Mending The Billionaire Movie Star (MacLachlan Brothers Romance Book 1)

by Bree Livingston

  Penelope. His lips tickled just hearing her name. That quick kiss had set his blood boiling. He hadn’t been kidding when he said he couldn’t wait for another kiss. Her idea of nothing was better than any something he’d ever had.

  “You like her.” Barb caught his gaze and smiled.

  He didn’t want to discuss it with Barb. “What about these letters? There’s an undercurrent of threat in them.”

  “We’ve beefed up security, and we’re running background checks for anyone coming onto the property.”

  “Do you think they’re in Hawaii?”

  “I’m not taking any chances. The rest of your special days just a got a little more crowded.”

  Angus groaned. “Penelope’s going to hate that.” He knew there would be filming, but he was looking forward to an entire day with Penelope. Especially after that kiss. She already hated being filmed. A bodyguard would make her even more uncomfortable.

  “Oh, you really like her.” Barb giggled.

  He ran his hand over his beard. “She’s different. I can’t explain it. The more time I spend with her, the more Clara becomes a bad memory.”

  The door swung open. “A bad memory? That’s not very nice.” Clara’s perfume preceded her entrance into the room. She dropped her bag next to the wall and shut the door. The woman had her entrances timed like a pro.

  “Leave, Clara. This isn’t a meeting you need to attend,” said Angus.

  “My star client gets threatening stalker letters, and it’s not a meeting I need to attend? I’d say it’s most definitely in my interest to attend, especially since I was the one attacked last time.”

  Angus hated that he’d signed that contract. It had given him a noose around his neck and Clara the chain to yank it. And he couldn’t get out of it. It was either play by her rules or quit acting. The most recent question he’d been asking himself was if his career was really worth being a puppet?

  “It’s just a letter, and Barb is taking care of security. Your money wagon is fine. I doubt they’d come after you this time since we haven’t been together.”

  Barb stepped between them. “Clara, dear, why are you here? I thought we decided you’d steer clear of Angus while he was shooting this show.”

  Clara shrugged. Her hair floated over her shoulders as she leveled her gaze at Barb. “He’s my client. I have every right to be here.”

  “Aren’t you tired of this? Why aren’t you concentrating on Timothy?” Barb asked.

  “I can multitask. Besides, he’s somewhere in Indonesia shooting a new film. I’m bored.” Her silky sweet voice made Angus sick.

  He stood and shook his head. “I don’t know what I ever saw in you. How could I have ever fallen in love with you? I dismissed so many little things because I loved you, but you never loved me. You love you. You can be at these meetings if you want to, but this,” he wiggled a finger between them, “you and me…is done. I’m done being angry. I just don’t care anymore.”

  Her mask of confidence slipped for a moment and returned just as quickly. Then Clara lifted an eyebrow. “You say that, but we both know it’s not true.” She slinked toward him and draped her arms around his neck like they were alone in the room. “You belong to me, Angus MacLachlan. You always have, and you always will.”

  Before she could kiss him, he pulled away and put distance between them. “We’re done. We will never be together again. I don’t want you or anything you have to offer.”

  Clara’s lips curled into a snarl. “You are mine.”

  “I might be yours according to a contract, but that’s where it ends.” Angus hadn’t felt so good in a long time. Clara had done this dance so many times before, and each time he’d been plenty stupid to give in. This time he had a real reason to say no: Penelope. She wasn’t the only reason, but a good chunk of it. In the last year, he’d realized he wanted more than a pretty face. He wanted depth and heart and a feeling of home.

  “Okay, then.” She turned her attention to Barb. “After these day-long dates, what’s next?”

  “I’m still working on it.”

  “Do I get a clue at least?”

  Barb squared her shoulders. “As soon as I have a clue, you’ll have a clue.”

  “And you’re taking care of these letters?” Clara asked as she lifted an eyebrow.

  “Yes, we’ve alerted the authorities.”

  “Good.” Clara walked to the door, scooped up her bag, and walked out, shutting the door behind her.

