The four days Allie had spent in LA with Vaughn had been absolute heaven. It had been her first time on a private plane and her first time in LA. She’d ridden through the streets of LA in the passenger seat of Vaughn’s black Lamborghini Aventador. She was fascinated by everything from the palm trees synonymous with the town to the famous Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Strip. They’d taken a short walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and had taken photos in front of the iconic Chinese Theater.
That first night, Vaughn had taken Allie on their first official date at Pace, a cozy Italian eatery with a warm, romantic vibe and impeccable service. He had the prime rib—grilled to perfection—and she had the Chilean sea bass. Both were delicious, as was their famous warm chocolate cake piled with whipped cream. It had been worth every bit of the wait. The wine and the overall ambiance had been perfect for what felt like such a special night. But what was most memorable about the evening was being on a proper date with Vaughn.
Allie hadn’t realized just how badly she wanted a night like that with him. Or to be able to simply stroll down the sidewalk hand in hand or with his arm draped over her shoulder.
Vaughn was right. Whatever this was and for however long they were doing this, she didn’t want to hide their relationship anymore. But it wasn’t a conversation that should be had with her family over the phone. Nor did she want to potentially stress Vaughn out about it when he had so many other things on his mind.
Being nominated for his first solo songwriting award. Convincing the studio execs to finance Sin & Glory’s comeback album and tour. The album he was working on with Extreme Overload. The trip he’d be taking to London to team up with a British singer to write her next album.
In the scheme of things, Allie being ready to tell her meddlesome but well-meaning family about them was small potatoes, and it could wait until he’d returned from London.
Now she stood in the main bedroom of Vaughn’s gorgeous house in the Hollywood Hills that she’d fallen in love with the moment she’d seen it. It honestly broke her heart that he wanted to sell the place. The contemporary architecture of the home was breathtaking, and the location provided stunning views of the ocean and LA Basin.
Allie looked out at the water and smiled softly.
She couldn’t believe that she’d gotten to wake up to this view while wrapped in Vaughn’s strong arms for the past three nights. It’d been like some crazy fever dream. A reality that exceeded any of the fantasies she’d had about being with Vaughn Reed. Except, in those fantasies, she and Vaughn would get their happily-ever-after.
Allie cared deeply for Vaughn. More so every single day. And she’d enjoyed spending time with him there in LA.
But while this glamorous world where one could encounter a movie star, sitcom actor, or rock legend at the local Starbucks was a great place for Allie to visit, it simply wasn’t home. Yet, it was exactly where Vaughn belonged. More importantly, it was where he needed to be. He was staying in Willowvale Springs to be with her and with her family. She could see now that it was holding him back and stifling his career. She couldn’t be the reason that his plans for Sin & Glory’s comeback failed. Yet, the thought of ending something so beautiful broke her.
“Hey, sweetheart. Is everything okay?” Vaughn slipped his arms around her waist as he stood behind her staring at their reflections in the glass. He placed a gentle kiss on her neck. Vaughn had shaved his beard two days earlier. The stubble tickled her skin. “You aren’t nervous about tonight, are you? Because you look stunning, and you’re gonna knock ‘em dead.”
Allie turned around and wrapped her arms around his waist beneath his black tuxedo jacket so she wouldn’t wrinkle it.
“Thank you.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips, thankful the makeup artist had selected a non-transferable coral lip stain. “You clean up pretty nice yourself.”
Vaughn looked incredibly handsome in the graphite-colored tuxedo jacket with gleaming, silver thread running through the fabric. The black, satin lapels of his jacket were affixed with a collection of silver pins. A burgundy shirt provided an unexpected splash of color. His hair had been trimmed and was worn loose and straight.
“And it only took an army of stylists to make it happen.” Vaughn chuckled, then glanced around the room which was quiet again after it had been brimming with people for the past several hours. The same people who were waiting impatiently for them to emerge so they could see them off to the GRAMMYs and get lots of pics to share on their respective social media sites. “It’s nice to at least have this room to ourselves again. But I can’t wait to get you back here and out of that gorgeous dress once they’re all gone.”
