Hollywood Royalty

The knock on the door alerted Grace that it was time to head out with Pedro for their night of fun and drinking. It was just was she needed anyways, what with all other things going on in her life. It was time to forget all her troubles and drama for the night and have fun with a new friend. Clubbing was hardly her thing but it would be now for a couple hours at the most. Pedro had already proved to be a more than entertaining person to be around so having fun tonight hopefully wouldn’t be too hard.

Grace collected her small clutch purse that matched the cerulean blue of her outfit. The contents of her clutch contained her wallet, hotel key, iPhone, and her moisturizing lip balm. It wasn’t like you could fit much more in a clutch. The blonde glanced back at Ash who was passed out asleep on the bed. She smiled warmly at the adorable sight, trying to fight the temptation within herself to pull out her phone and capture a picture of him. Feeling a bit worried for her companion, Grace switched the bedside lamp on for him. Most people would tell her that she was being ridiculous and that he was just a dog who didn’t get scared of the dark because he wasn’t a human but Grace disagreed. It was a nice place for Ash and she hated to think of how scared he would be if he woke up in the darkness with Grace out of sight. At least the light might be able to bring some comfort to him.

She glanced one last time at Ash before slowly and quietly opening the front door. Grace stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her just as softly so that she would not wake up her peacefully sleeping dog. The door locked itself behind her just as Grace was able to meet Pedro’s gaze. It was an odd thing to experience because every time Grace saw Pedro it was like she was instantly reminded of how incredibly handsome he was. As soon as she left him it was like the very thought vanished from her head but when they were reunited it was simply breath taking.

Pedro was wearing a pair of black jeans that matched his short sleeved simple shirt that was also black. The look suited him because it complimented his dark and mysterious looks. His dark hair was styled in a more intricate way than it had appeared earlier during the flight. He must have freshened up from the flight as well considering the scruff from his face was gone and all was left was his iconic looking moustache. Usually facial hair was a huge turn off for Grace but somehow it suited Pedro quite well. The older actor also seemed to have used some cologne considering he carried the same sandalwood and spice scent that he had when they last went out. It was getting harder and harder for Grace to deny the attraction she held for the older man. It was definitely against everything she promised herself when she moved to New York.

Pedro was left in awe of the blonde actress, that he was just beginning to get to know, the moment she stepped out into the hall. He had only ever seen her look formal with her vintage looking dresses and skirts. Her make-up had even been applied very naturally before so it surprised him a great deal to see a darker, different look about her. Pedro almost didn’t recognize Grace with that smoky looking eye make-up that made her look a bit older. It also seemed to make it harder for him to remember her exact age which was way too young for him. Her dress was a cerulean blue color that matched her eyes almost exactly. He noticed the way it seemed to fit snugly against her form and how it was shorter than her other dresses, showing off her long legs. Grace wore a pair of heels that made her as tall as Pedro himself, making them both eye level with each other. He cleared his throat a bit awkwardly as she stood there waiting for him to say something.

“You look um… very beautiful tonight.” Pedro told her, not knowing what else to say and also not willing to say how sexy he thought she looked in her dress. If he voiced what he was really thinking he was sure Grace would slap him across the face and it would be well deserved too.

“Thank you. You look great too, Pedro.” Grace replied politely. It was the mild version of what she was actually thinking in her mind. “We should go then.” Pedro nodded before Grace started to walk away and he followed, trying with great determination to focus on her long blonde hair swishing from side to side instead of his line of sight drifting elsewhere.

“Are you still not going to tell where we’re going?” Pedro asked as he moved a bit faster to walk alongside Grace. She smiled at him with a bit of mischief flashing through those bright, blue eyes.

“I told you it’s supposed to be a surprise. Are surprises such a horrid thing to have in America?” Pedro only laughed.

“No but I hate not knowing things.” She rolled her eyes playfully as they reached the elevator. Grace pressed the elevator button and they waited for the doors to open.

“Relax, we’ll be there in twenty minutes at the most… depending on traffic.”

“And how will we be getting there?” The doors to the elevator then opened and they entered the contraption.

“Uber of course.” Grace told him before pressing the elevator button for the lobby. Pedro just stared at her with a look that was a mixture between amusement and bewilderment.

“What is with you and Uber?” The elevator doors closed and they started to descend down to the floor of the lobby.

“I told you… it’s practical and convenient. Why? Haven’t you ever used Uber before?” She asked him but noticed the blank stare he gave her. “You haven’t, have you?”

“I’ve never had to. Everywhere I’ve gone to in New York is either by foot or taxi cab. Uber wasn’t around when I first got the city you know.” Grace nodded understandingly although she was a bit amused by his defensive reply. It as was though he was ashamed that he had never traveled by Uber before. Grace didn’t think it was uncommon that people didn’t travel through Uber. Uber was still a little new, at least, to mainstream travelers. It worked for her because Grace was never sure if she could depend on herself signaling for a taxi and seeing as she always liked to plan things out…well, it was perfect for her to say the least.

