Chapter 31: Boundaries and Breakthroughs

The steady hum of Kimberly’s phone vibrating on the kitchen counter jolted her from her thoughts. She set down her cup of tea and glanced at the screen: Marcus Hayes.

Her stomach sank. Work calls this early weren’t unusual, but Marcus, Aaron’s manager, rarely contacted her directly. Her role as Aaron’s assistant—and now girlfriend—meant walking a tightrope between personal and professional, but Marcus was always respectful of boundaries.

She hesitated before answering. “Good morning, Marcus.”

“Morning, Kimberly,” Marcus said briskly. “We’ve got a problem. The studio just called—apparently, the press release for Green Lantern went out with errors. They’re pointing fingers, and we need to clean this up now.”

Kimberly frowned, her grip on the phone tightening. “That’s odd. I reviewed it personally and sent the finalized version to Chloé for distribution. It was perfect when it left my hands.”

“I figured you’d say that,” Marcus replied, his voice measured. “But the studio’s not happy. I’m looping you and Chloé in on a call with their team at noon. Be ready.”

“Understood,” Kimberly said, keeping her tone professional despite the rising tension.

Marcus paused before ending the call. “Kimberly, I know this isn’t on you, but the optics aren’t great. Let’s get ahead of this.”

As the line went dead, Kimberly exhaled slowly, frustration simmering beneath the surface. Green Lantern was Aaron’s first major superhero role, and the pressure to make it a success was immense.

Aaron emerged from the bedroom moments later, his shirt half-buttoned, exuding effortless confidence. He glanced at Kimberly and immediately noticed her tension.

“Everything okay?” he asked, stepping closer.

“Marcus called,” she replied, setting her phone down. “There’s an issue with the Green Lantern press release. They’re claiming it went out with errors, but I know I sent the correct version.”

Aaron frowned, his gaze sharpening. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“It’s not,” Kimberly said firmly. “I need to figure out where things went wrong before the call with the studio.”

Aaron studied her for a moment, then nodded. “If anyone can sort this out, it’s you. But if Marcus or the studio gives you any trouble, tell them to talk to me.”

Kimberly smiled despite herself. “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”

“I know you do,” Aaron said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “But just in case, I’m here.”

---

The noon conference call was tense but ultimately productive. Kimberly’s calm, professional demeanor and evidence-backed approach left little room for blame to fall on her or Marcus’ team. By the end of the hour, the studio’s PR head apologized for the oversight and thanked Kimberly for her swift resolution.

As she left Marcus’ office, her phone buzzed again—this time, an unknown number. Normally, she’d let it go to voicemail, but something compelled her to answer.

“Hello?” she said cautiously.

“Hi, this is Lauren from Netflix PR. I’m reaching out on behalf of the team for a last-minute scheduling opportunity with Aaron Pierre.”

Kimberly’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh? What’s the occasion?”

“We’re planning a feature on Rebel Ridge for our upcoming awards campaign,” Lauren explained. “We’d like to schedule an interview and photoshoot with Aaron. Ideally, we’d need him available this week—tomorrow, if possible.”

Kimberly glanced at her planner and Aaron’s packed schedule. “Tomorrow might be tight, but let me confirm with Aaron and get back to you. What time are you thinking?”

“Late morning or early afternoon,” Lauren said. “We’re flexible, but it’s critical we lock this down soon.”

“I’ll get back to you shortly,” Kimberly promised before ending the call.

---

Later that evening, Aaron surprised Kimberly with dinner on the rooftop of his building. A soft breeze carried the scent of freshly grilled salmon and roasted vegetables, and the city skyline shimmered in the distance.

“You’ve had a day,” Aaron said, pouring her a glass of wine as they sat down at the table he’d set.

“You could say that,” Kimberly replied, taking a sip. “The press release issue is resolved, and now Netflix wants to schedule a last-minute interview and photoshoot for Rebel Ridge. They’re pushing for tomorrow.”

Aaron raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “That’s sudden. What’s the rush?”

“Apparently, it’s for their awards campaign,” Kimberly said. “I’m not complaining—it’s great exposure—but it’s going to be a tight fit with everything else on your schedule.”

Aaron reached across the table, taking her hand in his. “Kim, you always make it work. If you think it’s important, I trust you to handle it.”

Kimberly’s lips curved into a soft smile. “Thank you for saying that. I’ll reach out to Lauren tomorrow morning and confirm the details.”

Aaron squeezed her hand, his gaze steady. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

Her cheeks flushed under his praise. “You’re not so bad yourself, Mr. Pierre.”

They laughed, the tension of the day melting away. As the conversation flowed, Aaron reached for her hand again, this time lacing their fingers together.

“You know,” he began, his voice low and sincere, “every time I think I can’t admire you more, you prove me wrong.”

Kimberly leaned closer, her heart fluttering. “You’re going to spoil me with all this praise.”

“Good,” Aaron murmured, closing the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that deepened with every passing moment, the city lights shimmering around them.

The evening passed in a haze of laughter, conversation, and stolen kisses, each moment reminding Kimberly why she’d fallen for Aaron in the first place.

---

The next morning, Kimberly was up early, finalizing the details with Netflix while Aaron prepared for his day. By mid-morning, they were en route to the studio for the interview and photoshoot.

Aaron’s natural charm shone through as he answered questions about his role in Rebel Ridge, his passion for storytelling, and what drew him to such an intense and layered character. Kimberly watched from the sidelines, her heart swelling with pride.

During a break, Aaron caught her gaze and winked, his confidence radiating.

As the day wrapped up, Lauren from Netflix approached Kimberly. “Thank you for pulling this together so quickly. Aaron was fantastic.”

Kimberly smiled. “It’s always a team effort, but I’m glad we could make it work.”

Lauren nodded. “We’ll be in touch with the final campaign materials soon. This is going to be big.”

As they left the studio, Aaron slipped an arm around Kimberly’s waist. “What’s next on the agenda, boss?”

Kimberly laughed, leaning into him. “Hopefully, a quiet evening for once.”

Aaron grinned. “I like the sound of that.”