by L. L Hunter
The interview at the film magazine went pretty much the same way. The interviewer was a woman in her thirties with black and green dyed hair and a rockabilly look. I thought this would be a safe interview because the woman didn’t look like someone who enjoyed gossip. But I was wrong.
What could I say? Lie or tell the truth. Then I realised it will all be revealed soon enough. So I looked at her sitting across from me and then at the camera tripod she had set up to capture exclusive content for the social media pages. I smirked.
“Oh, you’ll find out soon enough. That’s all I’m going to say.”
“Nothing? Not even a little hint? Is this promo for an upcoming film? Or real life? Rumours are saying you met this woman at the after party of your film premiere.”
“You’ll find out soon.” My tactics worked, and she moved onto the next question.
“All right then. So what are you working on next?”
“I’m actually taking a small break for the next few months. Then I have a couple of TV pilots. And I’m also going to be directing an episode of a popular teen drama.”
“Oh, how exciting. Well, thank you for coming to talk to us, Jack.” She turned and looked at the camera. “Jack Dean’s latest film, Traitor Born, hits cinemas next week.”
“And… cut!” yelled the director. An assistant ran to turn off the camera. I let out a huge sigh of relief and stood up from the low sofa. I began to leave the set, but the reporter put her hand on my arm.
“Hey, I was just wondering if you could give me a little something, you know. Off the record, of course.”
I hesitated. “Like what?”
“A little gossip about your mysterious girl? She must be pretty special for you to risk it all.”
She caught me so I couldn’t help it. I smiled.
“She is.”
The restaurant opening that night was a breath of fresh air. I didn’t have to do anything but be captured trying their new wine and sampling a few of the menu options. The wine was nice, so I bought a case and posted a few pics on social media, tagging the restaurant and telling everyone to check it out. The only downside was I wished Chloe had been there to share all of it with me. I desperately wanted to share these experiences with someone, but for now, until the story broke and her identity was made known to the world, I had to do this alone. It wouldn’t be long until she would hopefully do all of this with me.
10
The next morning, as soon as I turned my phone on, a barrage of notifications flew in. I’d had a Google alert set up and one on Twitter as well, so anytime my name was mentioned, I got a message. This was the reason why my phone was blowing up with messages. Several new hashtags were trending.
#JackDeansMysteryGirl
#whoisthatgirl
#Jacksmysterygirluncovered
#JackDeanfindslovedownunder
I studied the last two in particular as they were new and made my way to the kitchen to fix myself some breakfast.
Jack’s mystery girl uncovered?
Jack Dean finds love down under?
I made myself a coffee and toast and walked out onto the balcony to admire the morning view, and as soon as I sat my ass in the chair, my phone rang. I had toast in my mouth when I answered, so my answer came out muffled.
“Jack, are you okay?”
It was Kyle. I quickly swallowed and brushed crumbs off my mouth. “Kyle. Yeah, man. I’m okay.”
“You sounded like you had something in your mouth.”
“Oh, I was eating. So what’s up?”
“I just sent you a link. Your secret affair has been revealed.”
“Uh… yeah, I know that. The picture…”
“No, no. I mean, her identity has been revealed. Miss Chloe Vanderbilt, a journalist from Sydney. Sleeping with the enemy, huh?”
I froze. It had happened. Our secret was out. Had Chloe done it? Had she written our story? It couldn’t have gone viral that fast. It had only been about twenty-four hours since I told her to write it.
“Jack? Jack, are you there?”
“Uh, yes. I… I need to go.” I hung up and bolted into my room to get changed. I needed to see Chloe as soon as possible. I had to know what happened if she wrote the story or not. And because I just wanted to see her, hold her, kiss her again. Never before had a woman had this effect on me. I was officially hooked on her.
I drove to a little café down the road and ordered two coffees and decided to call Chloe to make sure she hadn’t yet left for work.
She answered on the third ring. I was starting to worry a little.
“Hello, this is Chloe.”
“Chloe,” I said, instantly relieved when she finally answered.
“Jack.” My name escaped her lips in a whisper, and it sent shivers up my spine. Her voice was so damn sexy. Especially when she said my name like that. But then her voice turned almost frantic. “Jack, I can explain.”
I was about to ask what she was referring to when I saw it. The headline on the front of today’s newspaper along with our picture. THE picture.
“Gossip Girl Falls for Her Story”
“No. Chloe. You don’t have to explain anything. That’s not why I’m calling. Where do you live? I’m still in town and want to see you. I need to see you. I’m just getting coffee now and will bring you one.”
“Oh,” she replied. She gave me her address, agreeing to let me see her.
“I’ll be there in around ten minutes or so, okay?”
After we hung up, I picked up the newspaper while I waited for the coffee. I opened the front page to find the story. I glanced around to see if anyone was watching. They weren’t. But I was thankful for my cap and sunglasses. I found the smaller headline on page two.
“Hollywood hunk and Sydney writer fall in love at the premiere of his latest film.”
I started reading the story, intrigued. I didn’t normally read articles about me, or gossip, because I knew it was mostly made up, but this involved Chloe, so I had to know everything.
