Hiding Out in Hollywood (Celebrity Love)

Chapter Nineteen

Em! It's Liv. Call me sometime tomorrow if you can. I've been working with Poppy Azure handbags to cast a TV and print campaign. Your name came up with one of their PR peeps today. She'd seen some of the press from the red carpet at Raine's premiere and noticed you holding their clutch purse. She floated the idea out there of having you audition for their campaign, if you're interested. Text me your email address, and I'll send the audition sides and some other info.

Emily blinked, not sure she could have heard Olivia's voice message correctly. Poppy Azure wants me to audition for their campaign? she wondered. She hit play on the message and listened to it for a second time, in case she'd misunderstood.

She didn't even have headshots, really, aside from a photo taken a couple of years ago to run with some of her freelance columns for publications that required a photo. And even though she lived in L.A., Emily had never been on an audition. She hadn't even been an extra on a TV show or film, something practically everyone in L.A. seemed to do at one point or another.

The Poppy Azure clutch she'd had at Raine's premiere a few nights ago had been borrowed from Shelby. Since the premiere had been only a couple of days after she and Raine had come back from their weekend away, she hadn't had time to shop for a clutch that matched her dress. Shelby had come to her rescue after Emily had torn her away from Aiden and they'd gotten home after dinner at Raine's.

The clutch was still in her room, sitting on top of her dresser. Emily got up from the sofa and headed out of the living room to her bedroom so she could retrieve it and return it to Shelby, and tell her about Olivia's message.

After grabbing the clutch, Emily went to Shelby's room. She heard music playing from the other side of the door.

"Hey," Emily called out. "Can I come in?"

The door opened and she did a double-take. Shelby had straightened her curls, her hair falling sleekly past her shoulders. Her eyes sparkled under smoky eyeshadow, and she had changed out of the clothes she'd had on earlier and was now wearing a printed halter-neck dress.

"You look gorgeous!" Emily told her. "Going somewhere?"

"I have a date tonight," Shelby said, looking a little sheepish.

"With Aiden?"

Shelby nodded, her cheeks flushing pink. "I didn't say anything in case it doesn't go well. I didn't want it to be awkward."

"It won't be," Emily assured her. She glanced at the clutch she still held in her hands. "Just returning this. Need any help getting ready?"

"Can I borrow a necklace?" Shelby asked.

"You can borrow all of my necklaces," Emily replied. "Let's go find one that goes with your dress."

Now wasn't the time to mention Olivia's message to Shelby and to ask her what she thought. She would tell her tomorrow, right after she got all the details of Shelby's date with Aiden.

* * *

Emily let her shoulders sink below the swirling saltwater in Raine's outdoor hot tub and leaned her head back against the cool tile.

"Heaven," she murmured.

"Champagne?" Raine asked, coming to stand by the edge of the hot tub. He was shirtless, wearing only swim trunks. Emily's eyes roamed his bare chest.

"Absolutely," she answered. "Then you're getting in here with me."

"I don't have to be told twice." Raine grinned and disappeared inside the house for a couple of minutes. When he returned, he held two filled champagne flutes, which he set down on the hot tub's ledge.