CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
MEL
"MORE dress shopping?" Mel asked Nikki. This girl was unbelievable! "Is it really that necessary? I mean, I have plenty of dresses--"
"No! This isn't some foundation fundraiser or cocktails with the girls. This is a major Hollywood movie premier! It's a Gerard Cline film! A new dress is necessary! And so is a spa day. We don't have much time left."
Mel sighed. She didn't want to admit it but she did enjoy her girlie days with Nikki. It wasn't as if Mel
wasn't a girlie girl--she totally was. However she was a horrible procrastinator and usually only threw together what she thought looked good at the last minute and only having her nails and brows done when desperate times called for desperate measures.
"I thought maybe we should bring Kate this time."
Mel enjoyed going out with Nikki until that statement came out of her mouth. "Um..."
"I feel bad for her," Nikki continued. "And you have to admit, she's really not so bad..."
Nikki was right. Without the influence of the Wicked Witch of the South (which had become Natalie's new
secret nickname since she had since moved back to Atlanta), Nikki and Mel had had the opportunity to get to know her a little better and she really wasn't that bad. In reality the poor girl was quiet and kind of shy. Mel
wasn't sure if that was her nature or she was just nervous being around Mel due to recent events. Either way, in spite of herself, and because she'd been feeling the love quite a bit lately, Mel gave in. "I guess I'm feeling
charitable," she muttered.
The smile in Nikki's voice over the phone was heavily detectable. "You know it's more than charity..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know..."
And that was how Mel, Nikki, and Kate ended up drinking champagne and trying on dresses in one of Tulsa's
top ultra chic boutiques. "I really appreciate you guys letting me tag along," Kate said as she started her second glass. "I really needed this time away."
Nikki smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know, sweetie. We're so glad you're here."
"Okay, Mel," the boutique owner they had quickly befriended said as she rolled out a new rack of dresses. "Here we go. I love you, girl, but you're indecisive as hell!"
The three women laughed and Mel apologized. "I'm sorry. This is the first event I've been to in awhile that I've actually looked forward to and I just want the dress to be perfect."
"Please, Tay would love you in a paper bag," Kate interjected.
Mel turned around and smirked at her. "Yeah he might love me in it, but he sure wouldn't appreciate it!"
The truth was, Mel wasn't really sure why she had decided to set out for the perfect dress today. Maybe the
words she had spoken were true. Every single event she had to dress for had been spent choosing a dress to cover the gloom and doom she knew was coming. This time was different. She was happy and actually looking forward to this particular event. It was hers and Taylor's first time officially stepping out together for a Hollywood function and she couldn't be more proud to be stepping out on his arm.
She picked through the new batch of dresses, a chorus of 'no's' ringing out behind her, mimicking how she herself felt about each dress in question. After she had gone through the second rack, Mel sighed. "This is turning out to be a disastrous trip. I'm so sorry," she said to Kate and Nikki.
"Don't apologize. I saw some dresses I was ready to kill you over so I'm glad you nixed them," Nikki
laughed.
The boutique owner tapped her chin and looked Mel over. "I have one more in the back...it's a Marc Jacobs. It's slightly out of season, but the style is timeless. I think it would be perfect for you."
Moments later, she presented the dress. "It's so...plain," Mel remarked.
The boutique owner's eyes sparkled. "Not when you put it on! Go! Try it!"
Mel took the champagne-colored garment from the woman and disappeared into the dressing room. She was
pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get into. She loved how it didn't require a zipper. And it clung to her. The silk-blend lame gown resembled a nightgown. The neckline plunged to reveal a hint of the cleavage she barely had as the dangerously thin straps caused the dress to appear as if it merely hung off of her shoulders. As lazily sultry as the dress hung on her, it was actually rather snug and comfortable.
The material, on the other hand, was completely non-existent. There was practically nothing between her body and the outside world. She would be able to feel it every single time Tay touched her--and the material wasn't exactly unpleasant. This dress could possibly lead to an interesting after party...
"It's too long!" Mel hollered from the dressing room. She silently cursed her short stature.
Choruses of "Let's see it!" rang out from the boutique.
"It can be altered!" the boutique owner yelled back.
Stepping out of the dressing room, she received an extremely positive response. Nikki sucked in a breath. "Oh, honey, Tay will die..."
"I'M about to die," Kate joked.
"I'm not sure it needs to be altered," the boutique owner said. "It's supposed to brush the ground just a little. If you can find an open-toed platform it would probably be perfect."
