“Shit. I wish I had been there to see it,” I say.
“I’m pretty sure it exists out on YouTube somewhere,” Melissa says. “It was epic. I followed her and offered her the t-shirt and yoga pants I had in my workout bag. We hit it off and the rest was history. We’ve been Mal and Mel ever since.”
“What made you want to join a sorority?” I ask Mallory.
“I didn’t have any friends there,” she says. “I thought pledging a sorority would be a quick way to change that.”
I turn to Julian. “Didn’t you go to Berkeley?” We always talked about going there together, the three of us, even though Julian and I would go there a year before Mallory could.
“Uh, no. I went to Penn State,” he says, looking guiltily at Mal.
I wonder if that had anything to do with their breakup. I assume it did, but now isn’t the time to get into it. Obviously, the three of them know things I don’t and it pisses me off. I’ve been replaced. It used to be the three of us—now it’s the three of them.
“Anyway, it was Melissa who got me into teaching,” Mallory says, smiling over at her friend in an attempt to stave off the awkwardness from my previous question.
“And you are great at it,” Julian says, proudly. “Did she tell you she won an award in her district for being the rookie teacher of the year?”
I watch the way he looks at her. It’s with more emotion than how one friend looks at another. He’s revering her. Hell, he’s worshiping her. I know this because it’s the same goddamn way I look at her.
“No, she didn’t. That’s great, Mal,” I say. “I’m not surprised, however. I knew you’d be great at whatever you chose to do.” I turn back to Julian. “So, Penn State, huh? Where did that lead? Mallory hasn’t said much of anything about you.”
I get a little kick under the table from Mal for that remark. I know it was a dig. But if he’s going to look at my girl that way, he’d better be prepared for me to push back.
“I’m an investment banker,” he says. “For Walters and Leeman.”
“Shit, really?” I shake my head in awe. “You must be one smart dude, but then I always knew you were. Good for you.”
I catch Melissa whispering something to Mal, but Mallory brushes her off, quietly asking her not to bombard me with silly fangirl questions. “It’s okay, Mal,” I say. “Let her ask. Personal questions from friends are different than personal questions from fans.” I turn to Melissa. “What do you want to know?”
Melissa looks to her friend for approval and Mal gives her a reluctant nod. “Mallory told me you got your big break in a shopping mall,” she says. “Can you tell me what happened? Did they have auditions there? Was it like a massive American Idol audition but for actors?”
My eyes dart between the two girls. “Mallory hasn’t told you any of this?”
“No,” she says. “Mallory never told me about Thad. All I knew was she had a best friend, Chad, who moved away when she was in high school. I never even knew the boy she grew up with was the same person as Thad Stone until she saw you last week at the club.”
I have conflicting emotions over her statement. On one hand, I think maybe I wasn’t important enough to her to tell her friends about me. On the other, I’m flat-out impressed Mal never resorted to name-dropping like most people would have done. Julian, too. I shake my head in wonder before answering Melissa’s question.
“No. It wasn’t an audition,” I say. “It was a total fluke. I was in the food court waiting for my little brother, who was fifteen at the time, when he came racing out of a store looking terrified. Two security guards were running up behind him. Kyle said he snatched something from the store and he begged me not to let them put him in jail. Apparently, I gave the performance of a lifetime, sweet-talking the guards into letting it slide. I fed them so much bullshit, I’m surprised they didn’t drown in it.
“After the security guards left, a man came up to me, telling me he saw the whole thing. I thought he was a cop, but it turned out he was a talent agent. He said he was impressed by my improv and my confidence and that I had what he was looking for. I told him I didn’t have any acting experience other than a play I did in high school. He didn’t seem to care. He said I had the right look or some shit like that. He gave me his card. On a dare from Kyle, I called the guy a week later. The next month, I was cast in Malibu 310.”
“Wow,” Melissa says. “How lucky were you?”
