Page 19 of Toni and Addie Go Viral

Addie

Addie walked into the hotel lobby a good twenty minutes early.

Maybe she was overexcited, but she wasn’t going to pace her apartment.

This was better. The space had that look that screamed “our everything is expensive.” Marble floors, ornate crystal chandelier, beautiful chairs that looked exceedingly uncomfortable, and under all of it the scent of expensive colognes.

Men in suits, women in dresses or jeans that undoubtedly had a designer label.

Sleek sunglasses and real gemstones. West Hollywood hotels were the sort of place that made Addie swear she’d be different if she ever hit it big.

No plastic surgery. No Botox.

No wearing labels I can’t afford.

At least I was blessed with a DD cup, so the only breast surgery I’d need would be a reduction.

Her overgenerous breasts were more burden than gift, unfortunately, unless she wanted to star in a different sort of film. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it wasn’t exactly a fit for a woman who had no desire to have casual sex, much less sex on film.

Typically, Addie wore loose-fitting tops to downplay her breasts and formfitting jeans, but tonight, she topped her usual jeans that showed off every curve with a whisper-thin blouse that was cut deep in the front, so her cleavage was on display.

She wanted Toni to notice her body, but until she saw Toni, Addie had a shawl tossed over her shoulders.

I look like a lost hippie.

The shawl look was fine in Scotland, but here in Toni’s expensive hotel, it drew a lot of attention—or maybe it was the tight jeans? Or the hippie hair? Whatever the cause, Addie felt like a bug. People were either looking like they might want to squish her or collect her.

She tried to be casual as she looked around the lobby. Several men stared back at her, and one woman at the desk gave her the assessing stare of “Do you belong here?”

Addie was fairly sure she did not, in fact, belong here. She wasn’t a famous writer or actor. Yet. She whipped out her phone and texted.

Here early. Traffic wasn’t awful for a change.

The three little dots of a message danced over the screen not even twenty seconds later, and the fact that Toni was quick to reply made Addie smile to herself. Maybe Toni would invite her upstairs. Maybe—

I see you.

Addie looked around. Toni wasn’t in the lobby, as far as Addie could tell. The sound of an incoming text sounded. Addie glanced down.

Bar.

With a steadying breath, Addie looked over at the lobby bar to find Toni looking back at her.

Jeans, black sleeveless top, and another blazer folded over her lap.

Ink covered one of her arms from shoulder to wrist, and Addie smothered a sound.

Last time, Toni’s sleeves touched her wrists.

Now, defined muscles on tattooed arms were in full display.

Addie removed her shawl and clutched it as she walked toward Toni. I dressed for her, so I’m not going to hide.

Addie’s heart thrummed in her chest.

Toni swiveled to watch Addie’s approach, and her expression was hungry enough to make Addie want to run toward her. To distract herself from the fact that the woman of her dreams was watching her, Addie studied Toni.

Her cheeks were more defined than Addie remembered them being in Scotland, and her hair was slightly longer. The slight undercut was new, as if Toni had decided to make a statement now that she was an author. Addie’s gaze dropped to the hand curled around a glass of what she knew was whisky.

Toni, of course, noticed and grinned as if she could read Addie’s mind.

With a slightly faster step, Addie closed the distance as Toni stood to greet her, but Addie wasn’t sure what the protocol was here.

“Do I hug or kiss you?” she mused aloud. “After… Edinburgh… and a year of talking over email, I’m not sure.”

Toni laughed like she was startled, but she opened her arms. “Come here. I would’ve hugged you at the studio, but I was speechless after your performance.”

Addie stepped into the circle of Toni’s arms. She felt like she might melt. This was right, like finding where she wanted to be.

Then Toni released her, emptied her drink, and added in a huskier voice, “I’ll give you what you want, Addie, if you do the same.”

Addie flinched. Toni’s comment felt very much like a dig at her for freezing back in the garden, and that expression must have shown on her face. The next thing she knew, Toni’s hand was cupping her jaw.

“ Not what you’re thinking,” Toni said once Addie met her gaze. “You seemed to want some answers earlier, and what I want is to have dinner with the beautiful actor about to star in a new show… one who failed to tell me she was even auditioning.”

“Oh.”

Toni leaned in and brushed her lips over Addie’s too quickly to even be called a kiss, and then she added, “So I think we have a few things to discuss. Don’t you?”

