“Easy peasy? More like easy. Period. You need to pace yourself, Colt. At the rate you’re going, you’ll run out of starlets to sleep with.” Garrett shook his head in mock despair. “What then?”
Colt chuckled good-naturedly. He was the easygoing Landis. You could poke, prod, and goad him for hours. He was famously tolerant of invasive paparazzi and overly enthusiastic fans. Colt never complained about long delays on the set or lost his temper when the script was changed at the last minute. Oh, he had a temper. The boiling point was high. Which meant when he finally did reach it, watch out.
“You’ve been stuck behind that camera too long, Garrett. Hollywood has an endless supply of beautiful women. Wave after wave. Day after day. They come by car, train, bus.” Colt sighed happily at the thought.
“Don’t you get tired of the same, vapid conversation?” Garrett snapped his fingers, bringing Colt’s attention back to him. “Oh, that’s right, you barely know their names. Being able to discuss current affairs is not a requirement.”
“Stop giving Colt a hard time. With his track record, he gets points for making it this long without an STD.” Wyatt joined them, a glass of iced tea in his hand. He didn’t drink. Not anymore.
“No glove, no love,” Colt said.
“Charming.”
“Don’t scoff, Garrett.” Callie slipped an arm around his waist, squeezing affectionately. His mother was a toucher. Hugs were mandatory in the Landis family. “I hope you’re as careful as your brother.”
Garrett kissed the top of his mother’s head.
“I don’t have as many reasons to be. But yes,” he quickly added. “I’m always careful.”
“Good. Now.” She looped her arm through his. “Let’s eat. Lorena’s spaghetti and meatballs await.”
There wasn’t anything the long-time Landis family cook made that four hungry boys hadn’t devoured. Spaghetti and meatballs were Garrett’s favorite. The family settled around the dining room table, each automatically taking their usual spots. The conversation was easy, the topics eclectic. Work, politics, climate change. Garrett tucked into the pasta and spicy sauce. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until the generous plate of food was in front of him.
“We went to an auction at Anson Marlow’s house night before last.”
Garrett’s hand paused, the fork full of food halfway to his mouth. Swallowing, hoping to clear the sudden lump in his throat, Garrett ate the spaghetti. He chewed and chewed, listening intently to what his mother was saying.
“I didn’t think you socialized with him,” Wyatt said as he reached for a piece of hot garlic bread.
“We don’t,” Caleb stated emphatically. “The auction was to help survivors of that earthquake up north. I wanted to send a check. Your mother insisted we make an appearance. I swear if we end up with one more useless piece of charity artwork, we’ll need to build on another room to store the crap.”
“Careful, Caleb,” his wife warned. “You’re turning into a grumpy old man. Next you’ll be schlepping around in baggy pants with the waistband pulled up under your armpits and yelling at kids to stay off the lawn.”
“I didn’t hear you complaining about this old man this morning. I believe you grabbed my ass and called me God.”
“Honestly.” Nate shook his head in amazement. “Do you two ever stop?”
“Hopefully, not until they’re putting me in the ground.”
“In another forty or fifty years,” Callie added, her deep purple eyes locked with the blue of her husband’s. “Where was I?”
Colt smiled indulgently. When Caleb and Callie looked at each other in that way, they often became distracted.
“You went to a benefit?”
“That’s right,” Callie nodded, smiling at her youngest. “Anson Marlow might not be my favorite person, but when he does something, it’s first class all the way. Not that he does anything except sign the checks. Jade plans every aspect, from the flowers to the gift bags. The details were impeccably thought out.”
“You saw Jade?”
Garrett held his breath waiting for the answer to Colt’s question. The question he had so desperately wanted to ask.
Callie’s eyes turned a misty gray, concern written on her face. “I think it’s the first time she’s been out in public for over a year. I’m afraid many of the people there came because they heard she was going to make an appearance.”
“Christ,” Wyatt said in disgust. “Why can’t they leave the woman in peace? After what happened, who could blame her if she bought a cabin in the woods and became a hermit.”