Sometimes I wonder. I wonder if it was the best thing that ever happened to me, or the worst. It did, after all, separate me from who I was. And from Mal. But then again, it also led me back to her. And now here we are, right where we should be.
We are served dessert and spend the rest of the night reminiscing about old times. Despite the awkwardness with Julian, I don’t want the night to end. Mainly because Mallory came with Melissa and not me. She thought it’d be more neutral that way. She didn’t want it to seem like we were teaming up on him. But it means when we say goodbye, I won’t see her for two days. I’ve got plans with my cousin Jarod and his family tomorrow, and the next night she does her volunteer work. It was bad enough not seeing her for the entire day yesterday, I can’t imagine going two days without seeing her now that I know we can finally be together. It makes me dread Thursday, the day I leave for Vancouver. I’ve got commitments for the next two weeks. Two weeks where she can change her mind. Two weeks for Julian to talk her out of it. Two weeks for her to meet someone else who doesn’t come with all my baggage.
The girls get up to use the bathroom before we leave. I watch Julian follow Mallory out the door with his eyes. And then he and I are left sitting alone for the first time tonight. “You’re in love with her,” I say.
It’s not a question.
He smirks. “Looks like we’re right back where we started then, aren’t we?”
That’s no lie. I think we both loved her even then. Before he dated her. Before I came back. “Yeah, but you had your chance, Julian. Now it’s my turn.”
He nods reluctantly. “I know. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t threaten to kick your ass if you hurt her.”
“Duly noted,” I say. “If I hurt her, I’ll be the first one to let you.”
The server comes to clear the table, our cue to leave. Julian gets out his wallet. “No,” I tell him. “It’s already been taken care of. You can get the next one.”
I put on my baseball cap as we head out into the lobby. I managed to sneak in without notice, so I hope my luck holds. Cole sees me and heads out to get the car. The ladies find us waiting for them and come over to say goodbye. I hold my hand out to Julian. “It’s been good seeing you again. We should hang out sometime when I’m in town.”
He pulls a business card out of his pocket. “Sure. Give me a call.”
I try to judge his sincerity. Does he really want to try and be friends again? Or does he want to keep tabs on me? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer and all that shit. I read his business card. Maybe he just wants my money. It really fucking sucks not knowing what people’s true motives are when your face is plastered on billboards and buses.
“It was nice to meet you, Melissa. I hope we can do this again sometime.” I give her a kiss on the cheek.
She blushes. And squeals. “Holy shit, Thad Stone just kissed me.”
“No,” I tell her. “Mallory’s boyfriend did.”
I take Mallory by the elbow. “We good?”
She looks in my eyes. She knows exactly what I’m asking. She smiles up at me, nodding.
I lean down and kiss her on the head. “Good. I’ll see you soon, then.”
I head out the front door, tapping out a text as I wait for Cole.
Me: The next time I say goodnight to my girlfriend, I’m going to kiss the fucking shit out of her. Just sayin’.
I peek back inside and watch Mallory pull her phone out of her pocket. Then I watch a huge smile overtake her face. Then I can’t help my celebratory fist pump.
Chapter Fou
rteen
Mallory
As I wait for Chad to pick me up, I page through the texts he’s sent me over the past few days. Texts a boyfriend sends to a girlfriend. Texts about wanting to kiss me, hold hands with me. Texts that reference a future he wants me to be a part of.
I’m teeming with excitement that we are even considering a future together. I thought the door on that was shut nine years ago. But at the same time, I’m wary. Julian brought up some valid points. When are we even going to have the time to see each other? I teach and he has so many appearances, interviews, upcoming movies to promote, new films to make. Will either of us be happy with a significant other we can only see once a month or whatever? Will he be able to resist all the temptations that go along with being who he is?
Then I think about all the nice things he’s done for me since he came back into my life. And I know in my heart that even seeing him once a month would be a hundred times better than seeing some other guy every day of the week.
