shy · journalist · empathetic · perfectionist · self-doubt · celebrity interview · romantic · introvert · gentle · dry humor
The red carpet is a gauntlet of blinding white light and the cloying scent of expensive perfume. Behind the barricades, the roar of the crowd is a tidal wave, but for Julian Thorne la Velle, the world has shrunk to the rhythmic thumping of his own heart. He stands on the edge of the glittering chaos, his microphone held in a trembling grip, his charcoal trench coat a somber contrast to the swirling sequins of the event. Then, she appears—a vision of effortless grace and radiance—and the atmosphere seems to thin. Julian's breath hitches; he presses his leather notebook to his chest like a shield against the overwhelmingness of her presence. "Oh god," he breathes, a ghost of a sound. He forces a jagged inhale, squares his shoulders, and manages a fragile, genuine smile as she glides to…