“That was awesome, Uncle Jack!”
“Sure was.”
I held on to her and stood, picking her up with me.
“You guys get better and better,” Sabrina said.
I set Lexi in her chair and watched Mac Flynn walk toward our table and stop directly behind Hannah. I know he’s just a person, but it’s freaking Mac Flynn, and I’m at a loss for words. Obviously everyone besides Hannah is too, because they’re all just staring at him. Hannah is oblivious to the fact that one of the biggest stars on the planet is right behind her.
Which means her beaming smile is just for me.
“That was so great,” she said. “You must practice a lot to be that good.”
She directed the question at Lexi, whose attention was focused on Mac with the rest of us. Instead of answering Hannah’s question, she said, “Who are you?”
Hannah realized Lexi spoke to a point above her head, and she glanced over her shoulder. Her entire body stiffened and every ounce of color drained from her face.
“Hello darlin’,” Mac said.
Chapter 25
Hannah
I sat against the arm of the couch, my knees bent, a pillow clutched against my stomach. Jack handed me a glass of water then settled into the other end, seeming to strike a casual pose, but with every muscle in his body tense, didn’t quite pull it off.
He looked so worried, I wanted to put him at ease but couldn’t find the words. In fact, I couldn’t seem to find any words. I knew my father had been down here shooting his latest movie, but he was supposed to have gone home a couple weeks ago. What kind of divine intervention not only put us in the same city but would have him walking into Arnie’s?
I took a few sips of water and cradled the glass in my hands. Looking at Jack, I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. How do I explain the fact that one of the biggest celebrities on the planet is my father? Obviously if our relationship continued, I would have told Jack eventually, but I’d hoped things would be settled with my father by then. My feelings where he’s concerned are still a mess and running into him like that, without warning, was definitely a shock to the system.
“Are you okay?” I looked into his worried eyes and nodded. He pulled my legs onto his lap and rubbed his hand up and down my shin. “What can I do to help?”
This man is so not what I ever expected. I’m seriously falling here.
Besides being gorgeous and sexy as hell, he’s sweet and kind and has a knack for knowing exactly what I need at any given time. I’d managed to greet my father and not be a total bitch, but Jack noticed my distress and got me out of Arnie’s before Melanie came over to the table.
Thank God.
Facing them both for the first time in months is not something I want to do in a public place in front of my new friends.
Tears blurred my vision and I blinked them away. He deserves an explanation, and it will be nice to get another perspective on the situation.
“First I want to thank you for getting me out of there before we caused a scene.”
“The few people in Arnie’s were probably still trying to get the vision of me dancing to Cotton Eye Joe out of their minds. I’m sure they didn’t even notice you and your father.”
A fresh wave of tears blurred my vision at the thought of him dancing with Lexi. It’s obvious he loves her very much and would do anything for her. If he’s like that with his friend’s child, what would he be like with his own?
I shook my head to dislodge that last thought. If I’m going to survive in this relationship, I can’t start imagining white picket fences and babies.
“I mentioned to you before that my father and I were having some issues.” He nodded and I continued. “He told me something at Christmas and I haven’t spoken to him since. I’m not sure what to say, what to do about the situation. I’ve asked him to give me time to think, but patience isn’t one of his virtues and he keeps calling. Thankfully he’s been busy or he would have shown up at my door.”
“I know all about having father issues,” he said, then smiled. “Of course, my father isn’t Mac Flynn.”
“Aaran Diskin.” His raised brow prompted me to explain. “My father’s name is Aaron Diskin. The character he plays is Mac Flynn.”
Jack nodded and his hand continued to slowly stroke up and down my shin. I shifted my butt to get more comfortable.
“How is it possible that your father is one of the biggest movie stars of his generation and no one knows?” he asked.
I took a drink, then leaned forward and placed the glass on the coffee table before settling back into position.
“My father didn’t hit it big until I was entering high school. Until then, he made his living doing bit parts and construction jobs. His big break came with a movie called Shooting Holes in the Sky. The movie wasn’t a huge hit, but one of the big network executives noticed my dad and thought he’d be perfect for the Mac Flynn character.”
Jack cupped my foot in his hands and started a slow massage and, despite the fact that I’m talking about a history I’d rather not discuss, I relaxed. The only other person who knows all this is Melanie and I haven’t spoken to her in months either. I’ve never shared my whole story with anyone I’ve dated, but I find myself wanting to tell Jack everything.
“Things kind of went crazy after that. You know how nuts celebrity can be and trust me when I tell you that Hollywood takes it to a whole other level.” He moved onto the other foot and I shifted even further into the couch. The man truly has amazing hands. “And they have no limits. Absolutely none. My father had always been popular with the ladies, but it got ridiculous. Everyone either wanted a piece of him or a connection he could make for them and he was invited to every event, every party. Some of that extended to me, of course. What better way to kiss up to the star than by doting on his geeky, backwards daughter?”
“That description of you doesn’t register,” he said.
