Gravity Happens (Forcing Gravity)

by Alexander, Monica

  He sounded sort of like he was in a daze, and I wondered if he hadn’t even thought about marriage until now. Sasha was independent, so it was feasible that they could be one of those progressive couples who lived together, had a family and never got married. But my dad was usually pretty traditional.

  “That’s exciting! I love it, Dad! I love all of it, and I’m so happy for you guys. I can’t wait to come back and visit so I can give Sasha a hug.”

  He laughed. “I’ll tell her you said that. She’ll be thrilled to hear it. I know she was nervous about you being okay with this, so it’ll be a relief for her to hear that you’re happy.”

  “I’m ecstatic, Dad, really. This is so amazing. And I’m sending you a congratulations gift now,” I said, as I started to search the Internet for a Killers onesie.

  I found one and purchased it to have it sent to their house, as my dad tried to talk me out of sending something, and just for kicks and because he was protesting, I sent a Linkin Park onesie too. They would love them, especially if they had a little boy since both onesies were black.

  “Too late. It’s done. They’ll arrive tomorrow, so get excited, and call me when you get them. You’re totally going to flip.”

  My dad laughed. “Thank you, Logan. I’m glad you’re on-board with this.”

  “Totally.”

  “So, how is Jase?” he asked then, and he seemed to be in a much better mood. “How’s filming going?”

  I told him about Jase’s impromptu performance since I knew he’d appreciate the song choice, and I told him about my trip and the brief snippets of the film I’d seen Jase shoot, but I didn’t mention Chloe because I knew it would just piss my dad off to know she was trying to drag Jase away from me. I didn’t need him worrying about that.

  He worried enough about me dating a celebrity, because of what he dealt with when he was married to my mom. She cheated on him twice, and he never forgave her, and because of her, he’d always had a bad taste in his mouth for Hollywood in general. I knew he liked Jase and wanted me to be happy, but part of his concern was that Jase would turn out just like my mom. And I hoped in time, once he saw how great Jase continued to be, he’d let go of some of his assumptions and realize Jase was one of the good ones.

  “You have the Oscars coming up, right?” he asked.

  “This weekend. Are you going to watch?”

  “Yeah, we’ll definitely tune in. Sasha likes to watch the red carpet stuff anyway. You should send her a picture of your dress. I know she’d love to see it.”

  “I don’t know, Dad. That’s top secret information,” I joked, because really, who cared what I wore. It was Jase’s night, and I was just going for him.

  “Really?”

  “No, come on. I’ll send her a picture when I’m getting ready since I won’t have it until then. Jase’s stylist had them take it in, and she’s bringing it over on Sunday afternoon.”

  “Well, I’m sure you’ll look beautiful.”

  “Thanks, Dad. Oh, crap,” I said, noticing the time. “I need to go. I’m meeting Nora for dinner. Can I call you tomorrow?”

  “Sure,” he said good-naturedly. “Have fun, stay away from the cameras. I love you.”

  I rolled my eyes playfully at his caution, knowing he only said things like that because he loved me. “Love you too, Dad.”

  “Big plans?” Henley asked when I hung up the phone and started to pull things out of my closet to change into.

  I grabbed a new pair of 57 jeans from the top of my closet. I’d been gifted seven, one from each style they sold, earlier in the day after I’d verbally agreed to the modeling contract. I told Suzanne and Gretchen that I wanted my lawyer to look over the details before I signed anything, and because of that, I think they wanted to sway me with jeans in an effort to secure my commitment.

  I was pretty sure I was going to do it, especially since Jase was interested. I liked the idea of modeling with him better than anyone else. In a month, I’d be featured in countless magazines in that ridiculously sexy outfit I’d worn at the first shoot, wrapped around a guy who wasn’t my boyfriend. And if I was going to commit to a year of getting dressed up and posing for sexy pictures, I much preferred to do it with my actual boyfriend.

  And my dad would probably be able to swallow that concept better. I knew he’d freak when he saw the ads, but I had a month until I had to tell him. It bought me some time to figure out how to sell the idea that I wasn’t really a sex object even though I looked like one.

