Walker Spirit

by Bernadette Marie

  There was comfort in that. Audrey didn’t want any spotlight. But if she wanted Gregory, the spotlight came with him. While she was standing at the grocery store, she saw a photo of him in Las Vegas. It squeezed at her heart, she tried to look away, but to no avail. She hated tabloids, she decided as she picked it up from its stand. Blurry pictures of the man she spent every night with, his arms wrapped around some woman, stared back at her from the dull pages. She couldn’t make out the face of the woman. And what did it matter, this woman came before she did. It wasn’t as if Gregory was her first lover. But it hurt all the same. She wanted to believe he’d just had that urge to gamble, as he’d said the first night. Not once had she assumed he’d gone with someone else.

  The disappointment wrapped around her like a rope trying to squeeze the life out of her. When he came in that night, she’d made sure she was already in bed. He didn’t try to wake her. And the next morning, she waited until he had left before she climbed out of bed.

  The texts came more frequently that morning. Of course, he wanted to know if she was feeling okay. When she didn’t answer, he wanted to know why she was mad at him.

  It was unjustified, she decided. So why was she so petty about it?

  It had also become ritual for Audrey and Black Sabbath to spend their evenings lounging on the couch watching trashy TV. Now that she didn’t have to worry about her clients being in her home, Audrey certainly relaxed.

  Not once had she ever watched one of those entertainment news shows. She didn’t see any value in them. But just as she reached for the remote to change the channel, a flash of one of them came on.

  “Gregory Bishop is on the set of his new movie, the film adaptation of Kent Black’s latest book.” The entertainment news lady batted her extra-long eyelashes and tossed golden locks over her shoulder. “We’re following up on the story that we brought you at the beginning of the filming of this production. You might remember we mentioned that Gregory Bishop missed the first day on set due to an impromptu trip to Las Vegas. Photos are just now coming out of Gregory Bishop and a young intern from his last movie.”

  Audrey noticed even the dog’s ears had perked up and he inched forward as if he, too, were watching this.

  “The trip that nearly cost Bishop the movie is now making headlines because of the intern, who is working on the current film. It looks as though she’s being replaced with a new secret woman.”

  Audrey let out a harsh breath just as Black Sabbath let out a large bark. Only a moment later the front door opened, the dog moved in front of her as if to protect her from the person walking in the door.

  “Are you two okay?” Gregory asked as he put his keys back in his pocket.

  Tears were already rising in her throat. It was stupid. None of that should matter. She remembered the way that intern, Pepper Dawson, looked at Gregory when they were at the set. Every day, he spent the entire day with this woman.

  She couldn’t even look at him. She didn’t want to look at him. Moving in the other direction, she went to the kitchen. The dog moved to Gregory and greeted him, but Gregory pushed past and followed her to the kitchen.

  “What’s going on?” he asked from a safe distance.

  Audrey gripped the edge of the counter, her back turned to him, the tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know what all of this is to you. I don’t know why you come back to me every single night. This is all a mistake.”

  She heard him release a breath, but he didn’t take a step toward her. “My publicist called me today. I’m guessing you saw some news.”

  “News?” She turned around. “Genocide is news. An election is news. Some spoiled actor, who blew off his first days on set, and took some young intern to Las Vegas, that’s not news. That simple stupidity,” she shot back and moved past him and down to the bedroom.

  “You’re gonna hold my stupidity against me? If you were going to do that you wouldn’t have met me for that first date.”

  “Well, maybe I shouldn’t have.”

  “I thought you were little more mature than to pay attention to idle gossip. You don’t want to ask me about this? You don’t want to know my side? You just want to be mad?”

  “It feels right.”

  Audrey plopped down on the bed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. Black Sabbath hovered at the door as if to make sure everyone was okay.

  Gregory paced for a moment, raking his fingers through his hair, and then tucked his hands into his pockets.

  “I knew I should’ve mentioned it. I should have told you that somebody else was involved in that trip to Las Vegas. But to be honest, the whole thing didn’t seem important to me.”

  “They said you almost got fired. How can that not be important to you?”

  Gregory moved to sit next to her on the bed. He clasped his hands in front of him and set them on his lap.

  “I don’t want to lose you over this.”

  “Are you going to sit here and tell me that you thought this would go longer than the time you’d be in Georgia? If you think I’m stupid enough to believe that…”

  “I do believe it’s supposed to go on longer. Audrey, I’ve never felt about anybody like I feel about you. None of it even matters anymore.”

  Audrey stood and paced the room herself. “How am I supposed to believe you? Your job is to tell lies. I think you’re really good at it.”

  She saw the hurt on his face when she said it, but she couldn’t take it back now. It would be better if he just left, and they both moved on. And when he stood, she was sure that’s what he was going to say too.

  Gregory moved to her swiftly. His hands came to her wet cheeks, and his thumbs whisked away the tears. Then, he lowered his mouth to hers.

  She wanted to push him away. She wanted to kick him out of her house and tell him to go as far as he could. But something kept her right there pressed against him. Something she didn’t want to admit was happening.

