Free Stand-In Star by Rachael Johns Page B

headed to a table, Nate kept one eye on Holly and the other on a lookout in case they ran into any of his acquaintances. Most people were too consumed in their cocktails or themselves to turn a head as he and Holly walked by.
    At the table, the maître d’ pulled out the seat for Holly. Before they were settled a waiter descended upon them, gushed about how fabulous it was to serve them this evening and then offered the drinks list. Holly ordered a cocktail and Nate asked for a cola.
    Once they were alone, she looked around quickly again and then glanced up at the ceiling, painted jet black but covered in tiny glittering lights that lit the restaurant like a starry night. “This place is something else.”
    He followed her gaze upward. “Those are actually the stars you can see above L.A. on a clear night.”
    “They’re beautiful.” She lowered her eyes to look at him again. “Thanks for bringing me here. It’s the first place I’ve been to today where I haven’t been recognized or mauled.”
    Anxiety washed over him at the thought of her lying on the sidewalk. He pushed all emotion aside. “You should have been prepared for the attention. Someone should have warned you. Didn’t Daisy’s legal team or agent get in contact with you and explain what it would be like?”
    “Maybe,” she relented, “but it’s never been like that before. The Australian press were never interested in me until…”
    Her words were cut off by the arrival of their drinks.
    As she took the first sip of her strawberry pink cocktail, he said, “I’m surprised you don’t have a handler.”
    “I was offered one, but I declined.” Holly glared at his raised eyebrows. “Relax, someone is picking me up for an interview on Friday and I’m sure I could call on someone if needed. But I didn’t want this to become bigger than it is. I don’t like being the center of attention.”
    “Fair enough.” He didn’t much like it either. “What were you doing on Rodeo Drive then?”
    “I went looking for a dress.”
    He gestured toward her. “The one you’re wearing?”
    “No.” She smoothed the silky material across her lap. “But I did buy this today. It was one of many guilt buys.”
    “I’m confused.”
    She groaned. “You already think I’m naive, so I may as well confess to stupidity as well.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    Holly hung her head, not wanting to see the look in Nate’s eyes when he heard what she had to say. “I haven’t organized a gown for Saturday night yet.”
    “What? Why?” A disbelieving chuckle followed. It was the first time she’d seen him crack a smile. She liked it.
    “I’ve been busy with work. And dress shopping isn’t really my thing. I kind of hoped if I left it long enough it would just fall into place.”
    “You are something else.” From his tone, she couldn’t quite tell whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. Likely the latter. “I’ve never met a woman who needed an excuse to buy a dress. But you’ve come to the right place. If you can’t find a suitable outfit in Beverly Hills, there isn’t one.”
    “That’s just it. I’ve spent all day trawling designers and come up with nothing. I’m un-dressable.”
    “I don’t believe that.” Was she imagining his gaze lingering on her dress? On what was underneath? Was she wishing? Dammit, she needed to stop. Daisy may be dead and have stolen her husband, but that didn’t mean Holly wanted to go there. Two wrongs had never made a right and lusting after Daisy’s boyfriend felt incredibly wrong.
    “Believe it. At the moment, it’s looking like jeans and a dressy top may be my only option.”
    Nate opened his mouth as if to talk but the waiter hovered again, this time handing them each a silver-embossed menu.
    “Thank you,” they said in unison and then looked up to listen to the spiel about chef specials. After brief discussion, they ordered and returned the menus.
    She took a sip of her delicious drink—so