“Well, don’t worry. This will be fun for you… You’re first time taking Uber.” Grace said in a playful sort of way because she could tell he was a little weary. The elevators opened up again and they found themselves in the lobby which had quieted down a bit from earlier. It was empty for the most part save for a few people and the guy at the front desk. The lobby was so quiet that her heels made an echoing clicking sound as Grace and Pedro headed towards the front door. The driver was waiting outside his car in the valet for them. Grace recognized him from the picture.

“That’s our guy.” Grace told him quietly before going ahead and walking towards the car. Pedro still looked a bit uncomfortable but he followed her anyways. The driver opened the door for them and Grace slid in first with Pedro after her.

“Crimson, right?” The driver asked.

“Yes, please.” Grace replied. Pedro only gave her a suspicious look as the car pulled away from the hotel.

“Crimson? What’s Crimson?” Grace gave him a mischievous smile.

“I’m not telling. You’ll find out in about twenty minutes anyways.”

“Well, this surprise better be the surprise of the century because the anticipation is killing me.” Grace only nodded but glanced back at Pedro. It was going to be too long of a car ride to just sit in silence the whole way.

“So are you looking forward to tomorrow?” Grace asked, taking the conversation into a different direction. Pedro sighed heavily.

“Don’t remind me.” Grace frowned.

“Are you not looking forward to production?”

“No, it’s not that. You just have to understand that I haven’t had very much success until recently.” He glanced at the driver before lowering his voice. “ I guess you could say that I’m just a little bit nervous. Working with the likes of Baz Luhrmann, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr… You.” Grace furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

“Me?”

“Yes, you’ve already starred in plenty of movies… You really are incredible at what you do. I could never express how much I love ‘Ruby Sparks’.” He told her sincerely and Grace blushed at his compliment. She swallowed nervously before giving him a curious look.

“You don’t seem like a ‘Ruby Sparks’ kind of guy.”

“Well, I am.” Pedro paused briefly. “You know the first movie I ever saw you in was ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I remember thinking who was that girl? She had some of the funniest lines in the movie and she was a real game changer. She even made Ryan Gosling into boyfriend material.” Grace laughed but felt humbled by Pedro’s appraisal of her.

“It’s not too difficult to make Ryan Gosling into boyfriend material… He’s a really nice guy.” Grace’s expression then took a much more serious turn. “You’ve been acting way longer than I have. You definitely have nothing to worry about. Besides… I heard Robert is very excited to be working with you. Apparently he’s a pretty big ‘Game of Thrones’ fan.”

“Is he? And what about Grace Gallagher? Is she a big ‘Game of Thrones’ fan?” Grace nervously fiddled with her clutch purse, a red blush coming over her cheeks.

“I haven’t actually seen it yet.” Pedro gave her a surprised look but he didn’t look offended. The older man actually looked a little amused to be honest.

“You haven’t seen it? What’s the matter with you?!” Grace laughed with Pedro before shrugging sheepishly.

“Most of the time I’m just too busy but I know that’s no excuse. I feel left out since everyone else seems to watch it all the time.”

“Who don’t you then? Be honest.” Grace gave him an uncertain look.

“I don’t know. I think I just get very attached to characters in the films and televisions series I watch and I’ve heard that a lot of characters die in ‘Game of Thrones’… Including yours.” Pedro guessed that she had a point there. There were an awful lot of character deaths in ‘Game of Thrones’ so it wasn’t really for the light hearted. “Don’t make me feel so bad…I’ve seen ‘Narcos’ and loved it. Have you even seen the television series that I’ve done?”

“Well, no.” She smirked smugly at his admission. Grace didn’t picture Pedro as a ‘Downton Abbey’ kind of guy anyways.

“See?” He held onto her gaze refusing to waver because it wasn’t often that anyone won something over him in an argument even if the argument was playful.

“How about this? You watch ‘Game of Thrones’ and I’ll watch both of the television series that you’ve worked on. I’ve wanted to see ‘Skins’ for a while now so I now have an excuse. Everyone always talks about ‘Downton Abbey’ and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. Besides… If you’re in it then it has to be good.” Grace laughed at his flirtatious comment but she couldn’t tell whether Pedro was being serious or not. The worst part was that Grace might have secretly hoped that he was… Being serious she meant.

“You’re a real charmer, aren’t you?” He only chuckled but their back and forth banter was interrupted by the driver as the man looked in the review mirror. The driver was a man who looked to be in his thirties and had a slightly excited look on his face.

“I don’t mean to be rude or anything but aren’t you the guy from ‘Game of Thrones’? The Red Viper?” Grace’s eyes widened in excitement as she looked between the driver and Pedro. She understood in that moment that Pedro was being recognized for his work. It was always a fun experience for her to be recognized because it was very humbling and an ego boost that caused her to think that maybe she was a good actress after all. Grace had loved being with Tom when he was recognized because his fans were very vocal and devoted. She always thought that Tom was something like John Lennon or Mick Jagger in that sense with all those Hiddlestoners following him about. Grace decidedly put away the vague reminder of Tom out of her head because tonight was about having fun. She wasn’t going to make it about Tom and let him ruin her night just like he had ruined so many other things for her.