"Gold ones," Kate said. "Definitely."
Nikki's eyes lit up. "Oooh, and a messy up-do? Oh, Mel, you'll fit right in on that carpet! People will assume you're an A-list actress or something!"
Mel giggled shyly. "You guys are too much. Okay, enough about my dress. Let's get yours picked out so we can go find lunch!"
_________________________________________________________
DREW
Drew was exhausted. She couldn't believe how much work went into releasing one movie. For the past
two weeks she and Gerard and Jason had done nothing but press. Interviews, press conferences, junkets--if she had to tell one more person what it was like to work with Jason or for Gerard or how long it took her to get into makeup she thought she might strangle someone.
However, seeing the different interviews on the various entertainment news shows on television was a little
surreal to her. It was nearly unbelievable. She was on TV--promoting a major film. She was finally one of those actresses whose interviews she used to watch and say, "I would have said this or that differently. I
couldn't have been such a catty bitch about that question, I wouldn't have made that face."
Now she understood why the actresses came off as catty bitches--because they spent ten to twelve hours per day answering the SAME GODDAMN STUPID QUESTION! She didn't understand how Zac could do it without hitting someone. That poor man had been answering the same questions for sixteen years. Drew decided that press would be her least favorite part of her new career.
Her most favorite happened when, out of the blue, she was personally approached by Versace, wanting to dress her in a couture gown from their newest line. Drew could have died.
She, of course, accepted and in the fitting, she wanted to die again when she saw the dress they wanted to put her in. It was peach-colored and strapless, the neckline plunging between her ribcage. The skirt flowed from her waist down in heavy, ruffled material and it seemed to pour off of her body and onto the ground like a
waterfall. There was so much material and so much scattered, irregular ruffling going on--she looked in the mirror and was in love instantly.
By the time the premier rolled around, Drew was still on cloud nine that she was specifically approached by
Versace. She had insisted on getting ready at her own condo, seeing as she was hardly ever there anymore. Hair, makeup, and designers all scurried around the small section of her living room that had been turned into a makeshift beauty salon. They had gone natural on her lips but smoky on the eyes and she had been strongly against the false eyelashes until the makeup artist convinced her to be open-minded and glued them on her anyway. Drew loved them. They didn't look fake or gaudy. They simply filled in what she didn't already have naturally.
The only jewelry she wore were the enormous, but surprisingly light, amber-colored earrings in her ears. She
insisted, however, on wearing the tennis bracelet Gerard had given her for her birthday. She was informed on more than one occasion in a span of ten minutes that it didn't match but Drew didn't care. It was sentimental to her and for her very first movie premier, she wanted to have it on.
Finally time for Gerard to arrive, the designer had just finished helping her scoop her dress off the floor when
her doorbell rang. Drew looked at him and he looked at her and the two of them scuffled to the door. Normally Drew would have laughed out loud but her focus had been strictly on getting ready and getting
out the door.
As the designer held up her dress, Drew flung the door open expecting Gerard but finding Zac, standing before her, gorgeous, in a full tuxedo, his hair hanging on his shoulders. Her surprise must have been obvious because he laughed. "Well don't have a heart attack or anything."
"Oh my god, Zac!" Drew flung her arms around his neck.
"Don't you dare smudge your makeup!" the makeup artist yelled from inside.
Quickly she pulled away and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I--I'm just so surprised and so glad to see
you! Where's Kate?"
"She's downstairs in the limo. Your condo was on our way from the hotel--"
"My condo is so far out of your way from the hotel--"
"--and I decided to stop by and see you for a minute before all the hustle and bustle happens. You look
amazing."
Drew blushed. "So do you. Uh, do you want to come in?"
"I really can't stay. I just wanted a moment of peace and quiet to let you know that, even though I've told
you this a million times already, you'll never know how proud I am of you. Truly."
Drew smiled at him. She was touched. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me."
"Uh, and also congratulations on your first movie. I can't wait to see you kick some ass."
"More like can't wait to see me die."
Zac laughed. "Spoilers, damn!" He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek. "Well, we'll be seeing you at the premier. You're literally about to soar into superstardom overnight. I'm glad I stopped by and had this moment before all the craziness ensued."
"Um, I'm glad you stopped by, too," she responded quietly.
One last smile had him leaving her door and heading to the elevator.
His words rang loudly in her ears. Superstardom overnight? She suddenly felt as if she were going to hyperventilate. Was this how fast things were supposed to go?