  Yeah, I wasn’t sure how I was actually going to do that.

  I turned back to Henley. “I’m going to dinner with Nora, so no, not really big plans. It’ll just be a low key night.”

  “Fun,” she said, as she flipped through her magazine.

  “What are you up to?” I asked, because it felt like I should.

  Henley and I didn’t hang out much, since our lives had really taken different turns a few months back. She was really into the college scene with her sorority and frat parties and different events on campus. I was usually with Jase, Ethan or Nora, so I really didn’t get involved much on campus outside of class and football games.

  She shrugged. “Frat party at Sigma Chi. Chris has been making Jell-O shots all afternoon, so it should be fun.”

  “Cool,” I said, not really thinking it would be.

  She’d drug me to a few frat parties after she’d started dating her boyfriend, Chris, but they weren’t really my scene. And I’d gotten a lot of glaring looks from girls there when they realized who I was and who I was dating. It seemed I was too much of a mortal for Jason Brady to find attractive or some bullshit like that. Either way, after the second time, I’d vowed not to go to a frat party again.

  I swapped my yoga pants for my jeans, pulled my brown riding boots on and dug a red and white striped sweater out of one of my drawers. I did a quick make-up check, not that I wore much, but there was always the danger of being photographed these days, so I tended to make sure I looked halfway decent when I ventured out.

  I grabbed my keys and my bag, then looked around the room to see where my phone had ended up. I noticed it sticking out from under one of my textbooks. I still had a ton of work to do, because I’d procrastinated on the phone, but I’d have most of the next day to get my stuff done before Jase got home. I’d just get up early.

  My phone dinged as I grabbed it off the bed, and I saw a text from Nora.

  Downstairs. You ready?

  Be right there. I sent back.

  “Bye Henley,” I called over my shoulder as I opened the door to our room.

  “Bye, Lo. Have fun,” she called out good-naturedly.

  I bounced down the stairs and out into cool night where the sun was just starting to set. I looked for Nora’s Jetta, but all I saw was an Infiniti that looked a lot like Ethan’s. It even had the same Hurley sticker on the back windshield. Then suddenly, Nora bounced out from the front seat.

  “Hi!” she said exuberantly.

  “Hi?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes at her.

  She grinned. “I have a lot to tell you,” she said coyly, and I nodded, thinking to myself that I might have to kill my two best friends for keeping something so monumental like the fact that they were dating a secret.

  Then Ethan leaned over from the driver’s seat and grinned at me. He looked happier than I’d seen him in months, and I knew instantly it was because of Nora.

  “I totally want details,” I murmured to her as she let me into the backseat.

  She just winked at me, so I knew she’d tell me everything as soon as we were alone.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Ethan

  “I’m going to the restroom,” Nora said as soon as we sat down in the booth at a new Tex-Mex place she’d suggested.

  Then she leaned over and kissed me just long enough and hard enough that I knew she was going to let me sleep with her that night. We’d been dancing around the subject since her booty call to me the weekend before, and as much as
I’d wanted to jump right into her bed, I’d held off. I knew she was embarrassed by how brazen she’d been, so just like with our first kiss, I was going to let her make the call when she was ready.

  We’d spent almost all week together, aside from when we were in class and when she was working, and she’d even stayed at my house the past two nights, but we hadn’t gone past making out. Which was fine, but I was practically in blue ball hell, since most times I’d get close enough to get excited, but we never took things far enough where I could actually finish. Tonight that was going to change. I could tell.

  When Nora pulled away, she smiled and winked at me. Then she was gone, and Logan was watching me from across the table with a smirk on her face. I hadn’t talked to her outside of a few texts all week since I’d been visiting Noraland regularly, and she’d been talking to Jase whenever she could. And I realized for the first time that we were both preoccupied by other people.

  It was a first for us since I’d never had a girlfriend before, and dare I say that I was pretty sure Nora was my girlfriend even though we hadn’t labeled anything yet.

