Chapter 10

The air still felt thick, charged, even after Rowan left. Her words clung to the walls like smoke. When the movie is finished.

For a moment, none of us spoke. The silence pressed down until Simone finally threw her hands in the air.

“What. The. Hell. Was that?”

I blinked, still trying to find my footing. My legs carried me toward the vanity chair, and I collapsed into it, staring at my reflection like maybe it could explain what had just happened. My hair was a mess, my lips parted, my eyes too wide — like I’d been caught in a storm and only just stumbled out.

Lila crossed the room in a few quick strides, her arms folded so tightly they looked like armor. “You two were about to kiss. Don’t even try to deny it. I saw it with my own eyes.”

Naomi stayed by the door, calm but watchful, her voice cutting softer but sharper than the others. “She wasn’t pretending, Celeste. And neither were you.”

“I—” My voice cracked, and I pressed my hands to my face. “I don’t know what that was.”

Simone perched herself on the arm of the couch, smirk curving her lips like she’d just been gifted front-row seats to the scandal of the year. “Oh, I know exactly what that was. That was chemistry, baby. Pure, sizzling, impossible-to-fake chemistry. And you two? You could have set this whole damn building on fire.”

I dropped my hands, glaring at her, though it had no real bite. “Simone, this isn’t funny. I wasn’t—”

But my words faltered.

Because when I tried to explain, the truth spilled out instead.

“I didn’t even notice I was walking toward her. Not until I was already there. It was like… like something was pulling me, and I couldn’t stop it. One second we were talking, and the next I was right in front of her, leaning in, about to—” My throat caught, the word choking me. “…about to kiss her.”

Lila groaned, rubbing her forehead. “Celeste. You have built your entire career on rules and boundaries. You don’t just ‘not notice’ when you’re about to kiss someone. That means she’s already breaking through everything you’ve set up.”

Simone grinned wider, leaning in. “Or it means you’re finally feeling something real. Which, hello, is not a bad thing.”

Naomi’s calm gaze fixed on me. “What did she say to you before she left?”

I hesitated, chewing the inside of my cheek, then whispered, “She said, ‘When the movie is finished.'”

The words landed like stones in the room.

Simone smirked knowingly. Lila groaned. Naomi tilted her head, thoughtful.

And then I exhaled hard, admitting the part that burned most of all. “But… that was my idea. I told her we should wait until filming is over. I’m the one who said we couldn’t act on anything real until then.”

The room froze.

Lila threw her hands up, pacing. “Oh my god, Celeste. So you practically invited her to keep pushing? Do you realize what you’ve done?”

Simone’s grin only widened. “Oh, I love this. You set the rule, she agreed to it, and now the two of you are just simmering until the last day of filming. Brilliant. Torturous. Sexy as hell.”

Naomi’s voice stayed steady, but her eyes were sharp. “So you made the boundary, and she honored it. But Celeste…” she leaned in slightly, “do you really think you can hold out that long?”

I swallowed, staring at my reflection again. The wild-eyed woman in the mirror didn’t look like the one who built her career on discipline and distance. She looked undone. Shaken. Alive.

“I don’t know,” I whispered, though deep down I did.

My chest tightened, and I blurted the only thought that made sense. “I need a drink.”

That broke the tension instantly. Simone grinned like she’d been waiting for those words. “Now you’re talking.”

Lila groaned, though I caught the twitch of a reluctant smile. “Really, Cece? That’s your solution?”

Naomi’s lips curved into the faintest smile. “Maybe it’s exactly what she needs.”

Simone hopped off the couch, already fishing her keys out of her bag. “Come on, let’s go get a bottle, head back to your place, and have a girls’ night in. You vent, we listen, we drink until this whole mess feels manageable.”

Lila shook her head, though she didn’t object. “One night. That’s it. And I’m picking the snacks, because drunk-Celeste can’t be trusted to order anything sensible.”

Naomi touched my arm gently, grounding me again. “Let’s go. You don’t have to hold all of this alone tonight.”

I looked at the three of them — my anchors, my chaos, my safe place — and for the first time all day, I felt like maybe I could breathe.

“Okay,” I said, standing. “Let’s go.”

I closed my eyes for a second, breath jagged. I needed to escape — now — before I completely unraveled.

I pulled out my phone and typed fast:

Celeste (text to producer): “I’m really sorry, but something came up and I need to leave for a family emergency. I’ll make sure everything is covered before I go.”

I hit send. It felt like a betrayal to lie, but I didn’t care. At least it sounded believable, and I needed every second of sanity I could steal — even if it meant bending the truth to protect myself.

My phone buzzed almost immediately.

Producer (reply): “Of course, Celeste. Take care of what you need to. We’ll manage here. Feel better soon.”

Relief flooded through me. I patted my cheek, silent relief turning tears I didn’t have time for into burning warmth.

Simone leaned in, eyebrow raised. “Did you just tell the producer anything?”

I nodded, voice small. “Yeah. I said I had an emergency and had to head out early.”

Simone’s eyes softened. “Good. Get out of here before you disintegrate completely.”

Lila stood, grabbing her coat off the back of a chair. “Let’s get that bottle and go straight to your place. Girls’ night in, like Simone said. You need it.”

Naomi flicked the phone screen off without looking at me. “Best decision of the day.”

I exhaled, finally allowing the tension to drain. “Thank you.”

We spilled out into the hall, the studio’s chatter fading behind us as we made our escape into the evening, bound for wine, comfort, and the only sanctuary I felt I had left.