Money

by Jillian Dodd

  But I don’t think she’s right. Ava is a lot like her mother. She knows what she wants and is not afraid to go for it. Where Harlow is reckless abandon, Ava is a well-orchestrated plan. I think if I back off, she’ll come to the right decision.

  I blink away my thoughts and focus on the marketing calendar in front of me.

  Tyler’s voice comes over the speaker. “Keatyn is on line three.”

  “Hey, Keatyn,” I say, picking up the receiver. “What’s up?”

  “I have some news I need to share with you. This is top secret, okay? We’re calling a special board meeting this week, where we will announce the sale of Captive to Front Door Films.”

  “Oh, wow,” I say, shocked. I know how these things work. When one company sells to another, most of the executives are fired. And that means me. “I probably wouldn’t have come out here had I known.”

  “Most of the employees will have the option of taking a buyout or moving with the sale.”

  “I see.” Shit, what are the girls going to say when I tell them I’m coming home?

  “Riley and I want you to run our new company.”

  “Run it?”

  “Yes, it will be a much smaller Captive Films. One that only takes on a few special projects at a time. We’ll be taking Daddy’s Angel with us, along with all my scripts that haven’t been optioned by Captive—which is everything that’s not currently in production. And Knox and I have a project in the works that we hope to run through the new Captive, as well.”

  “What’s Riley going to do?”

  “Produce movies. It’s what he loves. Really, this sale will allow us all to get back to doing what we love. What we started out doing. Things won’t be quite so hectic, you know?”

  “That sounds nice, actually.”

  “How did the girls’ visit go yesterday?”

  “Harlow loved the school and is ready to move. Ava isn’t so sure.”

  “She’s at a hard age. I’m sure she doesn’t want to leave her friends. Have you tried bribing her?”

  I laugh. “That’s the other reason Harlow is so gung-ho about California. She wants a pony, and Vanessa said she could adopt one of hers.”

  “Vanessa must really want you to stay.”

  “She’s redoing her whole house. The girls seem to affect her. She showed us a playroom that she’s kept locked up and told me about how she can’t have more children.”

  “She what?”

  “You didn’t know?”

  “No. Oh my gosh. No wonder she took the miscarriage so hard. I thought it was because of Bam’s cheating but—oh, it all makes more sense now.”

  “Don’t tell her I told you. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to betray her confidence. I assumed since you are best friends that you knew.”

  “I won’t tell her, Dawes. So, back to your new job. I guess the first question is, would you be interested in being the CEO of a smaller, more nimble Captive Films?”

  “I definitely would be.”

  “Good to hear. I should also mention that when this deal goes through, all of our employee stock in the company will vest and be paid out. If you recall, you received numerous shares as a sign-on bonus. I don’t know if you would be interested, but if you would like to use those funds to buy into the new Captive, we’d love to take you on as a partner.”

  “Who all is investing? Will you still have a board to report to?”

  “The investors are me, Riley, Dallas, and Knox. There won’t be an outside board of directors. Basically, the plan is for you and Dallas and, hopefully, Tyler, to run the business with a small staff. We’ll outsource anything else. We expect Daddy’s Angel to be huge, and the project Knox and I will do next could win Captive its first Oscar. So what do you think?”

  “Providing Ava agrees to come to school out here, I’m in.”

  “Anything I can do to help with that?”

  “What do girls her age want?”

  “When we were all up at the vineyard, she told Fallon that you won’t let her wear makeup. I remember RiAnne saying it was a really big deal for Fallon this year.”

  “She’s too young to wear makeup!”

  “She doesn’t want to wear a face full. Just tinted lip gloss and a little clear mascara.”

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s what Fallon wears to school.”

  “Makeup? Could it be that simple?”

  “Probably. Good luck.”

  I text Ava, knowing she has Wi-Fi on the plane.

  Me: I don’t know how you feel about this, but Keatyn told me that in L.A. girls your age get to wear a little bit of makeup to school. Just a little. Like some of that lip stuff and a little mascara. You know I won’t let you wear it now, but if you come to school here, I’ve decided you can.

  Ava: Are you joking? Like, are you laughing out loud right now?

  Me: No.

  Ava: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  Me: What does that mean?

  Ava: Just so I’m clear—we’re talking black mascara, lipstick, blush, and glitter powder?

  Me: Clear mascara, lip gloss, and glitter powder. I’ll even throw in Instagram.

  Ava: Really? Um, how about clear mascara, lip gloss, glitter powder, Instagram, and Snapchat?

  Me: Instagram only and you have a deal.

  Ava: Then I’d like to move to California with you and go to the school we visited. (And I might want to adopt a pony too.)

  Me: Don’t push your luck.

  Ava: I love you, Daddy.

  Me: I love you too, Ave.

  Shelby’s Bungalow - Sunset Boulevard

  SHELBY

  I plop down on the couch in my hillside bungalow and call my former roommate. “Marcy, you’re never going to believe where I am.”

  “I know where I am. At work.”

  “You have to get off and come over here.”