  “What?” I asked, as she started to peruse the menu in front of her with that smirk still plastered on her face.

  “Nothing,” she said, and just shook her head and continued to look down, fighting the smile that was trying to poke through.

  “Yes, we’re dating,” I said then, because I knew it was what she was waiting to hear.

  “You are!” she cheered, her head whipping up to meet my gaze, her blue eyes alight. “That is so exciting! I’m so happy for you, E.”

  Yup, I was moving on. I’d be lying to myself if I said I didn’t still carry a torch for her, but she would never be mine, and I think I’d finally realized that. And in doing so, I’d scored myself a pretty amazing girl.

  “Yeah, yeah. It’s great. I’m happy. She’s cool as shit, and I’m trying to block out the fact that her brother is Jase.”

  “Hey,” Logan said, frowning suddenly. “Not cool, Ethan.”

  “Sorry. I’m sorry. I will one day like him, I promise, but it might take a while. I’ve got history with the guy.”

  She rolled her eyes. “That was like five years ago. So what if he was a douchebag in high school. Get over it. I love him, he’s in my life, and I’d like you two to be friends.”

  “I’d like that too,” Nora said suddenly, sliding back in next to me, her hand immediately going to my leg where it stayed, resting on my thigh.

  I liked that.

  “Fine, I’ll make an effort,” I promised, knowing I wasn’t going to get anywhere with those two. They were both on Team Jase.

  “Thank you,” Logan said, smiling brightly at me as her phone dinged and her smile was suddenly directed at it and what was surely a text message from Jase.

  I watched her fire off a text as Nora’s hand slid higher up my leg. I turned to look at her.

  “What are you doing?” I asked under my breath.

  She shrugged. “Nothing much.”

  I smirked at her coyness. “Um, it’s a little something.”

  “It’s not so little,” she said, grinning wickedly at me, as her hand brushed the edge of my dick over my jeans. I jumped, which made her chuckle.

  It wasn’t the first time she’d touched me there. We’d messed around, took some of our clothes off, and she’d teased me, but something about what she was doing felt different. She was more aggressive all of a sudden, and I desperately wanted to see what she had up her sleeve.

  “It’s driving me a little insane,” I whispered, truly not wanting her to stop.

  She grinned. “Good. That’s exactly what I was aiming for,” she said, as her hand moved higher.

  I chanced a glance at Logan as I sucked in a breath through my teeth, but she was immersed in her text conversation with Jase and not paying us any attention. Which was good, because suddenly Nora’s lips were at my ear, and her hand was full-on cupping my junk.

  “I’m excited to go back to your place tonight,” she said softly, as she started to massage me. I felt her smile against my earlobe. “I can see you like that idea.”

  I turned to her. “What’s not to like?”

  She grinned.

  “So, what’s everyone ordering?” Logan suddenly asked, and Nora’s hand released me, forcing me to internalize a groan. I saw Logan’s eyes narrow. “What are you two doing over there?”

  “Nothing,” Nora said, as she flipped nonchalantly through her menu. “How’s Jase?”

  Yeah, way to distract her. Good job.

  Logan smiled widely. “He’s good. The cast went out to dinner tonight, and now they’re having drinks at the hotel bar.”

  “You wish you were there, don’t you?” Nora asked, as she closed her menu, having apparently decided what she was getting.

  Logan shrugged. “I just miss him, but I’ll see him tomorrow.”

  “Then why do you look sad?” Nora questioned.

  Logan played with the edge of her menu. “Because after he flies out Monday morning, I won’t see him again for a month. I knew when he left he would come back for the Oscars, so that was something to look forward to, but now he doesn’t have a reason to come back.”

  “He has you,” I suddenly spat out, getting irritated that Logan was devaluing herself.

  “Yeah, but he’s going to be really busy. His schedule is so intense with filming and publicity appearances in New Orleans, not to mention he’s flying to New York in a few weeks to do an interview and a photo shoot for Rolling Stone to promote the movie.”