“It would be tempting,” Callie agreed.
“How did she look?”
“Thin,” she told Nate. “Stronger than I expected. Jade always had an air of fragility about her. Years of being emotionally bulldozed into submission will do that, I suppose. Of course, none of us knew what was going on behind closed doors.”
“Her father knew.”
Callie didn’t blink at the ferocity in Garrett’s words. She saw it as normal, what anyone would feel. Basic human compassion. What his mother didn’t know, there was nothing basic about Garrett’s feelings. They ran deeper than the surface — bone deep.
“That’s only a rumor, Garrett. One that was hushed up quickly.”
Garrett turned his gaze, meeting eyes exactly like his own.
“Do you think anything goes on in that house without Anson Marlow knowing about it?”
“There isn’t any doubt Marlow knew.” Caleb’s words dripped with contempt. “He let his own daughter suffer untold abuse, rather than taint his family with scandal.”
“Do you really think that’s why he didn’t intervene?” Callie was shocked at the thought.
“You can count on it. The man is pond scum.” Caleb pushed his empty plate away. No seconds tonight. The conversation effectively killed his appetite. “Oh, he’s smart. Brilliant in his own way. He pulled himself up from nothing. Worked hard, married well. Extremely well. He’s a cold son of a bitch. You can’t blame his wife for leaving him.”
“I can blame her for not taking Jade when she did,” Callie said heatedly. “You don’t abandon a small child. Not to a cold, cruel bastard.”
“Why is she still there?” Colt asked after a few moments of silence. “Why stay in that house, with that man?”
“Sometimes there’s comfort in familiarity.” Callie looked around the table, grateful for her blessings. Not everyone had not one, but five unwavering pillars for support. “From what I understand, Jade has no one.”
Bullshit, Garrett wanted to shout. She has me. But did she know it? Had he ever told her?
“She still young,” Caleb reasoned. “It isn’t too late for her to find her own way.”
“She needs a friend.”
“And that friend is you?” Caleb asked his wife.
“I’ve been thinking about it. Why not?” Callie asked her husband defiantly. Unlike Jade, Callie knew how to stand up for herself and what she thought was right. Then she backtracked. “I don’t want to come off as a crusading do-gooder. Do you think it’s a bad idea?”
“Nope,” Caleb said, smiling when he saw the surprise in her eyes. “Do me a favor, though?”
“What?”
“Let this new relationship bloom away from Marlow’s house. It will be best for Jade and you if her father isn’t in the vicinity.”
“Agreed.” Callie felt a jolt of energy. “I’ve always suspected that underneath Jade’s smooth, cool exterior lay some heat. Maybe if she has a friend who will listen, or just be there, she might find a way to push some of that buried passion to the surface.”
Passion. Garrett knew Jade possessed plenty of that. When they were alone. In bed. In the dark. Like his mother suspected, it was something she’d always had. A spark that drew him the first time they met. The one that kept him going back, hoping for more than she was willing to give.
Later that evening, Garrett was still thinking about that spark. The drive to his L
aurel Canyon home gave him plenty of time to let his mind wander back to the first time he spoke to Jade for any length of time.
For years, they wandered in and out of the same parties, concerts, and charity events. Los Angeles. Beverly Hills. Hollywood. They were strangely insular communities. If you had money. Add the movie business, the social circles became even smaller.
Garrett knew Jade Marlow by sight. Her porcelain skin and red hair set her apart. The cool, aloof air she projected kept most men away. She was beautiful. No denying that. He’d heard her described as icy. Too cold to bother when there were so many warm-blooded, willing women to be had with much less effort.
It was a hot August night that Garrett found out how wrong everyone was about Jade Marlow.
CHAPTER THREE
THREE YEARS EARLIER
WHY DID I let you talk me into attending this party? Every year it’s the same thing. Boring food, boring people.” Nate took a swig of whiskey, grimacing. “Are they watering down the Jack?”
