Hiding Out in Hollywood (Celebrity Love)

Chapter Eight

Emily plopped a K-Cup in her Keurig. She pretended not to notice Shelby glowering at her while she waited for her coffee to brew.

"When'd you get home last night?" Emily asked. She kept her eyes fixed on the liquid streaming into her mug. The last time she'd looked at the clock on her bedside table before drifting off to sleep had been just after 2 a.m., and Shelby hadn't been there.

"This morning, you mean. I got home about an hour ago." Shelby's tone of voice was unreadable.

"Did you spend the night at Darren's?" Emily stirred creamer into her coffee. The longer she could keep the conversation focused on Shelby's life, the better the chances were for her escape. If Shelby found out she was seeing Raine again today, Emily might never get to leave the kitchen.

"I did."

Emily's lips puckered at the thought of things getting that serious again between Shelby and Darren. She nodded, turning her face away from Shelby, and picked up her mug.

"You really aren't going to say anything else?"

"About you spending the night at Darren's?" Emily forced her mouth out of its pucker and tried to keep her expression blank.

Shelby shook her head. "Try again."

So much for her getaway. "About Raine?"

She saw Shelby's jaw clench. This could be worse than she'd thought.

"About talking to Cory last night. What were you thinking? It's all over the entertainment sites today. Even Wally posted something."

Shelby didn't have to tell her that. The first thing Emily had done after waking up this morning had been to reach for her phone and re-read the story on Tinseltown Buzz. After that, she'd checked the sites that had followed or fabricated every detail of her dating life a few months ago. Wally's post was the shortest and had the fewest details, but it angered her the most. He was supposed to have her back, which meant he shouldn't have written anything.

"Cory spotted me and wanted to talk," she said. "What could I do? I had no idea he'd be there, and it's not like I welcomed it."

"You should have walked away without saying a word." Shelby unclenched her jaw, but she still looked irritated. "I wouldn't put it past Tinseltown Buzz to have asked him to do that, just so they could get a story."

"Yeah, well. Hindsight and everything." Emily grimaced. She started to walk out of the kitchen, clutching her coffee mug.

"At least you told him you were seeing someone," Shelby called after her. "Wait until he finds out it's Raine Kingston. He'll lose his mind."

Emily stopped, mid-step. "What?"

"Raine. You're seeing the greatest guy in Hollywood who everyone loves and who's never had a bad story written about him. I'd give anything to see Cory choke on that once he finds out."

Emily's heart thudded. "Why would he find out about Raine?"

"He has to find out if you keep seeing him." Shelby sounded impatient. "You are planning on seeing him again, aren't you?"

Emily peered over her shoulder and studied her best friend, searching for a sign that she was messing with her. She didn't find one. Shelby seemed completely serious.

"Just to make sure I'm hearing you correctly, you're saying you're good with me dating Raine?" Emily asked.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Shelby looked bewildered.

I'm not awake enough for this conversation, Emily thought. From the way Shelby had responded, it sounded as though she had her best friend's blessing. She took another drink of her coffee before answering.