Purposefully accidental, p.35
Purposefully Accidental, page 35
“Oh yeah, the whole shebang. There’ll be champagne and everything in it.”
“Fancy. Okay, so I’ll be at your place a little before four?”
“A bit before four is perfect.”
“God, this is in two days.”
“Wren! We’re ready for you.”
Wren stood up at Erin’s callout from the video village, dropping her cup in the trash that was right next to her chair. “Thanks again for the coffee.”
Madison smiled up at her. “No worries. Now go nail this so they don’t think they paid me for nothing.”
Wren laughed. “They’re going to be focused on making sure it rains properly. But don’t worry, I saved my pillow several times last night. I was a hero.”
She walked over to set with Madison’s laugh in her ears.
Chapter Twenty
“Definitely go with the dress.”
Madison bit her lip and turned slightly to see her back in her closet mirror, craning her neck. Casey was sitting on the bed, reflected back at her, legs dangling as she kicked them back and forth slowly.
“Are you sure?” The dress was long and black, cinched at her waist and coming up to her shoulders in a fairly high neckline, the straps incredibly thin. It could be mistaken for almost conservative, until the back was seen.
Because there basically wasn’t a back. The material was cut almost down to her tailbone, completely open. A little cutout was added with a long slit up the side, far above her knee, which showed off her leg when she walked.
“I am so very sure.”
“I’ll have to wear boob tape.”
“Go no bra and no tape.”
Madison was still unsure. “I haven’t gone no bra in forever.”
“If I was as lucky as you and and didn’t have the huge ones I had, I would be braless my entire life.”
Laughing, Madison met her eye in the mirror. “In high school I hated it, I thought something was wrong with me. I won’t lie, I love it now.”
With a sigh, Casey stared down at her own chest. “If I don’t wear a bra it just hurts.” She looked up. “Do it, go braless. It’s the perfect dress for it.”
“Heels?” Madison asked.
“The tallest you can put up with.”
Still a little torn, Madison bit her lip. “I feel so overdressed.”
“You’re going to a red-carpet event. You won’t when you’re there.”
“True.”
“Want to do your makeup now?”
Madison nodded, pulling the dress off and throwing on an old T-shirt with some shorts. She followed Casey into her bathroom, sitting on the closed toilet so Casey could start powdering her and putting on mascara for her like she did way back in college anytime Madison needed makeup. Casey was far better at it.
She had her eyes closed and a brush was gently moving over her skin when Casey murmured, “I remember doing this on your wedding day. You were so nervous I had to redo your eyeliner three times.”
Madison huffed a laugh, trying not to move too much. “I didn’t love the idea of everyone staring at me during the ceremony.”
“I know. You looked great though.”
“Nora looked great,” Madison breathed.
“That she did.”
They were silent for a little while, Casey’s fingers gentle on Madison’s face, adding liquids and creams and all kinds of things to her skin.
“How’s the fake dating going?” Casey asked.
“You waited a while to ask.”
“Call me Miss Respectful.”
That got a snort out of Madison, and Casey tutted at her.
The thing was, though, Casey never used to be. She’d pry and pry and pry. But then, she’d proven the last couple of years just how respectful she was, really, with how much time and space she’d given Madison, all the while letting her know she was still there.
Casey would hate it if she were that sentimental, though, so Madison only said, “You know, it’s going.”
“Oh, paint me a picture there, Mads. So much info.” A smaller brush was running over the lids of her eyes, now.
Madison grinned. “There’s not a lot to say. We’re friends, people think we’re dating, we’re not.”
“Friends now? That’s good.”
“Yeah, I’d say friends.” Madison’s stomach twisted. “They’ve been filming scenes in the rain the last two days, and it’s been pretty hilarious. Wren has been permanently soaked to the bone while trying to perform CPR and such.”
Casey’s hand paused slightly, then kept moving. “They film rain inside?”
“I know! Who knew? They have this big set up and everything has to be triple checked for safety and everyone wears rubber boots while they’re filming, and there’s Wren in scrubs, saturated and acting.”
“Saturated, huh? Dripping wet? Shirt clinging in all the right places? Hair a delightful mess?”
Madison opened her eyes, her vision a little blurry after all the poking and prodding, but still managed to glare at the fuzzy shape of Casey. Who didn’t appear to be even a little sheepish as she finally became a clear shape. “What? You’re the one who mentioned it.”
“I said none of that.”
“Didn’t have to.” Casey grinned. “Close your eyes, I need to fix up the left.” Madison did as she was ordered. “Look, Wren’s hot. Anyone with eyes can see that. There’s a reason she’s an A-lister.”
“Is she hot? I hadn’t noticed.”
Casey pulled her hand away and Madison opened her eyes to be greeted by the highest singular raised eyebrow ever known to humankind.
“Okay, fine, yes, Wren is hot. As you said, this is basically a pure fact.”
“Glad you can finally admit that. I think we’re done.” Casey stepped to the side so Madison could stand up and check it in the mirror.
“You really went smoky.”