______________________________________________________
"This definitely isn't some charity fundraiser red carpet," Gerard said to her quietly as they sat in the limo
amongst the hair and makeup artists and the designer who would make up their entourage on the carpet to make sure no unfortunate malfunctions ensue at Drew's expense. "This is the real deal."
"What's the difference?" Drew asked.
"More media outlets, more A-list celebrities. More opportunities to network..."
"Can't just enjoy the party, huh?" Drew teased.
"You never want to miss an opportunity to network."
Drew looked up at him. "But this is my first movie premier. Do you really want to spend it working or
do you want to enjoy it with me?"
Gerard smiled back at her and took her by the hand, placing a gentle kiss on it. "How could I say 'no' to
you?"
And then they sat in the limo, parked, for at least the next fifteen minutes. They weren't early. Walking the red carpet was all about timing. In other words, they were waiting on Jason.
When his limo finally pulled up, Drew could see him stepping out of it through her window. Even she had to suck in a breath. He was dashing with his hair pulled back, his face clean-shaven and his black and white suit--complete with tie--was tailored perfectly to him, not a stitch nor wrinkle out of place.
As he stood, he turned to the side, looking beyond his own limo, and a wide grin spread across his face, a
smile Drew knew was only meant for one person. She couldn't scramble out of that limo fast enough.
Alas, she was not allowed to let her dress touch the pavement. She pouted as she realized that she would have
to meet Mel and Taylor on the carpet where her dress was allowed to flow freely. It was a gorgeous dress but she was really beginning to resent it.
Drew had her first diva moment when the coordinators tried to tell her it was time to walk. "No," she said
firmly. "My best friend is here and I haven't seen her in over a month. I'm GOING to get to say 'hi' to her before all this gets started."
Within minutes it felt like a family reunion and she couldn't have been happier. Jason, along with Tay and Mel came first. The squee fest was uncontrollable as Mel and Drew hugged each other and then insisted on having an impromptu cell phone photo shoot. Isaac and Nikki and Zac and Kate followed moments later and were all given several moments to take personal photos before they finally allowed the professionals do their jobs.
Finally able to concentrate on the big picture, Drew became slightly intimidated. The posing and the smiling
and the picture-taking was the same as the benefit, however this premier was about quadruple its size and a thousand times brighter with the constant flashing of camera bulbs. Drew's nerves were shot, not because of the cameras or the constant "Who are you wearing?" questions, or even the fear of tripping over her dress like she thought it would be. Her nerves were shot because of Gerard. This was their coming out. They were going public tonight. And how it was going to happen, Drew had no idea.
Apparently they went public somewhere between her shoes and her dress. As Drew chatted up the Style
network, she had seemingly missed the question asked to Gerard asking if the pair were an item. His answer had been a very resounding yes. And that was it. That's how they went public. It was that simple.
Drew didn't know what she'd been so nervous about. She could now go back to being nervous about stepping on her dress and she wasn't sure that was any better than relationship nerves. She was grateful for the break as they stopped for several minutes to allow Jason to make his way further down the carpet so the media could have their pictures together. It was then that Drew noticed that he was there alone. She was almost shocked by this. He had more than his share of options to bring along with him. She had to wonder--was he making a
statement or was this simply who he was? This was supposed to be a fun night. Drew decided not to breach the subject.
__________________________________________________________
MEL
"I don't know how you do it," Taylor said as he looked Mel over in her new dress. "Every single time you put on a new dress you leave me speechless."
"You'll get used to it," Mel responded playfully.
"I don't know..."
"It gets better. This material is paper thin and I can't wear a stitch of underwear."
He narrowed his eyebrows in pain. "You're breaking my heart."
"You love it."
"I do."
Tay looked so sexy in his suit, Mel could hardly keep her hands to herself. She tried to think of the premier
to keep her mind off of him. She was glad he decided to go with the basic black suit and tie and nix the whole tuxedo idea. He had toyed with it and decided to leave it to Zac. Zac seemed more partial to bowties anyway. Mel didn't understand it.
She would be lying if she said she didn't already know they looked great together. They just fit, like puzzle pieces. She loved how her subtle platform heels brought her closer to his face. Who was she kidding, she loved anything that brought her any type of closer to him.
