Hi loves! Coachella part twoooo let's go. Great question about who knows about their relationship. Hopefully you'll get some answers soon. Stay tuned! xoxo.
Vanessa could barely keep her eyes open. The flight from Venice to Los Angeles had been long and arduous, and the jet lag was hitting her like a freight train. The city's dazzling lights and ceaseless energy did little to revive her; instead, they only emphasized her weariness. She sighed as she leaned against the baggage carousel, watching the endless parade of suitcases, each one a little piece of someone else's story.
Kai, her spirited son tugged at her hand. "See Daddy now?" His bright eyes sparkled with excitement, oblivious to the fatigue etched into Vanessa's face.
"Yes, sweetheart," she replied, mustering a smile. "Just a little longer, okay? We have to get our bags first."
The carousel finally spat out their suitcases, and Vanessa heaved them onto a cart with a weary grunt. As they made their way to the exit, she pulled out her phone and texted Zac.
'Hey, just landed. Heading home for a quick nap, then off to Portland. Love you. xo'
Almost immediately, her phone buzzed with Zac's response. 'So glad to hear that, baby. Love you. Safe travels. Text me when you're on your way.'
His words, as always, brought a small comfort, a reminder that despite the distance and the challenges, they were in this together.
In the car ride home, Vanessa let her mind wander. She thought about the canals of Venice, the exhausting trek through airports and customs, the sadness she was feeling of not having Kai for the next few days. But most of all, she thought about Zac. They had spent so much time apart, and she was looking forward to seeing him again, even if only briefly. It was the light at the end of the tunnel. She closed her eyes, letting the hum of the car lull her into a light doze.
Meanwhile, Zac was on a mission. The thought of surprising Vanessa filled him with a mix of excitement and nerves. He had orchestrated the entire plan with meticulous detail. The private jet was fueled and ready, waiting at a small, exclusive airstrip just outside of Portland. He had arrived a few hours earlier and was just waiting for her.
The airport was its usual whirlwind of activity, but Vanessa moved through it on autopilot. Check-in, security, boarding—it all passed in a blur. Kai, ever the trooper, was content with his coloring book and the promise of seeing his dad soon.
As they settled into their seats, Vanessa sent a quick message to Cole to tell him they had boarded as well as one to Zac. 'On the plane. Be back to you before you know it!'
'Can't wait, baby. Love you,' was his instant reply. Hopefully if all goes well, I'll get to see you sooner rather than later, Zac thought.
The flight to Portland was mercifully short. Vanessa felt a renewed sense of energy as the plane touched down. She and Kai disembarked, navigated through the airport, and spotted Cole waiting by the baggage claim.
"Daddy!" Kai's voice rang out, clear and joyful. He let go of Vanessa's hand and ran to Cole, who scooped him up in a warm embrace.
"Hey, buddy! I've missed you so much!" Cole said, his voice filled with emotion.
Vanessa watched the reunion with a mix of relief and happiness. Cole put Kai down and turned to her.
"Hey, Vanessa. How was the trip?"
"Long and tiring, but we're here," she replied, smiling. "Kai's been looking forward to seeing you."
"Well it's great to see you guys," Cole said warmly. "I've got everything ready for Kai. You take care of yourself and get some rest."
With a final long hug and kiss for Kai and a wave to Cole, Vanessa made her way back to the car that had brought them from the airport.
As she went to find some food and her gate, an airline worker approached her.
"Ms. Hudgens?" the worker asked with a professional smile.
"Yes," she replied hesitantly.
"Please follow me to the private lounge."
"Oh no, thank you, but that's alright." She was used to being offered priority treatment when she was traveling in New York or LA which were paparazzi hotspots but when she was somewhere more quiet she wanted to do things normally and low key.
"We insist. My manager informed me you're a high priority client so we wanted to provide you with the best facilities for you before your next flight. We have a complimentary 24/7 buffet as well as accommodation and showers if required."
It wouldn't hurt to get some food, she thought. "Sure, lead the way. Thank you."
Confused but intrigued, Vanessa followed the worker through a series of corridors and up an elevator. The doors opened to a luxurious private lounge, where Zac stood waiting, a wide grin on his face.
"Surprise!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms wide.
"Zac!" Vanessa's eyes widened in shock and delight. She rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to do something special for you," Zac said, holding her close. "I know how hard these past few months have been, and I thought you could use some pampering and we could use some time alone together. So we're flying back to LA but there's a flight chartered for us. The good news is we'll make it back early so we can make it to Coachella."
Tears of gratitude filled Vanessa's eyes. "What? How?"
"When you were bummed about not being able to make Coachella, I thought about who I knew in Portland and one of the crew members from our production team for Iron Claw had mentioned doing some work there. So I talked to him and a few other people and they had a flight going back to LA today so we're just tagging along. They're still working on something so they'll be out front and said we could take over the room in the back," he explained.
Her mind was running 100 miles an hour. "You did all this for me?" She asked incredulously.
"Well, yeah. You mean the world to me, Van, and I just want to see you happy," he said sincerely. It was true; doing things for her never felt like a burden. It felt natural and easy, like the way the sun rises each morning without fail. He looked into her eyes, hoping she could see the depth of his feelings. Every gesture, every small act of kindness, was a testament to how much he cared for her. Her happiness was his priority, and he would move mountains if it meant seeing her smile.
Vanessa's heart swelled with emotion. She had never felt so cherished, so valued. "You always know how to make me feel special," she whispered, her voice trembling with gratitude. She reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently.
"So what do you say? You, me, 30,000 feet in the air, and a big bed? Sound good? Feel like taking a long nap with me?" He wagged his eyebrows playfully.
