Clementine was in bed when she received a text from her sister.

"Is there something going on between you and John??"

Clementine stared at her phone.

"No, of course not, are you crazy?" she sent back. "Why would you ask something like that?"

"IDK, you guys just seemed very chummy at dinner, that's all."

"He's nice, we're getting to be friends, like you said."

"Oh. Okay. He's super dreamy, isn't he?"

Clem bit her lips together. "Yeah, you lucky duck."

Hyacinth just sent back a smiley face.

Just as Clementine was dropping off to sleep, she got a text from John.

"Thanks for coming today, it was lovely to see you again."

"For me, too," she responded.

Apparently they weren't going to talk about how neither of them mentioned getting together the day before to her sister.

"It was very nice of you to make time to come on a school day, I know you had class and all."

"Not at all! You're the one w the 'mental' schedule. I completely understand if you can't do Wednesday."

"Like I said, I can hardly wait for Wednesday. Do you not want to, though? I'm getting the feeling you'd rather not."

Clementine looked at her phone, horrified. "No no no, of course I want to get together on Wed. So so looking forward to it!" She hit send and then worried that she was coming on too strong.

"Oh, ok. Was beginning to worry. I was thinking maybe a late dinner at my house? Would that suit you?"

"Sounds perfect."

She heard nothing back from John for a while and wondered if they were finished texting. Then her phone lit up.

"I hope you don't mind the secrecy and not going out and all? Things are difficult for me when I meet someone new with the fans and the paps and everything."

When he met 'someone new'? Clem once again stared at her phone. That sounded so much like he liked her. Like she was a person of interest in his life, not just a potential new friend.

OMG.

Was she supposed to respond? How? Just act normal? Like she knew he was interested in her?

Jesus, was this Wednesday a date?

Clementine swallowed, thinking of how to answer.

"Of course, I understand. But I don't think anyone would be particularly interested in me, do you? Not like if you and Hy were spotted together away from the set."

"You'd be surprised. Any female and I seen together make the earth shake to its foundations, apparently. Or male, for that matter. It's a bloody nightmare. Much better to just keep things under wraps for as long as possible."

"OK."

"Are you in bed?"

Clementine stared at the text.

"Yeah? Why, where are you?"

"Sitting in my lvg room, staring out at the ocean having a drink before I totter off to bed."
Clementine remembered he lived somewhere in Malibu.

"Are you a nightgown or PJs sort of girl?"

Again, Clementine stared at her phone for a beat before responding.

"I'm a T-shirt sort of girl." Of course, she wore underwear also, but Clementine felt she might die if she mentioned such a thing to John. "You?"

"I mostly go commando when I'm alone lol."

Flirting. Definitely flirting, right? She wouldn't let herself dwell on the image of Johnny going commando in bed.

"I hope you sleep well, then," was all she could come up with by way of response.

"Thanks. Night, darling."

Darling? Clementine got a shiver down her spine when she read the word. She responded with a simple, "Good night." Her insides were in turmoil, however, and she knew she wouldn't be sleeping for a while.

"Would you think it meant anything if John called me 'darling' when texting me good night?" she sent to Alan and Kim. "And asked me about what I was wearing to sleep?"

"OMG HE DID NOT!" came back from Alan almost immediately. "Send me the text, RN!!"

Kim didn't respond, so Clementine assumed she was already sleeping. She ended up sending her entire exchange with John to Alan, so he could suss out every possible nuance and meaning.

"Wow, C, sounds like Wed is def a date! HE LIKES YOU."

"Pls stop with the all caps, the shouting is giving me a headache lol."

"Sorry, but come on, 'whenever he meets someone new'??? Sounds like you're the new someone in his life, C."

"But it could still be platonic, right? I mean, it's possible that he doesn't intend anything romantic?? I mean, this is Johnny Darling, FFS."

"Not v damned likely, that's all I have to say," Alan replied. "He's in love, I think."

"Wow, hyperbolic much? You do love to exaggerate." Clementine shook her head as she sent the text. The problem with Alan, especially late at night, was that he was so excitable, everything became life or death. She wished Kim had been awake, just for an injection of much needed common sense.

"Nonsense, just look at the texts objectively. When's the last time you asked me what I wore to sleep? And you're right, he's had friends who are girls before, and I never noticed him being particularly careful about them. It's only the romantic ones that he worries about!"

Clementine didn't want to admit that this was what she was thinking also. He'd been photographed coming and going with lots of people, both male and female, and he didn't seem very concerned.

No, the only reason she could think of that John would want to use caution was if he was expecting their relationship to turn into something.

She finally got Alan calmed down and told him good night, though she herself was still wide awake. She needed some alone time to think.

How could John, of all of the guys in the universe, be interested in her? Clementine O'Dell, the plain sister of Hyacinth O'Dell? He'd dated models, princesses, actresses, heiresses—John really got around, as far as she could tell. What in the world had she said or done to ensnare him, even if it was only for one dinner date? For Clem was under no illusions that anything would come of this. If he was really 'into her,' it wouldn't, it couldn't last. Someone much more glamorous (like her sister) would catch his eye, and she, Clementine, would be history.

Clementine sighed and rolled over in bed, trying to put all thoughts of one John Darling-Ezekwesili out of her mind. But he wouldn't leave. She thought back to when she'd first heard his name and seen him, beautiful and exotic, onstage at the Staples Center with Alan and Kim. His smile, his eyes, his hair, hands, body, all were perfection.

Who could've dreamed that less than ten years later she'd be having dinner with him at his house?

And oh my god what was she going to wear? Suddenly her outfit seemed of paramount importance. She didn't have anything to wear to a superstar god's house for a late night date. She mentally began going over every item of clothing she owned and discarding it as unacceptable for one reason or another.

But if she left the house all dressed up, her mother would know something was up, wouldn't she?

Her mother. What should she tell her mother? Should she tell her anything? She knew that the studio was putting pressure on Hy and John for a relationship, and she also knew that Hy liked John. How was she, Clementine, supposed to explain to her mom why she was going over to John's house for a late dinner?

Maybe her mom didn't need to know about his quite yet.

Yes, proceeding with caution and circumspection seemed the best way to go.

With that resolved, Clementine tried once again to roll over and go to sleep. But her brain was full of thoughts of John now, and sleep eluded her. She imagined him in bed wearing nothing, and the thought was so sexy and exciting. She wondered if he was over there in Malibu picturing her in a T-shirt.

The thought made her shiver.