  Barb clapped her hands together. “Oh, love, you did it. I’ve waited for this day for a long time.”

  Angus ran a shaky hand through his hair. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His lips curved into a broad smile. “I did, didn’t I?”

  “There’s that confident, wonderful Scot I’ve missed. The one with the gleam in his eyes and mischief on his mind. That sparkle she’d tamped out, I see it flaring again like a wildfire.” Barb palmed his cheek. “And as great as this is, you have a day with Jeanie, and I bet she’s getting impatient. You’d better get going.”

  “Okay, but for Penelope’s day, I’d like to do something simple. She doesn’t like flashy, showy things. Would you give me that?”

  “Love, you got it.”

  “You set me up, didn’t you? With Penelope?”

  The corner of her lips twitched up. “I may have.”

  “How did you know it would work?”

  “I didn’t. I just crossed my fingers and hoped really hard. You were hurting, and I hated to see it. I know you love Finn, but he wasn’t doing you any good by letting that thing with Clara continue. Someone needed to step in, and I figured, why not me?”

  Angus crossed the room and gathered her into a hug. “Thank you for putting up with me, Barb.” And confirming what he’d been thinking about Finn. His long-time mate was either going to shape up, or he’d be shipped out.

  “Love, if it was anyone else, I’d have sent them packing. You? You’re one of the good ones.”

  He stepped back and handed her the letter. “Better go.”

  Angus strode out of the room. He didn’t want a day with Jeanie, but he’d give it his best. Then he’d find Penelope afterward and enjoy a moment with her.

  Chapter 27

  As soon as Penelope was sure Angus and Jeanie were gone for their date, she ventured out of her room and onto the back deck. The beach at her Florida home wasn’t private, so there were always people around when she sat outside. It felt strange to see the horizon so empty.

  She pulled a chair to the deck railing, sat down, and put her feet up, tilting the chair onto its back legs. The breeze tossed her hair and caressed her skin. Her blood sugar was under control again, and the sick feeling was gone when she woke up.

  “So, you’re the woman my boyfriend is chasing?”

  Penelope startled and nearly fell back. “What?” The front legs of the chair hit the deck with a crack. She turned, to find a woman with shoulder-length black hair in a fitted white dress staring down at her.

  “Like you don’t know.”

  “I don’t even know who you are.”

  The woman tilted her head and regarded her. “My name is Clara Brighton. Angus MacLachlan is mine. He may have given you some sad story about having his heart broken, but he’s lying. His career hit a slump, and all of this was a stunt to get him back in the public eye.”

  Clara? Angus’s agent? “No, that can’t be true. He wouldn’t lie to me.” No…

  A thin smile spread on Clara’s lips. “Oh, I see that little mind just a whirling. No doubt trying to reason away Angus’s deception.”

  “I…”

  Clara lifted one perfectly tweezed eyebrow. “Do you really think he’d fall for you? He’s Angus MacLachlan. He’s gorgeous, wealthy, and connected. You are a dumpy, unkempt dog groomer. Can you really see yourself with him? Are you that delusional?”

  Penelope couldn’t catch her breath. Had she been blind and stupid again? Was it possible this woman was right? Her heart
dropped to her stomach.

  Tom had lied during their entire relationship. She’d fallen for every single one. All the times he’d looked her in the eye and reassured her that she was letting her imagination get the better of her. That he loved her, and it was just her being stupid or insecure.

  Angus had seemed so sincere. Just like Tom in the beginning. Angus had looked her in the eyes, and she’d believed his whole story. Just like Tom through their entire relationship.

  “I must admit, I didn’t expect anyone to really fall for him. I figured you’d have read the fine print of the contract you signed. Then again, he is good at what he does.”

  Amber walked out of the house and stopped behind Clara. “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Clara narrowed her eyes. “I’m setting this boyfriend-stealer straight.”

  “All of this is fake?” asked Penelope, looking at Amber.

  Amber blinked and flashed a quick smile. “Of course, all of this is fake. It’s a reality show. It’s all scripted. Didn’t you know that?”