“Yes, I am.”

“Dude, I’m such a huge fan of that show… It sucks what the Mountain did to you though.” Pedro smiled at the driver.

“Thank you. It means a lot.” Pedro replied and that seemed to be the common response most people had to appraisals of their works even ones that were very minor but significant to the actor nonetheless. The driver then glanced at Grace through the mirror.

“I’ve seen you somewhere too? Are you a model or something?” Pedro laughed because it seemed odd to him that the guy knew who he was even though Pedro had only been on ‘Games of Thrones’ and ‘Narcos’ with a couple of supporting role in movies but the guy didn’t seem to recognize Grace. Grace Gallagher who had been starring in films and television for almost ten years now. Maybe it wasn’t so odd given that Grace looked different with her heavier eyeliner and mascara. Most of the time she normally looked like Luna Lovegood with a very natural but beautiful look about her.

“No… I wish.” She replied but she sounded a bit different… like she was talking with an American accent. Grace had a devious smile on her face which was different from how she normally looked. This made Pedro curious.

“I’m Jennifer Lawrence actually.” Pedro hid his laughter behind a cough because he couldn’t believe her. It was even weirder because she actually did sound like Jennifer Lawrence. Her accent was very American with that familiar huskiness that the real Jennifer Lawrence famously had in her voice. The funniest part about it was that Grace looked absolutely nothing like Jennifer Lawrence.

“Oh my god… You are!” Pedro’s eyes widened in surprise at the fact that the driver actually bought it. “I loved you in ‘Hunger Games’!”

“Thank you… Everyone in my family told me that I couldn’t shoot a bow and arrow but I sure proved them wrong. I guess it was the Kentucky in me.” Pedro turned his face towards the window of the car so that he wouldn’t give Grace away with his laughter. His body was shaking with all the contained laughter inside him as he fought to keep it at bay.

“That’s awesome!” He told her before making a turn and Grace thought that it would be the right moment to make a brief suggestion to the driver.

“When we get to the place do you think you could go around the back?” Grace told him still doing her Jennifer Lawrence impression. The driver nodded with a determined look on his face.

“Anything for Katniss.” Pedro snorted quietly and Grace shot him an amused look.

“Thank you.” It was quiet for a moment but Grace noticed that they were almost there anyways. She saw the place that was the surprise that she kept going on about. It was a large building that probably went up for about three floors. Red lights shone out from the tinted windows of the upper floors as loud thumping, electronic dance music could be heard from outside… It could even be felt through all the vibrations. You could tell that the building was different from all the other buildings on the street with its blood red colored walls and black trim. Even from the outside it looked sleek and sexy. There was a long line of people waiting outside the doors which were guarded by pair of burly looking bouncers. The people looked eager and almost desperate to get in. Grace felt a bit bad for them because she knew there was nothing really worth their time inside that they couldn’t get at any of the numerous other places in town. It was Los Angeles after all but this club was different… exclusive with all of its celebrity attendees. The driver made a right hand turn after the light turned from red to green. Pedro looked curiously out the window at the sight of the club and the masses of people standing in line.

“Isn’t that ‘ Crimson and Clover’? The club that Leonardo DiCaprio goes to?” Pedro asked before Grace smiled and nodded.

“It’s also the club where his model girlfriend broke a wine bottle over his head.” He gave her a strange look. It was funny how out of everything that has been said about the club in the past, Grace remembered that specific detail.

“Where you there?”

“No but a friend of mine was.” The driver made a turn into the alley behind the club before proceeding to drive down the dark and narrow pavement. Pedro looked at Grace with a weary expression, growing a little uncomfortable with the sketchy situation.

“Is this the part where our Uber driver murders us?” Pedro whispered into Grace’s ear. His eyes were wide and a bit frightened. Grace honestly didn’t mean to freak him out or anything because she definitely wasn’t pranking him. She still laughed because it was kind of hilarious.

“Calm down… We’re not getting murdered. This was just my way of surprising you but I can see how creepy it is now. I guess I’m not good at surprising people.” Pedro let out a sigh of relief as he looked back at the somewhat embarrassed blonde.

“This is the surprise… an alley? Please tell you’re not the one who is going to murder me?” Grace gave him a bewildered look.

“Me? How could I possibly murder you? You’re a grown man who’s probably three times my strength.” He shrugged.

“You never know. Maybe you’re a real life witch.” Grace rolled her eyes.

“You’re silly… No, I was just trying to surprise you by taking you to ‘Crimson and Clover. I just didn’t want to go through the front door because of um… privacy reasons.” Pedro actually looked genuinely surprised at this new piece of information. While he was just kidding about the witch thing, Grace taking him to a club was definitely a different turn of events than he originally would’ve imagined.

“What?” Grace nodded calmly.

