Last Flight to L.A.

chapter thirty-four: the walk of fame

  "You know, I sometimes think, how is anyone ever gonna come up with a book, or a painting, or a symphony, or a sculpture that can compete with a great city?"

~Midnight in Paris 

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Kelsey sat pensively on Becca's couch, not wanting to wrinkle her dress, but she'd been sitting there for almost an hour.

She could hear Becca snap a few orders at her makeup artist every once in a while.

Kelsey had stayed the night at Becca's after Becca had promised not to have any parties the evening before the premiere.

Becca had insisted on doing Kelsey's makeup (because she was sure Kelsey's skill set wasn't up to movie premiere status. She had been right.).

Now it was Becca's turn to get dolled up, and it had almost been two hours.

Kelsey stood up and paced around the living room, clasping her nude-colored nails behind her back.

She stopped when she passed by the mirror, jolted by her appearance.

Thankfully, Becca had followed Kelsey's request of natural-looking makeup, but her skills far surpassed anything Kelsey could've done.

Her hair was tied into a loose chignon bun with wavy curls framing her face. It was a bit alarming, but Kelsey felt strangely comfortable.

The doorbell rang and Kelsey waited a moment, but Becca was preoccupied, so Kelsey answered it.

When she opened the door, Ethan stood there. He was dressed in a sleek black tux with his hair coiffed in the front. Kelsey could feel her cheeks warming.

He looked up at her with the softest eyes she'd ever seen, giving that smile that seemed to melt across his face. "I... hi..."

"Hey," she said with a nervous laugh, feeling a rush of self-consciousness.

Ethan walked up the doorstep and reached out, but pulled his hands back as if he were afraid to touch her.

"You okay?" Kelsey asked.

"I'm sorry," he breathed. "I just, you look so beautiful. I mean—not that you don't look beautiful all the time, I just—"

Kelsey silenced him with a tight hug. She released a shuddering sigh. "Please don't get used to it."

Ethan chuckled and rubbed his thumb against her back. "You're gonna be okay, Kelsey. After this, I promise you don't have to go to any more premieres unless you want to."

Kelsey rested her chin on his chest and looked up at him. "Really, really promise?"

"Yes."

Ethan leaned down to kiss her, but Becca's loud heels interrupted them.

They both turned to see Becca in a neon green dress. It was short and tight in front, with a ruffled bustle that drug the floor in the back. Her bodice was also green, and had a collar of black lace that stood up to her ears.

Her hair was gelled and slicked back into a mess of curls on top of her head. Her lips matched the color of her dress and her face was caked with enough makeup to paint a building.