Gravity Happens (Forcing Gravity)

by Alexander, Monica

  “It won’t, Jase,” I assured him.

  He looked back up at me. “I thought about pulling out of the series,” he said then, and I knew he was referring to Sons of Sovereignty. “But I can’t do that. A lot of people have a lot riding on these movies, and I’m not going to be the asshole Hollywood actor who lets his personal life bleed over into his work life. It wasn’t the movie that did this. It was Chloe, and I can keep things with her under control if need be, but I’m not sure I’ll need to after what Nora told me about your confrontation with her. I have a feeling she’s going to lay low for a while.”

  I wasn’t so sure I agreed, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

  “I think it’s honorable of you to think of the movie first, but I’m still not a fan of you shooting with her.”

  He nodded. “I know. I’m not either. I have three more movies with her over the next year and a half, but all of my scenes with her are short scenes. I’ll mostly shoot with the other guys in the band, and most of those scenes we’ll shoot locally. I probably won’t need to go on location. We’ll do a lot of soundstage stuff, and you’re coming with me each time I have to be around her, just so you know.”

  “Okay, I’m down with that,” I said, enjoying his tactical approach to his plight. “But are any of the scenes you have to do with her sex scenes?”

  I tried to remember his character’s role from the other books, but I couldn’t remember any details.

  He looked like he was thinking, as well. “I think there’s a blowjob scene on the bus in the next movie, but that’s nothing. I don’t even get fully undressed for that, and I think that’s it. I haven’t seen the screenplays for the other two, but my character has such a minor role in both that I wouldn’t imagine there’s anything major from a sexual standpoint.”

  “Serena gets pregnant in the fourth book,” I reminded him.

  He shrugged. “Yeah, but that’s a side story, so they won’t show the sex that leads to it. They’ll use the pregnancy as a storyline for my character since he sort of freaks out about the whole thing while they’re on tour, right?

  “Yeah, that’s true.”

  “And I don’t think Serena was actually in the fourth book much. I mean Griffin talks to her on the phone and goes back to see her, but those will be minor scenes.”

  “You can always talk to Sloane about your concerns,” I suggested. “She’s involved in the screenplay, so I know she can use her weight to influence to your favor.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, I could do that.” Then he looked down at me again, his gaze so intense. “Logan, I don’t want you to worry about us, okay? You are all I need and all I want, and I’m not going to let anyone come between us again. If you can’t be with me, Charlie or Sloane will. I was stupid the last time. I was trying to be a good friend and let them have some time alone, so I told them to go upstairs and told them I’d be fine. Charlie didn’t want to leave the wrap party, but Sloane and I convinced him. And that was when Chloe slipped something into my beer.”

  “I still can’t believe she did that.”

  He shook his head. “I kept trying to figure out how I’d gotten so drunk so fast. I remembered being at the party, then I remembered feeling wasted, and I couldn’t remember drinking more than three beers. Everyone was laughing and cheering me on for finally letting loose, because I never got really drunk the whole time we were filming, outside of the night Chloe snapped that picture of us. I kept telling them that I wasn’t drunk, but they just laughed harder, and then they let Chloe lead me out of the bar. When we got upstairs, I remember falling down on the bed and telling her to leave me alone. She kissed me, and I tried to push her away, but my arms wouldn’t work. Then I can’t remember anything after that.”

  I leaned up and kissed him, because the agitated look on his face bothered me, and I wanted to remove the memories of what Chloe had tried to do to him. She was sick and twisted, and she just needed to be a part of our past. That was it.

  “I’m sorry I was so careless,” he said when I pulled away.

  I shook my head. “Shh. Don’t say that. It’s not your fault.”

  I pulled him down for another kiss and moved so I could wrap one leg over his hip. I felt him visibly react to the closeness of our still naked bodies, and he broke the kiss.

  “Again?” he asked, as he moved me so I was straddling his waist, hovering just above where I knew he wanted me.

  I leaned down to kiss him, pressing myself down onto his hardness. “Again, and again, and again.”

  “I love you,” he said, and I knew I’d never tire of hearing those words uttered from his lips.

  Epilogue

  Logan

  My gaze darted away from the small screen to Luiz’s face so I could see what he thought of the scene taking place in front of us. The director, Peter Weinberg, who was sitting on Luiz’s other side, had called cut four times already, but in the short time I’d been on set and had been observing his and Luiz’s techniques and seeing things through their eyes, I thought we might be good to go with this take.

  Luiz had a small smile on his face that I’d learned was an indication that things were going well, and Peter was leaned forward so far in his seat that I knew he was captivated by the scene. So as long as Jase and the two actors he was with didn’t flub any lines, I had a feeling Peter would yell ‘Cut! Print’ as soon as the scene ended.

  I turned back to the actual scene in front of me to see Jase wearing head-to-toe camouflage, flanked by two actors I’d gotten to know well – Curtis Livingston and Trevor Smith. The three of them were the primary actors in the movie, Charlie Rising. Jase spoke a line to Trevor who nodded in agreement and responded. My stomach fluttered with excitement.

  I loved seeing Jase work, and seeing him take on the role of a Vietnam soldier shed new light on his acting abilities. His character had moments where he went through a wide range of emotions in one day, depending on what happened. Luiz was doing an incredible job from what I could tell of bringing the gritty aspects of war to life, and Jase’s character lived them all on the forefront. I’d seen him react to the loss of his fellow soldiers, the impact of a war-torn village with very few survivors, and I’d seen him write passionate letters to his wife back home who was expecting a child. It was an incredibly moving film, and I was only seeing it in bits and pieces.

  I couldn’t wait to see what Luiz would do once filming wrapped and they went into the studio to cut and edit and finish the movie. He’d told me I could continue to be a part of the process if I wanted, and it was something I was considering.

