I smiled.

“What’s his name?” Leigh said.

“Alex.”

There was shocked silence for a moment while they tried to decide whether I was teasing them.

“Bullshit.” Leigh set her drink down. “No way you’re dating Alex Chase. You’ve made this whole thing up.”

I showed her the grainy picture of Alex and me that had hit the tabloids, but she still didn’t believe me. “That could be anyone. You’re full of it. Call him right now if it’s true.”

Margo said, “Ha. Call Alex Chase. That’s a good one. I’ll call my boyfriend Paul Newman while we’re at it.”

He didn’t need the ego boost, but it would be worth it to see their faces.

I texted him, Can you FaceTime me for a second? My bridge club doesn’t believe you’re my boyfriend.

It only took seconds for him to call. When I answered, Alex appeared onscreen shirtless and dripping wet.

The girls squealed incoherently.

“Seriously? You couldn’t at least have clothes on?” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“Give me some more warning next time, sweetheart.” He turned the phone so I could see he was wearing a wetsuit up to his waist and had a surfboard propped next to him.

I slid my thumb towards the red button. “Okay, you’ve seen him. Thanks, Boy Scout.”

Leigh snatched the phone from my hand. “Hi, Alex. I’m Elena’s bridge partner, Leigh.”

He gave her his most charming grin. “Pleasure to meet you. If I’d been listening, I’d have known Elena played bridge. What else don’t I know about my girlfriend?”

Leigh glanced at me. “She hates peas, loves to read, and doesn’t trust easily.”

I threw my hands in the air, accepting I was no longer in control of this conversation.

Alex said, “I’d figured two of those three out. Thanks for the heads-up on peas.”

“Okay, enough. Let the man go surf,” I said.

Alex laughed. “Nice to meet you, ladies. See you tomorrow, Elena.”

All three of them fanned themselves.

Jane said, “Honey, I don’t even want to know how you landed that man, but you better hang on to him now.”

“Because he’s gorgeous?” I asked.

Jane shook her head. “Because he looks at you like you hung the moon. And you’ve been smiling for no reason all afternoon. Hold on to that feeling. It’s precious.”

14

Elena

A sleek black car pulled up outside my house to drive me to Alex’s film screening. I calmed my nerves by reminding myself it was just a movie and a Q&A. I had plenty of time before I had to interact with Alex at the after-party.

Plenty of time to get Jane’s words out of my head. This was work. Nothing more.

As the driver turned down Sunset, I looked at my city through new eyes. I’d always ignored the tourist traps and all the film industry stuff. Before, it had just been the ever-present backdrop to where I lived, but now I was wrapped up in it. I was catching a glimpse of what went on behind the curtain.