Addie nodded. “I didn’t know how to tell you that I knew who you were without risking you vanishing. I laid out openings for you to tell me about the book. You didn’t. So I couldn’t tell you about the audition for the show about your book without admitting I knew about the book, but…” She shrugged.

“Today’s email was pretty overt.” Toni flashed her a grin before she slipped her jacket on and gestured Addie forward.

Addie restrained her impulsivity, folding her hands into tight balls to resist the impulse to touch Toni’s arm or hip or bum.

She had to remind herself that Toni might have readers nearby, and Addie had to get used to that restriction for herself, too.

If the show was a hit— please let it be a hit —Addie would have fans of her own.

She kept pace with Toni as they crossed the lobby until Toni paused. “I should’ve asked if you wanted a drink.…”

“No.” Addie smiled brightly at her. “I mean, no, I don’t, and no, you didn’t need to ask. I can speak up to tell you what I want.”

“Can you?” Toni shot her a heated glance before she pushed open the door. She looked around at the bellmen and valets, adding lightly, “There’s to be a car out here waiting.”

Addie spotted a black car with ADDIE WIGHT on the sign in the corner of the window, but she kept looking even as Toni said, “There it is. I hope you don’t mind. I put your character name on it in case.”

“In case?”

Toni glanced at her. “In case you walked in, and I scared you off, and you wanted to leave. Or in case you were angry that I never told you about the book.…”

The driver stepped out as they approached. He walked around the car and nodded. “Evening.”

“Hi!” Addie chirped, too brightly, cringing at the bemused smile on Toni’s face.

Toni gave the driver a calmer, “Evening.” She stood beside the open door, glanced at Addie. “Miss Stewart? After you.”

Addie slid into the sleek black leather interior, feeling like an imposter. She slid all the way across, and Toni slid in at her side.

Once the door closed, Toni said, “You don’t need to slide over when we take a car. I can walk around.”

“Too long to wait,” Addie blurted. “When… as in there will be other times? This isn’t one night, and then I don’t see you for another year?”

Toni reached over and took Addie’s hand, twining their fingers together, and mused, “So the real you is as unfiltered as I remember from Scotland. In email, you seemed to be more reserved.”

Addie looked down. “I edit and reedit before I send. Does it bother you that I’m unfiltered?”

“Not at all.” Toni settled back in her seat, still holding on to Addie’s hand. “I like a direct woman, especially if a woman plans to be in my bed.”

Addie stared at her, noting the quirk of a small smile. Arrogant? Maybe, but Addie was here for it. She didn’t answer. She simply settled back into the luxurious seat… and waited. Toni was calling the shots, and Addie was bracing for being romanced, seduced, and falling in love.

After a year of small talk, she was ready for more.

She wanted to tackle everything, talk about everything, share everything.

But after several quiet minutes with only the sound of the radio and hum of the wheels, Addie started to worry.

It was her superpower. Worry. Self-doubt.

Anxiety. It was part of why she loved acting.

When she was someone else, she wasn’t Addie.

She was a character, and she liked to go for roles where the characters were confident.

That meant she didn’t worry—unless she took that kind of role.

But so far, she went after roles where she could be bold.

“Addie?”

“Do you have regrets?” Addie whispered.

“When?” Toni frowned like it was the strangest question ever. “Tonight?”

“Now. Then. I don’t know. You’re really quiet, like maybe you regret ordering me to dinner.” Addie pulled her hand away, feeling the loss and hating it, but she didn’t want to screw this up by being clingy either.

“Ordering?” Toni echoed.

“It sure sounded like an order,” Addie muttered.

“Did you feel like you had to say yes?” Toni countered.

“No. I wanted to see you. I just want to know if this was what you want.…” Addie glanced over. “So, regrets?”

“Not at all. I’m just tired.” Toni gave her a small smile. “I love my jobs, both of them, but—”

“So you’re still teaching full-time? You never mention much about it, but you never mentioned your book tours or TV interviews either.”

Toni startled. “So you knew the whole time?”

“I went to hear you talk at the conference.” Addie took a deep breath and then blurted out, “That’s why I was in the bar that night. To try to meet you.”

Toni turned to face her. “You were at my talk and came to The Lady’s Hand to meet me ?”

“Yes…” Addie squirmed. “I wasn’t stalking you! You were just brilliant, and I was trying to land the role of Mina in a play, and when I found your lecture online, I searched you because you made all that stuff interesting, and I saw you were in Scotland and—”

“You came to the bar because you heard my lecture,” Toni clarified. “You weren’t a student, though…?”