English showed up at Campbell’s house the next morning. She was relatively tall with stick-straight blonde hair and wore a white suit that screamed powerful woman.
“You must be Blaire!”
“That’s me.”
“I’m so happy to finally meet you. I hope you and Campbell don’t mind that I brought my fiancé with me. He wanted to see the famed Hills.” She whispered behind her hand, “He’s so New York.”
I laughed. I had also never seen the Hollywood Hills. So, I understood what her fiancé must be feeling. Though I was clearly a Texas girl through and through. “I don’t mind. I’m sure Campbell won’t either.”
“All right.” She turned around and yelled, “Court Kensington, get your ass over here.”
The passenger door popped open, and one of the hottest guys I had ever seen in my entire life stepped out of the car. My eyes rounded, and I had to keep my jaw from dropping. He was nearly six and a half feet tall with striking good looks, piercing blue eyes, and a suit that molded to his body. His stride looked more like a predator come to feast on his prey. And like you would be happy to let him do so. I had friends with money. I was dating a bona fide rockstar. But I’d never seen anything like Court Kensington.
English laughed when she saw my expression. “Oh yeah, he kind of has that effect on people. It’s the old, old money, I think. They drink the Kool-Aid.”
Court straightened his suit and then held his hand out. “Hello, I’m Court. Thank you for allowing me to interrupt your meeting.”
I shook his hand and stared practically straight up. He was over a foot taller than me and gorgeous. Like, good for English! “No problem. Come on in.”
Campbell appeared then in a pair of jeans and an old band shirt. “English! Hey, you made it!” They hugged like old friends, and then Campbell shook Court’s hand. “Heard so much about you. Excited for you’re finally tying the knot.”
Court smiled, and I saw the depths of his affection for English in that one look. “We’re looking forward to it. Aren’t we, honey?”
English shot him a look. “It’s not fair that your brother eloped, and so now, I have to do the giant New York wedding thing. I already had the giant LA wedding. This one should be small. Can’t we be like Penn and Natalie?”
“Please don’t ever say that again.”
English snickered and winked at me.
“Plus, my mother would kill me,” he explained to the two of us.
“She’s the mayor of New York City,” English filled in.
I gaped. “Oh, that Kensington.”
He grimaced. “Yes, that Kensington.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s going to be beautiful.”
English smiled, and the fight left her. “It really is. Y’all should come!”
Court rolled his eyes. “Don’t overwhelm her. She met you one minute ago.”
“But seriously, there’s going to be, like, hundreds of people. You could definitely come.” Campbell and I glanced at each other, and then English laughed. “You know, once we get all of this worked out.” She gestured between us. “Speaking of, where should we sit? I am ready with a plan. If I can clean up Court Kensington’s mess of a reputation, I can do anything.”
Court snorted but didn’t argue. It must have been true.
Campbell directed us into the dining room. He had coffee made, and while he poured for Court, English got out a large notebook full of her blocky handwriting.
“Okay. So, let’s start with what you want before I get into what I have,” she said, snatching the cup out of Court’s hand and taking the first sip. He just shook his head at her and then poured another mug. “I know that when we talked last, Blaire, we were working out endorsement deals for your career. But since then, things have…changed.” She arched an eyebrow at the pair of us.
“Yes, we’re a couple,” Campbell said. “Which you probably guessed when you took Blaire on.”
“Obviously,” she said with a smile. “Half of the world already thinks that you are. The rest are hoping you aren’t. What do you want to do about that?”
Campbell threaded his fingers with mine and nodded his head. I swallowed. “I think we’re ready to go public.”
“Okay. Explain. How public? Make a TikTok video public? Be seen together at a gala public? Answer questions from paparazzi public?”
Campbell laughed at my horrified expression. “What do you think, English?”
“We should do what you’re most comfortable with. I would probably schedule everything to happen all at once.”
“You already planned for this,” I guessed.
She nodded. “I’m the best for a reason. Need to be ready for all contingencies.” She flipped the page over. “So, since you’re already known online, you’ll start with a video. Maybe you kiss on-screen. That sort of thing. That will release exactly a half hour before you appear at this event.” She tugged out a card and passed it to Campbell.
I glanced over his shoulder and read about the gala for music education in local schools. The letter was thick solid black card stock with embossed gold lettering. It was fancy.