Arriving at the venue, Mel stepped out of the limo and felt the breeze brush across the back of her bare neck. She felt naked, as thin as the material was on this dress. She felt the draft in places she wasn't normally supposed to feel it. She glanced down at herself once more and was able to take comfort in the fact that
her dress was so secure it didn't even shift the wrong way. She swore this dress had magic in it.
As she glanced up to wait for Tay, the words, "Hey, gorgeous!" rang faintly through the air. Looking toward
the voice, she saw Jason by his limo, smiling at her.
Her first instinct was to run and jump in his arms like she normally did. Then she had to stop and realize where she was--and what she was wearing. Now was neither the time or the place to appear unladylike. And then she got a look at him. Good lord, he would never cease to take her breath away. He was the picture of perfection, like the cover of a romance novel, in his suit and tie and not a hair out of place. She was in love with Taylor. Head over heels. But anyone, no matter their relationship status, had to appreciate the specimen Jason was.
Mel lifted her dress off the ground and walked quickly into his arms and he hugged her tightly, kissing her
cheek, then hugged her again. Being in his arms felt like home. Not necessarily home like Tay felt, but a different kind of home. The home only your best friends and family could provide.
She didn't realize he'd lifted her off the ground until he put her back down again. He looked at her and smiled. "You look absolutely breath-taking. Your dress is enough to make a man sweat."
Mel smiled back at him and motioned toward Tay, who was walking over from their limo. "I think one already is. Where's your date?"
"I didn't bring one," his rich voice said. "I don't really feel like messing around with the whole 'who's linked to who' drama." He glanced up at Tay then back at her. "I mean, no offense or anything."
Tay walked up beside her and extended his hand to Jason. "Hey, how are you?" he asked cordially.
Jason smiled and shook his hand. "Excellent, man, how are you?"
"Good, good. Congratulations on your movie."
Jason's smile widened. "Thanks, that means a lot."
Mel was bewildered at this civil exchange. The last time they'd been in each other's presence they almost killed each other. What changed all of a sudden? As curious as she was, she opted not to rock the boat.
She would take what she could get.
The carpet was insane but Mel couldn't find a reason not to smile. She looked around her--Tay, Drew, Jason, Isaac, Zac, Nikki, Kate, Gerard--this was her family. Her inner circle. The people she trusted the most in
her life with the exception of her mother.
When it was time to start making their way, Tay smiled at her and took her by the hand. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she found herself swooning over him as if she had just laid eyes on him for the first time. The last time she was on a red carpet she was with Jason, and she was proud to be with him that night. But that night didn't even come close to the way she felt walking with Taylor. She stood a little straighter, held her head a little higher and her cheeks ached from the smile that she just couldn't turn off. Mel was happy. For the first time in ten years, she was truly and genuinely happy. The high was amazing.
And then she was blind. The flashing bulbs from the sea of cameras never failed to disorient her. She was thankful that Tay insisted on keeping his arm around her a majority of the time. She thought she remembered whispering to him once, "I keep stumbling because of this flashing, people are going to think I'm drunk!"
"I thought it was your dress," he whispered back.
"I think it's both!"
They shared a laugh before it was back to business as usual.
There would always be group pictures. For as long as she lived, she would share Tay with his brothers. While the cameras got a load of Hanson, Mel backtracked and found Drew alone as Gerard and Jason posed together.
"You aren't out front catching rays with all these bulbs?" Mel joked to Drew.
"No," she said, seemingly distracted. "I needed a second. Mel--can you believe we're here? Did you ever see us one day, here? On the red carpet in designer gowns? You here with Tay and--and it's MY movie we're here to see? Did you ever imagine it?"
In that instant, Mel flung her arms around her best friend's neck. "I love you and I am so proud of you. You have no idea."
"I love you, too," Drew said in Mel's hair. "And stop trying to make me cry, you hooker, I know you're trying to sabotage my premier."
Mel laughed. "Not any more than you're trying to sabotage my makeup."
Somewhere in that exchange, their entire group had come together. All of them. They all stood together, seemingly forever, chatting, posing for pictures and greeting other celebrity passers by. They didn't realize they were holding things up until a couple of coordinators let them know it was time to move on.
"Wow, I didn't realize I'd be getting the old heave ho at my own movie premier!" Gerard joked.
Hair and makeup met the ladies at the doors as they finally prepared to enter the theatre. Mel didn't understand it since they would be in the dark for the next two hours but she let it happen anyway. She was too anxious to finally see this movie she willingly participated in all the obstacles it took to get there!
