In the car, on the way to the bar, Mace turned to Chris. Obviously nervous.

"Chris, I'm...Can you, like, just leave me there, somewhere? I mean, we dont need to be together, yeah?"

"What? Do you know how stupid that sounds? Why would I even think of leaving you?"

"You did once." she muttered.

Chris whipped his head towards her.

"I said, I dont mind being left alone."

Chris held her hand, the one near him, and kissed the back of it.

"And can we not, like, do this..."

"Your worst than my publicist."

"Nope, not by a long shot." She commented, loudly this time.

Chris was quiet for a few minutes then asked, "I wonder what happened, Mace. You're side comments are like footnotes. Something happened after the part where I was a total fuckin asshole and you're going to tell me. Not going to listen to second hand stories."

Mace look out of the window. Not wanting any part of this conversation, she decided she will try to stop with the side comments, instead.

*****

They arrived at the bar and Mace quickly took the dress bag from Lauren and went in the performers lounge. Kicking out Ryan who was strumming his guitar, practicing for his set.

Chris nodded at Ryan when they saw each other. Ryan nodded back.

"Oooh, Dashing." Lauren commented, looking at Chris' suit and tie. "And you trimmed your beard a bit."

Chris grinned at her.

after 20 minutes, Mace emerged from the room wearing a sexy black mini sheath V neck sleeveless with sash that accentuate her waist, making her look like a Greek goddess.

She looked at Ryan, rolled her eyes. "Dont say a fuckin thing." she warned him when he attempted to open his mouth. Ryan obliged and smiled warmly at her.

Chris, on the other hand, just stood there motionless. Staring at her. His face unreadable. Mace got nervous. This is the reason why she hates this kind of a thing. She feels so fuckin awkward and they're not even there yet.

She stopped short, so breathtakingly gorgeous and looked at Chris, questioningly.

Lauren gave him a beer.
"Better drink up, Love. You're throat must be parched."

Chris obligingly drank up before walking towards, Mace.

Ryan walked out and went in the lounge. Closed the door behind him. Can't bear to see them together. 

"What?" Mace asked Chris nervously before he can even get near her. "Not appropriate, yeah? I mean, geez, Lauren's dresses are like...."

Chris gently put his hand on her mouth to keep her from speaking, then hugged her.
"You look perfect. And if we dont have that stupid "no kiss" deal I would've kissed you the second you went out of the room. Actually, even before that."

"Thanks for being true to your word. At least, that part of your word." Mace chuckled over his shoulder.

Chris held her hand and turned toward the bars' exit. Mace waved at Lauren and said, "Thanks! Will bring this back after I have it dry cleaned. This is so fuckin short by the way."

Lauren flipped her. "You fuckin ungrateful bitch!" she shouted laughingly at Mace's retreating back.

Chris jumped on the driver's seat when he finished assisting Mace, noticing the mini dress hiked up exposing more of her smooth legs. He took a deep breath and mentally thanked Lauren for unknowingly torturing him tonight.

Upon arriving, Chris escorted her inside the high-end bar. Something she have done for precisely twice in her life. His hand behind the small of her back, he guided her through the sea of rich and famous people. His people. He saw Hemsworth with wife Elsa.

Chris and Hemsworth exchanged an excited hug and Chris bent down to kiss Elsa on the cheek. Then he turned to Mace, put his hands on her waist and introduced her. She politely stretched out her hand towards Hemsworth but the Aussie ignored it and gave her a half hug and peck on the cheek instead. So did Elsa, his beautiful wife.

They were so warm and friendly and gorgeous that Mace's unease dropped down one decibel. Hemsworth and Chris went on to chat for a bit leaving Mace stading just beside Chris, awkwardly looking around.

Elsa stood right next to her, gave her a cocktail drink and said, "Mace! I heard you're a writer! God, I hope I'll have time for that."

Mace smiled down at her. "Yes, trying to write," She answered her politely. "but what you have is beautiful so dont ever think your missing out on anything." Mace continued with a smile. Honestly envious of her and her beautiful kids.

"Thank you. That's so sweet. You'll have your moment." Elsa chided, looking at Chris.

"Oh, no. I worked for him before. I'm here as a...some sort of...a stand in." Mace answered awkwardly, not wanting them to think that Chris and she are....I mean, why would they even think that...Look at him. and me. Mace thought to herself.

Elsa looked at her and smiled knowingly. "Sure. Whatever you say, Love."

I looked at Elsa, smiled and shook my head. "Anyway, you look gorgeous."

"Thank you. You are too. As for me, keeping up with 3 kids is a workout! Great thing that Chris is such a great father. I get to have a time off...." They continued to talk for a few more minutes then Chris cut in and guided her away from them, giving the beautiful couple time to interact with their other guests. Mace, so grateful for Elsa's company until Chris returned. She wouldn't have known what to do then.

