Playing the Perfect Boyfriend (Gone Hollywood)

by Julie Particka

  He shrugged, making his shoulders sag a little extra on the down swing. “When I read for it, I was all about cramming in as much work as possible—getting my name out there with quality projects so I could cement my future. I mean, it isn’t like the guys and I were going to spend my break hitting all the beaches in Hawaii or anything. I’d be here…waiting for the new season of Providence Academy to start filming.” Pause, just long enough for that to sink in. “I have a little while to decide. If there’s something awesome keeping me otherwise occupied, I’ll pass on the project.”

  “Oh.”

  Not the effusive please, don’t take it—I want you to spend the time with me he’d been hoping for, but it hadn’t been the opposite, either. He strode around to the passenger side and cocked his elbow for her to take. “Shall we?”

  She tucked her hand against his biceps and they walked inside together—the picture-perfect happy couple.

  The hall was decorated with elaborate ice sculptures and a damned portable waterfall that let off steam as it hit what must have been dry ice in the bottom. The entire place looked like a frozen wonderland.

  “Vicky’s handiwork?” Dean asked.

  Jade nodded, smiling proudly. “She’s become one of the premier party planners in town. Oh, there’s Marcus. I should say hello.”

  Releasing him, she walked right over to a short, scruffy-bearded guy with a shaved head and embraced him, planting kisses on both his cheeks. “Happy birthday!”

  The man beamed at her. “Thank you. I’m so glad you recommended Inferno Party and Entertainment to me at the cast shoot. Vicky was a dream to work with.”

  “If you’re happy, I’m happy.” When he looked over her shoulder, Jade must have realized her gaffe. “I’m so sorry. Marcus Nightbridge, Dean Hartley. Dean, Marcus.”

  Marcus Nightbridge—the mind behind the multibillion dollar Time Phantom franchise that had made Vicky’s brother, Evan, a movie star. Dean put on his best I’m-an-actor-who-would-love-to-work-with-you-someday smile and reached out a hand. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  Taking Dean’s hand in both of his, Marcus shook. “Pleasure’s mine. It’s nice to see someone has finally tamed this wildcat.” He winked at Jade. “Pardon me, but Spielberg just walked in. Can’t leave that man waiting.”

  As soon as he walked away, Dean turned to Jade. “You boned Nightbridge?”

  She laughed, the sound full and light—he hadn’t heard it like that in a while. “Technically, it would have been him boning me, but no. For starters, he’s very gay. But beyond that, he’s one of those rare men who just gets me.”

  “And here I thought I was the only guy who understood you.”

  Something in those words made the light fade from her eyes a little. “Nope. Let’s…go find Vicky and Dante.”

  What had he said?

  …

  And here I thought I was the only guy who understood you.

  She’d never thought Dean had been the only one who got her. But not so long ago, she’d been certain he understood her better than anyone else. Now she wasn’t so sure. The weird sex and the perfunctory kisses and…something was wrong, and she had no clue how to make it right again. Especially not when it seemed as if Dean was doing his best to come across as Mr. Perfect.

  Of course, the guys adored him. Stasia did, too. Which was fantastic. The only problem was their attention had made it so Jade had barely managed to get a word alone with Vicky—and she needed to talk about all this with her best friend like she couldn’t believe.

  Unfortunately, the moment she caught Vicky’s eye and said she had to go to the restroom—clear girl-code for I need to talk to you—Stasia stood up and said she’d join them.

  Jade had met Vicky’s sister-in-law a few times, and it wasn’t that she thought the woman would blab, but…she wasn’t inner circle. She wasn’t Vicky. Time for small talk. Great. “Enjoying the party, Stasia?”

  “Enjoying the breather from being a mom all the time, more like.” She tipped her head toward Vicky’s still-flat belly. “I strongly suggest you have a plan for after the baby is born as much as you have one for the hospital. Evan and I still get in arguments over the littlest things about child rearing. He’d probably give me a lecture if he knew I’d snuck off with the two of you so I could call the sitter and check on Maya.”