__________________________________________________________
MEL
"MORE dress shopping?" Mel asked Nikki. This girl was unbelievable! "Is it really that necessary? I mean, I have plenty of dresses--"
"No! This isn't some foundation fundraiser or cocktails with the girls. This is a major Hollywood movie premier! It's a Gerard Cline film! A new dress is necessary! And so is a spa day. We don't have much time left."
Mel sighed. She didn't want to admit it but she did enjoy her girlie days with Nikki. It wasn't as if Mel
wasn't a girlie girl--she totally was. However she was a horrible procrastinator and usually only threw together what she thought looked good at the last minute and only having her nails and brows done when desperate times called for desperate measures.
"I thought maybe we should bring Kate this time."
Mel enjoyed going out with Nikki until that statement came out of her mouth. "Um..."
"I feel bad for her," Nikki continued. "And you have to admit, she's really not so bad..."
Nikki was right. Without the influence of the Wicked Witch of the South (which had become Natalie's new
secret nickname since she had since moved back to Atlanta), Nikki and Mel had had the opportunity to get to know her a little better and she really wasn't that bad. In reality the poor girl was quiet and kind of shy. Mel
wasn't sure if that was her nature or she was just nervous being around Mel due to recent events. Either way, in spite of herself, and because she'd been feeling the love quite a bit lately, Mel gave in. "I guess I'm feeling
charitable," she muttered.
The smile in Nikki's voice over the phone was heavily detectable. "You know it's more than charity..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know..."
And that was how Mel, Nikki, and Kate ended up drinking champagne and trying on dresses in one of Tulsa's
top ultra chic boutiques. "I really appreciate you guys letting me tag along," Kate said as she started her second glass. "I really needed this time away."
Nikki smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know, sweetie. We're so glad you're here."
"Okay, Mel," the boutique owner they had quickly befriended said as she rolled out a new rack of dresses. "Here we go. I love you, girl, but you're indecisive as hell!"
The three women laughed and Mel apologized. "I'm sorry. This is the first event I've been to in awhile that I've actually looked forward to and I just want the dress to be perfect."
"Please, Tay would love you in a paper bag," Kate interjected.
Mel turned around and smirked at her. "Yeah he might love me in it, but he sure wouldn't appreciate it!"
The truth was, Mel wasn't really sure why she had decided to set out for the perfect dress today. Maybe the
words she had spoken were true. Every single event she had to dress for had been spent choosing a dress to cover the gloom and doom she knew was coming. This time was different. She was happy and actually looking forward to this particular event. It was hers and Taylor's first time officially stepping out together for a Hollywood function and she couldn't be more proud to be stepping out on his arm.
She picked through the new batch of dresses, a chorus of 'no's' ringing out behind her, mimicking how she herself felt about each dress in question. After she had gone through the second rack, Mel sighed. "This is turning out to be a disastrous trip. I'm so sorry," she said to Kate and Nikki.
"Don't apologize. I saw some dresses I was ready to kill you over so I'm glad you nixed them," Nikki
laughed.
The boutique owner tapped her chin and looked Mel over. "I have one more in the back...it's a Marc Jacobs. It's slightly out of season, but the style is timeless. I think it would be perfect for you."
Moments later, she presented the dress. "It's so...plain," Mel remarked.
The boutique owner's eyes sparkled. "Not when you put it on! Go! Try it!"
Mel took the champagne-colored garment from the woman and disappeared into the dressing room. She was
pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get into. She loved how it didn't require a zipper. And it clung to her. The silk-blend lame gown resembled a nightgown. The neckline plunged to reveal a hint of the cleavage she barely had as the dangerously thin straps caused the dress to appear as if it merely hung off of her shoulders. As lazily sultry as the dress hung on her, it was actually rather snug and comfortable.
The material, on the other hand, was completely non-existent. There was practically nothing between her body and the outside world. She would be able to feel it every single time Tay touched her--and the material wasn't exactly unpleasant. This dress could possibly lead to an interesting after party...
"It's too long!" Mel hollered from the dressing room. She silently cursed her short stature.
Choruses of "Let's see it!" rang out from the boutique.
"It can be altered!" the boutique owner yelled back.
Stepping out of the dressing room, she received an extremely positive response. Nikki sucked in a breath. "Oh, honey, Tay will die..."
"I'M about to die," Kate joked.
"I'm not sure it needs to be altered," the boutique owner said. "It's supposed to brush the ground just a little. If you can find an open-toed platform it would probably be perfect."
