Hollywood Heartthrob

by Clarissa Carlyle

  He wanted to settle down, get married and raise a family. The normal dreams of any guy. But he worried that the media wouldn’t let him, that they’d never release him from his duties of being Josh Roberts-movie star.

  “Are you having a good time?” Amy asked sleepily as the closing credits flowed up the screen.

  “I’m having a great time,” Josh smiled fondly at her, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

  “Good. I’m so tired,” Amy yawned.

  “We could just sleep here,” Josh suggested. “I’m already pretty comfy.”

  “That sounds good to me,” Amy said, nestling down into his sturdy chest.

  ****

  The next morning the couple awoke, still on the couch as they had been the previous evening, both rested from a good night’s sleep.

  Amy stretched and then pulled herself off Josh, her legs slightly stiff from not having slept in her own bed.

  “I’ve never done that before,” she said as she headed towards the shower.

  “It’s overrated,” Josh answered, bending his neck back and forth to try and remove the kinks which he now had. He wished Amy’s apartment had an onsite masseuse like the hotel did who could come and relieve him of some of the knots.

  “You know what?” Amy asked suddenly, hanging on the doorframe of the bathroom to look out at him.

  “What?”

  “I think I’d prefer not to hear about the old Josh Roberts who slept on couches with many women and did other, more obscene stuff which my innocent little mind couldn’t even dream up.”

  “That sounds fair,” Josh laughed, aware that he had more than a colorful past. While it had never been an issue before, Amy was different, he knew that. She wouldn’t be impressed by his stories of threesomes in a hot tub. If anything, she’d be ashamed.

  “That whole life…it intimidates me,” she said looking embarrassed.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Josh came over to reassure her. “That whole life, it’s behind me. I don’t want to be that guy anymore. I want to be a decent guy.”

  “You are a decent guy,” Amy smiled as she leaned up to kiss him on the lips, a brief, sweet kiss.

  “Do you reckon I could stay here for a few days? I like hanging low like this,” Josh asked. “I was even thinking of going out to the store later; in my cap and sunglasses, obviously.”

  “Ooh a trip to the store!” Amy teased. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

  “We can stock up on all the things we love and nest for a few days!” Josh said excitedly.

  “What about your filming commitments?”

  “They can wait.”

  “Won’t they be mad at you?”

  “Yeah, but it’s just a few days. They’ll survive.”

  ****

  “Where the hell is he?” Caroline Demure shrieked as she stormed across the set, knocking over set pieces as she did so.

  Around her, scared stage hands backed nervously away, frightened of her famous temper.

  “I’ve no idea,” Simon Canter, the director admitted. “I’ve called his cell, his agent, even his mother. No one knows where he is.”

  “I’m tired of waiting around like this!” Caroline lamented, dramatically throwing her arms up in the air.

  “All of us are, Caroline,” Simon tried to placate her.

  “Just who does he think he is to swan off like this when we’ve got a movie to shoot?”

  “He’s renowned for being temperamental,” Simon answered, adding quietly under his breath, “you both are.”

  “How can no one know where he is?” Caroline was getting increasingly infuriated, striding angrily around the set like a cat about to pounce.

  “We will find him,” Simon promised, not sure they would.

  Caroline continued to pace, not listening, her stiletto heels sounding sharply off the concrete fall of the studio. Then she stopped suddenly and turned to stare at Simon, her eyes wild with delight.

  “I know where he is!” she declared triumphantly.

  “Great, let’s go get him,” Simon sighed in relief.

  “Not yet, I want to teach him a lesson first.” Caroline said, an evil smirk sliding across her face.

  She walked away from the set, back to her trailer, and picked up her cell phone and used speed dial to call a frequent contact. After three rings they answered.

  “Clark, baby,” Caroline purred. “Do you still use that PI? The one who exposed a certain actor’s penchant for prostitutes?”

  “Course,” came the monosyllabic response of her agent.

  “Great, I need you to give him a call. You know that girl who was on my Josh’s arm the other night, the nobody? It’s about time we made her a somebody.”

  ****

  Sunday morning began with a low key visit to the local store which both Josh and Amy enjoyed immensely. In his casual disguise they were able to wander up and down the aisles, shopping for produce and groceries without being bothered by fans- and it was great.

  Soon they had a whole shopping cart laden with goods.

  “I can’t wait to get back and eat all this stuff,” Amy giggled.

  “Me neither, but how can you love Cheetos, you’ve bought like six bags?” Josh teased, picking up one of the bright orange bags and scrutinizing it to try and find its secret appeal.