"Sounds like a dream," Vanessa replied, shaking her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you did this. It's perfect."
As they boarded the private jet, Vanessa couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and curiosity. The interior was luxurious with plush seats and an elegant design. Zac led her through the aisle, past the lounge area, and towards the back where the bedroom was located.
"Vanessa, Zac!" a voice called out. They turned to see a small group of people gathered near the bar. It was the production crew. "So good to have you here," said Amy, the film's producer, with a friendly smile.
Zac grinned, squeezing Vanessa's hand. "Hope you don't mind the surprise," he said, introducing himself to the others. "Vanessa, these are some of the amazing people who make all the magic happen behind the scenes."
Vanessa exchanged warm greetings with the crew. There was Jack, the director, a tall man with a kind face; Lisa, the makeup artist, and Tom, the cinematographer, who had an eye for capturing the perfect shot.
"This is so amazing. Thank you so much for having us. I hope we didn't disturb your plans," Vanessa said, smiling at everyone.
Lisa laughed. "Nonsense. We're happy to have you here. Besides, who can say no to his handsome face," she laughed as she pulled Zac's cheek. "Come on. We were just about to have a toast to celebrate the end of filming. Care to join us?"
"Of course," Vanessa replied. They clinked glasses, sharing a moment of camaraderie and celebration.
After catching up with the crew, Zac gently nudged Vanessa. "Want to check out the bedroom?"
Vanessa's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Lead the way."
They excused themselves from the group and made their way to the bedroom at the back of the jet. The room was intimate and inviting, with soft lighting and a large, comfortable bed. Vanessa couldn't believe the effort Zac had put into making this trip so special.
As they lay down on the bed, Vanessa nestled against Zac, feeling the gentle hum of the plane beneath them. Zac wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "This is perfect," she whispered, her eyes closing as she savored the warmth of his embrace.
"Just like I promised," Zac murmured, kissing the top of her head. "Now, let's take that long nap."
As they snuggled together, Vanessa got up straight as if struck by a lightning bolt. "Wait! I want to do something I haven't done in ages."
"Oh yeah, what's that?" he mumbled sleepily with a lazy smile on his face.
She reached over him and fumbled for something.
"Aha!" she grabbed the object of her desire leaving a confused and pouting zac.
She flipped on the TV.
"You wanna watch TV?" Zac asked in disbelief, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, do you know how long it's been since I've gotten control of the remote? There's only so much Paw Patrol a mom can watch. And before that it was nothing but ESPN. So… yes. I do want to watch TV. Any more complaints?" she replied, sticking her tongue out at him as she started flicking through the selection.
"No complaints, baby. Just an observation." He tightened his grip around her. "As long as you're with me, I'm happy."
"Good." Her laughter bubbled up as she noticed the titles: 17 Again, The Greatest Showman, High School Musical.
"Oh damn… how'd that happen?" Zac asked, though he knew full well his production team must have set it up as a joke.
Vanessa chuckled, finding it adorable. "Somebody has some die hard fans," she said, her eyes sparkling as she looked at his handsome face.
"They love messing with me," Zac said, rolling his eyes playfully. "Guess I should be flattered, huh?"
"You should be," Vanessa teased, giving him a playful nudge. "Look at all these classics. Ohhhhh yeah, I could spend hours watching young Zac Efron."
"Don't remind me," Zac groaned dramatically. "Those were my peak teenage heartthrob years."
"Oh, please. You're still a heartthrob," Vanessa said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
Then she stumbled upon A Family Affair, one of Zac's recent movies. "Mind if we watch this?" she asked, snuggling up closer to him.
"Not at all," Zac replied, wrapping an arm around her. "But fair warning, you might hear me critique my own acting."
"As if I could get enough of your commentary," Vanessa said, rolling her eyes affectionately. "What was it like working with Nicole?" Vanessa and Zac had spent hours of their young adulthood watching Moulin Rouge together both having a deep appreciation for Nicole Kidman. She knew how surreal it was to work with your idols. She could only imagine he felt the same way too.
As the opening scenes played, Zac began sharing behind-the-scenes stories.
"Aww man, Nicole is such a pro. She brought the best energy to the set," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "And Joey? She's a riot. Always making everyone laugh between takes."
"Yeah? Tell me more. I know Joey through Alan, our makeup artist. She seems super cool." Vanessa urged, her eyes glued to the screen but her attention equally on Zac's stories.
"She is! Okay so there was this one scene where Joey kept improvising lines, and I could barely keep a straight face. We had to do like ten takes," Zac said, chuckling at the memory.
Vanessa laughed, imagining the scene. "I wish I could have seen that. You guys must have had so much fun."
"We did," Zac agreed. "And Nicole? She's got this aura about her. Just being around her makes you want to step up your game."
Vanessa listened, enthralled, as she watched the screen and heard Zac's stories. His voice, his warmth, and his memories made the experience all the more special. Snuggled together, they enjoyed the movie, the miles slipping away beneath them.
During a quiet moment in the film, Vanessa looked up at Zac, her curiosity piqued. "Did you mean it when you said you'd seen my films?"
Zac met her gaze, sincerity in his eyes. "Yeah, I mean, I've seen quite a few. Not everything, but yeah, I have."
A smile spread across Vanessa's face. "Even though we weren't together? Wasn't that weird for you?"
"Nah." Zac replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Together or not, they were YOUR movies. How could I NOT watch them? Besides, Olivia really likes the Princess Switch series you did. I've spent many Christmases with your face on the TV."
Vanessa laughed softly, feeling a warmth in her chest. "You're pretty phenomenal, you know that?"
"Not as phenomenal as you," he replied, kissing the top of her head.