"Gold ones," Kate said. "Definitely."
Nikki's eyes lit up. "Oooh, and a messy up-do? Oh, Mel, you'll fit right in on that carpet! People will assume you're an A-list actress or something!"
Mel giggled shyly. "You guys are too much. Okay, enough about my dress. Let's get yours picked out so we can go find lunch!"
_________________________________________________________
DREW
Drew was exhausted. She couldn't believe how much work went into releasing one movie. For the past
two weeks she and Gerard and Jason had done nothing but press. Interviews, press conferences, junkets--if she had to tell one more person what it was like to work with Jason or for Gerard or how long it took her to get into makeup she thought she might strangle someone.
However, seeing the different interviews on the various entertainment news shows on television was a little
surreal to her. It was nearly unbelievable. She was on TV--promoting a major film. She was finally one of those actresses whose interviews she used to watch and say, "I would have said this or that differently. I
couldn't have been such a catty bitch about that question, I wouldn't have made that face."
Now she understood why the actresses came off as catty bitches--because they spent ten to twelve hours per day answering the SAME GODDAMN STUPID QUESTION! She didn't understand how Zac could do it without hitting someone. That poor man had been answering the same questions for sixteen years. Drew decided that press would be her least favorite part of her new career.
Her most favorite happened when, out of the blue, she was personally approached by Versace, wanting to dress her in a couture gown from their newest line. Drew could have died.
She, of course, accepted and in the fitting, she wanted to die again when she saw the dress they wanted to put her in. It was peach-colored and strapless, the neckline plunging between her ribcage. The skirt flowed from her waist down in heavy, ruffled material and it seemed to pour off of her body and onto the ground like a
waterfall. There was so much material and so much scattered, irregular ruffling going on--she looked in the mirror and was in love instantly.
By the time the premier rolled around, Drew was still on cloud nine that she was specifically approached by
Versace. She had insisted on getting ready at her own condo, seeing as she was hardly ever there anymore. Hair, makeup, and designers all scurried around the small section of her living room that had been turned into a makeshift beauty salon. They had gone natural on her lips but smoky on the eyes and she had been strongly against the false eyelashes until the makeup artist convinced her to be open-minded and glued them on her anyway. Drew loved them. They didn't look fake or gaudy. They simply filled in what she didn't already have naturally.
The only jewelry she wore were the enormous, but surprisingly light, amber-colored earrings in her ears. She
insisted, however, on wearing the tennis bracelet Gerard had given her for her birthday. She was informed on more than one occasion in a span of ten minutes that it didn't match but Drew didn't care. It was sentimental to her and for her very first movie premier, she wanted to have it on.
Finally time for Gerard to arrive, the designer had just finished helping her scoop her dress off the floor when
her doorbell rang. Drew looked at him and he looked at her and the two of them scuffled to the door. Normally Drew would have laughed out loud but her focus had been strictly on getting ready and getting
out the door.
As the designer held up her dress, Drew flung the door open expecting Gerard but finding Zac, standing before her, gorgeous, in a full tuxedo, his hair hanging on his shoulders. Her surprise must have been obvious because he laughed. "Well don't have a heart attack or anything."
"Oh my god, Zac!" Drew flung her arms around his neck.
"Don't you dare smudge your makeup!" the makeup artist yelled from inside.
Quickly she pulled away and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I--I'm just so surprised and so glad to see
you! Where's Kate?"
"She's downstairs in the limo. Your condo was on our way from the hotel--"
"My condo is so far out of your way from the hotel--"
"--and I decided to stop by and see you for a minute before all the hustle and bustle happens. You look
amazing."
Drew blushed. "So do you. Uh, do you want to come in?"
"I really can't stay. I just wanted a moment of peace and quiet to let you know that, even though I've told
you this a million times already, you'll never know how proud I am of you. Truly."
Drew smiled at him. She was touched. "Thank you. That really means a lot to me."
"Uh, and also congratulations on your first movie. I can't wait to see you kick some ass."
"More like can't wait to see me die."
Zac laughed. "Spoilers, damn!" He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek. "Well, we'll be seeing you at the premier. You're literally about to soar into superstardom overnight. I'm glad I stopped by and had this moment before all the craziness ensued."
"Um, I'm glad you stopped by, too," she responded quietly.
One last smile had him leaving her door and heading to the elevator.
