Fifteen Minutes: A Novel by Kingsbury Karen

Author:Kingsbury, Karen [Kingsbury, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Howard Books
Published: 2013-10-28T16:00:00+00:00

chapter 16

The insanity of the next week was marked by rare quiet moments, usually in black Escalades or Hummer limos, when all Zack could think about were the words of Chandra Olson. Her story and her warning.

Her insistence that fame was a prison.

Zoey had cooled toward him, but only because she was hurt. That much was obvious to Zack, but apparently not to the producers. They placed the two of them in the same group for every activity, every red-carpet moment and photo shoot. Every rehearsal. By the time Thursday came, when it was time for a Disney movie premiere at Radio City Music Hall, neither of them was surprised when the production assistants asked them to walk the red carpet together. “Hold his arm,” one of them told Zoey. “Make it look good.”

She followed instructions, but along the way she whispered through her smile. “Sorry. This wasn’t my idea.”

“Don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault.” He spoke without moving his smiling lips as cameras took a thousand pictures. Against his will, something inside him enjoyed her nearness, the fact that they were talking again.

He hadn’t exactly been kind to her. He had no reason to be angry with her. When he thought about it, the kiss in the hallway wasn’t totally her fault. Guilt crept into his heart as they found their way into the theater. Zack was aware of her every move and comment, and he realized something else. In a way he couldn’t explain, this past week he had missed her. They sat together when the movie started, and halfway through, under the veil of darkness, he reached for her hand. “I’m not mad at you,” he whispered. “There’s so much pressure. Everything’s crazy.”

She worked her fingers between his and for a few seconds she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Thank you.” Her voice was loud enough only for him. “I needed to hear that. I never . . . I never planned to kiss you.”

“Me, either.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and then released it. The friendship they shared was real. No one else could understand what they were going through.

Zack settled back in his seat and remembered what he could about the week. Every time he tried to speak to Reese since the show premiered things had been strained. He wasn’t sure what to say, how to bridge the gap. He told her how his words of praise to God had been cut from his post-audition interview, and how they’d forced him to do the Tebow. How he and Zoey were only friends.

What he didn’t tell Reese was how it bugged him this week when Zoey kept her distance. Now he felt her arm against his, and this time he didn’t move away. Friends could be close and not cross lines. This was one of those situations.

He blinked and tried to focus on the movie. But his life kept interfering. Whatever the situation with Zoey, Reese believed him, which only made it worse.

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