finally started to pay attention to their conversation.
“Tomorrow,” Tanner said, lazily rubbing his thumb on my knee. I shivered. “It’s crunch time on our new album — we’re in the studio nonstop for the next week. So much for the holidays.”
“ Same,” the guy said, shaking his head. “I’m headed back tomorrow morning, we’re shooting until Christmas Eve,” he shook his head. “My parents are flying in from Toronto, and I keep telling them we can go surfing on Christmas morning. They’re a little weirded out. You know, West Coast problems,” he grinned, thinking he was pretty hilarious. I tried to smile back.
“What about you, Casey?”
I tilted my head for a second — he knew my name ?
“Oh, um, I grew up around here,” I said, taking another sip of champagne. “So, you know, just heading home for a little bit. And then I’m going to L.A. for a few days before school starts.”
Tanner looked over at me, grinning. “I’d forgotten about that,” he said, looking genuinely happy.
“So had I,” I bit my lip. “Lauren called me to schedule my flight and I literally had no idea what she was talking about. But the shoot is before classes begin, so it works pretty well.”
“You should come early for New Year’s,” Tanner said, moving his hand off my knee long enough to slip an arm around me. I looked at him, half amused and half exasperated, and his eyes twinkled. “What else are you going to do?”
I thought about last year, when I’d been a senior in high school. Our group of friends had met up in someone’s basement, and two of the guys with fake I.D.s had brought a handle of rum. Except my curfew had been 12:30, so the second Times Square lit up with lights, I was digging my Volvo out of the fresh snow.
Maybe surfing didn’t sound so bad.
“I’ll check,” I said, moving a little closer to Tanner.
“Hey, I’m going to get a drink, ok? You guys need anything?” The actor said, getting out of his chair.
“I’m good,” Tanner said, gesturing with the beer in his other hand. “You want anything, Snow?”
“Um,” I smiled . “Maybe another glass?” I knew I shouldn’t — I’d probably already had enough. And then I thought about the very likely possibility that Blake was going to walk into this room with his mystery girl any second. I took a deep breath. “Definitely another glass.”
Tanner grinned at me as the actor walked away. “You’re fun tonight, Snow.”
I rested my head on his shoulder, mock pouting. “I’m always fun.”
Tanner snorted. “You’re definitely not always fun. Please—you take things more seriously than anyone I’ve ever met.”
I tilted my head up to look at him. “No, I don’t,” I said, feeling a little tipsy. “I’m… totally fun.”
Tanner shook his head indulgently, and squeezed my shoulder. “So , are you going to tell me what brought this on?”
“Brought what on?” I looked at him blankly.
“This. You wouldn’t even be seen in public with me for the last month, and suddenly tonight, you’re…” Tanner trailed off, looking at me with a hint of seriousness in his eyes.
“I’m what?”
“You’re—” Tanner traced a circle on my shoulder, just barely touching the edge of my dress. “Fun,” he breathed.
I looked into his eyes , dark and piercing, and felt a shiver run down my back. Maybe I wasn’t as immune to Tanner’s charms as I thought I was.
“Maybe I’m turning over a new leaf,” I whispered, trying not to think about the mystery girl, trying not to think about Blake, trying not to think about anything but Tanner’s face in front of me. I felt myself lean closer.
“Ahem —” a female voice rang out above us.
I squinted up, into a halo of blonde hair. A familiar face was grinning down at me.
“ Lauren!” I exclaimed, jumping up and giving her a hug. The side of my body that had been pressed
“Tomorrow,” Tanner said, lazily rubbing his thumb on my knee. I shivered. “It’s crunch time on our new album — we’re in the studio nonstop for the next week. So much for the holidays.”
“ Same,” the guy said, shaking his head. “I’m headed back tomorrow morning, we’re shooting until Christmas Eve,” he shook his head. “My parents are flying in from Toronto, and I keep telling them we can go surfing on Christmas morning. They’re a little weirded out. You know, West Coast problems,” he grinned, thinking he was pretty hilarious. I tried to smile back.
“What about you, Casey?”
I tilted my head for a second — he knew my name ?
“Oh, um, I grew up around here,” I said, taking another sip of champagne. “So, you know, just heading home for a little bit. And then I’m going to L.A. for a few days before school starts.”
Tanner looked over at me, grinning. “I’d forgotten about that,” he said, looking genuinely happy.
“So had I,” I bit my lip. “Lauren called me to schedule my flight and I literally had no idea what she was talking about. But the shoot is before classes begin, so it works pretty well.”
“You should come early for New Year’s,” Tanner said, moving his hand off my knee long enough to slip an arm around me. I looked at him, half amused and half exasperated, and his eyes twinkled. “What else are you going to do?”
I thought about last year, when I’d been a senior in high school. Our group of friends had met up in someone’s basement, and two of the guys with fake I.D.s had brought a handle of rum. Except my curfew had been 12:30, so the second Times Square lit up with lights, I was digging my Volvo out of the fresh snow.
Maybe surfing didn’t sound so bad.
“I’ll check,” I said, moving a little closer to Tanner.
“Hey, I’m going to get a drink, ok? You guys need anything?” The actor said, getting out of his chair.
“I’m good,” Tanner said, gesturing with the beer in his other hand. “You want anything, Snow?”
“Um,” I smiled . “Maybe another glass?” I knew I shouldn’t — I’d probably already had enough. And then I thought about the very likely possibility that Blake was going to walk into this room with his mystery girl any second. I took a deep breath. “Definitely another glass.”
Tanner grinned at me as the actor walked away. “You’re fun tonight, Snow.”
I rested my head on his shoulder, mock pouting. “I’m always fun.”
Tanner snorted. “You’re definitely not always fun. Please—you take things more seriously than anyone I’ve ever met.”
I tilted my head up to look at him. “No, I don’t,” I said, feeling a little tipsy. “I’m… totally fun.”
Tanner shook his head indulgently, and squeezed my shoulder. “So , are you going to tell me what brought this on?”
“Brought what on?” I looked at him blankly.
“This. You wouldn’t even be seen in public with me for the last month, and suddenly tonight, you’re…” Tanner trailed off, looking at me with a hint of seriousness in his eyes.
“I’m what?”
“You’re—” Tanner traced a circle on my shoulder, just barely touching the edge of my dress. “Fun,” he breathed.
I looked into his eyes , dark and piercing, and felt a shiver run down my back. Maybe I wasn’t as immune to Tanner’s charms as I thought I was.
“Maybe I’m turning over a new leaf,” I whispered, trying not to think about the mystery girl, trying not to think about Blake, trying not to think about anything but Tanner’s face in front of me. I felt myself lean closer.
“Ahem —” a female voice rang out above us.
I squinted up, into a halo of blonde hair. A familiar face was grinning down at me.
“ Lauren!” I exclaimed, jumping up and giving her a hug. The side of my body that had been pressed
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