  That explained why she’d been so eager to join their excursion to the ladies room, but it didn’t solve Jade’s dilemma. As soon as she hit the bathroom stall, she pulled out her phone and sent Vicky a text.

  Really need to talk. Thought I’d be able to here, but that seems to be a big no. Help?

  The snort of laughter from the next stall made her want to bang on the wall between them, but her phone buzzed a few seconds later.

  Lunch Tuesday? It’s the best I’ve got.

  Jade breathed a sigh of relief. She could hold off that long.

  Sounds good.

  A frowning Stasia was just hanging up her own phone when Jade came out to wash her hands. “Baby okay?”

  “Yeah. I’m well aware it’s overprotective of me to worry, but I know my sitters back in Detroit. Here it’s almost always strangers. Highly recommended strangers, but strangers—and sadly, money is our only connection to them.”

  “I understand.” She really didn’t. Granted, she didn’t remember many babysitters from when she’d been little, but Mom from Jade’s teen years seemed like the kind who would have been fine with strangers—recommended or not. Vicky would probably be a mom like Stasia, though—her kid would be loved like nobody’s business. Jade herself… It was probably better that she never try to find out—cycles repeating and all that.

  “Speaking of strangers… From the sounds of it, you and Dean are a pretty new thing.”

  “Huh?” Thoughts of childhood and babies disappeared as she tried to remember how long they’d “officially” been together. “A couple months now.”

  “Don’t make it sound like that’s nothing, or I’ll feel like a total loser.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m surprised Vicky didn’t tell you the whole sordid tale.”

  A toilet flushed and a shout came from the other stall. “I don’t spill secrets.”

  Jade shook her head, confused. They were likely talking about Evan and Stasia’s relationship, but she had none of the details. “I know about the paparazzi mess you and Evan dealt with, but honestly, I try not to pay attention to tabloid gossip. It really isn’t good for business.”

  “Fair enough. Short version: we met during a press junket, faked a relationship for a week, got caught doing the deed by a guy with a great camera, broke up…and then were back together by the end of the week. Here we are, not even two years later, married, with a baby.” She dipped her head as her cheeks flushed. “I guess all I’m saying is if it’s good, don’t worry about it being too new. From what I can tell, he’s a great guy and really into you.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate the advice.” Too bad he seemed to have been more into her a week or two ago. Now he was acting like they’d been together forever and he was getting…bored. She’d never bored a guy before. No, she didn’t give a rat’s ass about the newness of things. Her worry was that the honeymoon was over and from here on out…this was as good as it was going to get.

  Vicky must have noticed her discomfort with the conversation, because as soon as she’d dried her hands, she grabbed Jade’s elbow and steered her back toward the party. “I don’t know about you two, but I don’t like leaving my husband alone too long at these things. The single women don’t seem to care if he’s married—no matter what he says to ward them off.”

  Thinking back to that first meeting in the alley with Dean, Jade’s lips twitched into a smile. He hadn’t been married, or even involved with anyone, when that happened—he just hadn’t wanted all the attention from random women. Her smile drooped. Now it seemed like he was more than willing to give up hers without a fight, too.

  Why was it, at t
he very moment she decided to consider him as more than just a short-term fling in order to get Isak, he became just like Isak? It wasn’t that Dean had ceased being funny or adoring or attentive. He just changed the way he was those things. It was quieter now.

  Comfortable.

  She swallowed hard at the thought. Is that what happens to married people? They get comfortable and bore each other into leaving? It made her think of Isak and her lack of illusions there. They’d never been about excitement or new-relationship energy; it had always been quiet, safe, predictable.

  Dean had, momentarily, shown her there was a possibility of something else—something with more life to it—a level of safe but still exciting, but now it seemed he wanted her to know that type of relationship had an expiration date of six weeks. After that, no matter how great things had been at the start, even they fell into an uncomfortable comfort zone.

  Once they rejoined the guys, Stasia said, “I hate to break it to you, honey, but tomorrow is off.”

  “What? Why?” Evan sat up straighter, looking every inch the superhero ready to spring into action.