“Yes, you were so kind the other night with showing me around a bit and paying the bill that I thought I would return the favor. You mentioned that you liked going to clubs and this one seems to be a popular one.” Pedro was shocked by Grace’s act of kindness. It was probably the last place he expected the very formal and polite Grace Gallagher to take him. It was kind of a curious thing about her because it seemed like every time he saw her, Grace did yet another thing to surprise him.

“That’s an understatement. One of my friends, who I might add stars in a couple of popular tv series, has to make a reservation weeks in advance to even be let in. When she did get in she managed to pick the one night that I was off filming something out of the country.” He mentioned and she smiled awkwardly.

“Well… You get to go now.”

“Thank you.” Pedro told her sincerely. Grace blushed under his intense dark gaze, it was then that she noticed what a lovely, warm shade of brown his eyes were. The driver interrupted their brief moment of intensity.

“Before you guys go do you think I could get a selfie? If you don’t mind?” Grace and Pedro looked each other before nodding, a silent agreement between them. They smiled kindly at the very eager driver.

“Of course.” Grace said as Jennifer Lawrence, keeping up the disguise. The man pulled out his phone and held it up in front of the three of them, leaning back in the driver’s seat as Grace and Pedro posed behind him. Pedro had a goofy grin on his face as he gave the camera a thumb’s up but Grace couldn’t keep a straight face as she looked at him. The picture taken captured the blonde actress laughing at the goofy, older actor which was the first picture of Grace that had been taken in a couple of months.

“Thanks!” And with that Pedro opened the car door, sliding out first before holding the door open for Grace. He offered her his hand as she climbed out of the car which she gratefully took.

“Have a goodnight, you two!” The driver called after them before Pedro thanked him and then closed the car door. The SUV pulled off into the night and the two of them were alone at last. Grace was a little nervous herself, partly worrying whether or not she would bump into any old friends but she pushed the apprehension away as Pedro offered his arm to her. There was a staircase to the backdoor so she knew it was only so she wouldn’t trip and fall in her heels but it was still an intimidating gesture because she was attracted to him. Grace ignored the feeling and linked her arm through his anyways. Who could it hurt?

There was a bouncer waiting for Grace at the backdoor who only gave her a nod before letting both her and Pedro into the loud, cramped club. Grace had actually called the club earlier in the day, inquiring whether or not she might be able to get in that night. It wasn’t often that she name dropped herself so she felt a little awkward about the situation but it surprisingly worked. It gave her a bit of an ego boost having some power like that.

The moment they walked into the club Grace knew there was no backing out. The Uber driver was long gone and there were too many people to be able to sneak back out. It was a lot darker than Grace would’ve imagined a club to be even with the flashing array of multi colored lights. The dance floor was large and packed with masses of sweaty people who rubbed up against each other. Grace didn’t think of herself as being a prude but the sight was much different than what she was used to seeing. She had never really gone to many clubs in the past so maybe that was why. The kind of parties people like Taylor Swift or Benedict Cumberbatch threw were never those kinds of parties. The parties she attended were more like networking parties that you attended because you needed to meet new and different people.

The bar was almost more crowded than the dance floor it seemed like with girls that wore dresses like Grace and girls dressed more scantily than Grace. Some looked to be there for a girl’s night or a bachelorette party which immediately made her miss Emma who used to love having girl’s nights out. Their version of a girl’s night out didn’t typically involve partying but more of dinner and a movie. Grace was then distracted by a sleazy guy hitting on a girl at the bar. She smirked when the girl flipped the guy off before giving him the cold shoulder. Part of Grace wanted to go up and congratulate the woman but she knew that she needed to be more discreet than that.

Grace noticed that the ceilings were very high as the bouncer led them up a staircase to the VIP section otherwise known as the celebrity hotspot. Grace and Pedro both shared a curious look with each other as they climbed up the stairs. This was as new to Grace as it was to Pedro. They walked down a hallway through the second floor that had different little spaces sectioned off as rooms. The spaces opened out to the hallways but were separated from others by a thin wall of privacy. On their way down to their reserved section of the floor, Grace noticed little glimpses of famous people. Justin Timberlake and his wife Jessica Biel were dancing in their sectioned off room surrounded by a group of friends. Jamie Foxx was nodding his head along to the beat of pulsing music. Zayn Malik was inside his room with his girlfriend Gigi Hadid on his lap as he whispered into her ear. Grace was even certain she saw Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani being all cute and adorable by themselves as they watched the dancers on the floor below. Was it weird that she kind of hoped that he and Adam Levine would end up together?

At last, the bouncer finally led them to their own little space on the second floor. It was nearly identical to all the other ones but it was still more private than the first floor. ‘ Crimson and Clover’ was known and appreciated for having a space that was very discreet so that celebrities could still have fun while being in a public area. The room, along with the whole club, had sort of a Moroccan vibe to it with red, sheer curtains as well as various different colored pillows littering the floor. Thankfully it wasn’t too Moroccan because it had a comfortable looking plump, red couch that matched the interior of the club. A small glass table sat in front of the couch with a small menu sitting on top.

