that.
Emma tried to force her fingers to relax, but they refused to uncurl from around the champagne flute’s thin crystal stem. She hoped it didn’t shatter in her hand. The smile she gave Josh seemed more brittle than the glass. “By all means, lead the way.”
Josh’s heart beat a frantic rhythm in his chest. He was glad no one could hear it. This was it. The moment of truth. He’d hoped that the Ranslers would arrive late and he could get the announcement for the press over with first, but he should have known better. He’d seen them walk in, Maisie looking lovely in a soft white dress and William debonair as ever in a suit, and experienced a moment of nearly paralyzing fear that they would run into Emma without him there to control the conversation, and the whole charade would come crashing down around his ears.
Now he had to get the introductions out of the way before climbing up on the small stage Emma and the rest of the Picture Perfect staff had set up. At least he wouldn’t need to worry about them talking during the announcement or the Q&A. Emma was too much of a professional and Maisie Ransler was too polite. After that, though, the real work would begin.
“William, Maisie, good to see you here.” Josh flashed his mega-watt smile, the one he usually reserved for interviews and red carpet events. Maisie’s lips twitched. William’s eyes narrowed.
“Owens.” His gaze flicked to Emma and widened a little. “And this is--”
“Emma,” Josh finished for him. He slipped an arm around her waist. He felt her stiffen the tiniest bit, but could see from the corner of his eye that her smile remained in place. “The woman responsible for all this.” He made a vague sweeping gesture that may or may not have encompassed himself.
“Hardly,” Emma replied, demurely. “Mr. Ransler, Mrs. Ransler. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Josh has told me a lot about you. And, of course, Mr. Ransler I’ve seen many of your films.” She extended a slim hand. William shook it briefly. Maisie held on a little longer.
“Well, you’re just as pretty as you sounded on the phone.”
Emma blushed. Josh liked how awkward she became when people complimented her. She knew she was good at her job, and smart, and he thought she knew how attractive she was too. But she still always seemed so surprised when people pointed it out.
Josh felt a chill run up his back as he realized William Ransler was studying both him and Emma. Perhaps trying to read their body language? He wished she’d relax against him a little more. He tugged her a little closer to his side. Emma flashed him an inquisitive green look. He smiled. The corner of his mouth wobbled a little. He wanted to kick himself. He couldn’t let her know how nervous he was.
Miraculously, though, she touched his lapel with light fingers and stretched up to whisper in his ear. “Relax. When this is all over, there’ll be wedding bells. I promised, remember?”
She thought he was anxious about convincing Ransler to work with him. And she was right, in a way. Josh’s gaze flew to Ransler’s, wondering what the other man had made of their little exchange. Had he heard Emma’s whispered comment? If he had to guess, based on the slight widening of Ransler’s eyes, he’d say the man had indeed heard her. Josh’s grin was genuine this time.
Emma reached for Ben’s arm and tugged him forward into their little group. “And this handsome fellow is Josh’s right hand man...” Emma paused and Josh realized from the startled flutter of her lashes that she didn’t know Ben’s last name. Crap. That was something a fiancé would know. Ben stepped smoothly into the slight hesitation, grasping Ransler’s hand in a firm grip.
“Ben Cummings, Mr. Ransler. I’m a big fan.” He turned his dimpled smile on Maisie Ransler. “Mrs. Ransler. I’m sure I’m a big fan of yours as well.”
Maisie chuckled.
Emma tried to force her fingers to relax, but they refused to uncurl from around the champagne flute’s thin crystal stem. She hoped it didn’t shatter in her hand. The smile she gave Josh seemed more brittle than the glass. “By all means, lead the way.”
Josh’s heart beat a frantic rhythm in his chest. He was glad no one could hear it. This was it. The moment of truth. He’d hoped that the Ranslers would arrive late and he could get the announcement for the press over with first, but he should have known better. He’d seen them walk in, Maisie looking lovely in a soft white dress and William debonair as ever in a suit, and experienced a moment of nearly paralyzing fear that they would run into Emma without him there to control the conversation, and the whole charade would come crashing down around his ears.
Now he had to get the introductions out of the way before climbing up on the small stage Emma and the rest of the Picture Perfect staff had set up. At least he wouldn’t need to worry about them talking during the announcement or the Q&A. Emma was too much of a professional and Maisie Ransler was too polite. After that, though, the real work would begin.
“William, Maisie, good to see you here.” Josh flashed his mega-watt smile, the one he usually reserved for interviews and red carpet events. Maisie’s lips twitched. William’s eyes narrowed.
“Owens.” His gaze flicked to Emma and widened a little. “And this is--”
“Emma,” Josh finished for him. He slipped an arm around her waist. He felt her stiffen the tiniest bit, but could see from the corner of his eye that her smile remained in place. “The woman responsible for all this.” He made a vague sweeping gesture that may or may not have encompassed himself.
“Hardly,” Emma replied, demurely. “Mr. Ransler, Mrs. Ransler. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Josh has told me a lot about you. And, of course, Mr. Ransler I’ve seen many of your films.” She extended a slim hand. William shook it briefly. Maisie held on a little longer.
“Well, you’re just as pretty as you sounded on the phone.”
Emma blushed. Josh liked how awkward she became when people complimented her. She knew she was good at her job, and smart, and he thought she knew how attractive she was too. But she still always seemed so surprised when people pointed it out.
Josh felt a chill run up his back as he realized William Ransler was studying both him and Emma. Perhaps trying to read their body language? He wished she’d relax against him a little more. He tugged her a little closer to his side. Emma flashed him an inquisitive green look. He smiled. The corner of his mouth wobbled a little. He wanted to kick himself. He couldn’t let her know how nervous he was.
Miraculously, though, she touched his lapel with light fingers and stretched up to whisper in his ear. “Relax. When this is all over, there’ll be wedding bells. I promised, remember?”
She thought he was anxious about convincing Ransler to work with him. And she was right, in a way. Josh’s gaze flew to Ransler’s, wondering what the other man had made of their little exchange. Had he heard Emma’s whispered comment? If he had to guess, based on the slight widening of Ransler’s eyes, he’d say the man had indeed heard her. Josh’s grin was genuine this time.
Emma reached for Ben’s arm and tugged him forward into their little group. “And this handsome fellow is Josh’s right hand man...” Emma paused and Josh realized from the startled flutter of her lashes that she didn’t know Ben’s last name. Crap. That was something a fiancé would know. Ben stepped smoothly into the slight hesitation, grasping Ransler’s hand in a firm grip.
“Ben Cummings, Mr. Ransler. I’m a big fan.” He turned his dimpled smile on Maisie Ransler. “Mrs. Ransler. I’m sure I’m a big fan of yours as well.”
Maisie chuckled.
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