  “Sitter cancelled.”

  “Damn it. I was really looking forward to Catalina.”

  Dean piped up with, “Day trip?”

  “Yeah. The four of us were going to go out and just hang for some kid-free family time.” He cast a glance Jade’s way—looking guilty, as if she would have expected an invite, but she never would have. Vicky didn’t get to see her brother very much since he’d moved, and Dante was Evan’s best friend. She’d rather have her one-on-ones with Vicky over invading their four-way.

  “What time were you planning to be back?” Dean pressed.

  Jade blinked. What was he doing? If he was going to suggest going along, she’d smack him. They were already talking about having to cancel the damn trip. Him pushing to add them to the guest list might make the cancellation a done deal.

  “No later than nine,” Evan said. “We’re catching the red-eye back to Detroit so Maya will sleep most of the way.”

  Dean looked at Jade and grinned. Not the let’s-do-something-really-dirty-tonight grin that she loved, or even the I’m-going-to-suggest-something-stupid grin she’d feared. This was more…more…bad. It was simply a bad-news grin if she’d ever seen one.

  “Jade and I would be happy to look after her for the day.”

  What?

  Evan thumped Dean on the back, smiling like he’d just won the lottery. “Thanks, man! We really appreciate it.”

  Stasia got up and hugged them both, apparently oblivious to how stiff Jade’s body was.

  As hard as she tried, she couldn’t force a smile. This was so definitely bad news.

  …

  It didn’t take long for Dean to figure out that Jade had no idea what to do with a baby. Maya had been asleep when Stasia and Evan dropped her off, but she woke up within an hour and started crying.

  Dean rolled her stroller into the kitchen, but she was having none of it and started crying harder. Sighing, he unclipped the belt and lifted her free. “Hey, kitten, why don’t you warm her up a bottle?”

  “Of what?” Jade winced as Maya let out a particularly piercing yowl. “Because I’m thinking whiskey might knock her out again.”

  “Cute.” He started bouncing Maya on his hip. “I’m pretty sure Stasia left breast milk in the cooler they brought.”

  “Uh…” Jade held up the little baggie and stared at it. “Do I put this in the microwave? Won’t the plastic melt?”

  Oh boy. Dean took the bag of milk then passed Maya over to Jade. “I’ll get the bottle. You get the baby.”

  Jade’s eyes went wide, like a panicked deer. “I…don’t do babies.”

  “No one ‘does babies’ their first time. Just hold her, rock her, bounce her. You can even sing to her—and I know you’re good at that. She just needs a distraction for a minute.” Dean nuked a cup of water and then put the baggie inside. While it warmed, he hunted through the diaper bag.

  The crying didn’t stop, not even when Jade started crooning…was that Aerosmith? As soon as Dean found the bottle, some jars of baby food, and a container of cereal, he got back to work on Maya’s breakfast. She was probably just hungry—a little food and she’d be perfectly happy. They just had to make it through this first.

  “Why won’t she stop?” Jade was holding Maya awkwardly and bouncing her around to no avail. No wonder the screaming hadn’t dissipated, the poor kid was going to get whiplash if Jade’s frantic movements didn’t stop soon. Thank God the kid was old enough to have great head control.

  The milk was a good temp, so Dean rapidly finished getting the bottle together. “Sit down and let her sit on your lap.” Maya was still squirmy and crying, but the new position was an improvement, so he handed Jade the bottle. “Let her have this while I mix up the cereal.”

  The room fell mostly silent as Maya started sucking down the first course of her breakfast. Jade shook her head, fallen strands of hair shifting over her shoulder in the process. “Why are we doing this again?”

  Because you’re looking at picket fences, and one or more kids usually comes with that? And I need you to think about if that’s what you really want out of life. “Because Vicky is your friend?”

  “And this isn’t Vicky’s baby.”

  Somehow Dean doubted that would’ve made any difference. Jade clearly wasn’t into the whole kid thing. “But it is Vicky’s day out with her brother. It’ll be fine—it’s only a few hours.”