Before Elsa was swallowed by her guests, she went to Mace and said, "Will ask your number, ok? Lets have dinner or something."

"Sure." I smiled at her. Not really believing her but grateful for being so accommodating.

Mace turned to Chris and smiled, "Go ahead. Go to your friends. I'm gonna freshen up. See you later!" Mace didn't wait for him to answer, tried to go straight to the restroom.

"Wait, hold up..." Chris held her elbow to stop her from going anywhere. "Not so fast, Mace. You're not gonna leave me here."

Not wanting to hold him up just cause she's there with him, she gently pried his hand from her elbow which made him switch to holding her hand instead. Great job, Mace. Pat on the back. She thought, frustrated with herself.
"Chris, look around you. I'm not gonna leave you here. You belong here. Now let me go and enjoy yourself."

Just then somebody came up to him, "Hey Chris! What's up! Haven't seen you in a while...."
Mace decided to move away but Chris firmly intertwined his hand with hers. Giving her no chance at all.
"Carl, this is Mace. Mace, this is Carl. I worked with him before."

Mace smiled and extended her free hand to him. "Nice to meet you."

They continued their discussion the moment Carl left.

Mace looked at Chris, begging, "You're like a beacon. Everyone's coming over! Go away."

Chris laughed. "Lets play a game shall we?"

"Dude, I hope I win this one. Will this one make me go home?" Mace stated, looking at Chris.

He laughed, shook his head, "No. But it will take your mind off things. I used to do this before."

Mace looked doubtful, but since they're there, not doing anything, might as well.
"Ok, shoot."

"Great," he rubbed his hands together, "just compare you're world with my 'quote-unquote' world in every situation we see now. In front of us."

"You mean, how will I react to how will you normally act?" Mace clarified.

"Yes. Exactly."

Mace nodded, "Since this is your made up game, then go ahead, Gent first."

Chris looked around, gestured towards a group of girls lounging and laughing, completely at home with the crowd.
"Now for me, those girls could mean trouble. Single and very much ready to mingle. If I was in my 20s, I would've find a way to ask the number of the brunette."

Mace looked at the girls, with all the glitters and drinks and said, "If I'm alone now, I would've avoided them like the plague. They seem to be at home which would make it awkward for me to sit in the middle of them. I mean, what will I say, do you commute? Have you read Gaiman recently? Nope, I don't so."

Chris looked at her, "You're judging."

"I'm not. Tell me, am I really? Aren't we doing this for the commentaries? That's like judging 50%, yeah?

Chris rolled his eyes, "It's like talking to a lawyer with you."

He looked around for another group, "Now see there," he pointed, "they're here to hang out and look for girls. It's either they would hate me cause I'm good looking," he looked at Mace and laughed.

Mace laughed as well, "oh we're doing that too?"

Chris nodded, smiling. "Yes, were doing that too. Anyway," he continued, "or they would be cool and let me hang."

Mace looked at the crowd he was talking about, "hmm...the guy who looked bored is crush material. If I'm alone and if I have no choice but to chat them up, I'll go to him. He looks deep enough."

"You are so arrogant Marie Catherine," Chris slapped his hands together, "That's why you don't hang out with 'us.' You think were stupid or airheads."

Mace grinned, but shook her head, "No, I don't. But most of you are so into this material world you live in that you don't see whats beyond that. There's more to life that glitz and glam or making dough, homie. Maybe that's why you have this noisy brain. It's cause of this noisy crowd you sometimes live in."

Chris' reaction was unreadable as he looked at Mace.

"What?" Mace raised her brow.

He shook his head, "We still can't kiss?"

"Chris!"

"Fine! Last crowd, then were off to the next lesson of the night."

Mace frowned at the mention of 'lesson' but continued on.

"Let me see, those couple over there with their backs turned, they seem to be in love. Doesn't care about the crowd, its just the both of them. I would be a bit envious." Chris raised his brow at her, half-smiled half smirked.

Mace was actually captivated by the couple. They were heading at the dance floor which made Mace smile. "Awww...I like them. I am envious. For once, we agree."

"See, when there's love, there's unity." Chris raised his brow, held her hand, "And that took your mind off things. Now, let's go to the bar."

"What for?" Mace frowned at him, "When I'm with you, we always head over to the bar or getting drunk."

"That's the only time you loosen up. Besides, let's see what they have. Time for your lesson, you drunk. It's so unladylike of you to drink beer and do shot trains." He chuckled and assisted her to sit.

"Hey! I am not uptight. I'm just not like you. Besides, I don't feel like drinking." Mace protested, she's not really a fan of the after taste.

"Its ok. I'm with you." Chris sat beside her, signaled to the bartender.

"Thats why I don't feel like drinking." She told him drily.

"Come on! Who taught you how to drink?" He asked Mace and then to the bartender he said, "Cosmo, Margarita, and Apple Martini please."

