by Jillian Dodd
Contents
Title Page
Copyright page
Saturday, October 4th
Monday, October 6th
Tuesday, October 7th
Wednesday, October 8th
Books by Jillian
HOLLYWOOD LOVE
Book #5
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JILLIAN DODD
Copyright © 2014-2017 by Jillian Dodd
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. This young adult romance is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced I this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. This ebook is licensed for you personal use only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with someone, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with, especially if you love swoon-worthy boys, strong heroines, and epic love stories.
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Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Jillian Dodd Inc.
N. Redington Beach, FL
Jillian Dodd and The Keatyn Chronicles are registered trademarks of Jillian Dodd, Inc.
Saturday, October 4th
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards
KEATYN
Riley comes back in the house without Ariela, which can’t be good.
He stops to look at the dining room table, which is still littered with remnants of the dinner party he interrupted.
He peeks in the kitchen, finding me, Aiden, Knox, and Jennifer standing around the island, chatting.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” he says. He looks horrible. I don’t know what’s happened since Grandpa took him out back and since he went looking for Ariela, but I haven’t seen him look this bad in years.
Not since our graduation night.
It should have been a time for celebration but, instead, we spent it consoling Riley as he went through a gamut of emotions, from pissed to disbelief to utter sadness.
And, then, later, when we arrived in Los Angeles and remembered how we had all dreamed, talked about, and planned what we would do here. As time went on, I forgot about the hurt Ariela caused all of us when she walked out of his life.
But I realize now that Riley has never forgotten.
And it’s my fault for bringing her back in our lives.
“I shouldn’t have yelled at you, Jennifer,” he says, “I’ve been an ass.”
“I can agree with you on that,” she says.
“Thanks,” he replies.
Then he turns to me. I’m ready to rush over and hug him. To let him know that no matter what, we’re always on his side. I’m ready to fire Ariela as my wedding planner. I’ll figure out something else.
Seeing him this way isn’t worth it.
How many times has he been there for me?
“Can I have some ice?” he asks me, holding out his hand, which is crusted with blood and grossly swollen.
“Oh, Riley, that looks—” I get hot, nauseous, and feel myself sway.
“I’ve got her,” I hear Knox say, grabbing me as my knees give out.
Next thing I know, I’m on the couch with him and he’s fanning my face.
“Shit,” I mutter. “Did I faint?”
“Yeah, it’s okay,” he whispers. “I caught you.”
Aiden sits down next to me, taking my hand. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. His hand just made me feel a little queazy. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t choose a medical profession.”
“Aiden,” Knox says, “why don’t you deal with Riley’s hand, and I’ll sit here with Keatyn. If I see it again, I just might faint too.”
“Pussy,” Aiden says to him with a smile, getting up and getting Riley a baggie of ice and a towel.
“What’s going on out here?” Dawson asks, as he, Vanessa, and Dallas wander downstairs after getting the kids to sleep.
“Let’s see. Riley came in, he’s sorry about dinner,” Jennifer says, giving them a play-by-play. “Keatyn fainted when she saw Riley’s hand. Knox about passed out when Keatyn fainted. Riley’s hand appears to be broken. Ariela is still outside. And, in case anyone wants to know, Knox and I made out while you were putting the kids to bed and Riley was chasing after Ariela.”
I laugh at her, loving her crazy honesty.
Riley glares at Knox, but Knox just shrugs his shoulders, like he’s so irresistible he can’t help it.
Jennifer says, “Sorry, Riley, you’re just a little too immature and emotional for me.” Which is ironic coming from a twenty-two year old.
Dawson moves the ice off Riley’s hand, smiles broadly, and punches his brother’s shoulder. “That is so broken. We need to send a pic of it to Camden. It definitely beats his.”
Riley smiles.
“What’d you do?” Jennifer asks.
“I punched a tree,” he says.
“Well, that was really stupid,” Jennifer dead pans. “Why did you do that?”
“Grandpa told me to.”
I hear Aiden on the phone with our local concierge doctor. “Yeah, we’ll see you shortly.”
While they continue to discuss Riley’s swollen hand, I lean toward Knox.
“You were flirting with Ariela at dinner to make Riley jealous so that you could get with Jennifer.”
“Who, me? I can’t believe you would think I could be so devious.”
“I’ve known you for a long time, Knox.”
“Okay, fine. I could tell he was trying to rub Ariela’s nose in his new thing with Jennifer. When a guy is trying that hard to make another girl jealous, he’s not that interested in the girl he’s with. It was going to implode eventually. I just sort of helped the process.”
