“Just get back here in time,” Nicole said as Reed weaved through the crowd. “Frank’s already annoyed about their quickie.”

“It wasn’t a quickie.” It was much less than a quickie, but Anna had to fix her makeup.

“Whatever you’re calling it these days,” Nicole said with a smile.

In addition to John’s credit as screenwriter, John and Frank had their production credits. They’d already sold the movie to a major indie studio that was considering an Oscar campaign for the film in general and Anna in particular. The production had been the easiest she had ever worked on. She’d had a cinematographer she trusted and a production assistant who knew how to do the job, and all she’d had to do was direct. It was bliss. John had given her something that no one had before, and her heart swelled at the thought.

“Are you going to rescue him?” Nicole asked.

Anna glanced at John. The studio executives had moved on, but a young woman gazed at him, doe-eyed and coy. John didn’t look uncomfortable. He gestured like he usually did when talking about the three-act structure.

“He’ll be fine,” Anna said. “It takes him a while to realize they don’t actually have a question about the inciting incident.”

Nicole rolled her eyes.

“He sort of forgets people think we aren’t going to make it.”

There had been a number of veiled and not-so-veiled comments about them in the Hollywood press. When they had gone public, their relationship had caused a stir, especially when they had stayed together after filming his movie. John ignored the gossip. He cared so little what people thought of their relationship, he forgot the industry considered them an oddity.

“They haven’t seen the way he looks at you.”

Lightness swirled through Anna’s chest. She didn’t worry what anyone else thought either. She had John for as long as he wanted to be with her, and she had her work. It might take her to Cannes or to a dog food commercial in the Valley, but either way, it was enough.

John’s eyes grew wide at something the young woman said.

Nicole huffed a laugh. “He figured it out.”

“I’ll go get him.”

Anna moved around the men in suits, the women in elegant ball gowns, and the harried staff. Her dress swished around her, and she liked the way the room parted for her as she walked. The young woman kept talking, but John’s eyes sought out Anna. He smiled as soon as he saw her. She shivered. It still made her feel beautiful, that way he looked at her like she was the only woman in the room.

The young woman glanced between the two of them, eyes narrowed.

“Save me,” he mouthed.

Anna smothered a laugh. He reached for her, putting his hands around her waist and pulling her toward him.