  “You knew all of this was fake?” Penelope asked, her voice breaking on the last word.

  Amber rolled her eyes. “Every bit. Penelope, we’re all actors. I thought you knew that.”

  Scripted? The whole thing? They were all actors?

  “Even Zora and Jeanie? Barb?”

  Clara chuckled. “She’s slower than I thought.”

  Penelope was gutted. She was the only one stupid enough to believe the whole lie. She knew the part about Angus marrying someone was a show. The dinners, the dates, the whole premise. But she hadn’t believed he was a show as well. “I’m sorry. I…I didn’t know. I had no idea.” Her vision clouded as tears pooled in her eyes. She was so gullible and stupid.

  Clara crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, now you do. Keep your lips and your hands to yourself.”

  “I swear I didn’t know,” Penelope said, barely above a whisper. Her mind was a tornado of jumbled thoughts as she tried to piece together the missed signs.

  She stood, hurried past Clara and Amber, and stumbled, shell-shocked, back to her room. She dropped onto the bed and pulled the covers over her head. She wasn’t leaving her room until they agreed to send her home. Her heart was physically hurting, and her stomach churned. Angus had lied to her face. How could someone seem so genuine and be so fake?

  The scene with Tom played in her mind. The restaurant. Dinner. The public confrontation…humiliation. She’d loved him, and he’d been a lie too. Back in Destin, she’d worked to build herself a small slice of a life away from everyone and everything.

  Taking care of Mom before she died had helped. Spending time with Dad after. Trying to recover from the death of both within a short time. Then Paige had come home excited about her future and a wedding proposal, then heartbreak. It didn’t give Penelope much time to dwell on her own heartache. She was able to seal it off and pretend it didn’t happen.

  Now, all she could do was face it. She was duped twice. How could she be so stupid to believe him? Hot tears dripped down her cheeks and into her ears, tickling them. She’d been broken, and now she was…she didn’t even know. What shocked her most was how badly she hurt. She didn’t even know him that well. She could only begin to imagine the grief had the charade gone on longer.

  Surely, whoever was in charge would understand that she needed to go home now that she knew it was all fake. They didn’t need her. Amber, Zora, and Jeanie could play the part better than she ever could.

  And it had all been filmed…all of it. Penelope rolled to her side, squeezed her pillow, and sobbed as quietly as she could. Angus MacLachlan had let her kiss him for ratings and to revive his career. The shame of being so easily manipulated overwhelmed her. The realization hit her so hard it made her breathless, and the room felt claustrophobic.

  Whatever they might expect to get from her, they could forget it. It was all fake, and if that was the case, they could find an actor to replace her.

  Chapter 28

  “How was the date with Jeanie, Angus?” Vincent asked. “It seems as if you two have a lot in common.”

  Angus and Jeanie had returned to the house, and he’d been immediately ushered into the interview room. There’d be no questions about Amber since it didn’t take a genius to know how the date went or ended.

  The day with Jeanie had been fun. She was classy and dignified. Not once did she throw herself at him or invade his space. It created a genuine respect for her. If only that translated to attraction. But the more he went out with her, the less there was. “We do. Both from farming families, both have big families. She’s sweet and kind and caring.”

  “I sense a ‘but’ coming.”

  “No, there’s nothing like that. It was a great date.” He smiled, but he could attribute it to Penelope.

  Vincent chuckled. “It looked like you two had fun scuba diving.”

  Angus had enjoyed it. He liked Jeanie a lot, but there was nothing there. He wasn’t going to attempt to find something with her at this point either, even though his view on being involved with someone seemed to be shifting. Part of it was Penelope. He knew if she saw him with someone else, she’d never trust him. He couldn’t risk what was starting with her.

  Angus nodded. “It was fantastic. I think Jeanie enjoyed it too.”

  “But you didn’t kiss her, unlike another bachelorette.”

  Heat rushed to his face. “I didn’t kiss her. She kissed me.”

  Vincent chuckled. “I didn’t see any resistance, and from the sound of it, you enjoyed it.”

