Tinseltown

by Stephanie Taylor

  “So riddle me this, hotshot. Is it so bad loving me? Did we really have to go through all the drama?”

  Smiling, Deb kissed his fingertips. “I guess I did something right since we’re here, didn’t I?”

  Zach studied her a minute. “Yeah, I guess you did. But can we just skip the drama next time?” A twinkle settled in his eyes and she knew the night wasn’t over yet.

  “I suppose. But only if you won’t take advantage of me again.”

  “Oh, I can’t make those kinds of promises, babe.” And with a smug grin, Zach promised her many things without uttering a single word.

  * * * *

  After wrapping their takes the next day, they walked hand in hand back to Deb’s trailer in the hours just before dark. The sunset above them was a brilliant display of pink and purple.

  “Ahhh.” Zach sighed. “Let’s go out to dinner tonight. Somewhere casual where we can have fun.”

  “Mmm, sounds good. Fernbank has been working us to death. I need some relaxation.” Deb smiled up at him and brought her hand around to touch his arm as her head came down against his shoulder. The contentment he felt went beyond anything he’d ever known.

  “I love you,” he whispered against her hair as his lips grazed her temple.

  When they arrived at the pool hall, the music blared and laughter filled their ears. The paparazzi had followed them in, but they ignored them and enjoyed the evening. Zach ordered them both a beer and they sat.

  “Let’s dance,” Deb said, excitement in her eyes.

  “I don’t think so.” He sat his drink down and shook his head.

  “Oh, come on. I know you dance, remember that little scene in Hopscotch Baby? I know very well you can dance, so don’t play games, Zach. Get your tail up and let’s shake a leg.”

  A slow song came on a few moments after they stepped onto the dance floor and Zach reeled her into his arms.

  “Now this is more like it.” She sighed.

  He simply couldn’t speak. His life had never been more full or perfect. “I never want to let you go.” He placed his forehead against hers.

  “Has it ever occurred to you we’re probably the mushiest couple on Earth?” She laughed. Her fingers toyed with the hair at his nape.

  He feigned insult. “Is that a bad thing?”

  “No.” She giggled. “What’s your favorite color?”

  Zach rolled his eyes. “We’re married and we’ve slept together, Deb. Don’t you think we’re past this kind of thing?”

  Shrugging, she said, “Maybe, but I still want to know.”

  Did he even have a favorite color? He’d never really thought about it. He looked down at her and smiled. “Blue. The color of your eyes.”

  It was Deb’s turn to roll her eyes. “C’mon.”

  “I’m serious.” He chuckled, pulling her close. “What’s yours?”

  “Pink.”

  He looked at her in confusion. “That’s the last color I would have expected you to say.”

  “Yeah, I’m a closet pink lover. I don’t own much of it, but I love looking at it.”

  “Mmm,” he said and went back to dancing.

  Around them, flashes from the cameras continued to illuminate the room. Zach could ignore paparazzi, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still annoyed he and Deb couldn’t have a normal date. What he wouldn’t give for an evening stroll on the beach or a walk through a park without being followed.

  “What’s your favorite type of food?” she asked next.

  “Italian. Hands down. You?”

  “Mexican.”

  “Dogs or cats?” Deb asked.

  “Neither, you?”

  “We agree on something.” She grinned. “Pepsi or Coke?”

  “Sweet tea.” He didn’t hesitate.

  “Blondes or brunettes?” she asked.

  He eyed her blonde hair deliberately. “Redheads.”

  “Hey!” she scoffed and punched his arm. He snickered. They both enjoyed a moment of laughter then Deb sobered, cocking an eyebrow at him and lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Top or bottom?”

  Zach threw his head back and laughed once more. She was full of surprises. “That, my dear, is my kind of question.”

  She watched him but he didn’t answer at first.

  He whispered, “Bottom, but only if you’re the one on top of me.”

  Deb stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his, making unspoken promises. “That can be arranged, Mr. Hollywood, if you play your cards right.”

  “Want another beer?” he asked when they returned to their seats after the song ended.

  She held up her hands. “No way. I’ve already experienced what it’s like to be drunk in public. One drink is plenty enough for me. You know what happened the last time I drank too much.”

  He twisted his mouth in annoyance and sent her an evil look from the corner of his eye. “Hardy-har-har, very funny.”

  “Just stating the facts.”

  “When are you going to give it up? Remember, you admitted to me you wanted me in Vegas.” A devilish glint entered his eye. She caught it and stood, worming her way around the table and eyeing the door. He would show her what it was like to be drunk in public.

  “Don’t get any ideas, Zach,” she warned and licked her lips.

  “Don’t even think about running out the door, ’cause I’ll just chase you.” She smiled at him so innocently he laughed. “Ha! I’m on to you, Atkins. You’re not going to escape this without some more humiliation.”

  “Don’t do it!” she said, squealing and running for the door. They were both laughing, and the little vixen was faster in those heels than he originally calculated. By the time he got around the paparazzi and ran into the parking lot after her, she was already halfway to the road. He would love to know where she planned to go.

  “Hey!” he called, still laughing.