“Nothing else works with that dress, trust me. You’ll look amazing. I’m pumped to see these photos. As is the entire world, I’m sure.”
“I wouldn’t know, I’ve been avoiding social media.” Madison turned and pressed her hip against the bathroom sink, Casey’s shoulder against the doorframe. “I’m scared of them all to be honest.”
“Well I’ve been stalking you on there nonstop. They love the two of you.”
“They love something that isn’t real.”
Casey cocked her head. “Isn’t it a little bit real, though?”
“What?” Madison scoffed. “You know it’s not.”
Taking in a deep breath and seemingly considering her words for a moment, Casey crossed her arms. “I think you feel bad about the lie, which I get. But come on…is it all one hundred percent a lie?”
“I…” Madison paused, unsure she knew how to answer that. Or was ready to answer that. But didn’t that alone answer that? This was making her head spin a little. “I don’t know.”
That was a cop-out answer, she knew that.
“Well.” Casey smiled. “That’s enough of an answer, anyway.”
It probably was.
* * *
Madison sucked in a breath, heart galloping a little too fast in her chest. Why was she so nervous? She’d gone to a lot of benefits and events. Had spoken at them. Had given speeches on volunteer work she’d done, on Nora’s disease. There’d been cameras in her face before.
This was all so different, though.
They were faking an entire thing in front of probably millions of people. So many tuned in to programs and tabloids and gossip. And here was Madison, hand coming up as if of its own accord to ring Wren’s doorbell, in a dress so fancy she thought she might not recognize herself in it after the last couple of years of scrubs and sweatpants.
She pressed the buzzer.
What if Wren laughed at her? She looked so different in makeup with her hair half up and curls falling loose around her face and shoulders. Nothing like herself. Wren would probably crack up at the sight of her.
Madison shouldn’t even care if she did; she never worried much about what she was wearing. Why did she care?
The door opened, stopping her downward spiral, and all thoughts flew out of her head because Wren looked incredible.
She was wearing a suit. Tight black pants perfectly tailored, a deep green button-down shirt, a black blazer that was also, of course, perfectly tailored to her figure. She had heels that were dangerously high. Her makeup was simple, her hair in a stylish updo that had been set in something that inspired images of 1920s flapper dancers.
Madison needed to say something.
Anything.
A greeting.
Hello? Was that how you greeted a person?
That green blouse was cut low. Very low. The first button didn’t start until right between Wren’s breasts. That was a lot of very creamy skin on display.
A greeting.
“Wow,” Madison breathed.
That was not a greeting.
Embarrassment at her reaction was enough to finally snap her out of it and she closed her mouth—which had, horrifyingly, apparently been open the entire time—and tore her gaze upward to a slightly flushed-looking Wren.
Madison wet her lips and tried again. “Hi. You look—amazing.”
Wren blinked rapidly. In the time it took Madison to say that, she’d gone more than flushed. That red was creeping up her chest and neck. It took everything in Madison not to watch it.
“So do you,” Wren said, earnest and smiling. “Is that—is that backless?”
Madison did a half-twist, turning so Wren could see it cut all the way down her back. “It is.”
“Suits you,” Wren said, slightly strangled.
When Madison turned back, Wren’s eyes were all dark pupil, and Madison wanted to—
“The limousine is here.”
Madison blinked, turning to see that a white limousine had indeed pulled up to the front of Wren’s gate.
“Shall we do this?” Madison asked.
Wren grinned, that flush faded, and she stepped out, pulling the door shut behind her. “Let’s wow some cameras.”
Her voice was back to normal, and Madison made sure to keep some distance between them as they walked to the limousine, because her entire body felt too warm, as if electricity were running along her limbs, and she had no idea what would happen if her arm brushed against Wren’s.
The limousine ride was quiet, both of them staring out the window and sharing the odd comment about the show or set or Madison’s work. The drive was slow, the traffic horrendous, especially as they got closer to the theater.
Finally, the limousine was crawling along in a long line of other limousines, and Madison thought she may throw up she was so nervous.
“We’re stopping soon?” she asked.
“Almost there.” Wren smiled reassuringly.
“Isn’t the theater still a bit away?”
“They block off quite a few of the streets and stuff around to make room for the press tent and red carpet and all the hullabaloo.”
“‘Hullaballoo?’” Madison asked, amused even in her nervous state.
“What’s wrong with hullabaloo?”
“Nothing, nothing,” Madison said, leg bouncing.
“Want some more champagne?” Wren asked.
Madison stared down into her glass. It still had some. “No, thank you.” Then she defeated the purpose of that by taking a long sip and finishing it.
Wren laughed, and Madison could barely look at her she looked so amazing. Lovely, could even be the word.
Sitting in the back of the limousine like this, legs elegantly crossed, Wren looked even more amazing, surrounded by such luxury.
Which meant there was the issue that Madison couldn’t really look at her. Awkward. Because every time she did, she almost forgot what words were.
“Want more now?” Wren asked.
