Page 89 of If the World Was Ending

“Yup. He was by the bar inside last time I saw him,” Kenner said, and his voice had a nervous glint to it. “I don’t think he noticed me.”

“Probably scanning the crowd for his next victim,” Colby replied, and then he reached up and tugged on the lapels of Kenner’s chocolate brown velvet jacket. “You look fucking lickable.”

“Good. I hope he regrets everything when he sees me.” Kenner winked, and Colby laughed. “For now, you should find your girlfriend. She has news.”

“We’re dialing that back, remember?” Colby and Hannah had been given the go-ahead by the label’s PR to consciously uncouple now that the tour was over. But since they hadn’t ever made an official statement that they were together, they couldn’t make an official one that they weren’t, which meant a lot of media and fans hadn’t picked up on the “break-up” yet.

“Go find the fake ex. She’s inside, I think,” Kenner urged, and his dark brown eyes swept over Colby. “You look fucking lickable too, and I know why.”

“What? I just like to look good every now and then,” Colby shrugged.

“Find Hannah.”

Colby scanned the terrace for her. There was a DJ in the corner playing wordless beats, and a table near him with the most ridiculous-looking food—all flowers made from fruits and vegetables. And of course, a champagne fountain and chocolates shaped like the Louis Vuitton logo. He scanned past that and finally saw what he thought was the top of Hannah’s pretty little head. She was by the arched French doors on the other side of the room.

Colby hesitated before moving. “I said I would help you make your agent feel like shit and I meant it.”

“Yeah, but you’ve got your own drama to tend to,” Kenner flashed a smile, then he moved off into the crowd, stopping a few feet away to greet a model he was friendly with.

Colby forced himself to walk over to Hannah, even though it felt like he was walking to his own funeral. Why? Did she have more gossip about Hunter? Was he here with Mikayla? Had that become a real thing? The universe had been shipping them since their movie came out, and they were photographed together a lot—and not just for work things either. Not that Colby was keeping track… on purpose.

Watching Hunter kiss Mikayla that night had been like rubbing his heart up against a cheese grater. But he’d whispered encouragement for Hunter to do it. Because people had noticed him with Hunter and he’d panicked. For his career and for Hunter’s.

He paused at the champagne fountain and took a glass. He actually hated champagne, but he felt like, for some reason, he needed something. He could get a clearer view of Hannah now. She was in a shimmering slip dress in a color barely darker than the champagne in his glass. Her skin was smooth and pale, and her dark hair dramatic as it tumbled in wild, loose waves down her back. She was kind of leaning on the open door, bent a little, like she was talking to someone much shorter than her that Colby couldn’t see.

He took two long swallows, emptying the tiny champagne glass, and got caught by a guy from Revolution Records who wanted to tell him how much he loved Tidal, and his song with Hannah and blah, blah, blah. When the suit finally left Colby alone, he refilled his champagne and made his way to Hannah. Well, to where she had been. She wasn’t there anymore, but a few minutes later he caught the glimmer of her dress out of the corner of his eye and walked over to where she was sitting on a vintage sofa by the large fireplace.

She was being photographed by a pro who was clearly documenting the night for either the hotel or the sponsor. As soon as she saw him approaching, her smile changed into something bigger, brighter, happier. She lifted her arms in his direction. “Sunshine! Finally!”

He smiled, grabbed one of her hands in his, and let himself be pulled down beside her. He was well aware that the camera was still snapping as she pressed her lips to his sideburn and giggled. “You brought me champagne.”

“No, but sure.” He let her take it from him, and he looked at the photographer, giving the guy a serene this isn’t anything special smile. He was good at those now.

“I can’t believe what I have to tell you,” she said giddily, then she paused to drink her champagne. Her dark eyes, which were made even more dramatic with eyeshadow and rich eyeliner, flitted to the photog and he finally got bored and moved on to a reality TV person sitting two couches over. Hannah put a hand on his closest knee and leaned in. “I found someone to star in my new music video.”

“Okay, good,” Colby answered, wondering why Kenner had been ominous about this. “Did you finally lower your standards?”

Hannah had spent the last six weeks going through headshots. She wanted, in her words, “someone who was pretty but not too pretty. A guy who made you want to strip naked without even having to be asked. Raw sex appeal but even more raw vulnerability.” And apparently no one had that.

“Not even a bit. If anything, he’s way better than I could have imagined, and he said yes!” she explained and squeezed his knee. “And you agree!”

“I can’t agree if I don’t know who it is, baby.” I reached for the champagne, but she pulled the glass away.

“You can have the gin and tonic he’s getting me,” she explained. “And you know who it is. Oh! There he is with your drink.”

Colby turned his head and looked up, expecting some Calvin Klein model or like pseudo-famous hot guy that he might vaguely recognize but wouldn’t be able to name. Instead, his eyes were assaulted by familiar dark eyes, darker hair, and a tall, lean, muscled body he knew how to make come apart. Colby’s whole body went stiff, except his heart, which felt like it was melting into a puddle inside his chest.

Hunter looked at Colby and paled visibly, which was quite the feat for a guy who was already alabaster. Hannah acted like nothing weird was happening. She just smiled and gestured between the men. “Hunter Law, you remember Colby Keaton. Colby Keaton, you remember Hunter Law.”

Hunter had matching drinks in his hands. He was holding them chest-high, elbows tucked, close to his white, almost sheer shirt and vintage beige blazer. Around his neck was a thick, short, white gold necklace with a single black diamond nestled in the hollow of his throat. His hair was longer than Colby had ever seen it… in person. He’d seen videos… accidentally-on-purpose, over the last few months—interviews mostly. It somehow looked thicker and glossier in person as it swept up and, in some places, also over his forehead. It’s gorgeous. He’s gorgeous. And it filled Colby with a thick, dense pain.

“Can you two say hello, because this is getting weird?” Hannah laughed and motioned at Hunter. “Give Colby his drink.”

Colby stood because it felt like a disadvantage to have Hunter look down at him. Hunter didn’t speak, didn’t even blink, he just jutted his left hand out toward Colby and moved his gaze to Hannah. Colby took the drink, careful not to touch his fingers in any way, and almost dropped it on Hannah. She would deserve it. “This is who you’re going to ask to be in your music video?”

“This is who she did ask,” Hunter corrected without looking at him.

“Hannah,” Colby said flatly. She knew it all. In screaming detail. She’d seen him turn himself inside out over this guy over the last few months after making the decision to stop communication with Hunter. Not that it was that hard since Hunter was already ghosting him.