“Did you ever think that you might be the problem?” Garrett asked. He sampled his own drink. No doubt. It wasn’t straight whiskey. And it wasn’t Jack Daniels. “Other than the booze, you should look at yourself and ask why you’re so restless. This room is filled with beautiful women. Find one. Take her home. Screw your brains out.”
Nate yawned.
Garrett laughed. “If that idea bores you, there really is something wrong.”
“Ha, ha.” Nate rotated his neck, trying to work out some of the kinks, and perhaps loosen the tie he wore because it was the thing to do. He knew how to dress for formal occasions. Owned several custom-made tuxedos. His mother insisted. That didn’t mean he had to like putting one on. He liked worn jeans, a soft t-shirt, and broken-in work boots. Tonight all he wanted was his bed — alone.
“Tough shoot?” Garrett asked.
Nate was a stuntman. A damn good one. He worked his way up until, for the first time, he was running the show. It was what he wanted — dreamed of. It also meant a lot more work and responsibility. Now, instead of just himself, he had the safety of his crew to think about.
By the looks of his brother, Garrett wondered if he was losing a few nights’ sleep worrying.
“Yeah,” Nate acknowledged. “Made tougher by an asshole director who won’t let the experts do their jobs. This guy is a micro-manager, Garrett. And before you jump to his defense, let me tell you why it’s a problem.”
Garrett nodded. Nate called it. He was automatically going to defend a fellow director. He understood the need to keep all aspects of the movie under control. He also knew if Nate was complaining, he had a good reason.
“This morning’s stunt was fairly routine. A fight. Two men. A plate glass window.”
“Nothing is routine during a stunt. You are too good at your job to ever think that.”
“Too right,” Nate agreed. If anyone understood, it was his brother — his twin. “Try telling that to Arnie Schmidt. He seems to think if it looks easy, it is easy. After all, it isn’t real glass.”
Garrett winced. The breakaway glass used in stunts was safe. It wasn’t foolproof. That’s why they were professionals. Because they were good at their jobs, making sure everything ran smoothly, there was a perception what they did wasn’t complicated. Thinking that way was the first step to a potential tragedy.
“I hope you set him straight.”
“It didn’t come to blows, if that’s what you’re asking.” Nate grinned. “It was a close thing. Luckily, the jerk backed down. The stunt is in the can. I’m hoping he’s learned his lesson.”
“You don’t sound convinced,” Garrett said. All his sympathy was with his brother.
“I’m not. There’s enough strain on the job without having to pull this guy’s fingers out of my pie.”
“We are still talking about stunt work? Is Arnie getting touchy with your personal pie?”
“Shut the fuck up,” Nate laughed. Count on Garrett to make a joke. That’s why he was glad he had someone to bounce his problems off. Feeling some of the tension lifting, Nate looked around the room. This time he really looked.
“You know, you’re right. There are some damn sexy women here tonight.”
Garrett smiled, watching his brother scope out the room. The low wolf whistle shifted his attention to the woman across the room who managed to grab Nate’s attention.
“Jade Marlow,” Nate said with obvious appreciation. “I always wondered if she was as cool as she seemed. In bed, does she turn into the wildcat all that red hair suggests?”
“Do you want to find out?”
For some reason, Garrett dreaded Nate’s answer. Not that he was interested. She wasn’t his type. Too aloof. Not enough curves. If Nate wanted to find out if the layer of ice around Jade Marlow was a thin veneer or glacier thick, why should he care?
“Tempting.” Nate gave Jade another considering look, then shrugged. “Tonight, I’m too tired. I don’t want a challenge. I want a sure thing. Ah, Nina Polk. Just what the doctor ordered.”
He didn’t track Nate’s progress. If he left with Nina, good for him. Garrett’s attention was on a tall redhead in a pale yellow dress. Were her eyes green? In all the years they bumped around the same circles, Garrett couldn’t remember getting close enough to notice. His breath hissed through his teeth when Jade chose that moment to lift her gaze. For a second, their eyes met and held. Not green. Not brown. Hazel? He needed to move closer, wanting to be sure.