  “Hey, Cheetos are amazing,” Amy said, snatching the bag off him and returning it to the shopping cart.

  “Besides, you’ve no room to talk, Mr. 3 Boxes of Lucky Charms!”

  “They are for medicinal purposes,” Josh smiled defensively.

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  They paid for their groceries and returned to Amy’s apartment. It was all so normal, so serene and relaxed. It was as if they were existing in their own bubble and the rest of the world was no longer there, no longer mattered. If only they knew that the bubble was about to burst.

  ****

  Back at her apartment Amy began to cook brunch, homemade pancakes with blueberries which were apparently a favorite of Josh’s, when her doorbell rang. Bemused, she went to answer it. Not expecting any guests she assumed it was probably a salesman or a neighbour wanting something.

  When she opened her front door she was suddenly blinded by the flash of dozens of cameras as a medley of paparazzi had congregated on her doorstep.

  “Where’s Josh?”

  “Amy – is Josh good in bed?”

  “Are you and Josh married?”

  They all fired questions at her as fast and relentless as bullets from a machine gun, while terrified Amy slammed the door hard on them, shaking against it as she slid down to the floor. Josh was quickly above her, realizing what was happening.

  “How did they find out where I live?” she asked, on the verge of tears.

  “I don’t know,” Josh said, kneeling down to comfort her.

  “They can’t be here, this is my home!” she cried.

  “I know, I know, I’ll take care of it,” Josh promised.

  “How?”

  “I’ll have to go,” he admitted sadly. “It’s me they want. It wasn’t fair of me to stay here and bring all this on your doorstep like this.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Amy sniffed.

  “Yes it is,” Josh said, his face creased with guilt.

  He quickly packed up his things and prepared to leave. The unattended pancakes had now become burnt.

  “I don’t want you to go,” Amy admitted.

  “I have to.”

  “When will I see you again?” she felt pitiful to ask but knew that she had to know.

  “I don’t know,” Josh said, suddenly seeming cold and distant.

  “Josh-” Amy went to query his mood change but he was already out of the door, eaten up by the awaiting circus beyond on her porch.

  Alone, Amy let her head fall in her hands and sobbed. She had a strange feeling in her stomach that she wouldn’t see Josh again and the pain from that was unbearable.

  “Josh, I love you,” she whispe
red to the emptiness around her, wishing she’d had the courage to say it sooner when he was there to hear her.

  Chapter 11

  Amy felt empty and alone without Josh in her apartment. When he’d been there it had felt like home, but now, everywhere just felt so cold.

  She wished she’d reacted better to the paparazzi. Maybe he would have stayed. But the initial shock of seeing them all on her doorstep, shouting her name had shocked her. And now, Josh was gone.

  She wanted to call him but knew she shouldn’t. After all, he’d said he would contact her, but then there was something in the way he’d said it that troubled her. He’d suddenly seemed so cold and distant. Had he left her because she couldn’t handle his fame?

  “Oh God,” Amy moaned, rubbing her weary eyes and plunging her tea bag in and out of her mug of boiling water over and over again.

  “I’m such an idiot.”

  All the while she kept scouring the internet, looking for signs of what Josh was up to but all she got was a Twitter feed where he declared he was back on set filming.

  @JOSHROBERTS – glad to be back on set, feeling great, time to act, ****likeapro

  It didn’t even sound like him. The Josh Amy knew was kind and sensitive but looking at the message it seemed that the old cocky Josh had returned and that the media had won.

  When her loneliness could take no more, Amy decided to invite her sister over who had been hounding her for days; ever since she’d been pictured with Josh at the party.

  ****

  “I cannot believe you’re dating Josh Roberts!” Tanya declared delightedly, her new short brown haircut bobbing up and down as she moved her head.

  “It’s been a crazy few weeks,” Amy admitted.

  “For someone who is dating the hottest guy in the whole world you don’t seem very excited about it!” Tanya noted.

  “I am, I was…” Amy trailed off, not knowing how to articulate what she was feeling inside which was a mess.

  “So what’s he like?”

  “He’s nice.”

  “Nice? Is that all you can give me?” Tanya sounded disappointed. “Aimes, dogs are nice. Fried chicken is nice. Surely Josh Roberts was better than nice!”

  “Stop grilling me, okay?” Amy said, getting up and walking away from the couch where they had been sitting and chatting.

  “I’m not grilling you, I’m just asking about him,” Tanya said gently. “I’d be equally interested about whoever you were seeing.”

  “That’s the point. I don’t even know if I’m seeing him anymore!” Amy blurted out, unable to keep her fears to herself any longer.

