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As we round the corner, Emma has just pulled the door to her roo the handle on her rolling carry-on bag She turns back to the door as soon as she sees me, but it’s too late--it’s clicked closed and autoether

As we pass her, I say, "Good , Emma"

Lips pursed, she raises her eyes tothe," she le her shoulders towards her rooe to shove her in that direction "Get soling Jesus

Following E I ever found physically attractive about her--how her hair flows over her shoulders, the way she holds herself as she walks, the curve of her hip and the line of s below the hem of her white shorts, the wrist of stacked bracelets on her left arht hand, the silver band with the story I’ll never learn We enter the elevator and ride to the ground floor in silence, her pale shoulder against the opposite wall I hum to myself as we take what feels like the slowest descent in the history ofIs this godda? I could cran the stairs faster, when not long ago, the two of us appreciated the elevator’s lethargic pace

Graha with Bob, alkies that he’s bringing us out Luckily, the early hour yields just a couple of paparazzi photogs MiShaun takes E nonsense on the way to the car She sits next to Emma and Graham takes the seat across from her They’ve joined forces to make sure I’m as far from her as possible

Awesome

Emma

"You never told me how the SAT went" Graha fro the sour creauacamole that I avoid lest I be accused of another baby bump The two of us found a Tex-Mex place for our last uy is in town on so project, so she’s with hi up with one of the new extras or a local groupie Fil was hell, but it’s done

"The exam was protracted and arduous" I tap round as I select lean pieces of grilled chicken and veggies Graham smiles, and I notice a bit of sour cream at the corner of his er and cleaned it off Maybe with a napkin Maybe I should just say sonore it

"Sounds trau, take a sip of iced tea and glance back at hisacross the table and licking it off, and I blurt, "You have a little…" and point to the corner of my mouth He pulls the napkin off his lap and swabs at the corner

"Gone?"

"Yeah" Must stop staring at his mouth I lean back into the soft leather booth and force ether, or trying to be, then I have no business conte him

"Fans, three o’clock"

"Huh?" I say, and he raises an eyebrow "Okay, that doesn’t count That was basically a question, not a huh"

"All right," he smiles "I’ll spot you that one"

I try to be covert in looking over my shoulder, but covert doesn’tback My glancing at the to each other excitedly, and then the cell phones ee

"Crap Can we leave?"

"I haven’t paid yet" He looks for our server, motions her over "Restaurants sorta frown on custo Even famous ones" The server arrives with the check and Graham hands her a credit card "You knoe talked about this a while back It’s going to happen even hs softly as I scowl atup, his forearms folded in front of him on the table, his eyes dark and direct "You’re the lead female role in a major studio filht, of course I lean up oncrazy wondering why Reid’s being seen with everyone butinto theet lost there "You knohat this will do, raphed at ill no doubt be described as an inti the receipt and stowing his card away "I can take it Now put on a little attitude, and let’s get out of here" He calls our driver to meet us out front and takescell phones, or just plain pointing, I feel calm with my hand in his