  “Where are you? Let me guess. Sugar Daddy kicked you out, and you need my help?”

  “Nope. I’m sitting in a hillside bungalow at the Chateau Marmont. It’s where I will be living for the next month. Go home, put on the classiest thing you own, and get over here. There are rich men everywhere! You can meet one. And I worked with a personal shopper today and got a shit ton of fancy clothes, not to mention getting my hair and makeup done. You probably won’t even recognize me. I look totally classy.”

  “You looked pretty for those premieres.”

  “Yeah, but not like this. I look like a lady. I look like I belong here.”

  “Reality check, Shelby. In a month, he’s going to find out he’s not your baby daddy, and you’re going to be out on your ass. Then what are you going to do?”

  “Get your ass over here, and I’ll tell you all the dirty details. Because after last night, there’s no way he’s kicking me out.”

  I see my personal butler point Marcy in my direction poolside, where I’m sitting in the shade wearing a black one-piece swimsuit with a long, sheer cover-up and oversized Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses.

  She walks right by me.

  I grin to myself as she takes another lap.

  When she comes back by me again, I discreetly say her name.

  She turns and looks at me in shock, slowly sitting down.

  “Your hair! What did they do to it?”

  “The stylist said I shouldn’t be bleaching. That my natural honey color is more flattering. What do you think?”

  “You look like a Kardashian!”

  “Oh my God! Do you think? Maybe I should start building my social media presence now. I’ll call it The Bungalow Life.”

  “That’s actually a really good idea. Those bloggers make big bucks. So tell me why you’re here and not with Riley. If you ask me, it’s a step backwards.”

  “Except for the fact that we fucked ten ways to Sunday last night.”

  “I thought he was in love with the preppy girl?”

  I shrug. “What can I say? I’m good.”

  “Tell me what you did!”
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  “When he came home, I was mounted up in one of those over-the-door swings. They aren’t as fun as the ones that hang from the ceiling, but it served its purpose.”

  “What were you wearing?”

  “That black leather thong with the spiked studs on it. Nothing else.”

  “What man can resist an invitation like that?”

  “None that I know,” I agree.

  The butler comes to stand in front of the table. “Miss Stanford, is there anything I can get you?”

  “Do you have a menu or something?” Marcy asks.

  “We have a menu, but our bungalow guests can order whatever they are in the mood for.”

  “You got any corndogs?” Marcy asks. I glare at her. “Just kidding.”

  “I’d love a grilled chicken salad, Fred,” I say, “and a bottle of champagne, please.”

  “Ditto,” Marcy says rudely.

  In that moment, I realize I won’t be inviting Marcy back. I survey the women gathered around the pool and decide I’m going to learn to act like I’m one of them and not act like my beer-guzzling, corn-dog-eating friend.

  I also realize that she’s the only one who knows that I’m not pregnant with Riley’s baby.

  And that could prove to be a problem.

  “So if you could do anything—and money was no object—what would you do?” I ask her after she’s downed three glasses of champagne.

  “I’d go back to Michigan and open my own nail salon. That’s what I went to school for. Thought I’d come to L.A. and make a ton of money doing nails. Could never get on at one of those ritzy salons.”

  “Hmm, what do you think something like that would cost?”

  “Believe it or not, I know the answer to that question. Eleven thousand dollars. I’m saving for it.”

  “How much you got?”

  “About eight hundred,” she says with a sad laugh.

  “If you had enough money, would you leave all the sunshine and go home?”

  “In a heartbeat,” she says wistfully. “I miss the seasons. My family thinks I work at one of those ritzy places and that I’m learning how to run one. I can’t go back until I have the money to do what I said I would do.” She looks at her watch. “Damn, I have to catch a cab. I picked up a double and need to be back to work in thirty minutes.”

  “I’ll walk you out.”

  As soon as she leaves, I go back to my room and call Riley.

  “Are you almost done for the day? I’m lonely.”

  “Lonely? I heard you shopped all day and were at the salon.”

  “Maybe I’m just horny.”

  “Well, that changes things.”

  “Does that mean you’re on your way?”

  “No, I have a meeting tonight. If I come, it will be later.”

  “Riley, do you ever loan people money?”

  “Sometimes, why?”

  “Would you lend me eleven thousand dollars?”

  “What for?”

  “A friend. She wants to open a nail salon back home in Michigan. She waits tables and has been saving for over three years, but with the way things are going she’ll never have enough. Never mind, Riley. It’s stupid of me to ask. I just had the most amazing day, but I feel really guilty about it.”

  “Why do you feel guilty?”

  “Did you give the personal shopper a budget?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Was it eleven thousand dollars?”

  “Actually, it was ten.”

  “We spent eleven, and I was just thinking it’s crazy. Eleven thousand dollars for some clothes and shoes when that kind of money would change her life. Would you be mad at me if I took it all back and gave her the money?”

  “Keep the clothes, Shelby. Call Tyler with your bank information, and I’ll have him wire you the money, and you can write your friend a check.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, really. It’s sweet of you to want to do that. You surprise me. In a good way. In fact, why don’t I cancel my meeting and take you out for dinner tonight? If we’re going to raise a baby together, I’d like to learn more about you.”