  She turned around, running backward, and stuck her tongue out at him. It fueled him even more and he was on her in no time. The second he caught her, he slung her over his shoulder and patted her butt playfully. Cameras went crazy and he grinned at all of them.

  “This here,” he announced, “this is what you call a pain in the butt.” He popped her again. She laughed so hard now, she wheezed.

  Slapping at his backside, she demanded to be let go, but he was having too much of a good time. He’d never had this much fun in his life.

  “Does this mean the wedding bells have stopped ringing?” a photographer called, and Zach shrugged.

  “I can’t hear anything right now except Deb’s demands. What do you guys think?” he asked and appeared thoughtful. “Don’t you think I should make her beg?”

  Immediately, he heard her serious tone. “Zack Sparks I will not beg you for anything. Put me down right now!”

  He grinned but looked to the photographers to give him an answer. “Ain’t nothing like a begging woman!” he heard.

  “Amen!” Zach shouted and simply stood there. “I’m waiting, Deb.”

  “You’re going to pay for this, Zach!” She kicked as hard as she could, but Zach was stronger. It didn’t take much to overpower her.

  “Put some meat on your bones and you might get somewhere, but as it stands, you don’t have a chance against my hulk-like strength.” The paparazzi all chuckled, and Zach gave them a dazzling grin as they clicked away.

  “Zach,” she warned. “I’m not having sex with you for a year if you don’t stop this right now.”

  “Honey,” he mumbled back. “You can’t resist me and you’ve said as much. Don’t even go there.”

  “Zach, please,” she ground out.

  “What?” he said louder for everyone to hear as he cupped his palm beside his ear. “Did I hear you say please?”

  “No.”

  Man, but she was stubborn. He couldn’t do anything but chuckle.

  “Okay, Zach, you win. But there are going to be dire consequences to this. I can promise you.”

  “I think
she’s ready, folks. I heard her say I won!” He widened his stance and prepared to put her down the second she begged.

  “Please!” she called out halfheartedly, almost as if she was bored.

  “C’mon, Deb!” cheered the reporters.

  “Please!” she called a little louder and a little less forced.

  “What? I can’t hear you!” he called.

  “Please!” she shouted and added a little whine to her voice. Perfect.

  Zach lowered her to the ground and caught her glare, but she recovered quickly and shoved him as hard as she could. Given the wide stance of his legs, he was on his back in the dusty parking lot. She grinned ear to ear and he stared on stupidly.

  “That, my dear friends,” she called to the paparazzi, “is how it’s done. A lesson for all those women out there who put up with bullying from their husbands. You don’t have to take crap from anyone.”

  Slapping her hands together, she turned around and strode back inside. No doubt, she heard him call, “Touché!” as he laughed heartily at his little spitfire.

  Chapter 16

  Exactly twelve days after their fun night out, Deb stood in front of the mirror in the small bathroom of her trailer. Disbelief caused her jaw to go slack. It had to be wrong. One, she could understand, but four? The small white piece of plastic suddenly explained the dizziness, the constant nausea, the tiredness. She swallowed, trying to keep herself from throwing up.

  She was pregnant.

  Zach hadn’t worn a condom every time they’d had sex, but she took her birth control pills religiously. How on earth had she managed to get pregnant?

  And how on earth would she tell Zach? What would he say? Would he be happy or angry? Even if they did love each other and wanted a future together, it didn’t mean now was the right time to have a baby.

  Sitting heavily on the closed toilet lid, she placed her hand over her stomach. This just couldn’t be happening.

  “Deb, are you okay in there?” Zach asked on the other side of the door.

  “Um…” She hesitated, not fully processing all that was happening. “Yeah, the Mexican food didn’t quite agree with me.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” he called good-naturedly.

  Her breathing came in shallow gasps. This would ruin Zach’s feelings toward her. He would probably think she had planned it like this. Mind made up, she decided she would have to take a few days to let it all sink in. Filming would be over in three more days, and she would tell him then.

  Hiding the test in a drawer, underneath some of her cosmetics, she flushed the toilet for Zach’s benefit and opened the door. When she looked at him, the love she felt for him grew. He was the father of her baby. He would make a great father. But even though he claimed he one day wanted children, she doubted how true his words were. Unless she put him on the spot, he always cleverly avoided the subject.

  “Deb, you’re really pale. Are you sure you’re feeling all right? You haven’t been acting like yourself the last week or so.”

  It could have been the perfect opening for her to say, sit down, Zach. And he would sit and look at her expectantly. She would smile and hand him the test, watch in amazement as his eyes shone brightly and he jumped off the couch to spin her around in happiness. But not tonight. It might not ever happen, truth be told. Deb had to think this through first.

  “I’m okay, Zach. I promise.” And she would be, but it would take some time. There would have to be movies rescheduled or canceled. She was lined up for three productions back-to-back over the next year and now those wouldn’t happen with her growing waistline.

  “Sit down. Let me get you some water or something.”

  “I don’t need water,” she said, sitting on the opposite end of the couch from him.

  “Do you need some special Zach loving?” he asked as he wiggled his eyebrows.