“I think one glass is definitely enough. If I fell over on the red carpet, I think I’d die right there on the spot.” Madison, champagne fizzing in her belly, was finally able to meet Wren’s eye opposite her in the limousine. Wren’s smile was so wide Madison’s stomach flipped.
“Luckily for you, I’m really good at CPR now.”
That made Madison laugh loudly and Wren settled back into the seat, seemingly very pleased with herself. “You have practiced a lot, that’s for sure.”
Thanks to that laughter, or maybe the champagne, those jangling nerves settled a little bit. Her thumb played with the fidget ring that she wore on her finger when she knew she was going to be particularly jumpy. It helped, as it flicked the little balls around and around on the thin band.
“I’m surprised I haven’t caught a cold, to be honest.” Wren rested an elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand as the limousine crawled along, the street crowded with fans and photographers who couldn’t see in through the thankfully heavily tinted windows.
“Charles seemed happy with the takes.”
“It was all your teaching,” Wren said easily, smiling gently.
Madison’s stomach did that flip thing again.
“Are you nervous?”
Her head twisted rapidly back to Wren, her gaze having moved to the window to break the eye contact and not fall apart because of the tension growing in her stomach from a simple smile from Wren.
“About the premiere?” Wren prompted.
Oh. Not about these feelings that were overwhelming her. Madison was incredibly confused. Was she just attracted to Wren? Was this something more? Was she confusing it because they were faking this, and it had been so long since Madison had felt any kind of affection?
It had taken everything in her not to lean into Casey’s touch while she’d done Madison’s makeup. She’d almost twisted and asked her friend for a hug, but had bitten the feeling down.
Maybe Madison was just lonely.
It would make sense.
Madison nodded. “A little. What if I fall? I haven’t worn heels in forever.”
“I won’t let you,” Wren said again, so easily. As if that were so obvious.
The thing was, Madison believed her.
“I won’t leave you alone for a second, promise. They’ll be so excited for photos of the two of us together I’ll insist I can’t be alone without you when they want solo ones.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
Again, so easily.
Wren did everything so easily, it seemed. She was so open and free with herself.
“Thank you,” Madison said. “I don’t think I’d ever recover if I fell on my face in front of all those cameras.”
“You would—we’ve all tripped or fallen or done something. That take yesterday will be on the blooper reel for sure.”
“Which take?”
Wren’s eyes went wide. “Oh, that’s right! You’d already left. Oh no, now I have to share my humiliation.”
Madison got the feeling she’d done it all on purpose, just to distract her. She would let her, then.
“Please do share,” Madison murmured.
Wren still had her chin in her hand, eyes lit up. She groaned. “Fine.” A dramatic huff. “Well, I was soaked, the fans were going, I was acting my little heart out and then they called cut for something, I stood up, slipped in the water and fell, literally, face first on the mannequin.”
“Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah, whole thing on camera. Face first like I was going in to French it. At least it wasn’t the actor.”
Madison was laughing despite herself. “Oh, no. That sucks for you.”
Wren shrugged, still smiling. “What’re you going to do? We’ve got to fill those blooper reels with something.”
The car came to a full stop. Madison turned her head, seeing red carpet and steps and a lot of cameras and people.
“Oh, wow,” she breathed.
“Yeah, there are a lot more than at the restaurants.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“Ready to do this?” Wren asked.
The door was already being opened and noise was flooding in.
“I guess so,” Madison murmured.
Wren grabbed her hand where Madison’s thumb was pressing into the ring, not even moving it anymore. “I’ll be with you the whole time.”
Wren’s name was being shouted. So was Madison’s. There was the sound of cameras, an overwhelming sound when combined with hundreds more. Until that moment, she hadn’t realized how loud a camera was.
Wren slid out of the door like—well, like someone on TV: full of grace and elegance and the second she did, the camera flashing increased even more, people shouting her name nonstop. She waved and smiled and then turned, holding a hand in through the door for Madison, grinning at her.
“Let’s face the wolves,” she said.
Madison gave a nod and took her hand, stepping out onto the red carpet into hundreds of flashing lights. For a moment, she had to close her eyes it was so overwhelmingly bright. She opened them again, eyes adjusting, amazed at how many microphones and cameras there were.
Wren’s hand started to slip away, probably to take Madison’s arm or something more within the lines of the boundaries they’d had so far, but Madison gripped it and linked their fingers together. Wren turned, surprise in her eyes. Madison gave her a smile and Wren pressed their shoulders together, lips curling up.
The flashes went off even faster, and someone, many someones, actually cheered.
Madison laughed, heart rate finally calming down. How completely bizarre that people cared so much if she held hands with someone. She brought her lips near Wren’s ear, who angled her head so Madison could say something.
More flashes.
“If I fall, I’m taking you with me,” Madison murmured.
Wren laughed, turning back to Madison. She was so close, and Madison’s heart sped up for an entirely different reason, hammering against her ribs. Wren’s perfume, something soft with a hint of citrus, had Madison leaning in even more.
“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Wren whispered.
She winked, and Madison thought for a moment she may fall over right there, and it would have had nothing to do with her heels.