Instead of moving in a straight line, Garrett made a serpentine pattern through the crowd. He greeted friends, exchanged pleasantries. The whole time keeping track of Jade.
Luck was with him. She stepped away from her group. Telling himself there was nothing creepy or stalkerish about following her, Garrett kept pace. When she exited the room, out the tall French doors, and onto the balcony, Garrett smiled, saying a silent thank you when he found the area deserted except for the two of them.
“Hello.”
Jade’s happy greeting was unexpected. Garrett imagined having to coax her to start a conversation. Much to his delight, she made the first move.
“Hello.”
From a distance, Jade Marlow was a beautiful woman. Up close, she was exquisite. Her flawless skin glowed like rich cream in the moonlight. Garrett decided right there that he wanted to taste every inch.
“I’m Jade.”
“I’m Garrett.”
“I know who you are,” she smiled tentatively. “Everyone knows the Landis family.”
Garrett thought she seemed a little shy. Funny. The world saw a cool, ice queen. He saw a woman who was a little unsure. Maybe a little shy. It was all about perspective.
“Everyone knows Jade Marlow,” Garrett told her. She looked pleased and a little surprised by his words.
“Really? Everyone?”
“Absolutely.” Garrett moved closer. “Which makes me wonder. If everyone knows us, why have we never met?”
Jade shrugged, turning away.
“I’m sorry. Did you want to be alone?”
He hoped not, but if she asked, he would leave.
“No!” Jade gave a low, husky laugh.
Garrett racked his brain for a way to make her do it again. The sound made him happy. And horny. Quite a combination.
“That was a desperate sounding no, wasn’t it?” Jade asked. “I don’t want you to go. Unless you want to.”
Her eyes. Garrett felt a catch in his breathing. Lord, what eyes. Not green. Not brown. Hazel. There were little flecks of a hundred colors swirling like a beautiful kaleidoscope. Did he want to go? Hell, no.
“I like it out here.”
Garrett moved to stand beside her. The view of the Hollywood Hills, all lit up, was one of his favorites. Everything looked shiny and bright — the way Hollywood should look.
“I like standing with you,” Garrett turned his head and smiled. “You smell amazing, by the way.”
Oh, there it was. A little blush. A true redhead’s
blush. It told him so much. Cold women’s cheeks didn’t turn that lovely shade of pink over such an innocent compliment.
“You’re a fake, Jade Marlow. You have everyone thinking you’re made of ice. I see plenty of heat.”
“Do you know me well enough to decide that?” Jade asked. Her voice was low, her eyes snapping with displeasure.
Shy, but with backbone. Garrett felt his interest ratchet up several notches. Beautiful women were a dime a dozen in Hollywood. Interesting ones were harder to come by. The combination was almost irresistible.
“I don’t know you at all, Jade. But I’d like to.”
“I…,” Jade took a deep breath. She looked at Garrett for a moment. “I have a big decision to make. Will you help me?”
“Tell me about it.”
“No. Not now.”
A mystery? He could live with that. Some more time with Jade was what he wanted.
“What do you need me to do?”
“Take me for a drive. I don’t care where.” Jade looked back through the French doors. “Away from here.”
Garrett didn’t hesitate. “I’ll get my car and meet you out front. Say ten minutes?”
“Is five too soon?”
Garrett grinned. “Five, it is.”
Getting his car from the valet was an adventure. It cost him two hundred bucks and the promise of an extra job in his next film to be ready and waiting when Jade arrived. Five minutes on the nose. Garrett helped her into the passenger side, once again taking in the scent of spicy oranges. As she settled into her seat, the long length of her shapely legs drew his eyes. They went on forever.
“We should go,” Jade told him, her eyes darting toward the house.
“Are you being followed?”
“Not yet.”
Deciding questions could wait, Garrett closed the door, skirted the front of the car, before climbing in behind the wheel. Jade said she didn’t care where they went so he headed up Mulholland Drive.
Dreaming With A Broken Heart (Hollywood Legends #1) Page 3