  “Can we eat at the bar here at the hotel? I’ve heard it’s, like, legendary.”

  “Of course we can. I’ll have Tyler make the arrangements.”

  I hang up the phone feeling giddy. Everything is going to work out perfectly.

  And the truth is, even though I am lying to him about the baby, I wasn’t lying when I said I love him.

  I look around my posh room. I mean, what’s not to love?

  Captive Films - Santa Monica

  DAWSON

  It’s getting late, and I haven’t heard from Vanessa all day, so I call her.

  “How’s the redecorating going?”

  “It’s kind of crazy here. Would you like to come over and see my empty house?”

  “Is it completely empty? Not even a bed?”

  “Do we really need a bed?” she asks, her voice low and sultry.

  “Probably not. I’m finished up here. Shall I head that way?”

  “Yes. I miss you.”

  When I arrive, Vanessa greets me at the door, wrapped in a sheer robe and nothing else.

  “I’ve missed you.” My lips crash into hers as I pick her up and carry her into the bedroom. All that’s there is a mattress on the floor.

  It’s all we need.

  “Damn,” she says, stroking my arm with the back of her hand. “I’m going to have to make you miss me more often.”

  “No way. We’re too good together not to do this every single day.”

  “Unless you move back home,” she says with a pout. And God, can those lips form the most perfect pout.

  “I have good news on that front. The girls decided to move here. I need to finalize it with the school, but they will be here full-time soon.”

  Her face breaks into a wide smile. “Speaking of that,” she says. “I know it’s maybe a little soon for this, but what would you think about you and the girls moving in with me?”

  “Really?” I ask, curling my hand around the back of her neck and tasting those lips once again.

  “Is that a good really or an I can’t believe she asked me that really?”

  “Well, your house is closer to the girls’ school than mine is. It’d save us commute time.”

  She gives me a playful smack. “Not funny.”

  “Vanessa, I’d love to move in with you. And I think the girls would love it.”

  “You don’t think it’s too soon?”

  “Do you love me?” I ask her.

  “I do.”

  “Do you plan on loving me for a long time?”

  She smiles. “I do.”

  “Then the answer is yes.”

  “Do you think the girls will be okay with it?”

  “I think the girls will be nuts about it. Are you kidding? Harlow can see her adopted pony every day. And Ava would be closer to her friends. Don’t Dallas and RiAnne live nearby?”

  “Only a few blocks away.”

  I look at the ceiling. “How long before the house is ready?”

  “It will be done by the time we get back from the wedding. It would be fun to have you move in with me.”

  I nod. I know it sounds crazy but it feels right. “Can we redo a couple rooms just for the girls?”

  “I’m already ahead of you.”

  I give her a long kiss then a little smack on the butt. “Let’s get dressed, go out, and celebrate tonight.”

  “That sounds fun.” She grabs my hand. “Come in my closet and help me pick out something to wear.”

  I follow her gorgeous, naked body through her bathroom and into an expansive closet. Closet is probably the wrong word for it. This is like a garage for clothes.

  “This is huge,” I stutter, peeking in.

  “It’s the one area of the house that I didn’t want to change.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because this dressing room was designed just to my t
aste. The pale pink on the wall is soft and relaxing and makes my skin look glowing. The soft grey cabinets remind me of my favorite cashmere sweater.”

  “And the chandeliers?”

  She grins. “Diamonds, of course. Come inside.”

  “I feel like I’m walking into a vault.”

  “That’s because you just did. This room is temperature and humidity controlled and can lock from the inside or out. That pretty wooden door we walked through is pure steel underneath.”

  “Please tell me you have never uttered the words I don’t have anything to wear,” I say, taking in the rows and rows of clothing.

  She laughs. “Believe it or not, I have. When I went to Bam’s polo matches, I was expected to wear haute couture at all times and could never be seen in the same thing twice.”

  “What’s this?” I ask, pointing to another door.

  “If someone managed to get in here, they’d still have to crack this safe to get to my jewels.”

  “Your jewels?”

  “Yes,” she says, keying in a code and then opening the door to a room that looks like it belongs in a royal palace. Behind glass cases are displays of jewels like I have never seen before.

  “These look like they should be on exhibit somewhere.”

  “I’m thinking of auctioning them off, honestly.”

  “Do you like them?” I stupidly ask. Any woman’s answer would be a resounding yes.

  “Some of them are very pretty.”

  “How does someone afford this?”

  “I told you, Bam’s family is quite wealthy. They own diamond, gemstone, and granite mines. Among other things.”

  “Wow,” I say, looking at a large green stone.

  “That one is uncut,” she says. “A gift from his father on our wedding day, to be turned into something spectacular on our tenth anniversary, which obviously we never made it to. Would it offend you if I wore any of these when I was with you?”

  “The fur didn’t bother me,” I say, starting to recover from the dazzling sparkle. “Although, obviously I wouldn’t want you to wear your wedding ring.”