Take Monday night. A courier arrived at my door when I got home from work. He delivered a huge box along with a beautiful vase of flowers. Inside the box was a copy of Defcon One on Blu-ray. It hasn’t even been released to theaters yet, not until next month. He sent me my own private copy. Also in the box was everything you’d need for a night at the movies—popcorn, jujubes, and an uber-comfy pillow and blanket for me to cuddle up with. And darn it if they didn’t smell like him. I think he must have spritzed his cologne on them before boxing them up. He included a card.
Here’s the next best thing to actually being with me. Me—I’ll have to rely on the memory of your incredible smell and the picture I took of you last night. Counting the hours until tomorrow evening.
I curled up on the couch and watched as Lt. Jake Cross stole my heart almost as much as Chad Stone has. He’s a phenomenal actor. Truly gifted at his craft. It almost makes those years we spent apart worth it. If he hadn’t moved away, he never would have been discovered. And I’m convinced nobody could have played the part of Lt. Cross as well as he did. I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. That there is a butterfly effect and everything that happens influences what will happen next. Even my mom dying. I mean, what if she hadn’t been on the road at that very minute in that very spot? Instead, what if it were a young family, or a pregnant woman in labor being rushed to the hospital? Maybe that drunk driver running into her saved other lives. And maybe one of those lives that was saved is someone who will go on to discover how to prevent cancer. Or global warming. Or nuclear war.
Maybe everything that’s happened in my life and in Chad’s has led us to this moment—the time when we can finally be together—the time we were always meant to be together.
The doorbell rings and my heart pounds. This is it. Our first official date. I’m going out with Chad Stone. I smooth my hands down my dress and open the door.
I watch the reaction on Chad’s face as his eyes rake over me. It’s everything I imagined and more. His mouth hangs slightly agape as his gaze travels from my hair, that I pinned up with loose tendrils framing my face, to my little black dress that fits well in all the right places, to my stocking-clad legs and then down to my heeled sandals. And then he slowly works his way back up again.
By the time he gets to my face, I feel like I’ve been thoroughly made love to yet he hasn’t touched me at all. My insides coil, my legs start to shake, my breathing comes quickly. Oh, Lord, how am I going to make it through an evening with this man?
“Holy shit, Mal,” he says, finding my eyes once again. “I’ve never seen anything as beautiful as you are right now.”
I don’t even know what to say. And I couldn’t say it even if I did. He’s rendered me speechless once again. I tug my lower lip into my mouth.
His eyes close briefly. “Oh, God. I was wrong.” He reaches over to touch my lips. “This is even better.” He shakes his head as if intentionally ridding it of wayward thoughts. He runs his hands through his hair as he backs up out of the doorway, putting him on the other side of the threshold. “We’d better leave now if I want to keep my gentlemanly status.”
I laugh, grabbing my coat. He helps me put it on after I lock the front door. I pull it tightly around me. It’s brisk tonight on this late-February evening.
As we walk down the sidewalk towards the waiting car, Chad nods at the basketball in the bushes. “I wonder what we could play HORSE for next?” Then his blue eyes take hold of my green ones.
Oh. My. God. Shivers run down my spine. And not because of the freezing temperature.
I’m going on a date with Chad Stone.
He opens the door for me and I slide over on the black leather seat to let him get in beside me. Before I can settle myself into the seat by the window, he captures my hand, keeping me in the middle seat as he entwines our fingers.
I’m holding hands with Chad Stone.
With his other hand, he reaches across me and pulls the seatbelt over my body, all the while I’m smelling him and it reminds me of his movie that I watched the other night. I open my eyes to see his face mere inches from mine as he clasps me in. The brilliant smile on his face tells me he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
I’m being strapped in by Chad Stone.
I think he’s going to kiss me, but he doesn’t. He sits back in his seat and puts on his seatbelt one-handedly, all the while, the aforementioned smile still glued to his face as if he’s doing a toothpaste commercial.
“Hello again, Mallory,” Cole says from the front. “Nice to see you.”