  Nora shook her head. “Yeah, but I know my brother, and he’ll do what he has to do to close the distance. I wouldn’t worry about it.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. He probably will,” Logan said, but I didn’t believe her.

  “He will,” Nora insisted. “Trust me.”

  Logan smiled and shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right. He will.”

  I was glad she’d finally found her common sense. Even I knew Jase was crazy about her.

  Throughout the rest of the meal, we had easy conversations about school, surfing and even Spring Break. I was considering going to Cancun, but when Nora said she was staying in town to teach a week long horseback riding camp to underprivileged girls, I thought I might want to stick around. I could always surf in my backyard. It was one of the perks of living on the beach.

  As we were leaving the restaurant we were suddenly bombarded by three photographers who started to talking to Logan.

  “Hey Logan,” one said, and she looked up at him.

  I knew instantly by the look on her face that she knew him, and she didn’t like him. She looked away and didn’t say anything, but he suddenly thrust something in her face.

  “Any comments on this?” he asked, as the other photographers snapped pictures of us waiting for the valet to bring my car around.

  “No,” she said tightly, looking away from what I could tell was a picture of Jase and Chloe.

  The photographer grinned as if he’d known what her reaction would have been. “Yeah, I figured as much. That online website used an old picture, because they didn’t have a new one. But they do now.”

  “What?” Logan asked, her head snapping up, and I knew she instantly regretted playing into the photographer’s hand.

  He smirked at her. “Take a look. You can be one of the first to see it. They just uploaded it an hour ago. My buddy’s been camped out down in New Orleans, and it seems your boyfriend was cozied up with his ex-girlfriend tonight. Any thoughts?”

  Logan just stood there looking like she’d seen a ghost.

  “Come on, Lo,” I said, suddenly grabbing her arm.

  The car was there, so Nora climbed into the backseat, and I shoved Logan in the front seat as the guys behind us continued to take her picture. They didn’t stop until we drove away.

  “What was that all about?” Nora asked, as Logan furiously typed something into her phone.

  I saw Nora lean over the seat to get a be
tter view. Logan suddenly held up her phone, and Nora sucked in a breath. The picture was grainy, and it was taken with a telephoto lens, but it was pretty clear that Jase had been at dinner, Chloe was sitting next to him, and she was leaning into him and practically sitting on his lap as they both laughed.

  “Lo, that doesn’t mean anything,” Nora insisted. “It’s probably another old picture. Just ignore it.”

  Logan shook her head. “No, I bought him that shirt for his birthday. The picture’s recent. Charlie’s also sitting next to him. I can see half of his face.”

  “Well, it doesn’t mean anything except they went to dinner. Don’t read into it. It’s what Chloe wants. I would bet that she’s not above trying to get as close to him as she can by any means necessary.”

  I didn’t know Chloe, but Nora seemed to, and I knew she’d had some run-ins with Logan before, so I tended to side with Nora. Chloe seemed like a shady bitch if you asked me.

  Logan suddenly steeled herself. “I know. You’re right. It’s fine. I trust him,” she said, almost as if she was trying to convince herself that she believed what she said.

  I looked over at her as I drove. She was sitting up straight and looking out the window. It pissed me off that she was so insecure all of a sudden. She never used to be like that.

  “You should trust him, Lo,” I said, not believing I was saying it, but I was being honest. I didn’t think Jase would hurt her. He loved her. That much I knew.

  She didn’t respond. She just continued to look out the window at the scenery.

  “You still want me to drop you off at his house?” I asked her.

  That had been the original plan since he’d be arriving back in L.A. around noon the next day, and I knew she wanted to be there when he got home.

  She turned to me with new resolve in her features.

  “Yes, I still want to go there,” she said confidently. “You’re right, Ethan. I’m not going to let this get to me. He’s an actor. He’ll have to go on location from time to time, and I can’t wig out and get all crazy when he does or when some picture of him and a pretty girl shows up online. I’m not doing it anymore. Jase deserves at least that from me.”