“I was a naive book nerd and definitely no match for kids who’d grown up in that world. But my dad’s publicist gave me a makeover and I tried to fit in. It’s amazing what’s available to kids at those parties. Alcohol, drugs, sex...anything they want. I wasn’t stupid enough to get caught up in all the excess, thank God, but what teenage girl isn’t flattered when good-looking guys are hitting on them left and right? Especially after being invisible for years.”
Jack continued to hypnotically knead the pad of my foot as I collected my thoughts. We sat quiet for a while, then I took a deep breath and continued.
“My father trusted that when his publicist or agent extended an invite to me, the events were safe for me to attend. He had no idea adolescent Hollywood parties are just as bad as the adult ones. And even though we were close, I wasn’t going to tell him. I liked going to those places and figured that as long as I wasn’t doing anything wrong, it was okay for me to be there. And for a while, it was. I had fun wearing the popular name brands, the sky-high heels, and hanging out with the pretty people. We moved to a nicer house in a new zip code and I changed school districts my Freshman year. I wasn’t very popular at my old school, but at least the friends I had were real. I was too naive to know the people who flocked to me at my new school weren’t. Most of them had parents in the business and we traveled in packs from party to party.”
I looked at Jack and shook my head. “It still amazes me how much is available to these kids. They’re still in high school and they have access to anything and everything. Nothing is off limits, and no one seems to care or even think it’s strange. The rules just don’t apply to them.”
Jack continued to massage my feet, but tension radiated off him in waves. The man has a knack for reading me and he obviously knows something happened.
“So I spent the first couple years of high school attending upscale parties and dancing in the hottest clubs. My Junior year, there was a big party the day school let out for Christmas break. Looking back, I could see something different was happening, but
that night I had no clue. I was drinking soda but halfway through the second, I felt sick. That’s the last thing I remember until I woke up in the hospital the next day.”
“Someone drugged you?”
“Nothing showed up in the blood tests, but that’s the only explanation for my blackout. There are pictures of me at the party, but I don’t remember any of it. Apparently I had sex too, but I don’t remember that either.”
“You were raped?” Those words came out as a growled whisper, the lack of volume not dulling their intensity.
“There was no sign of force, so it was never called that,” I said. “And even if it was, it wouldn’t matter. No one at that party would talk so it’s not like whoever did it would ever be caught.”
With a final squeeze, he let go of my foot and reached for my hand then pulled me toward him. I shifted on the couch until my hip rested next to his. He removed my glasses and carefully set them on the end table then put his arm around my shoulders and tucked me against him until my cheek rested on his chest. His heart pounded against my ear as he squeezed me tight.
“I’m so sorry, honey.” He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back. “Were you okay?”
“Physically I was fine. I had bruises on my hip and shoulder from being dumped on my front lawn and I was sore from the sex, but there were no lingering issues. Mentally, I was a mess. I had no idea who’d drugged me and when I talked to my so-called friends, none of them had even thought to question my behavior that night. They thought it was funny and took plenty of pictures of me acting like a fool. Looking back, I’m pretty sure one of them did it because they’d been acting strange, like they were waiting for something to happen.”
Jack’s heartbeat had settled into a normal rhythm and I snuggled closer and buried my nose into his shirt, enjoying his amazing scent. Even after a day on the boat and at the beach, it’s still there.
“I’m not even sure my father initially believed my story. I feel like he just thought I made some bad decisions and was afraid to tell him. But as the days went on, he realized something was seriously wrong because I barely got out of bed. When he talked to me about the party again, I repeated my story and told him I didn’t want to go back to school. I wanted out of the whole Hollywood scene.
“By that time, the first couple Mac Flynn movies had been huge hits and my dad’s star continued to rise. He’d been contracted to do two more movies, so obviously he wasn’t leaving, and I’d never ask him to give up the dream he’d worked so hard to achieve. But that party really opened my eyes. Most of the people in my school were somehow connected to the entertainment industry and just used each other. One guy I dated for months stopped calling me after he got a part he wanted. Of course the only reason he got the part is because my father introduced him to some people. I didn’t want to live like that. It’s so shallow and isolating. My grandmother lived in Glen Lyon, a small town about an hour outside of Hollywood, not far from where I grew up. I asked if I could live with her and thankfully she was happy to let me.”
“So you just disappeared?”
“Pretty much. Adams was my mom’s maiden name, and my middle name, so I dropped the Diskin and became Hannah Adams. I went back to my old look, started the second half of Junior year at a new school, and no one was the wiser. My grandmother became my legal guardian so my dad never had to sign anything or be hands-on. And it was only for a year and a half. After that, I got swallowed up in the anonymous world of college where I could be whoever I wanted to be.”
“Did you see your father at all?”
“He’d come visit and we’d go on vacation. We talked on the phone all the time. He even managed to attend both my graduations.”
“Didn’t he cause a riot?”
“No one even noticed him.”
“How?”
“He grew a beard, dressed differently, kept a low profile. Most people recognize him by his voice, so as long as he wasn’t speaking, he was usually okay.”
Often dubbed as the Irish Sam Elliott, people recognize my father’s voice as much as they do his face. Over the years, he’s perfected a variety of accents for when he wants to remain anonymous.
I pushed back to look at Jack. “Don’t forget, he wasn’t quite as famous then. I’m not sure he’d get away with it so easily now.” I shrugged and rested my cheek back on his chest.