His words rang loudly in her ears. Superstardom overnight? She suddenly felt as if she were going to hyperventilate. Was this how fast things were supposed to go?
______________________________________________________
"This definitely isn't some charity fundraiser red carpet," Gerard said to her quietly as they sat in the limo
amongst the hair and makeup artists and the designer who would make up their entourage on the carpet to make sure no unfortunate malfunctions ensue at Drew's expense. "This is the real deal."
"What's the difference?" Drew asked.
"More media outlets, more A-list celebrities. More opportunities to network..."
"Can't just enjoy the party, huh?" Drew teased.
"You never want to miss an opportunity to network."
Drew looked up at him. "But this is my first movie premier. Do you really want to spend it working or
do you want to enjoy it with me?"
Gerard smiled back at her and took her by the hand, placing a gentle kiss on it. "How could I say 'no' to
you?"
And then they sat in the limo, parked, for at least the next fifteen minutes. They weren't early. Walking the red carpet was all about timing. In other words, they were waiting on Jason.
When his limo finally pulled up, Drew could see him stepping out of it through her window. Even she had to suck in a breath. He was dashing with his hair pulled back, his face clean-shaven and his black and white suit--complete with tie--was tailored perfectly to him, not a stitch nor wrinkle out of place.
As he stood, he turned to the side, looking beyond his own limo, and a wide grin spread across his face, a
smile Drew knew was only meant for one person. She couldn't scramble out of that limo fast enough.
Alas, she was not allowed to let her dress touch the pavement. She pouted as she realized that she would have
to meet Mel and Taylor on the carpet where her dress was allowed to flow freely. It was a gorgeous dress but she was really beginning to resent it.
Drew had her first diva moment when the coordinators tried to tell her it was time to walk. "No," she said
firmly. "My best friend is here and I haven't seen her in over a month. I'm GOING to get to say 'hi' to her before all this gets started."
Within minutes it felt like a family reunion and she couldn't have been happier. Jason, along with Tay and Mel came first. The squee fest was uncontrollable as Mel and Drew hugged each other and then insisted on having an impromptu cell phone photo shoot. Isaac and Nikki and Zac and Kate followed moments later and were all given several moments to take personal photos before they finally allowed the professionals do their jobs.
Finally able to concentrate on the big picture, Drew became slightly intimidated. The posing and the smiling
and the picture-taking was the same as the benefit, however this premier was about quadruple its size and a thousand times brighter with the constant flashing of camera bulbs. Drew's nerves were shot, not because of the cameras or the constant "Who are you wearing?" questions, or even the fear of tripping over her dress like she thought it would be. Her nerves were shot because of Gerard. This was their coming out. They were going public tonight. And how it was going to happen, Drew had no idea.
Apparently they went public somewhere between her shoes and her dress. As Drew chatted up the Style
network, she had seemingly missed the question asked to Gerard asking if the pair were an item. His answer had been a very resounding yes. And that was it. That's how they went public. It was that simple.
Drew didn't know what she'd been so nervous about. She could now go back to being nervous about stepping on her dress and she wasn't sure that was any better than relationship nerves. She was grateful for the break as they stopped for several minutes to allow Jason to make his way further down the carpet so the media could have their pictures together. It was then that Drew noticed that he was there alone. She was almost shocked by this. He had more than his share of options to bring along with him. She had to wonder--was he making a
statement or was this simply who he was? This was supposed to be a fun night. Drew decided not to breach the subject.
__________________________________________________________
MEL
"I don't know how you do it," Taylor said as he looked Mel over in her new dress. "Every single time you put on a new dress you leave me speechless."
"You'll get used to it," Mel responded playfully.
"I don't know..."
"It gets better. This material is paper thin and I can't wear a stitch of underwear."
He narrowed his eyebrows in pain. "You're breaking my heart."
"You love it."
"I do."
Tay looked so sexy in his suit, Mel could hardly keep her hands to herself. She tried to think of the premier
to keep her mind off of him. She was glad he decided to go with the basic black suit and tie and nix the whole tuxedo idea. He had toyed with it and decided to leave it to Zac. Zac seemed more partial to bowties anyway. Mel didn't understand it.
She would be lying if she said she didn't already know they looked great together. They just fit, like puzzle pieces. She loved how her subtle platform heels brought her closer to his face. Who was she kidding, she loved anything that brought her any type of closer to him.