I read over the article twice in the five minutes I waited for the coffees, but it didn’t tell me where they got the information. I had to talk to Chloe.
“Order for Jordan,” called the barista. I stood re-reading the article before realising it was me they were calling. I had given them a false name for the order. I put the paper away and collected the coffee before hurrying out of the café.
11
There was a bit of traffic on the roads this morning, so the trip, which my GPS calculated to be ten minutes, actually took twenty. I pulled up outside Chloe’s townhouse and pulled off my cap. I didn’t need to hide my identity anymore. I ran my fingers through my hair, then grabbed the coffee tray and made my way to Chloe’s door.
Her street was quiet and leafy. The houses were all similar, so I had to double check the number. But eventually, I knew it was the right house I was standing in front of when a cute blonde opened the door.
Chloe had on a blue blouse that was a little big on her with a pair of jeans. The top could be a man’s, which made me think of her wearing my clothes, sans the pants and underwear. I mentally kicked myself for thinking about that this early in the morning. But it was hard not to. She reached up and gave me a kiss and led me inside.
I wasn’t expecting to meet anyone else. I had hoped we’d be alone, but standing in the kitchen eating cereal in her PJs was Chloe’s flatmate. Her eyes widened when she saw me walk into her house. And then her gaze snapped to Chloe.
“Omg! You’re here! You’re the woman in the photograph!”
She shrieked and looked down, realising she was standing in front of me in little boy shorts and a thin top. I could see the outlines of her breasts and her perky nipples through the thin material… What are you doing, Jack? Get your mind out of the gutter!
I needed coffee.
“Here’s your coffee,” I said, quickly changing the subject while Chloe’s roommate made her escape. I was WAY too horny this morning.
As soon as Chloe tast
ed the sweet, lifesaving elixir that was coffee, she moaned, and I just about lost it right there. But I had to restrain myself. Oh, how hard it was. Thankfully, when Chloe mentioned she had to go to work, I offered to drive her. It would give us some time together and, hopefully, help get my mind out of the gutter.
On the drive into the city, as I drove Chloe to her office, I went over the conversation that transpired back at Chloe’s place. What I revealed to her was the truth, and I had no regrets.
“I still can’t believe I did it.” She laughed. “I’m crazy.”
“Hey, I’m crazy for falling for a writer. I should have known I’d become your muse.”
The way she looked at me when I said it, the way she kissed me, only made me love her more.
“Did you just say you’re falling for me?” she said, breathlessly.
I smiled. “Yeah. Is that okay?”
She grabbed my face and pulled my mouth to hers again. “That’s more than okay.”
My phone buzzing with an incoming call brought me back to the present. The name that appeared on the screen was not what I wanted to see while I was with Chloe. But I had to see what Alexa wanted before I could get her off my back.
“Do you want to have dinner tonight?” Chloe asked, but my attention was stolen by that name on my phone, and the voicemail that followed it.
“Uh… I’m not sure I can. I’ll call or text you.”
When Chloe was gone, I pulled away from the kerb quickly, desperate to find out what Alexa wanted. I drove down toward the harbour and found a spot to park before checking my voicemail.
“Jack, I don’t know what you’re doing, but please stop ignoring me. Whatever is happening over there in Australia, it’s not worth it. You have to come back. Have you stopped to think about this for a minute? There’s no way this can work. Call me!”
I stared down at her name on the screen, and just as my thumb hovered over the call button, my phone vibrated with an incoming call. Damn it. The woman must have ESP or something. This time I answered.
“Alexa, hi. I was just about to call you. I got your messages.”
“Jack, finally! I was getting worried.”
“I’m fine.”
“Ah, yes. Fine with the little blonde writer you’re seeing.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed my hand through my hair.
“Was there something in particular you wanted, Alexa?”
“Yeah, I just wanted to say that whatever this thing is with this girl, it’s not worth it.”
“How would you know?”
“The movie, Jack. It’s ruining the movie. It’s meant to be us! I was meant to be there in Sydney with you.”
“Alexa, there never was an us. It was all a lie, remember? A lie you set up. Plus, the photo and press have actually been good for business. Now, stop with the calls and messages. Whatever I choose to do is my choice. It’s my life. Goodbye, Alexa.”
I ignored her protests and cut her off mid-scream. I put the car into drive and zoomed off toward my interview. Alexa was my past. Chloe is my future.
And anyone who objected could be left in the dust along with Alexa. I was done doing what other people thought I should be doing. This was my life, and I was going to start living it. I was going to start doing this my way.
12
My interview that day was for a radio show. I had no idea what to expect when I arrived, but this time, I walked in there with more confidence. I was no longer afraid or hiding. This time, I didn’t have to avoid answering any questions. I could tell them proudly because this was my life and screw the consequences.
So when the male radio host bluntly asked about Chloe, I smiled and admitted that, yes, we are seeing each other and that I am definitely falling for her. I also told them that Alexa and I were never together. We talked about the movie and Jemma, my co-star, and what it was like working with her. Then we took a few pictures for social media, and I left.
When I left the building, I turned my phone back on and quickly put the picture I’d taken in the studio on social media. As I posted the picture, my phone rang. No rest for the wicked. I sighed and answered it.