  Gregory rested his forehead against hers. “Give me an hour to tell you my side. To me, this is a relationship worth fighting for. Let me have my chance to fight for it.”

  Audrey closed her eyes and let her body relax. She felt as though she owed him the opportunity.

  She opened her eyes. “You’re done earlier than normal tonight,” she said realizing she hadn’t even thought to start dinner.

  “I found out what they were going to publish. In my mind, it’s not a big story. But somebody has something to gain. All of this would be easier to fight with you by my side. But I would understand…”

  “Tell me your side first. Then I’ll make up my mind.”

  25

  It all seems so juvenile, so stupid. Gregory opened a beer, took a long, satisfying pull, and handed it to Audrey.

  She took a few moments to calm down, and he was grateful. She’d had every right to be angry. He sat down next to her on the sofa and kicked his feet up on the table right next to hers. Audrey took a pull from the beer and handed it back to him.

  “I know you have a fight in you,” he said as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “But I want you to listen to me before you say anything. I want you to hear everything from me because that’s the way it should be. Okay?”

  Audrey nodded and brushed another tear from her cheek. He let her be worked up. After all, if some ex-boyfriend were to walk through the door, he’d be a wreck too.

  “She’s young. Twenty-one. It shouldn’t be a big deal right? But the media is going to make it bigger. That’s the job. It was a fling. Nothing more than a fling.” He took another long pull from his beer and handed her the bottle. “The money gets to you. This status, the way people treat you. You absolutely forget who you are. And that’s what happened to me.”

  “I get that,” she said softly handing him back the beer. “Bethany went through all of that. So, I understand that part. I’m sure I would’ve been the same.”

  Gregory pressed his head against hers. “The story wouldn’t have been anything importan
t. If it weren’t for you.”

  Her back had stiffened, and she sat up straighter. “Are you telling me this is my fault?”

  “No, not at all. What I’m saying is, the public is used to me well, being a playboy I guess. Trust me, that’s not the image I want to portray. But again, you get caught up in it. So fine, they have photos of me here and there with people, and now, if they’re following me, they see that I end up at home every night with the same person. It’s different.”

  “You keep saying that. A relationship needs to be specific. There are ground rules.”

  “Exactly, and that’s why I don’t want this to get in the way of what we have. This, this is a relationship. The two nights I stayed in Las Vegas with her was a fling. And they’re going to make you out to be some secret woman. There already going to put out pictures. It’ll only be a day or two before your name is associated. I don’t want this to hurt you.”

  “Is this what you wanted to talk to me about after that first night we spent together? Do you think she was the one on the balcony?”

  “I don’t know. All I know is that I’ve asked for her to be removed from the set more than once. She seems to hold some clout.”

  “She’s an intern. How much clout can an intern have?”

  “It sounds horrible, but I suppose that would depend on who else she is sleeping with. This is how ladders are climbed.” He finished the beer and set the empty bottle on the table. “My point is, I made a mistake. Even if I had never met you, it would’ve been a mistake. They’re going to track you down. I don’t want that to affect you. And I don’t want it to affect us. I like what we’re building.”

  “What can happen when this movie is over? I live here. My roots are here. My business is here. This is where I belong. And a relationship is hard enough when two people live in the same house. What are we going to do with this?”

  “We’re going to figure it out. Audrey,” he purred her name as he turned to take her face in his hands, “I have been thinking about this. I’ve never felt what I feel for you with anyone else.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t drag this out.”

  “It’s not dragging it out. It’s finalizing it.” He locked eyes with her, keeping his hands right on her face. They weren’t in the same mindset right now. He knew that. But he had to tell her how he felt. “I love you, Audrey.” He took in a hard breath and chuckled. “Oh my God, I’ve never said that to anybody.”

  He watched as her chest rose and fell quickly with her breath. “Never?”

  “Never. That’s why I want to fight for this. Those pictures are about to come out. Those news channels, those stupid entertainment news channels can make you out to be something you’re not. So I need you to know; don’t believe any of it. When this movie is over, and I go on to filming in Hawaii, I’ll take you with me if I can. But,” he held up a hand to stop her interruption, “I know you have a life here. It’s worth me finding out if I could have a life here too.”

  Audrey lifted her fingertips to her lips. “You’d stay here?”

  He pulled her to him. “Pretty sure this is where my dog wants to stay.”

  She laughed against his chest, and he held her tighter. For a moment, just one moment, the situation had been defused. But when the pictures came out of the two of them together, and they built Audrey to be the bad guy, the secret love, it would be an uphill battle. He was sure Pepper had instigated the release of the pictures, and any story that went with it. That just made him repeat, in his head, what a mistake it had been. It would go away. Sooner or later no one was even going to care. Once that happened, they could move forward.

  26

  Audrey was exhausted when she unlocked the door to her salon. The night hadn’t gone as she had planned. Her heart still ached, and her stomach was tied in knots. But Gregory had said those three little words that no other man had ever said to her. She deep down wanted to believe them, because she was sure she felt them for him as well.