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards
VANESSA
“I’m going to check on Ariela,” I tell Dawson and everyone else.
“She’s down the hill on the swing,” Riley says. “Grab a blanket. It’s chilly.”
I take two rolled up cashmere blankets from the basket in the family room, wrap one around myself, and go to the swing.
“Are you okay?” I ask her, sitting down next to her and handing her the other throw.
“Yeah, I’m just sitting out here wallowing in self-loathing,” she says, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. “Wondering how my life got so off track.”
“I wonder that sometimes too,” I admit. “And sometimes I wonder if Keatyn's right. If it's all part of a greater plan. If the universe teaches us lessons.”
“I’ve learned a big lesson.”
“What's that?”
“I need to start trusting my feelings.”
“Follow your heart, it will always lead you home?” I say, quoting a line from the last Keatyn Chronicles movie.
“Exactly.”
“Life isn't a fairy tale. I learned t
hat the hard way with Bam. You think once you’ve found your Prince Charming, it will be fairytale moments, rose petals, and dancing. But no one tells you that the prince is an egotistical asshole who can't keep his dick in his pants. And that makes you wary of every other prince.”
“I was the opposite. I had the prince and let him go.” She studies me. “Have you been wary of Dawson?”
“When I came up here, I was so freaking pissed at him.”
“Why?”
“He hadn’t told me he had kids. I thought it was because he didn’t want me to meet them. I was wrong to jump to that conclusion. So what's going to happen with you and Riley? How’d you leave things?”
“He wants us to go to Eastbrooke's Homecoming next weekend.”
“Everyone else goes almost every year. They always look forward to it. Keatyn was really bummed her filming schedule wouldn't allow it this year. Why does he want you to go?”
“Neither one of us have been back there since graduation. He said maybe we need to go back in order to move forward.”
“Back to where it all began?”
“And where it all ended,” she says sadly.
“Do you think it will help?”
“I’m not sure. I think it's going to bring back a lot of good memories, which will be painful.”
“Pleasure and pain, a weird combination,” I say. “It's getting chilly out here, why don't we go inside?”
“Should I say something to Jennifer? Apologize?”
“Ariela, you didn't do anything. Actually, she'll probably thank you.”
“Why?”
“When Riley ran off after you, she and Knox were making out. She likes him.”
“Oh, Knox, that devil. That's why he was flirting with me, wasn't it? He knew he could push Riley's buttons.”
“I think so,” I agree.
“Riley was very noncommittal about if we'll even be able to be friends, but . . .”
I finish her thought. “But Knox must know Riley still has feelings for you.”
“Unfortunately,” she sighs, “most of those feelings are hate.”
“There's a fine line between love and hate,” I say with a laugh. “Come on, it's cold.”
“There are headlights coming up the drive. More surprise visitors?”
“That would be the doctor,” I tell her as we head back toward the house. “You missed all the fun. I’ll give you the short version. Riley came in the house and apologized to Jennifer and asked for ice. Keatyn fainted when she saw Riley’s bloody hand. Knox about passed out when Keatyn fainted. Aiden called the doctor. Dawson was impressed with Riley’s hand and is sending their older brother photos of it.”
Ariela laughs. “Never a dull moment. God, I’ve missed my friends.”
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards
KEATYN
The doctor arrives with his portable x-ray machine and verifies that Riley’s hand is indeed broken. He wrapped it all up and gave him something for the pain.
After telling everyone goodnight, Aiden and I retire to our room and slide into bed.
Aiden pushes my hair back off my forehead. “It scares me when you faint.”
“It scares me a little too.”
“I read it's normal, though. So don’t worry.”
“We’re lucky, Aiden.”
He kisses the clover tattoo on his wrist, then kisses the matching one on mine. “We've always been lucky, Boots.”
“Tonight was a flipping fiasco. I think I might have to fire Ariela. I can’t do this to Riley.”
“Just give them a little time. He still loves her. That was pretty obvious tonight.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right. I just worry about him.”
“I think he’ll be fine. Sometimes a guy has to be at his lowest point to realize what really matters.”
“Did you have a low point with me?”
“Yes. Don’t you remember me dragging you down to the soccer field?”
“I do. That’s when you called me dumb.”
“That’s because you couldn’t see how crazy I was about you.”
“Then you attacked me on the desk in your room later with your tongue. I was yours ever since that kiss.”
He flicks his tongue across my lips. “I can’t wait to marry you. And I want to go on record and say that your grandpa is a beast. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him move so fast. Let alone take down a guy as big as Riley.”