“A waitress will be with you soon.” The bouncer told them before walking away, leaving Grace and Pedro alone in the space. Grace immediately tossed her clutch onto the table before sitting down and Pedro went to the balcony and looked down upon the dance floor of dancers and drinkers.

“Is it just me or was that staircase ridiculously long?” Grace asked.

“No, it’s not just you. By the way… Amazing Jennifer Lawrence impression back there.” Pedro complimented Grace and she laughed, a faint blush coming over her face. Grace was only thankful that it was too dark to be able to see her blush.

“Thank you. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched ‘Silver Linings Playbook’.”

“Is that your favorite movie?” He asked her.

“One of them.”

“Also you should probably change the way you surprise people because when you take someone through an alley… Well, it’s a little sketchy.” Pedro added and Grace fought the urge to laugh again. She gave him an amused look. “You may be young but I’m getting up there. I could’ve had a heart attack.”

“Duly noted.” Pedro took a seat next to Grace at a comfortable distance from her. The waitress then stepped into sectioned off room with a bright smile on her face. She was about Grace’s age with purple dyed hair and a nice tan that Grace envied. Grace could near reach that sort of tan even if she lay in the sun all day long; her skin was just too fair.

“What can I get you guys to drink tonight?” Her voice was welcoming and sweet.

“Do you have Crown Royal whiskey?” Grace asked and the waitress nodded.

“Yes, we do. Shall I bring the bottle?” Grace glanced back at Pedro, a silent question in her eyes, and he nodded quietly.

“Why not? Could we maybe get some Coke to go with that too?” She nodded again.

“Of course. Also… Just in case you guys didn’t know, Rihanna is going to perform in fifteen minutes.” Grace and Pedro had similar looks of surprise on their faces at hearing that specific piece of information. Grace honestly didn’t look up the scheduled events for the night when she made the call. “Well, I’ll be back with your drinks soon.” She told the pair before walking back out.

“Rihanna is going to fucking perform?!” Pedro exclaimed the moment the waitress left the room.

“I take it that you’re a Rihanna fan?” He nodded furiously and Grace laughed at him. Grace couldn’t quite figure Pedro out. He was much older than her but he acted kind of funny… Sort of immature and very impulsive. If she hadn’t known otherwise than she wouldn’t have even guessed that he was forty one. It wasn’t something that she found terrible but it was instead kind of refreshing. Everyone she had ever hung around treated her like a child but Pedro, for the first time ever, didn’t make her feel that way. It was nice.

“Rihanna’s hot.” Her smile faltered a little bit as she heard his appraisal of Rihanna and Grace wasn’t sure why. It was just a guy’s quick explanation for his admiration of a famous popstar so why would it fill her with envy? Of course Rihanna was very beautiful and talented so maybe that was why she was envious. Or maybe it was because she really liked Pedro and didn’t like him saying something like about someone else, a darker voice in her head said. Grace tried to ignore her conscience since it was a ridiculous notion. She hadn’t known the man for long and they were about to start filming a movie together. Grace already went through her costar dilemma before as she mentioned.

“Aren’t you a fan too?” He asked Grace, interrupting her thoughts. Grace looked at him before shrugging, a small smile once again forming on her face.

“I guess.” Pedro nudged her in the ribs gently and she laughed, her laughter sounding soft and musical as it always did.

“What do you mean “you guess”?”

“I just mean that I like some of her music but I’m not a devoted Rihanna fan. I am excited to watch her perform though, don’t get me wrong.” Pedro had a thoughtful expression on his face as he gazed at the mysterious and ever polite blonde actress.

“Then what kind of music does Miss Gallagher listen to?” Grace looked back at him with a look on her fact that was equally as thoughtful. She studied the look of genuine interest on his face but wondered why he was so interested. Maybe it was because they were friends at this point in their relationship or whatever that relationship was. It seemed to be a bit more than coworkers so she assumed they were friends. It felt something like it had felt with Ryan but still somehow different.

“Well, I listen to a lot of alternative rock. Bastille, Borns, Vampire Weekend, um… Florence and the Machine. Except for Maroon 5, they’re technically not rock.” Pedro frowned.

“I thought Maroon 5 was rock?”

“They used to be but now they’re more pop. They’re still great though.” He nodded.

“I feel really old because, other than Maroon 5 and Florence and the Machine, I have no idea who those bands are.” Pedro could’ve pretended like he knew who those bands were to seem cooler but he didn’t think he could fake that kind of knowledge.

“It’s kind of why they’re alternative, I guess. They’re more obscure than other artists but I’m more of a fan of lyrics than electronic music with a catchy beat. No offense to Justin Bieber or Katy Perry.” Pedro laughed and she gave him a questioningly look.

“I just like how you word things.” He explained and Grace rolled her eyes. She about to reply when the waitress returned with a bottle of Crown Royal, a couple bottles of Coke, and two glasses.