  “Uh,” Angus said and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been a private person ever since I started in this business. I know I signed up for the show, but there are some things I’d like to keep. My thoughts on that kiss being one of them.”

  A smile crept across Vincent’s lips as a lone eyebrow rose. “That must have been some kiss.”

  If Penelope caught him talking about it, she’d put that ten-foot pole up again. After whittling away at it, he didn’t want to start at square one. Angus pinched his lips together as a sign that he wasn’t discussing it.

  “Well, read into that what you’d like, audience, but it seems a flame is flickering for our bachelor.” Vincent grinned. “Stay tuned. “Jeanie’s interview is coming up next.” He held up a finger. “And don’t forget to tune in next week to see how the date with Penelope goes.”

  Angus was wondering about that too. It would be the highlight of the trip for him.

  * * *

  First, Angus went to the beach to find Penelope. Two nights in a row, he’d found her there, and when he didn’t, a funny feeling settled over him. The beach reminded her of home, and it didn’t make sense that she wouldn’t be there.

  He strode back to the house and straight to her room. He knocked a few times before she whipped it open. Her eyes were puffy, her nose was red, and if looks could kill, he’d have been dead twice. He looked past her to her bed, and a nearly filled suitcase sat on top.

  She was leaving? Why?

  “Penelope, what’s going on?”

  She turned her back on him, and he caught her arm.

  “I just got back to the house. What happened?” He’d walked into the middle of a storm with no warning.

  She yanked her arm away. “I almost bought it. The sad star whose heart was broken and then cried a river for sympathy. You had me. It was the best lie you could have told, too, but I’m done. You want to bring Paige in on charges of fraud? Be my guest. Better yet, let her live here and pretend to be me. She’s so good at it that you’ll never miss me.”

  Her words were a fist to the chest that left him winded. “What are you talking about? I’ve told you no lies. None. I bared my soul to you…something I’ve not done with anyone, and I did it on camera. That wasn’t easy.”

  She stalked across the room, and her hands shook as she pulled more clothes out of the drawers, stuffing them in her suitcase. “I’m so sure because you aren’t paid millions upo
n millions to act, right? Stupid Penelope will buy anything. I’m done.”

  “But I didn’t lie. I’ve told the truth.” He stepped inside the door. “What would make you think I’m lying?”

  She tilted her head. “I’m in awe of your talent. That you can stand there looking wounded and stunned is incredible. Like you have no idea what happened? The whole thing is scripted.” Turning, she went into the bathroom.

  He followed her to the door. “I look wounded and stunned because I am. I don’t even know what I did wrong. How could I have done anything wrong when I wasn’t here?”

  With her arms loaded, she pushed past him and dropped her toiletries in her suitcase before slamming it shut. “I’m done, Angus. There’s no reason to keep going. Just drop the act. At least have enough decency to do that.”

  Angus’s chest tightened. He was losing her, and he had no idea how to fix it. “Would you at least tell me what I’ve done so I can…I don’t know…please?”

  “You told me the two of you were done, but that’s not what Clara said.”

  What air was left in his lungs was sucked away. He closed his eyes and swore under his breath. “We are not together. We haven’t been together. I was telling you the truth. She’s a manipulative, hateful, conniving woman, and she’d rather see me in agony than happy.”

  “I don’t believe you,” she said flatly and then zipped her luggage. “Someone will drive me to the airport, or I’ll walk. Either way, I’m leaving this island.”

  Angus hung his head as he tried to wrangle his emotions. Clara had once again traipsed into his life and ruined everything that was good.

  “I’m done, Angus. I don’t hate you. I just want nothing to do with you or this show,” she said, storming out of the bedroom.

  As he followed her out, he said, “Wait! Will you just hold on for a minute?”

  Zora, Amber, and Jeanie joined them in the living room.

  “What’s going on?” asked Zora.

  Penelope stopped dead in her tracks and turned. “I’m going home. He’s all yours. The three of you can have him. I’m done.” There was so much venom in her words that he felt poisoned.