Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

Author:Karen Kingsbury
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, Religion, Adult, Inspirational
ISBN: 9780310411987
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2011-03-21T22:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

BRANDON WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE RED CARPET EVENT. THE paparazzi that lined up half a block in either direction of the pathway into the theater was far greater than the crowd that had waited for them outside the Tonight Show. Bailey had never imagined anything like this. As she and her family and Brandon Paul piled out of his private limo, she wondered for a brief instant if an explosion had gone off, if maybe some terrorist was wreaking havoc on their otherwise perfect day. But it was only the combined flash power of too many cameras to count.

Even so, only as she stood, as her ivory floor-length gown fell around her ankles and she smiled for the crowd, did she realize just what magnitude of attention Brandon Paul commanded. “Don’t think about it,” Brandon whispered near her cheek. “Just keep smiling.”

She nodded, and a sense of peace came over her. With Brandon leading the way, she could do this. They all could. Ahead of them on the red carpet were Dayne Matthews and Luke Baxter and their families. Even the kids were dressed for the event, with miniature tuxedoes and pretty dresses.

Bailey felt like a princess at the biggest ball of the year, arriving with the prince every other girl wished was at their sides. She hesitated, smiling and waving at the crowd as she and Brandon moved aside and waited while her brothers, and finally her parents, stepped out of the limo. Her brothers wore new suits their mom found on sale. At the time, they had all complained that no one would expect them to be dressed up, and that they couldn’t move in suit jackets.

But here, they quickly embraced the part.

“Wow!” Ricky said it as loud as he could, and even then the sound was drowned out by the cry of questions from reporters and the clicking of cameras. He waved and grinned, and the other brothers did the same thing. But as much fun as the attention was, none of them wanted to linger in this kind of limelight. They hurried down the red carpet and caught up to Luke and Dayne. Her parents walked fairly quickly also, careful to wave and smile. Her dad was well known in the media because of his coaching position. Brandon had told them he was pretty sure the magazines would run pictures of Bailey’s parents.

Bailey and Brandon took their time.

After all, the press had gathered mostly for Brandon Paul, in celebration of his new movie, and out of curiosity for the change in faith he’d publicly declared, and to see proof of his new, conservative lifestyle — also, of course, to see if there was more than friendship between Brandon and his new leading lady. Before tonight, when Bailey pictured this moment, she imagined staying with her parents and letting Brandon walk the carpet alone. It was his starring role, really. His place to shine alone, without her taking any of the attention. Not only that, but she hadn’t wanted the paparazzi guessing at what the two of them shared.

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