“Here’s your drinks, compliments from the owner.” She set everything down on the table in front of them. “Mr. Feldman really appreciates you making an appearance at the club, Miss Gallagher…You too, Mr. Pascal. I’ll be back in case you need anything. Have fun.”

“Thank you.” Grace and Pedro simultaneously said. With that the waitress stepped out of the room once again and disappeared down the hall. Pedro didn’t waste any time reaching for the bottle of Crown Royal and pouring it into a glass. Grace noticed how he didn’t even water it down with Coke much to her amusement.

“What is this stuff anyways? Is it British?” He said as he passed the bottle to Grace who started pouring herself her own drink although Grace did, in fact, water it down with Coke.

“That’s very presumptuous of you.”

“Well… There’s a crown on it.” She huffed, pretending to be annoyed with him. Pedro just smirked behind his glass.

“It’s Canadian actually. I never had it before I met Ryan and then it became one of my favorites.” He set his drink down before feigning a look of sudden interest. Pedro comically rested his face in his hand to make more an effect and Grace looked at him weirdly.

“Are you referring to Ryan Gosling?”

“Yes… Why?” Pedro seemed oddly excited by his sudden interest in Ryan Gosling. Truthfully, Pedro just admired the on screen chemistry between her and Gosling like everyone else. Grace was still unaccustomed to the admiration people held for the chemistry of actors.

“No reason.” Grace raised an eyebrow at him, a doubtful look on her face. “So are the two of you really friends in real life?”

“Yes, we are… Or at least we were.” She admitted but widened her eyes once she realized what she had just said. Pedro furrowed his eyebrows at her as he tried to get a read on what exactly Grace meant but the troubled expression on her face vanished just as soon as it appeared. “I just mean we haven’t talked in quite a while.”

“I guess things kind of get mixed up in our line of work.” He told her, not knowing what else to say. Pedro knew that something was up but figured that Grace didn’t want to talk about it. The older actor did the only thing he could do and changed the subject.

“So do you always get free booze when you come here?” He asked, gesturing to his glass. Grace’s once troubled expression was replaced with a carefree look as she laughed at Pedro’s quip.

“No, I’ve never actually been here.” Pedro gave her a surprised look.

“Wait… You’ve never been here before?” She shook her head. “Then how did you get in?”

“I guess it works mostly on an invitation basis. If you get an invite then you can get in pretty easily. I don’t usually go to clubs so I’ve never really used the opportunity to my advantage.” If he had been surprised before then he was even more so now.

“But you’re in your twenties aren’t you?”

“I’m twenty six.” She replied.

“Right… Well, I remember when I was twenty six and I didn’t do much else aside from clubs, booze, and parties.” He smirked just then. “Nothing really changed then.”

“I guess I’m just boring.” Grace said simply causing Pedro to roll his eyes at her.

“You’re not boring. You’re just very rational and mature.” She scoffed.

“Boring.” Pedro gave her an amused look before shaking his head.

“Not at all. I could really do with your levelheadedness and rationality… even now.” Grace felt warmed by his compliment of her. She knew that his compliment shouldn’t have meant that much to her but Grace could help the warm flush that came over her cheeks.

“Most people would call me cold or aloof.” Pedro only smiled at her.

“I just think you’re shy… Well that and very British.” Grace wasn’t sure what to say to that but fortunately didn’t have to say anything as the lights dimmed and the dancers on the floor below them cheered. It seemed that it came time for Rihanna to perform. Grace and Pedro shared a smile before getting up and heading towards the balcony.

Rihanna’s concert inside the club was loud and blaring like Grace would have expected but she still loved every moment of it surprisingly. Grace had never met the famous singer before but she did enjoy some of her music from time to time. Pedro made Grace laugh throughout the whole concert as he sang along to every single Rihanna song. From ‘S&M’ to ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’, Pedro seemed to know every single lyric. Grace didn’t really dance the kind of dancing that usually came with Rihanna songs. She had spent the nearly first fourteen years of her life practicing ballet and had learned an assortment of different styles of dancing while filming ‘La La Land’ but none of it was like this.

“Why aren’t you dancing?!” Pedro shouted over the music at Grace. Grace just shrugged uncomfortably, feeling a little embarrassed.

“I don’t really dance like that!” She called back out to him as Rihanna sang ‘Desperado’, a song off her new album. Pedro moved closer to her but Grace moved back a step as a reflex.

“What do you mean?!” She looked away from him, feeling another blush coming her way.

“I don’t know how to dance like that!” She admitted. Grace expected Pedro to laugh at her and give her another one of those amused looks of his. When she turned back to face him he completely surprised her by looking at her with an intense look in those dark eyes. Her throat suddenly felt very dry.

“There’s nothing to it. Let the expert show you.” He held out his hands and Grace gave him a suspicious look.

“What?”

“Do you trust me?” Grace smirked at him.

“No.” Pedro laughed.