  She forced a smile. “Not tonight. I’m sorry. I just don’t feel up to it.”

  Concern filled his eyes. “Okay, then.” He frowned.

  “I think I’ll go to bed early, if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure, I think you’ll feel better if you get some rest.”

  He seemed to understand her dismissal and, although she ached for him, he simply kissed her lips and left her trailer.

  Alone, Deb allowed the tears to fall.

  * * * *

  The next morning Zach knocked on Deb’s door before she had to be in for makeup.

  “Feeling better?” he asked cheerfully when she opened the door.

  She looked a little green. “I feel much better. I think I’m just coming down with something.”

  Zach eyed her warily, something gnawing at his gut. When he stepped in her trailer and tried to kiss her, she pulled away and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Zach.”

  She left him standing there, confused.

  “Wanna tell me what’s going on?”

  Her eyes shot to his, but she shook her head immediately. “Nothing.”

  “Why do you not want me to touch you? Have you changed your mind about us? Has Brad come back?”

  Her chin lifted and hurt swirled in the depths of the eyes he loved so much. “Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with me?”

  Zach frowned. “Yes,” he answered cautiously.

  “What if I decided I didn’t want to act anymore or be a part of this kind of life? Would you walk away from it too?”

  He swallowed. Just how was he supposed to answer?

  “Would you?” she pressed.

  “We’d have to talk about it but… you wanna tell me where this is coming from?”

  “Would you give it up?” she demanded now, her eyes flashing angrily. “Does our future mean enough to you for you to just walk away from all of this?” With a dramatic sweep of her hand, she emphasized her point.

  “I haven’t thought about it, Deb. Can I think about it? Are you telling me that’s what you want me to do?”

  Deb looked away. “I don’t know yet.”

  “Talk to me,” he whispered as he reached out for her, but she shied away from his touch, hurting him more than ever. His chest felt like it was caving in.

  “I need some space.”

  “Why? What did I do?”

  “You didn’t do anything, Zach. I’m just… I just need some space.”

  “For how long?” He felt like a love-sick puppy all of a sudden. Had she played him all this time, just for the movie’s sake? Had everything they’d shared just been some sort of illusion?

  “A few days maybe. I’m not sure.” She glanced at the clock and gathered her coat. She walked to the door but stopped when he spoke.

  “I don’t know where all of this is coming from, Deb, but I love you. This wasn’t some game to me, and I still want to be your husband.”

  More pain than he ever thought possible hit him in the gut when the door slammed behind her. Looking around at her things in her trailer, Zach wanted nothing more than to lie down and sob like a big baby.

  * * * *

  As luck would have it, they were filming the breakup scene that day. It was the last scene they had to shoot before the movie went into post-production. It would be hard even being near Zach with all the things going on in her head, but she would do it because it was her job.

  And he was her husband.

  Deb tried desperately to figure out what she wanted from Zach. He loved her and, without a doubt, if she asked him, he would give up everything for her. But the question continuing to plague her was: Is this fair to him? Deb hadn’t grown up in this kind of environment. She had entered the entertainment world when she was eighteen, fresh out of high school. Her upbringing had been relatively normal. Zach’s hadn’t.

  When she thought about raising a child in this kind of industry, she cringed. But it wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy this aspect of her life. She knew exactly what she was getting into when she left home and hadn’t looked back since, but a baby changed everything. She had to stop thinking about herself
and think about what was best for him or her.

  As Zach entered the makeup room, her hand moved to her stomach, and butterflies reminded her that eventually she would have to tell him. But not now, not until she had everything worked out. At the top of her list was to figure out if Zach really wanted kids. If he did, then her choice was simple.

  Zach glanced her way but immediately his eyes moved away. He was hurt. It killed her to know after everything over the last few months, they were back to this.

  In the grand scheme of things, she and Zach barely knew each other, but it seemed like they were best friends. The togetherness they had experienced over the holidays had been a precious gift. In a short time, Deb had fallen head over heels for Zach. She had never expected it to happen.

  He was so amazing. Thoughtful. Caring. Compassionate. Funny. It didn’t hurt he was so handsome. But, above all else, he would make a great father — of that she was certain.

  “Okay, you’re good to go!” the makeup artist exclaimed and spun her around. Another quick glance over at Zach and she stood. His eyes were closed as a team of people worked to get him ready for the big breakup scene.

  Deb left, her heart heavy. Today, it wouldn’t be very hard to summon the emotions she needed to step into Amanda’s character.

  Zach and Deb studiously ignored each other until Fernbank called for action. She could see the curious gazes of the crew members, trying to figure out what was going on between them.

  “What’s wrong, Amanda?” Preston asked her. She could see the veiled looked of contempt in his eyes as they stepped into character. But as they spoke, the contempt turned into hurt again.

  She turned around, giving the appearance of thinking. She closed her eyes, recalling all they had shared. When she spun back, her eyes puddled with tears. It wasn’t until then that she realized the similarities between Amanda and herself.

  “It was all just sex to you, wasn’t it?” she accused.

  “No, it wasn’t,” he said calmly. So much like Zach instead of Preston.