across my face.

Across from me, Emmitt’s nonchalance falls apart, his eyes slightly wider than usual as he looks at me.

“What?” I ask, but even he can’t ruin my good mood right now.

Emmitt releases a quiet breath of air, his stare focused on my mouth. “I think this is the first time I’ve seen you smile like you mean it.”

I blink, my grin faltering for a moment. Has Emmitt been watching me the same way I watch him, cataloguing my expressions and mannerisms?

Before I can think about it for too long, Rosie joins me onstage, pulling me into a one-armed hug. “We’re going to win, I’m certain of it!” she says in my ear, shaking me in her excitement.