“I’m being serious. Take my hands.” Grace did as he told her, placing her small hands in his much larger ones. Grace blamed the warmth she felt on all the alcohol she had previously consumed. Pedro pulled her closer to him, swallowing a little harder at the amount of distance between them which was close to none. He could smell a sweet floral scent coming from her which must have been her shampoo. Grace smelled of orchids and raspberries, a scent that was all together intoxicating even without the alcohol.

“Just watch me.” He whispered into her ear, his breath smelled of the whiskey they had been consuming. He then gracefully swayed to the gentle beat from Rihanna’s sensual, intimate song. Grace, still holding his hands, followed his movements. She was always good at following instructions from all her dance lessons as a young girl. It wasn’t entirely too difficult for her to follow Pedro’s instructions. It didn’t seem very complicated or sexual at first but then something changed.

As Rihanna sang the pre-chorus they moved closer until there was absolutely no space between them at all. Grace eye’s widened because she had never danced like that at all… Not even with Tom. This really wasn’t like her and she knew it was inappropriate. Grace told herself that she should stop but for some reason she just couldn’t… and she didn’t want to stop either. She was surprised to find that she and Pedro had even started grinding which was beyond anything she thought she was capable of doing. Their hands had somehow let go of each other and had instead wrapped around one and other, Pedro holding her close to him. Her face was buried into his neck and Grace could even feel his arousal. It was then that Grace could no longer fight the urge to look at him. She raised her head from his neck and met his intense gaze. His eyes were no longer the warm brown she remembered but almost black, his pupils completely dilated. Grace felt a familiar warm feeling in her stomach that she hadn’t felt in a while and she knew that she wanted him. The intense feeling terrified her.

Before she could think any further on the subject, the song came to an end and left the club in silence for a brief moment as Rihanna took a thirty second break and drank from her bottle of water. Grace and Pedro remained locked in an intense gaze, neither one of them say anything. Something seemed to snap Grace out of the spell and she quickly looked away, backing away from Pedro and out of his embrace. His hands fell limply to his sides and Grace seemed to find a particular spot in the distant corner of the club interesting.

“I’m going to go the restroom.” She told him suddenly before immediately walking out of the sectioned off room, not knowing what else to say or do. Pedro watched her leave, never feeling more confused than he did in that moment because he knew that it was going be impossible to ignore the attraction he held for Grace as well as the budding feelings. He briefly thought that it might’ve been a bad idea asking her to go out with him earlier. Pedro had asked her as a friend but this certainly didn’t feel like they were just friends. As if he had forgotten something Pedro looked down at himself before catching the sight of his bulge. He groaned completely frustrated with himself and lack of self-control.

“Fuck!”

Grace was walking down the hallways of the second floor feeling terrified which she hadn’t expected to feel at all tonight. She had left Pedro back in the room by himself and Grace felt a bit bad about leaving like that but she had needed to get out of there. Especially after the two of them were practically dancing like… that… well, Grace didn’t know what else to do. It was a situation she didn’t think she would be in and especially with a new costar. Seriously, Grace! She told herself. It’s like your past has taught you nothing. Remember Tom? Aaron? James? Obviously it’s just trouble getting involved with costars like that.

If Grace hadn’t been sure whether or not Pedro was attracted to her than she was sure now. She had definitely felt his arousal during the dance but he was a man to be fair. It might’ve just been a reaction because their dancing really wasn’t innocent in the least bit. Grace, however, knew that she couldn’t deny the attraction she had for Pedro. Him in all his immaturity and goofiness that made him into some sort of man child rather than a regular forty one year old man. Pedro with his dark and handsome looks that seemed to enrapture Grace every time she saw him which was only three separate times. Grace knew that she walking into very dangerous waters even more so since she hadn’t known the man for long at all.

Grace told herself that she was only attracted to Pedro’s looks which was completely reasonable. She was sure many women were attracted to him although the idea made her slightly jealous. Grace cursed at herself because she didn’t have any sort of a claim to a man she barely knew. She needed to snap out of this boy crazed phase and focus on her work which was going to start tomorrow. Yes… that was exactly what she needed to do. Once she got back to work then Pedro would probably become one of the last things on her mind. Somewhere deep down Grace knew how ridiculous that sounded because Pedro was going to be around her a lot more now but she ignored that logic. She had to get through this without making another mess of things. Pedro wouldn’t become another mistake like Tom. He was a good guy and she refused to let that happen.

“Grace?!” Grace was brought out of her deep contemplation and turned around at the sound of her name. It was then that she was met with a sight that threw out any thought of Pedro from her mind. Her eyes widened in surprise and a little bit of fear if she were being honest. Selena Gomez stared at Grace Gallagher with a look of bewilderment on her face while she analyzed the taller actress. Grace felt anxiousness come over her as she desperately tried to find a way to escape but came up empty. There was no way to escape the situation that she had been dreading for the past two months.

“Hey, Selena.” Grace greeted weakly. The brunette narrowed her eyes at the nervous looking blonde.