  Just as she turned the key in the lock, the figure caught her eye. She pulled the keys back as if to put them in her fingers like a weapon, and spun around quickly. Her cousin Ben jumped back from her, his hands up in surrender.

  “Whoa,” he said. “I was calling your name. Your head is somewhere else.”

  Audrey caught her breath. Her heart rammed in her chest. “What are you doing here?”

  “Well, I happen to be your first client of the day. And I was going to get us some coffee first. Although I’m not sure you need any coffee.”

  Audrey put her hand on her heart. “I forgot you were coming. Actually, I could use a coffee. I’ll go get set up, and I’ll be ready when you come back.”

  Ben studied her for a moment more, then smiled at her. “I’ll be right back.”

  She opened the door and watched him walk down the street. Instinct told her to lock the door behind her, but normality told her to leave it open.

  Black Sabbath had gone with Gregory that morning, but now Audrey wished she had taken him with her. It was stupid how dependent she had become on that dog. He gave her a sense of security. Well, hell, maybe she should think about getting a dog.

  She moved through the salon forcing herself to do things as normal. Turning on the lights, she checked the temperature and then stored her bag in the back. Audrey flicked on the music, and the speakers filled the room with some easy listening acoustic guitar.

  For a moment, that was all she could take. Perhaps later they would crank up the 80’s channel or something. But for now, she needed to calm.

  By the time she got settled, the front door had opened again. Nichole walked through with her large bag over her shoulder and a wide grin on her face. She stopped, noted that somebody was walking toward her, and held open the door for Ben.

  “The best clients are the ones that bring treats,” Nichole joked as she let Ben into the salon.

  Ben looked at her, and Audrey could have sworn he swallowed his tongue. “Yeah.”

  She held back the laugh that bubbled in her throat. Oh, wasn’t that cute? Ben was smitten. It would be interesting to see if he could even have a conversation with his own cousin while Nichole was around.

  “Did you have them make it extra strength?” Audrey asked as she walked toward him.

  He looked at her blankly. And then down at the coffees in his hand. “Normal,” he stammered as he handed her a cup.

  Nichole set her bag in her chair and pulled out a few dollars. “I think I’m going to walk down there and get me a fancy cup too. That woman I had yesterday, the one who wanted her hair tipped blue and she was like eighty, she tipped me forty bucks. I figure I got coffee for a week.” She smiled widely as she strolled back out of the salon.

  Ben’s eyes followed her. Audrey slapped him on the shoulder and brought him back to reality. “Dude, your eyes are going to roll out of your head.”

  “I heard you had a new employee. But, wow.”

  Audrey laughed at her cousin and sipped her coffee. This was exactly what she needed, a moment of family to reel her back in. From here on out, the day would only get better.

  * * *

  By three o’clock in the afternoon, Audrey’s shoulders hurt and her feet ached. All of that was normal when her schedule was as packed as it had been. And even when her back began to ache, she looked around her little salon and she was happy. This was exactly what she wanted. Perhaps Jake was right. Fate had stepped in the day she walked out of that other salon.

  Just as she had sat down in her chair, moments after Nichole had left for the day, a man walked through the front door. Audrey stood to greet him.

  “How can I help you?”

  “Do you take walk-ins?”

  “Of course.” She’d said the words before she had thought it out. She had one more hair color to do, and then she could go home. But, money was money.

  Audrey looked up at the clock that hung on the wall. “I have about a half hour before my next client. I could do you now.”
/>   “That would be fantastic. I’m on a tight schedule too.”

  “Great. Come on over.”

  Audrey went through the motions just as she would with any other client. She escorted him to the shampoo bowl, washed his hair, and gave him a scalp massage. She walked him back to her chair, and when he had sat down, she wrapped the cape around him.

  “Just trim it up?”

  “Yeah, thanks. So, your salon is pretty new, huh,” he asked as he kept his head still and his eyes darted around.

  Audrey pulled a comb from the drawer and began to comb his hair. “We’ve only been open a few weeks. Just getting started.”

  “This is a nice area. I’m just visiting really. I’m working with the movie.”

  Her face flashed her surprise. She had caught her expression in the mirror. “Oh, the author of the book is my brother-in-law,” she explained, without going into further detail. “What do you have to do with the movie?”

  The man didn’t answer right away. “Photographer.”

  She wanted to dive in a little more. After all, what a great opportunity to have somebody that was working on the movie come right into her salon. Had Gregory sent him?

  “That must be pretty fantastic,” she said just as the front door to the salon opened again. Madison Jantz strolled in, her arms full of bags from the local merchants. “Hey, Madison, I’ll be just a few minutes.”

  “Take your time,” she said as she dropped her bags into a chair in the waiting area. “I just stopped by Gia’s store, oh my goodness. She just got a new shipment in from Italy. I had to stop myself. I could have bought it all up.”

  It brought a smile to Audrey’s face and to her heart to hear somebody talk that way of her cousin’s fiancée. Of course, now she would have to see what Gia just got in.

  Audrey finished up the haircut, and the man looked pleased enough. She escorted him to the front desk and typed the haircut into the computer.