  “What do you mean?” Tanya asked, concerned.

  Amy came and sat back down on the couch, her body slumping against its soft cushions.

  “I’ve not heard from him for days,” she explained sadly. “A bus load of press turned up here, taking pictures, screaming… I freaked out and then he went all cold on me and left.”

  “Maybe it freaked him out too,” Tanya suggested.

  “Tan, he deals with the press and the media all the time. It’s normal for him.”

  “Yes, but it probably freaked him out how upset you got.”

  “I guess.”

  “Don’t worry, you’ll hear from him.”

  “I’m not so sure,” Amy sighed.

  The two girls were silent and contemplative for a moment before Amy suddenly asked.

  “Tan, you work with actors, right? What are they like? I mean, can they blow hot and cold with people?”

  Tanya could see how upset her sister was and wanted to reassure her but also knew she should really offer her the truth on the matter.

  “Yeah, they can,” she admitted cautiously. “When you act for a living, you get so used to pretending to be someone else that it can be hard to remember who you really are.”

  “So you think he was just acting when he was with me? Just pretending to like me?” Amy asked, hurt.

  “That’s not what I’m saying,” Tanya quickly countered.

  “But it’s a possibility?”

  “I guess,” Tanya tried to sound non-committal on the subject.

  “What would you do if this were happening to you?” Amy asked.

  “You’re asking me for relationship advice?” Tanya said, bewildered.

  “I know, crazy right?” Amy teased. “But I need to ask someone and you’re the only person I can trust.”

  “Okay, well if it was me, I guess I’d get tired of sitting around waiting for him to call, not knowing where we were, so I’d seek him out and ask him directly.”

  “That’s bold!”

  “Beats sitting around all day wondering what’s going on.”

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “Is he still filming over at the college?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “Then that’s where you need to go. Put on your sexiest outfit, loads of makeup and roll up there to show him what he’s been neglecting!”

  “What if he doesn’t want to see me?”

  “Then you’ll know not to waste another minute moping about him!” Tanya said sternly. “I hate to see you all cut up like this, Aimes. You’ve not been like this since…”

  “Don’t even say his name,” Amy interrupted.

  “Okay, okay. Well my advice is to go ask Josh directly what’s going on. He might have just lost his phone or something. Actors are stupid. They do it all the time. Besides, it’s not like he can just turn up here as he would create a media storm and you’d get upset again.”

  “Yeah, maybe you’re right,” Amy replied, beginning to perk up.

  “So make yourself stunning and go demand an answer from your man!” Tanya ordered.

  “Right, yes, okay!” Amy got up and began to march towards her bedroom before turning back to look at her sister, feeling unsure.

  “Will you come with me?” she asked, her voice small.

  “Of course!” Tanya smiled. “Sisters stick together!”

  “Thanks.”

  “But be warned that I might start handing out head shots to the director and some other guys on set…”

  “Tan-”

  “Hey, you can’t blame me for not wanting to waste an opportunity!” Tanya smiled.

  Half an hour later and Amy was wearing her most revealing body-con dress with black peep toe heels and looking stunning.

  “Sexy lady!” Tanya commented approvingly. “Let’s go make Josh Roberts drool!”

  ****

  The girls drove over to the campus on the other side of town. It was really quiet as all the students were currently away on break. Amy had meant to use the time to catch up on grading, but her entire life had been side-lined by the whirlwind that was her romance with Josh, and she was determined to reclaim control of her life.

  She’d spent the last two days moping around the apartment in her sweat pants which wasn’t like her. She was normally so positive and full of life and energy.

  “Seems quiet,” Tanya noted as they pulled up on the parking lot and got out. Amy couldn’t help but glance down at the spot where she’d found Josh after he’d been badly beaten up. If she’d not found him that night and nursed him back to health would they be here now?

  Had he only stuck around because he felt like he owed her for taking care of him? The thought sickened Amy to the very bottom of her stomach.

  “So where’s the film crew?” Tanya asked, looking around the vast campus.

  “They could be anywhere,” Amy sighed, feeling the nerves starting to kick in about seeing Josh again. What if he was horrible to her? She wasn’t sure she’d ever live it down. At least she had her sister there for moral support. She had a feeling she’d need her.

  “Well, best start looking,” Tanya instructed as the pair of them began walking towards the west part of the campus, Amy tottering behind, wishing she’d worn more appropriate footwear.

  After conducting a relatively thorough search of the campus premises the film crew still
hadn’t been spotted.

  “Maybe they’ve left,” Tanya suggested.