Campbell groaned. “I’ll need a tux?”
“Obviously,” English said with a laugh. “We’ll send you to the event together. I’ll have handpicked reporters there to speak to you with specific questions to ask at the entrance. You’ll be prepared with answers from yours truly. And then it’s up to you. You can go quiet for a few weeks and just let it kind of die down and blow over. Which is probably your best bet. I see a lot of people go work the media circuit and be seen in clubs and such.” She cringed. “It’s a lot of wasted energy. Plus, it looks like a PR stunt, which you are not.”
“It sounds good. Though I didn’t bring anything nice enough for a gala,” I said.
English smiled brightly, and Court groaned, “Oh no.”
“I guess we’ll have to go shopping then, won’t we?”
Campbell laughed. “That’s a good plan. You think it will blow over?”
“You’ll get questions about your relationship for a while, but if you just let people know, make it firm but polite, and then don’t talk about it, it will be smooth and steady.”
“I didn’t realize this much planning went into a relationship announcement.”
English beamed. “It doesn’t usually, but that’s how rookies make mistakes. When you’re as famous as Campbell Abbey, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
“All right,” I said with a shrug. What did I know about Hollywood?
“Now, Campbell, go show Court around. He’s fidgeting.”
Campbell stood and did as he had been told. “Just as bossy as ever, English.”
“Bossy girls get shit done.” She waited until they were gone, and then her smile dropped. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“What? You just had this whole plan.”
“And it’s a great plan. I made it after all. As long as you’re comfortable.” She put her hand on mine. “I know you love him.” I balked because I hadn’t even said those words yet. “He’s an amazing guy. I’m lucky to call him my friend. But dating a celebrity is scary. Trust me, I know. I was married to Josh Hutch once upon a time.”
I gaped at her. “The movie star?”
She nodded. “Yep. I want to watch out for you first. This will come down harder on you than him.”
“Do you think it’s a bad idea?”
“Telling the truth is never a bad plan. But public outcry will fall on you. People will want to be you. They’ll want what you have. They’re going to be jealous. And jealous people are mean. You handle social media like a pro, but this is next level. I’ve lived it, and I know how devastating it can be to see what total strangers say about you on the internet. So, you have to be a hundred percent sure.” She shot me a meaningful look. “Are you?”
I gulped. I was totally sure about Campbell. Things were tricky with our past, but I had never been happier since I’d let him back into my life. I was here in LA. I was sure this was what I wanted. Right?
“You know what? Don’t answer,” English said. She squeezed my hand. “Think about it. The gala isn’t until this weekend. We can plan for it like it’s all happening, and if you want to back out and give it some more time, that is A-okay. No one’s feelings are going to be hurt if you want to protect yourself.”
I swallowed and nodded. “Okay. Thanks, English.”
“I’m your publicist. Not Campbell’s. I am looking out for you, girl. You are my number one priority.”
“Really, thank you.”
English smiled, and it reached her eyes again. “Why don’t I show you around Rodeo Drive, huh?”
Campbell was jittery the rest of the day. He was ready to get into the studio Monday to talk to Michael, but I forced him to spend the afternoon here with me in the summer sun, lounging poolside. It was relaxing after the conversation with English, where she’d warned me that my entire life was about to change. I hoped that I was making the right decision.
The next morning, I found what Campbell spent his money on.
“Holy shit,” I gasped as I stepped into his garage, full of sports cars. “What the fuck, Campbell? You drive a Range Rover at home.”
He ran a hand back through his hair but was smirking. “I have a thing for classic sports cars.”
“I can see that.”
I wasn’t a car buff, but even I knew that most of these were worth a pretty penny.
“I didn’t buy them all mint. Sometimes, Vail helps me figure out which ones to get. She’s been out a few times to work on them with me. It clears my head.”
“And you get your hands dirty,” I said with a wink. “Hot.”
He snorted and pointed one out. “This baby. That’s what we’ll take. It’s a ’61 Ferrari California Spider.”
“I don’t know what that means, but yes.”
I ran my hand down the shiny black finish, opened the passenger door, and sank into the leather interior. It was the most beautiful car I’d ever seen, let alone ridden in.
“We’ll take the top down on the way home,” he told me as he revved the engine.
