Cory’s personal life, he was very likely used to having the details of his dates splashed across the Internet and probably ignored it. Since life in the spotlight was the norm for him, she doubted anyone had alerted him to it.
“Hello?” she answered, feeling an excited flutter in her stomach.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Cory greeted her. He sounded happy.
I can get used to that as a nickname, she thought. “Hi there. I heard through the grapevine or about a million texts to my phone that you had a hot date last night.” She waited for his reaction.
To her surprise, he laughed. “I’m glad you’re okay with that and not freaked out by it. You aren’t, right?”
No, but I can’t say the same for my best friend. She decided against telling him about Shelby’s concerns. “It’s cool,” she answered. “I had a really good time last night, even if some of it was shared with the world.”
“Me too,” he said. She smiled, even though he couldn’t see her. “I guess I forgot to warn you about that. It happens sometimes.”
“You sound so relaxed about it. Isn’t it ever weird for you?”
“It used to freak me out,” he admitted. “It was definitely strange to see pictures of what I was doing plastered everywhere after the band started doing well, until our manager pointed out that press is a good thing. It keeps you relevant and in people’s minds, which he seems to think helps sell records.”
“Makes sense when you put it that way.”
“I’m just glad you’re still talking to me and aren’t creeped out. It’s a little much, I know.”
“Of course I’m still talking to you,” she replied, her smile growing wider.
“Would you risk being caught out in public with me again?”
“Anytime.”
“How about today?”
“Right now?” She chewed on the bottom of her lip, wondering if she should admit to being in her pajamas, or that she was getting ready for a few hours of writing. Turn-off, she thought.
“Are you working?” he asked.
“Just about to start. I'm a nerd, I know.”
“Don’t suppose I could entice you away from that work and convince you to have lunch with me?”
“You or work.” She pretended to debate the two choices. “Tough call. When are you picking me up?”
“I can come get you in an hour?”
“Sure,” she said, and gave him her address. The moment they hung up, she took one last look at her laptop.
I need a life, she reminded herself. Devoting every spare hour she had to staying caught up on work was getting old. It didn’t mean she would abandon her career, but she could take an hour or two of her Saturday afternoon to enjoy herself.
She put her phone down on the table and walked into her bedroom where she waded through the pile of clothes in her closet, searching for something she could wear. After considering her options for a few minutes, she reached for a short denim skirt and her favorite olive green burnout shirt, then headed for the bathroom to get showered and dressed.
Chapter Eight
C-Samp Commits to a Second Date
Out twice in one weekend with the same girl? Well done, C-Samp. We’re pretty sure that hasn’t happened since you were seeing Cady Sugarman.
Blistering Twilight singer Cory Sampson was spotted out on Robertson Boulevard with his new squeeze, Zeeked writer Emily Watts. The two shared an intimate lunch at the Ivy on Saturday afternoon, where onlookers say they held hands at the table and smooched it up over grilled vegetable salad and mimosas.
Someone needs to remind these two that the dining room of the Ivy is not the Sunset Strip. We’re all in favor of sharing the love, but try to keep your hands to yourselves—at least until you hit the sidewalk. There are people eating in there.
We have to admit, Cory, the public tonsil hockey aside, this one looks classy. Well done.
That’s the official opinion of Wally Hood, anyway. What do all you Hood-lums think about the Em-Girl??
After Emily had gotten over the shock of having her first date with Cory splashed across the pages of Wally Hood Goes Hollywood and a few other celebrity gossip sites over the weekend, she had thought seeing her name in the headlines would be a little less surreal. She’d been wrong.
On Monday morning, she sat at her desk in her apartment, spooning oatmeal into her mouth. While she waited for her emails to download, she checked Wally Hood’s blog. She was mainly curious to see what else had made entertainment news headlines over the weekend,