We explained the plan to Penn and Becca, and then made our way to the front door of the hotel. I could see the photographers through the frosted glass and my nerves were building upon themselves until I could feel my hand shaking inside Liam's.
He gave me a reassuring smile before letting go and heading inside with Penn. I tried to listen to the paparazzi, but it was impossible to hear them through the door. A few moments later, when Penn and Liam had exited the carpet, the front door swept open so that we could enter next. I reached back for Becca and took a deep breath as the staff held the door for us.
The moment we passed through the threshold, flash after flash started illuminating the ritzy hotel lobby. They'd set it up so that the event's guests were funneled down a long red carpet. Photographers were on one side of a red rope and there was a giant banner running along the back of the carpet with various brands’ logos repeating all the way down.
I smiled and tried to look normal, but my features felt tight and fake. Was I smiling or just opening my mouth really wide? Becca squeezed my hand and I squeezed back as we walked toward the center of the red carpet. Once we hit a certain mark, a publicist insisted that the two of us turn and pose for a photo. The flashes multiplied as we angled toward one another.
"Kinsley, are you attending the event solo tonight?" one reporter asked, and the moment the question was out, everyone else joined in, one after the other, as their voices clamored to be heard.
"Kinsley, who are you wearing tonight?— Are you seeing anyone?— Do you know why Liam stopped volunteering with ULA?— Are you planning to take your relationship with Liam public?"
I just kept a fake smile plastered on my face as if I couldn’t hear a single word. Even still, my head was spinning by the time the publicist gave us a thumbs up. I tugged Becca off the red carpet as quickly as possible and looked up to see Penn and Liam waiting for us at the entrance to the event. The sooner we stepped into the party and away from the media, the better.
As soon as my heels stepped from the red carpet back onto the sleek marble floors, I thought I was in the clear, but then I heard a familiar, shrill voice behind me. At first I didn’t believe it, but when I spun around, I saw Tara posing with a handsome guy that I didn’t recognize.
“I’m wearing Versace and these shoes are Louboutins, obviously,” she answered one of the paparazzi’s questions while fluffing her hair and striking the perfect pose.
“Your teammates just passed us on the carpet. Are you going to be hanging out with them at the event?” a reporter asked, pointing in our direction.
Tara’s gaze followed his finger until our eyes locked and my stomach dropped. She should not be given microphone privileges. There was no way to know what was about to come out of her mouth next.
“We’re actually not teammates anymore,” she clarified with an air of attitude as she turned her attention back to the cameras.
That comment sent the paparazzi into a flurry of questions, and I was left clutching Becca’s arm with a vice-like grip. Becca shot me a pleading look as Liam started pulling me toward the entrance of the party. He didn’t want me to be subjected to her drama, but I had to know how she was going to answer.
“I actually left the team for some quite interesting reasons. I had a problem with a certain individual on the team. There was tons of juicy drama, but I have to go to the event now, boys! Maybe we’ll get to the bottom of the story another time!”
My jaw ticked as I listened to her plant the seed of my impending demise. She was bypassing the gritty details of our drama for now, but she and I would have to clear the air soon. We both had too much ammunition on one another and I knew she was just waiting to use it to her advantage. Liam squeezed my hand and shot me an apologetic frown. I wrapped my other hand around his arm so that he knew I wasn't upset... just overwhelmed. I hadn’t factored Tara into my evening attire. If I knew she’d be at the event, I would have tucked a flask into my sequined clutch. Or maybe a glock.
The red carpet led the four of us toward a set of double doors where a PR person was checking people off the list and admitting them as they arrived. When she glanced up at Liam, she smiled and waved us through quickly.
My heart rate started to slow down as soon as we were inside the majestic ballroom. In here, we were just another guest at the party.