“My grandpa is tough.” I laugh. I gaze into Aiden’s beautiful green eyes that always speak to my soul. “I really appreciate you letting them build a house here.”
“I knew it would make you happy,” he says, gently caressing my arm. “And I may have had an ulterior motive.”
“What's that?”
“I’m hoping it will make you want to spend more time here.”
“That’s what I meant by slowing down, Aiden. I want to raise our kids here. I have a beautiful office and can work from home.”
“Except when you’re filming.”
“You know the movie I’m supposed to start right after Trinity?”
“Yes.”
“I’m going to have it recast once we tell our friends that I’m pregnant. I’m lucky it’s a Captive project, so I don’t have to deal with getting out of a contract.”
Aiden beams. “That makes me really happy.”
“It makes me happy too. I’m also really excited about our wedding. Can you believe in a few weeks, I’ll be Mrs. Arrington?”
He kisses me and runs his hand across my tummy. “And a mom.”
“Having grown up with little sisters, I’m not as worried about being a good mom as I am about being a good wife.”
He slides his hand down a little lower.
“Maybe we should work on that.”
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards
ARIELA
It was a little awkward when Vanessa and I came back in the house but, fortunately, everyone went to bed soon after, leaving me alone with Riley.
“You should probably get to bed too,” I tell him.
“Help me to my room?” he asks, slurring slightly. The pain medication the doctor gave him is starting to kick in, and he seems a little loopy.
“Of course,” I reply, helping him off the couch and escorting him to his bedroom. I turn on the lamp and turn down his covers.
“You’re going to have to help me undress,” he says, giving me a lopsided grin and holding up his wrapped hand.
“Maybe I should ask your brother to come help you.”
He moves closer to me. “Come on, Ariela. It’s not like you haven’t done it before.”
“That’s true.” Okay, I can do this. I’ll help him get undressed and tuck him in. It’s the least I can do.
I grab the bottom of his cashmere V-neck, gently pulling it up over his head, then working it off his hand. “Do you want to sleep in the T-shirt you have on underneath?”
“Have I ever slept with a shirt on?” he says, laying his hand on my hip.
“No,” I laugh, loving how on the medication he seems so much more like the Riley I used to know. But when I slip off his T-shirt, I see that his body is not the same. What were long, lean muscles are now fuller and more defined. His four pack of abs has been replaced with a hard eight.
“You’re staring. Like what you see?” he slurs, but his eyes have a hungry look. It’s a look I remember well from our weekend parties at Eastbrooke. We’d get a little high, a little drunk, and then sneak off somewhere to have sex.
“It’s obvious you still work out,” I say, noncommittally, while fighting the urge to run my fingers across his new muscles. “Let’s get these pants off and get you into bed. You’re slurring a bit, so the medicine must be kicking in. Why don’t you sit on the bed first, so I can take your shoes off.”
He does as I ask, so I slip off his shoes and socks, bring him back to standing, and remove his slacks. All that’s left on him is a pair of boxer briefs that l
eave nothing to the imagination. And I’m trying really hard not to look.
“Okay, hop in bed.” I pull back the comforter, making it easy for him. And praying that he doesn’t say—
“I always sleep naked. You know that.”
Yes, I do know that. And that’s all I can think about.
“I think tonight it would be best to leave these underwear things on,” I stutter and motion to them with my hand. “If you would need something in the middle of the night, it would be hard for you to put them back on by yourself.”
“Are you afraid of what might happen if you take them off?”
“Riley, just a few hours ago, you hated me. The pain medicine is messing with you. I think you should just go to sleep now.”
“We had a lot of sex,” he states, his eyes playful.
“Yes. Yes, we did.” I gulp. Why did I agree to help him? “Please, Riley, just get in bed.”
He uses his good hand to push the boxers off his hip. Fortunately for me—or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, he can’t get the other side to cooperate and leaves them on.
“I’m tired,” he says, slipping under the sheet. “Will you lie down with me?”
“I, uh, I’m not sure that’s such a good—”
“Just lie down with me until I go to sleep,” he says, my heart feeling like it’s being squeezed.
I need to get back to my dorm, Riley.
Don’t leave until I go to sleep, kitty. I don’t like it when you leave.
“Okay,” I say, lying next to him. He puts his good hand on top of my thigh and closes his eyes.
“I love you, kitty,” he mutters.
Keatyn & Aiden’s home - Asher Vineyards
DAWSON
“Well, that was the most exciting dinner party I've been to in a while,” Vanessa says entering my bedroom.
“It's about to get more exciting.” I push her up against the door. “First, I need you. Now.”