Arriving at the venue, Mel stepped out of the limo and felt the breeze brush across the back of her bare neck. She felt naked, as thin as the material was on this dress. She felt the draft in places she wasn't normally supposed to feel it. She glanced down at herself once more and was able to take comfort in the fact that
her dress was so secure it didn't even shift the wrong way. She swore this dress had magic in it.
As she glanced up to wait for Tay, the words, "Hey, gorgeous!" rang faintly through the air. Looking toward
the voice, she saw Jason by his limo, smiling at her.
Her first instinct was to run and jump in his arms like she normally did. Then she had to stop and realize where she was--and what she was wearing. Now was neither the time or the place to appear unladylike. And then she got a look at him. Good lord, he would never cease to take her breath away. He was the picture of perfection, like the cover of a romance novel, in his suit and tie and not a hair out of place. She was in love with Taylor. Head over heels. But anyone, no matter their relationship status, had to appreciate the specimen Jason was.
Mel lifted her dress off the ground and walked quickly into his arms and he hugged her tightly, kissing her
cheek, then hugged her again. Being in his arms felt like home. Not necessarily home like Tay felt, but a different kind of home. The home only your best friends and family could provide.
She didn't realize he'd lifted her off the ground until he put her back down again. He looked at her and smiled. "You look absolutely breath-taking. Your dress is enough to make a man sweat."
Mel smiled back at him and motioned toward Tay, who was walking over from their limo. "I think one already is. Where's your date?"
"I didn't bring one," his rich voice said. "I don't really feel like messing around with the whole 'who's linked to who' drama." He glanced up at Tay then back at her. "I mean, no offense or anything."
Tay walked up beside her and extended his hand to Jason. "Hey, how are you?" he asked cordially.
Jason smiled and shook his hand. "Excellent, man, how are you?"
"Good, good. Congratulations on your movie."
Jason's smile widened. "Thanks, that means a lot."
Mel was bewildered at this civil exchange. The last time they'd been in each other's presence they almost killed each other. What changed all of a sudden? As curious as she was, she opted not to rock the boat.
She would take what she could get.
The carpet was insane but Mel couldn't find a reason not to smile. She looked around her--Tay, Drew, Jason, Isaac, Zac, Nikki, Kate, Gerard--this was her family. Her inner circle. The people she trusted the most in
her life with the exception of her mother.
When it was time to start making their way, Tay smiled at her and took her by the hand. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she found herself swooning over him as if she had just laid eyes on him for the first time. The last time she was on a red carpet she was with Jason, and she was proud to be with him that night. But that night didn't even come close to the way she felt walking with Taylor. She stood a little straighter, held her head a little higher and her cheeks ached from the smile that she just couldn't turn off. Mel was happy. For the first time in ten years, she was truly and genuinely happy. The high was amazing.
And then she was blind. The flashing bulbs from the sea of cameras never failed to disorient her. She was thankful that Tay insisted on keeping his arm around her a majority of the time. She thought she remembered whispering to him once, "I keep stumbling because of this flashing, people are going to think I'm drunk!"
"I thought it was your dress," he whispered back.
"I think it's both!"
They shared a laugh before it was back to business as usual.
There would always be group pictures. For as long as she lived, she would share Tay with his brothers. While the cameras got a load of Hanson, Mel backtracked and found Drew alone as Gerard and Jason posed together.
"You aren't out front catching rays with all these bulbs?" Mel joked to Drew.
"No," she said, seemingly distracted. "I needed a second. Mel--can you believe we're here? Did you ever see us one day, here? On the red carpet in designer gowns? You here with Tay and--and it's MY movie we're here to see? Did you ever imagine it?"
In that instant, Mel flung her arms around her best friend's neck. "I love you and I am so proud of you. You have no idea."
"I love you, too," Drew said in Mel's hair. "And stop trying to make me cry, you hooker, I know you're trying to sabotage my premier."
Mel laughed. "Not any more than you're trying to sabotage my makeup."
Somewhere in that exchange, their entire group had come together. All of them. They all stood together, seemingly forever, chatting, posing for pictures and greeting other celebrity passers by. They didn't realize they were holding things up until a couple of coordinators let them know it was time to move on.
"Wow, I didn't realize I'd be getting the old heave ho at my own movie premier!" Gerard joked.
Hair and makeup met the ladies at the doors as they finally prepared to enter the theatre. Mel didn't understand it since they would be in the dark for the next two hours but she let it happen anyway. She was too anxious to finally see this movie she willingly participated in all the obstacles it took to get there!
__________________________________________________________