  Jade’s eyes shifted toward the clock. “It’s twelve hours, and with how much she’s squirming around, I don’t think my condo can survive half a day with tornado-baby in it.”

  Dean’s laughter echoed, and Maya looked at him with eyes like big blue saucers, smiling around the nipple in her mouth until milk drooled out from the corner of her lips. He scooped a bit of banana puree into the rice cereal, mixed it, and walked over to the table. “Hey, big girl, that bottle’s mostly empty. Want to trade it for something else?” Keeping a grip on the bowl, just in case, he waved it in front of her until she popped the nipple out of her mouth and tossed the bottle on the ground.

  “Glad that didn’t break.”

  “That’s why baby gear is plastic.” Dean put the cereal on the table and transferred Maya to his lap. She let out a huge burp mid-pass, and he made a face at her, feigning as much excitement as he could muster. “Ten out of ten, baby girl. You’re going to wow the frat boys at college.”

  Jade stood and picked up the discarded bottle. “And here I thought frat boys were wowed by short skirts and blow jobs.”

  “That, too, but a quality belch is a quality belch.” He bounced Maya on his knee a couple times then spooned a little cereal into her mouth, scraping what came back out with the spoon. “I’m just glad she’s a good eater. Kids who don’t want to eat can be a bear.”

  For a long minute, Jade bit her lower lip, not saying anything, almost like as long as she kept that bit of flesh between her teeth, the words she was thinking had a chance of disappearing. Eventually, she let go. “Is that another thing you learned growing up?”

  She hadn’t said orphanage or state home. He didn’t know if it was because she judged him for growing up that way or because she didn’t want to bring up negative memories. A different day, a different time, he might have poked at it, but on the off chance it’d lead to a fight, he left it alone. “Yeah. Never got to bond much with the babies because they were usually gone pretty quick, but extra hands are extra hands.”

  Jade didn’t say anything else, and Dean wasn’t sure where to take the conversation. He wanted to ask her why she was so desperate for the whole stability thing with a husband if she wasn’t interested in kids—none of that seemed to fit with the lifestyle she enjoyed. But he was afraid any question along that line would only make her think about Alfredsson again and how close it was to him leaving for Sweden. Dean wanted her attention here, on them.

  A few bites of cereal later, Maya stopped
opening her mouth. She screwed up her face and started turning a little red, then a little purple.

  “Is she going to barf? Scream? Dean, what do you need me to do?” Jade sounded so alarmed, her voice rising close to an octave, that he almost laughed. Before he could explain, Maya did it for him, the sound and smell delivered together. “She…sharted?”

  That time, he couldn’t hold it in and his laugh echoed through the condo. “Yes, Jade, she took a dump. She’s almost done eating, so I’ll change her diaper as soon as she’s finished.” He arched a brow at her. “Unless you want to do that.”

  “I don’t think so. This whole thing was your idea—that means diaper duty is definitely your job.”

  Chuckling, he scooped another spoonful of cereal into Maya’s mouth, turning his attention to her. “Actually, I think they left you a bathing suit, little one. Since we don’t have to worry about you pooping again soon, want to play in the pool?”

  “Is that a good idea? She can’t even walk.”

  “Sure. We can’t let go of her, but she can be in the water as long as they packed swim diapers.” With the cereal gone, he patted Maya on the back a few times until she let out another, albeit smaller, belch. “Why don’t you go ahead and get your suit on, while I get the baby ready?”

  “Sounds good. I will happily disappear while you dispose of all evidence of diaper changing.” She shuddered and practically raced into the bedroom, seeming desperate to put some space between herself and the baby.

  He was enjoying himself, but more importantly, Jade wasn’t. Isak Alfredsson had made his intentions very clear—the man wanted a wife to have his children. Twelve hours with Maya was just the ticket to making Jade look for a different path to relationship stability, a younger path. One that led directly to Dean.

  As soon as Jade was out of earshot, Dean tweaked Maya’s nose. “You’re being an angel, but I definitely get the sense picket fences aren’t looking nearly as appealing to her anymore.”