“Yeah… um, where the hell have you been?!” Grace looked around, afraid that someone might overhear them but everyone was too preoccupied with Rihanna to pay them any attention.

“Um… nowhere really.” Selena glared at Grace’s lame excuse of an answer.

“Really? Nowhere? Well, that’s interesting because I’ve texted you like a thousand times with no response. In fact, everyone’s been texting you but no one seems to be able to get a hold of you.” Selena told her, looking absolutely livid.

“Look, I’m sorry. I’ve just been busy with things. I just moved to New York, I had a press tour, and now I’m filming something.” Selena scoffed.

“Give me a break, Grace.” Selena’s expression then softened. “I know that you’ve been though a lot… I’ll admit what Taylor did was really shitty and unforgivable but your friends have been worried about you.” Grace sighed, looking everywhere but Selena.

“I told you I was busy.” Selena rested her hand on Grace’s shoulder comfortingly.

“Grace, please don’t push us away. Cara, Ed, and Ellie have been especially worried about you and I’ve heard that you haven’t even been speaking to Emma or Ryan.”

“I need time alone.” Grace told her firmly but Selena just shook her head.

“No, you need your friends.” Selena replied and Grace sighed heavily.

“Selena, I’m not going to ask any of you to pick sides but I can’t be around Taylor or anyone associated with her anymore. It’s just too awkward and complicated.” Grace explained to Selena who had a sad expression on her face. “I’m not trying to make you feel bad or anything but I don’t want anything to do with her. It’s nothing against any of you. She was friends with you way longer than I was so don’t feel guilty or anything.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Selena told her, tearing welling up in her eyes. Grace felt her own tears brimming her eyes as she fought to keep them at bay. “Is it really so bad for you if you can’t even be around your friends?”

“It’s painful.” Grace stressed. Selena nodding, a couple of tears falling from her eyes and Grace felt sick for causing that kind of grief.

“No, I understand.” Selena smiled through the tears although it was a weak smile. “For what it’s worth I really want to kick Tom in the balls every time I see him.” Grace laughed at the petite brunette’s remark.

“Thank you.” They stared at each other for a moment quietly before Selena spoke.

“Can I at least have a hug?” Grace nodded and allowed the famous singer to wrap her arms around her. She returned the favor and gently patted Selena’s back in comfort. They pulled away from each other with sad expressions on each of their faces.

“How’s my makeup?” Selena asked causing Grace to wipe away a tear on Selena’s face before smiling and nodding.

“You look great. How about me?” Selena nodded with a smile as well.

“You look beautiful.” With another nod to each other the two young women parted ways. Selena heading back to her sectioned off room and Grace heading back to Pedro. Both of them didn’t feel much better after their encounter but they knew it was for the best. Imagine Grace hanging out with Selena and the awkwardness that would ensue when she would almost mention something about Taylor and Tom. It was too difficult of a situation to be in so Grace made it easier for everyone. The circumstance felt more like a divorce with Taylor than it did with Tom. Yes, she would miss all the friends she made though Tom like Benedict and Chris but the friends she made though Taylor she knew for a lot longer. It felt like she had two divorces and not just one. The only positive thing about it was that it put the attraction and feelings for Pedro out of her mind.

Pedro had expected things to be awkward when Grace returned to the tent but he was proven wrong. It was almost like nothing had happened at all. In fact, Grace seemed as though she had something else on her mind because she seemed distracted. They spent the rest of their time at the club pretending as though the intimate dance had never occurred. Grace and Pedro watched the remainder of Rihanna’s concert from the balcony unmoving, refraining from anymore dancing which was probably a good thing seeing as what happened last time. Once the concert was over they decided that it was about time to leave so Grace contacted an Uber driver for them.

“Are you okay?” Pedro asked, a little concerned for her since she had been acting differently ever since she returned from the restroom. Grace nodded and smiled softly at him. They were in the car on the way back to the hotel only this time the Uber driver didn’t seem to recognize them at all.

“I’m fine, just a little tired. I can’t wait to get back to the hotel room and go to bed. We have a big day ahead of ourselves tomorrow.” Pedro dropped the subject at her answer and nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, tomorrow is going to be a long day.” He replied.

“Did you have fun tonight?” Grace asked and Pedro nodded.

“Yes. Thanks for bring me by the way. You really didn’t have to.” Grace shrugged, her eyes looking a bit more tired than they had before. It was probably best that they had left when they did even though the club was emptying out anyways. It was nearly two in the morning and both Grace and Pedro had to be at the studios by at least nine.

“It was the least I could do. You’ve managed to do what no other person has done before.” Pedro gave her an amused smile.

“And what is that?”

“Have fun of course.” Grace told him before looking out the window to the deserted LA streets. You could really see the difference between LA and New York there. Pedro looked at her with a puzzled expression because for the life of him he just couldn’t figure her out. He liked to think that he could guess what a lot of people were thinking but Grace seemed to be the exception to that. Pedro had told himself before that it was going to be a long four months but now he was certain that it was going to be a long four months he was going to enjoy.