“So you were close?” I nodded. “What happened?”
“Growing up, I had a friend who lived next door to my grandmother named Melanie. Anytime I stayed there, we were inseparable. We even managed to stay close during the crazy Hollywood days. It was great when I moved in with my grandmother because we were together all the time, then we were roommates in college. After Granny Bea died my Sophomore year, I stayed with her family on breaks and they were really good to me. It was tough moving away after graduation, but I got offered a great job at a PR firm in South Carolina, so I took it and since that led to my current position, I’m glad I did. We kept in touch, vacationed together every year, and stayed as close as ever.”
The last words came out as a hoarse whisper. I swallowed, but the lump in my throat wouldn’t go away. Before I could stop them, all the emotions I’ve pushed down the past few months welled up like a tidal wave and I clutched Jack’s waist as I sobbed against his chest. He rubbed my back in soothing motions as he kissed the top of my head and whispered sweet nothings.
When the storm passed, I took in deep breaths and let them out slowly to regulate my breathing. I moved my cheek against his T-shirt, trying to find a dry spot to rest against.
“Come here,” Jack whispered. He placed his hands on my waist and pulled me across his lap, settling my butt onto his firm thighs. My head fit perfectly in the space between his neck and shoulder, as if it was made just for me. I sighed and snuggled into his embrace. His fingers stroked through my hair, the motion soothing the hurt I’ve bottled up for months. He kissed my forehead. “Better?”
I nodded and looked at him through teary eyelashes. “I’m sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize.” He massaged the back of my neck and I rested my head against him again, enjoying the comfort he offered. “You obviously needed to let all this out.” He kissed the top of my head. “And I’m guessing there’s more to the story.”
“You haven’t heard the best part,” I said. “This past Christmas, my dad rented a cabin on Lake Ontario so we could spend the holidays together. He’d do that sometimes. Just rent a place somewhere out of the way so we could hang out and relax. We had a low-key holiday and a couple days after Christmas, Melanie showed up. I figured my father invited her to surprise me.”
“That’s the woman he was with tonight?”
“Yeah, Melanie Reade, my former best friend and soon to be stepmother,” I said. “Turns out they’ve been involved for over a year now and she quit her job about nine months ago to travel with him as his assistant.” I took in a shuddering breath and slowly let it out. “And it’s not so much the fact that they’re involved that has me so upset...although that’s kind of messed up...it’s that they lied to me for months. I regularly spoke to both of them, even saw them a few times, and neither said a thing.”
“What made them decide to finally tell you?”
“She’s pregnant. Due in July.”
“Fuck.”
Leave it to Jack to sum up this whole screwy situation with one growled word. And with that one word, my hurt faded away and the ridiculousness of it all bubbled up in me and erupted in a string of laughter. Not sexy little chuckles, but huge guffaws, complete with snorts. I don’t know how long it lasted, but Jack held me until all the laughter faded and I rested against him, limp and exhausted with an aching belly.
“Thank you,” I said.
“I’m not sure what I did, but you’re welcome.”
I shifted to straddle his lap and kissed his cheek. “You were here and you listened.” Cupping his jaw, I stroked the soft stubble with my thumb. “I’ve kept all this to mysel
f and for months it was like a hard ball of hurt wedged deep inside. I feel so much better now, and not just because I was able to talk to someone, it’s because it’s you.”
I dropped my hand to his chest and traced the wet spot from my tears, trying to collect my thoughts. I didn’t plan on sharing every emotion I’m feeling with him tonight, but that seems to be where I’m headed. I don’t want to totally freak him out, but he has to know. He’s said this thing between us doesn’t have an expiration date, but that doesn’t necessarily mean his feelings are the same as mine. And if that’s the case, I have to know now.
“Hey, what’s going on in that beautiful head?” He stroked the outside of my thighs. “Talk to me Hannah. Tell me what you’re thinking.”
His soft words urged me to meet his gaze.
“Jack, this whole thing between us is not what I expected it to be when it started. You’re not what I expected.”
“In a good way, I hope.”
Even though the words were said lightheartedly, the look in his eyes told me my answer was important to him.
“I never expected this to be more than a good time. We’re both adults and I figured we were just exploring this sudden attraction the way grownups do. And despite the fact that I’ve always found you insanely attractive, I didn’t know that was more than skin deep. I never thought you’d be so sweet and kind and considerate, or that I’d fall so hard so fast.”
He cupped my ass and pulled me closer until our chests touched and we breathed the same air.
“I don’t know why it took me a full decade to notice you like this, Hannah. Maybe I wasn’t ready for you or maybe I just had my head up my ass.” Those last words were said around a soft chuckle. “But now that I have, I want you to know that I’m all in. I’m not ready to put everything I’m feeling into words, so I’ll use yours. I’m falling hard and fast for you, too.” He kissed me softly, lingering for a moment before and resting his forehead against mine. “I’m here for you Hannah. I hope you know that.” He kissed the tip of my nose and pulled back just enough to look into my eyes. “Just tell me what you need.”
Waste of Handsome (Carolina Waves #2) Page 21