“Hey, Kyle.”
“Hey, man. How’s my favourite movie star?”
“Good. I just literally finished the radio interview. Good timing.”
“Oh, good. How’d it go? Did you talk about Chloe?”
“Yeah… Why?” I hesitated, getting defensive.
“Nothing. It’s all good. I was actually gonna tell you to go and talk about her as much as you can. Now that her name’s out there. Everyone wants a piece of the fairy-tale romance. It’s not every day we hear of a famous actor falling in love with an unknown, let alone a writer. And those headlines! Ah ha! Genius! ‘Gossip Girl falls for her story’. Love it. I love all of it.”
I shook my head as I walked to my car. I didn’t understand Kyle sometimes. His changes in mood gave me whiplash. One minute he hated everything I did, and then the next, he was practically kissing my feet.
“That’s… nice. Was there a point to this call, Kyle?”
“Oh, yes. Sorry. Guess what?”
“What?” I paused, afraid of what he was going to say. I unlocked my car door and quickly hopped in.
“I got you and your writer an interview together at one of Australia’s top breakfast shows.”
“You… what?” I braced the steering wheel with my free hand. This was crazy. Did Kyle want to throw Chloe into the deep end?
“Why’d you do that? Chloe’s not ready.”
“Yes, she is. And many others think the same. She is more than ready. I heard she got offered a book deal for her exposé about your romance.”
“What? How’d you hear that?”
“Oh, I have my sources. So, do the interview. It’ll be good for the both of you.”
“Fine.”
After I hung up from Kyle, I thought about what Kyle had said about Chloe’s book deal. Kyle had obviously been talking to someone behind our backs or had organised this whole thing, I sent Chloe a text.
“So I hear we have an interview together.” I added a winky face emoticon before pulling out into traffic. Kyle had mentioned the interview was at four this afternoon, but we needed to be there about two to give us time for make-up and wardrobe. I had nothing until then, so I went home. When I got home, I stripped off into my underwear and dove into the pool. I needed to wind down before the interview. I didn’t want to think about how crazy our life had become, and how crazy Chloe’s life was going to get, all because of one secret moment caught on film.
When I arrived at the TV studio, I was greeted by security, who then called the producer. The producer, a short woman who meant business and exuded confidence, came out to greet me.
“Mr Dean, it’s nice to meet you. When Miss Vanderbilt arrives, we’ll get you settled in at make-up and wardrobe, and I’ll fill you in what we need you to do.”
“Okay, sure. Thank you.”
I heard the crunch of gravel behind me. I turned just in time to see Chloe getting out of her car. She smiled when she saw me. She looked so beautiful, her hair glimmering in the afternoon sun.
“Hey,” she said, coming up to kiss and hug me. I kissed her back.
“Hey.”
“Chloe, thank you for coming. If you could both follow me? We’ll get you prepared.”
I watched Chloe as we followed the producer inside the studio. She had a look of awe on her face, and a clear sign of nerves was reflected in her movements. She wrung her hands and wiped her palms on her jeans. I wish I could shelter her from this, from this side of fame, but now that the picture was out, we had to do this. And I knew deep down that Chloe could do this.
We were led into make-up and wardrobe. I wore most of my own wardrobe. As an actor, you had to be prepared for this kind of thing. I had a mini closet in the trunk of my car back in L.A. ready for interviews or auditions. So I had got pretty good at turning up to where I had to be, all ready to go. But Chloe
wasn’t used to this. I had learned that most studios didn’t have a wardrobe budget, so the guests and the hosts often had to provide their own. But I had called in earlier and asked for a few clothing options to be provided for Chloe. I even offered money, but they thankfully declined my offer and provided the wardrobe for free. Celebrity status came in handy sometimes.
Chloe chose a matching dark blue linen skirt and top, which really suited her.
When it was time to go on set, we were led on and seated in the middle of the semi-circle desk. There were two extra seats for the hosts. When the hosts arrived, I saw Chloe tense as she laid eyes on the male host. I know this show was popular, so maybe this guy wasn’t well-liked or something. I wanted to ask her why he made her uncomfortable, but the stage manager and camera operator were counting down to airtime. So I put on my game face and went into actor mode.
The interview went off mostly without a hitch. So when the taping was finished, and they no longer needed us, I walked over to talk to the stage manager. Chloe stayed back for a moment to talk to Charles, the male host. I was busy chatting to the stage manager about how the show was run because I had an interest in directing and behind the scenes stuff, but every now and then, I cast a glance at Chloe. And what I saw, the expression on her face made my blood boil. For a moment, fear shone in her eyes as Charles said something quietly to her. I didn’t like the look of their body language. Charles was pointing a finger at her and leaning a little too close, and Chloe was leaning away and looked afraid. She got up to leave, and Charles reached out to grab her arm. I was ready to run over to her, but the director arrived.
“Hi, I heard you’re interested in directing,” said the director.
“Yeah. It’s something I want to pursue when I’m done with acting hopefully.”
“Awesome. It’s fun. Holding the whole production in your hands. You are basically like God.” He laughed. I laughed too, and that’s when Chloe joined me.