"Lauren, but she didn't really taught me. I just asked tips on doing the shot train cause they love to do it there at the bar. The beer was a come and go thing. Like you being a social smoker. I'm a social drinker, in an awkward way." Mace answered looking over her shoulder as one of the guys from the group they were looking at earlier went to Chris.

It was the deep looking one. The one who looks like Scott Eastwood.

"Hey, Evans!"

Chris turned and man-hugged the guy. "Scott! Haven't seen you in long time! How's it goin?" Boston accent coming out.

"Great. Great." Scott said, hands on hips.

Chris looked at Mace, hesitantly introduced the both of them. "Scott this is Mace. Mace, Scott. A colleague."

Scott looked at Mace, smiled warmly at her, "Hey, Mace. Great meeting you."

Chris didn't like how deep Scott's voice was when he said hello to Mace, so he said casually, "It was great catching up with you. Let's hang out soon."

Scott looked at Chris, raised his brow but got the idea. "Sure, dude. Hope to see you around, Mace." He waved at the both of them.

"He looks like Scott Eastwood." Mace commented, taking a sip of the cosmo. "Hmmm...this taste great."

Chris raised his brow at her, "Name's the same too."

Mace nodded, oblivious of Chris' mood. She took a few sips while Chris drank his.

"You have to help me finish this 3 drinks. I'm easily buzzed." Mace told him.

He nodded, "What do you think of the other two?" He decided to forget about his gut reflex earlier and focus on Mace's reactions on the ladies drink instead.

Mace looked at the drinks in front of her, "What do YOU think? I like the apple martini and cosmo."

Chris took a sip, "Not bad. Not my 'cuppa tea' but it's alright. But see, doesn't feel like your drinking, right?"

Mace nodded, "Yes which is very, very sneaky. Anyway, I really need to be going to the ladies room."

Chris nodded, "Alright. Be waiting here."

"Mingle, I'm sure you're very ready for that." She told him, then made her way to the restroom.

While inside...

Mace was taking her time, retouching. Fixing her short dress in place, when a girl tapped her on the shoulder.

"Mace?"

Mace looked up.

"Mel?" She couldn't believe her eyes. Melanie her childhood best friend and neighbor. The 3 of them were inseparable when they were younger. Luke, Melanie and her.

Mace hugged Mel. "I thought you were in LA!"

"I'm a part of this production crew that would be officially interviewing Chris Hemsworth the day after tomorrow. You know, for Marvel. Ragnarok is coming up soon so they're hyping up the media for it." Melanie shrugged. "How about you?"

"I'm with a friend." Mace answered.

Melanie excitedly held her arm and pushed her towards the door, "Great! Introduce us! You look fantastic by the way!"

"And so do you! I mean, you always do so there's no surpise there." Mace told her friend. Even when they were kids, Melanie usually gets all the boys' attention. With her black curly locks and gorgeous olive skin.

Loud music blasted as they made their way towards the bar. Mace looked for Chris for a few moments. Couldn't find him so decided she'll just stay at the bar. He's bound to come over here for sure, she thought to herself. She feels so much comfortable having a familiar friend with her.

"So what have you been up to lately?Havent seen you for like 2 years! All I know is you and Luke worked together last year?" Mel asked her as she orders herself a margarita.

Mace shrugged. "Here and there. Don't you have a date?"

It was Mel's turn to shrug and they both laughed.

"It's crazy how we almost work at the same creative world but can't even see each other." Mace commented, sipping her 4th cocktail for the night.

Chris then showed up behind her, slides his hand to her waist, put his mouth near her ear and asked, "Have you been here long?"

Mace shook her head, a bit self-conscious as Mel look questioningly at her. "No, Chris. Meet, Mel. She and I went to school with Luke." Chris turned and looked at Mace's friend, smiled and extended his hand.

"Hey! I know you..." Chris said, suddenly cautious. A reporter, no matter how official, is still a reporter.

Mel nodded shook his hand, noticed his hesitation. "Yeah, we met. Marvel studios for the official interviews and don't worry, I don't do tabloids and my loyalty is with my friend." Mel looked at Mace.

"Sorry, was I that obvious?" Chris smiled at her charmingly.

Mel smiled at him in response.

They chatted for a bit while Mace tried to listen. Then a few of Chris' friends went up to him and just basically hanged out and chatted, enjoyed the party.

"Hon, that did not look like a friendly slide of the arm." Mel commented, as the boys are busy cracking jokes.

"Just friends, believe me. I mean...you know me."

"Mmm-hmm, I bet." Mel rolled her eyes, amused.

It was Mace's turn to roll her eyes. "Give me your number and lets hang out tomorrow. If your not busy."

"Yeah, I do have time for lunch. You have to give me deets on this." Mel took out her phone.

"As long as its off the record." Mace joked.

Mel laughed at her.