Page 105 of Wish You Were Her

“With you?”

“Yeah. Acts like I’m still twelve. Which, to be fair, was when he last saw me.”

“That’s a dad thing, as well as a Lake Pristine thing.”

They discussed Allegra’s home and interior design for the rest of the drive, but Jasper’s words about her small hometown returned to Allegra as theWelcome to Lake Pristinesign appeared ahead of them. When Allegra had called the shop, her father had answered. Thrilled at the news of her return, he had promised that there were no more paps lurking about.

As Jasper and Allegra had watched the original swarm of reporters from her father’s flat, the day she left Lake Pristine, the only respite from the tension and anxiety had been when a local woman had almost run the reporters down with her Range Rover.

“My sister,” Jasper had said, with a wince. “Christine.”

Now, as the town came into focus, Allegra understood exactly what Jasper had said. Everyone waved at the two of them in Jasper’s car, as if nothing had happened, as if Allegra had just gone on vacation for a week and returned with no news for anyone. She spotted Vivienne Thorne outside her bakery, with two members of her staff. They were handing out free samples of what looked like some kind of brownie. When Vivienne spotted Allegra, she smiled and waved, but there was a clear look of worry in her eyes.

“Mothers and sons,” Jasper said, observing the reaction. “Scary.”

“She’s really nice.”

“She is, but Jonah’s getting way too independent for her, I think. Not sure she’s going to take it well.”

“I’m just here to talk to Dad, and then gather everyone up for the premiere.”

As Allegra said the words, she realized something.

“Jasper?”

“Yes.”

“I… really don’t feel comfortable inviting Simon anymore. Would you like to come instead?”

“To a fancy premiere of a Hollywood picture?”

“Yes.”

“Red carpet?”

“Yes.”

“Photographers?”

“Yes.”

“Pretty clothes?”

“The prettiest. Natalie, my publicist, is sending a car this afternoon and we’re doing style options tonight in the hotel suite.”

“You won’t mind an ancient twenty-three-year-old chumming along with you teenagers?”

“No, happy to have a responsible adult.”

Allegra had gone through a few premieres and screenings, plus one high-profile ball, in her career. Hotel suites full of colleagues and social media interns were fun, but she had always envied people who brought tons of their friends along. Polaroid photos of fun and friendship, the kind Allegra desperately wanted but sometimes didn’t know how to cultivate. She made a great first impression. She could say, “let’s get lunch” as easily as anyone. But securing and maintaining friendships had always been hard for her. She didn’t know the steps to thatdance, and a childhood in film and television had not helped her in that regard either.

Gathering new friends together and whisking them out for champagne, pizza and a Cinderella night of Hollywood glamor was the scariest thing she had attempted in a while. It felt like being six years old again and wondering why no one had come to her birthday party.

Jasper dropped Allegra at Brooks Books, promising to meet her there again at three o’clock for the glamorous pickup. Allegra watched her go, feeling a type of gratitude that was reserved for only the most special people in her life. The ones that accepted all of the fingerprints on her canvas, the kind that spoke to a life lived with challenges and human mistakes. The ones who found it all the more beautiful.

She stepped into Brooks Books to find Simon there alone, packing up returns by the front desk. They stared at one another for a long while, Allegra watching with fascination as shame fought with defiance on Simon’s face.

“Hey,” he finally said.