A deep smile made her cheeks hurt. “Clearly, it pays to know people in high places.”
Allie had no shortage of formal dresses. From bridesmaids’ dresses to evening gowns worn to the quinceañeras of younger family members. But the dress she was wearing tonight was more than she could have ever expected. The café-au-lait-colored gown covered in hand-stitched, gold-sequined appliqués had a crisscross back and cutouts on either side of her waist.
Getting to wear the gorgeous loaner dress created by up-and-coming Afro-Latina designer Porsha Sanchez, whom Allie had gotten to meet, and having her hair and makeup done by legends in the business was like being in a surreal fairy tale. And later, she’d get to walk the red carpet on Vaughn’s arm.
“You hungry?” Vaughn asked. “Because it’s going to be a long night. I suggest you slip a few snack bars in that tiny purse of yours.” He indicated the matching sequin clutch Porsha had gifted her.
They’d begun the day with a tremendous brunch at Chateau Marmont and she was still full.
“I can wait until dinner.” Allie picked up her bag and took Vaughn’s hand.
Vaughn put his hand on the doorknob, then stopped. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Perhaps, he was more nervous about the pressure of the night than he was letting on.
“Hey, this isn’t the actual award ceremony,” Allie reminded him, hoping it would ease Vaughn’s tension. “It’s a party to celebrate the nominees, which has already netted you a meeting with studio execs. “Everything is going to be fine.” She ran a hand down his chest, then kissed him. “So relax, okay?”
Vaughn forced a big smile and shook hands with yet another studio exec Hannah had introduced him to. He nodded along and tried his best to follow the conversation. But his attention kept drifting to the other side of the room where Allie was chatting with the partners and girlfriends of a few other industry guests. She was all smiles and looked gorgeous in her designer gown.
It had been adorable seeing the excitement on Allie’s face as she encountered one celebrity or another and the way her wide eyes had lit up as they’d visited LA landmarks like the Hollywood sign, Griffith Park and the observatory.
Allie’s genuine elation reminded him of how wide-eyed and naive he’d been when he’d first arrived in LA. He’d had a few rough years, but through a lot of hard work, a massive amount of determination and a little luck, eventually he’d made it to the top of his game. He’d done it before, and he could do it again. This time, with Sin & Glory’s name and reputation behind him. But as he stood in the room filled with a who’s who of the industry the hunger he’d once felt no longer seemed to be there. Instead, his only concern was when he could grab Allie’s hand, make their way to the limo and retreat to his bed again.
This time, he would say the words that had gotten stuck in his throat earlier that afternoon. That he was in love with Allie, and he wanted more from this than a series of clandestine hookups. The realization had hit him the previous evening. He wanted to be able to take Allie out and spoil her as he had there in LA. And he’d wanted to be able to pull Allie onto his lap and kiss her at her parents’ house as her brothers often did with their significant others.
Vaughn hated that he wouldn’t be able to attend Sunday dinner at the Prices’ home for the next few weeks.
And he missed the peace and solitude, fresh mountain air, and slower pace of life in Willowvale Springs where there was no traffic, smog, or relentless paparazzi.
He’d found creative inspiration again in his hometown. Or maybe he’d found it in the woman across the room who was wearing the hell out of that dress and smiling at him seductively. The festivities had yet to begin in earnest and he’d been toying with the idea of grabbing her by the hand, grabbing a to-go bag from his favorite greasy spoon dive eatery, and whisking her back to his place so he could spend the remainder of the evening worshipping every ounce of her golden-brown skin.
Hannah’s pointy elbow brought him back to the conversation as one of the record execs gushed over his favorite Sin & Glory songs. Vaughn thanked the man and tried to get back into the right headspace for the evening. But as he tried to connect with the two men who might hold his band’s future in the palm of their hands, Vaughn wasn’t so sure that a future with Sin & Glory was what he wanted anymore.