“You too, Cole. Thanks for keeping the car warm.”
“Of course. Are you all set?”
“Ready,” Chad says.
“So where are you taking me?” I’m a bit nervous. We haven’t yet talked about what will happen if we’re seen out together. Am I supposed to go into the building while he signs autographs, like at Ethan’s? What happens if people ask who I am? What am I supposed to say? What if they take pictures of us together? Has he cleared this with his publicist? His manager? Does he even have to do that?
I realize there is still so much I don’t know about him and his lifestyle. I’m not sure I’m ready just yet to be thrown into it so unprepared.
“Relax,” Chad says, squeezing my hand. He senses my tension. “I’m not taking you to the Golden Globes or anything. Not yet anyway. We’re going on a picnic.”
I’m not sure which shocks me more, the fact that I may one day get to walk a red carpet with him or that it’s thirty degrees outside and he’s taking me on a picnic. I look down at my black dress—the one that barely covers my thighs. Even with my coat on, I’d still freeze to death. I scissor my stocking-covered legs to make a point. “Uh, I wish you had said something.”
He laughs. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I’ve got it covered. Hey, how was your dinner with Charlie last night?”
Ethan’s wife, Charlie, accompanied me last night during my shift at Hope. Then we went to dinner. What happened there was surreal, but I gather it’s only a taste of what I’m in for if Chad and I stay together. “It was great. I really like Charlie a lot. We’ve already made plans to go shopping this weekend.”
He smiles again. He’s glad I’m making friends with his inner circle.
“Did you know what she was going to do?” I ask.
“What do you mean?”
“The donation,” I say.
His eyebrows shoot up. “Charlie made a donation?”
He didn’t know. Somehow that makes me happy. “Donation is an understatement,” I say. “More like a miracle. She wrote a check for a million dollars, Chad.” I shake my head remembering how she nonchalantly handed it over to me like she was paying a thirty-dollar dinner tab. “Who does that? After only one visit?”
“Well, her mom died last year, leaving her quite a bit of money. And it’s no secret she and Ethan are well off. He told me a few months ago she was looking for a good cause—I guess she found it. You must have impressed he
r the other night, Mal. She’s been researching the charity ever since. She grilled me for information, but I wasn’t much help. So, what made you get involved with that particular organization?”
“Uh . . . ” I shift awkwardly in my seat. “Well, a lot of things I guess. Do you remember Penny Garrison? She was in my grade.”
“Yeah. Blonde hair. Big . . . teeth.” He winks at me. “Slutty.”
I nod. That’s how most people remember her.
“She got pregnant after you left. Senior year.”
He snaps his head to me, looking surprised. “She did?”
“Yeah. And her parents kicked her out. She literally had nowhere to go. No friends. No relatives. She would have been out on the street if it weren’t for Hope For Life.”
“And you were always helping people, so when you found out about it . . . Makes sense; I always knew you’d end up doing something like that.”
“It’s not much,” I tell him. “I only volunteer one night a week. It’s not like I gave them a million dollars or anything.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Mal. You give your time. That is incredibly valuable. If it weren’t for people like you, organizations like that couldn’t exist.” He squeezes my hand. “My girlfriend—teacher of the year, philanthropist . . . Are there any other hidden talents you have that I should know about?”
I blush in the darkness at his insinuation. I shake my head. “I still can’t get used to it. You calling me your girlfriend.”
“Well, get used to it, Mal. Because it’s true. But the world might have to wait a little longer to find out about it.”
I can’t help the sigh of relief that escapes me when he says that.
He laughs at the relief rolling off me in waves. “Tell me how you really feel, Mal.” He shifts in his seat so that he’s facing me. “Listen, I know this will be an adjustment for you. For me, too, believe it or not. So let’s just try to keep it to ourselves for a while. I just got you back. I don’t want to share you with anyone quite yet.”
Stone Promises (A Stone Brothers Novel) Page 13