He brought my hand to his lips and gave me a kiss. Then, he shifted into gear, and we shot out of the garage and down out of Hollywood Hills.
Campbell dropped me off outside of The Beverly Hills Hotel, where Court and English were staying. He kissed me before driving off toward the studio. I met English at the front entrance.
“You ready?” she asked.
“Yep.”
We took a cab to Rodeo Drive, and I was mesmerized by all the shiny boutiques. English knew exactly where she wanted to go, as if she was a pro. We tried out outrageously priced gowns half of the morning before we found the one.
“Oh my God,” she gasped. “That fit is fire.”
I laughed. It was stunning. Maybe the most beautiful thing I’d ever worn.
I passed English my phone. “Grab a picture.”
She held the phone up and took a bunch of snaps from different angles. “That’s the one. I know it is.”
I sent it to my group chat and Honey, who had been messaging me about work all morning. I immediately received a wall of responses.
Annie: Yes!
Jennifer: Holy shit, Blaire!
Annie: Yes, yes, yes!!!
Piper: Whoa, that is gorgeous. Where are you wearing something like that?
Annie: Don’t ruin this for us, Pipes. Tell us you’re buying it!
I glanced down at the tag. My eyes bulged. It was in the mid-four-digit range. For one dress. I gulped. Well, that changed things. “It’s too much.”
“No worries,” she said. “Campbell slipped me his card to cover it for you.”
“He what?”
English laughed. “He said something about spoiling you.”
“That sneaky bastard.”
“You’ll get used to it,” English said with another laugh at my outrage. “Court is the same way. I make great money, and still, he wants to pay for all my shit. I’ve learned to go with it. It’s better than the alternative when the guy is an asshole and nickel-and-dimes everything he pays for, as if you owe him after the fact.”
“Well, yes, I suppose so.”
“So, we’ll get it.” She gestured to the clerk to ring it up.
I responded to the long string of messages.
It’s official. It’s mine!
The girls all squealed with delight in my messages, and I just laughed. I wished they were all here, shopping with me. I missed them.
Honey’s response came in then.
Wow, Blaire. It’s perfect. I’ve never seen anything like it. You’re still coming home, right? Everything is so glamorous out there!
I laughed and shot back a text.
I am definitely still coming home. This is for one event. You’d love it here.
English crossed her arms. “Now, I have one business question.”
“Okay.” I handed her back my phone and then stepped into the dressing room to remove the gorgeous dress. I still couldn’t believe it was going home with me.
“Nate King.”
I winced. “Oh.”
“Yeah, oh. You know, he’s actually the cousin of a friend of mine.”
“Is it Gavin?”
“Yes!” English said. “You know Gavin?”
“I knew that Nate went to New York to visit him.”
“What a small world,” English said. “So, what’s up with you two? I noticed he hasn’t been on your feed in about two weeks, but he was all over it before that. What happened? All the sordid details, please. It’s better for me to know what I’m walking into. Nothing seems confirmed either way on social, which makes it a lot more amorphous.”
I sighed and then stepped back out of the dressing room. “Nate and I never dated. He went to my friend’s wedding with me, and we hooked up. Nothing official, and then I realized we weren’t into each other. We’re still friends and business associates. He’s met Campbell. He knows what’s up.”
“I see. Hmm…do you think he’d be willing to make a video, congratulating you on Saturday? That way, it’s clear you two aren’t together and you haven’t been for a while?”
“I could ask him. I don’t see why he wouldn’t.”
“It’s going to be sticky either way.” She tapped her mouth. “But no worries. I’ll figure it out. If you give me his contact, I can reach out to him myself.”
“Okay. Sure. You think people will be mad?”
“Campbell Soup girls? Definitely. The rest of the world? Probably not.”
“All right.”
English signed off on the receipt and thanked the salesperson. The dress would be delivered to Campbell’s house later in the week. She linked arms with me as we traipsed out of the designer boutique and then stopped in her tracks at the next location. Her smile curled up on the corners like the Grinch when he had a terrible thought.
“What?” I asked. Then, I saw the lingerie boutique in question—La Perla.
“If we’re using Campbell’s credit card, we might as well use it for good, right?” English asked.
My grin matched hers. “Oh, definitely.”