  I’d been in South Carolina for three weeks, and despite the oppressive heat and humidity that I should have been used to, I was loving every minute of the experience. I’d be disappointed to go home in a few days since classes were starting, and I needed to be back in L.A. And I’d be leaving Jase behind for three more weeks.

  We’d spent the majority of the summer together in Ft. Lauderdale, and I was so used to seeing him daily that being separated was going to be foreign. But it wouldn’t be the end of the world. And when I went back to L.A., I was moving into his house – or our house as he insisted I call it once he’d convinced me to move in with him. I’d hesitated for a while, but then I realized that I was just being stupid. I kept thinking that we were too young and we needed to wait, but then I realized that sometimes when you truly love someone, you have to take a leap of faith. Jase and I had been to hell and back, we’d been slammed to the ground by gravity, and we’d survived, and because of all we’d gone through, living together honestly didn’t seem like that big of a deal.

  Hell, we’d practically lived together in the house he’d rented near my dad anyway – or at least we had after my dad decided he could trust Jase again. Jase had ended up flying back home with me, since he’d held true to his word of not wanting us to be separated, and we’d surprised my dad when we walked in the door together.

  I’d already told him the whole story when I talked to him on the p
hone, but just as I predicted, he was still skeptical of Jase and whether he was right for me. It took Jase suffering through a week’s worth of painful, silent dinners before my dad would even talk to him. Then he drug Jase to the golf course so he could be alone with him for eighteen holes and no doubt deliver a very stern message about how he treated me in the future. I felt it was completely unjustified since Jase hadn’t done anything wrong, but if it was what my dad needed to move forward, Jase was willing to suffer through anything he threw at him.

  I still have no idea what finally won back my father’s trust in Jase, because neither man would tell me what happened while they’d been on the golf course, but they’d called me to join them for dinner that night, and they were both smiling when I arrived. I didn’t ask, feeling like some things were better left unsaid. In the end, I knew my dad would always worry, because that’s what he did, but I think he worried a little less about Jase breaking my heart after that day.

  And because of his new found trust in Jase, he seemed to be agreeable to letting me spend some nights at his house, which completely blew my mind, but I was glad he’d let go of the reigns a little. It made it easier when I decided to tell him of my decision to live with Jase in L.A. I’d waited until my birthday at the beginning of July when we were all out to dinner to drop that bomb since we were in public, and although I knew the idea made his jaw clench, in the end, my dad didn’t fight my decision.

  He was in a good mood anyway, since he and Sasha had learned at the start of the summer that they were expecting a little boy, so they were busy getting ready for the next stage of their life together. I planned to go home at Thanksgiving to meet my new little half-brother, who they were going to name Lucas. My dad and I had talked the day before, and he’d gone on for ten minutes about what a strong name Luke Kessler was. I told him it sounded like he’d either be a lead guitarist or a quarterback, and that had made my dad laugh.

  “Cut! Print! That’s a wrap everyone. Thanks for a hard day’s work,” Peter called out, and all around me people started moving.

  When Peter wrapped a day of shooting, there was still so much to be done, and after being outside in the heat and humidity for twelve hours or more, most everyone was eager to get back to their hotel rooms and take a shower. I knew most of the cast and crew would end up in one of the local bars in the small town we’d taken over. Sometimes Jase and I joined them, but most of the time we kept to ourselves, watching movies in our room or just talking. It sometimes felt like we were still making up for lost time.

  “Damn, this set is intense,” I heard from behind me and whipped around to see Ethan standing behind me holding Nora’s hand and looking in awe as his gaze darted around to the landscape that had been turned into a makeshift Vietnam.

  “Ethan!” I shrieked, as I threw my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?”

  I hadn’t seen him since I’d left L.A., since he’d spent most the summer on a surfboard traveling all over the world competing, but we talked regularly. I knew Nora had traveled with him some of the time, and they were just as in love as they’d been the last time I’d seen them the morning before Jase and I left for Florida.

  “Hi Lo,” he said, squeezing me tight.

  I pulled away from him, and Nora instantly pulled me into a hug. “What are you guys doing here?” I asked, since no one had answered my question.

  “Jase flew us out to surprise you,” she said, as I pulled back to look at the two of them.

  “Seriously?”

  I glanced over my shoulder at Jase who was in conversation with Peter.

  “Yeah,” Ethan said, running a hand back through his hair that was blonder than I’d ever seen it after a summer at the beach. “He wanted us all to have some time to hang out before you left to go back to L.A., so here we are.”

  “We’re actually going to Hilton Head for the next two days,” Jase said from behind me, and I whirled around to look at him. “Charlie and Sloan are coming too.”

  “Really?” I asked, my eyes widening with excitement.

  Jase and I had taken advantage of the days when he wasn’t shooting or days we had off to get away from the madness and relax. We’d been to Hilton Head twice, but I was game to go again, especially if our friends were going with us. Nora and I really wanted Ethan and Jase to move beyond the skeptical feelings they had for each other and finally become friends, and I was glad both of them were willing to make an effort.

  “Yup,” Jase said, grinning at me as he put his arm around my shoulders. His face was streaked in make-up to look like dirt, and he was all hot and sweaty and dirty in his uniform, like a real soldier. I knew he wanted to take a shower, but I might have to delay him first, like I’d done a few times before, and have my way with him. His wardrobe for this movie sort of turned me on. Jase in a uniform was hot!

  “Yeah, I figured it would be fun to take a little trip,” he said, then he kissed my forehead. “We’ll leave after we get cleaned up and can pack a bag.”

  And after we do one other thing.

  “Ethan Lewis. Is that you?” Luiz asked as he walked toward us. He put his arm around Ethan. “It’s good to see you.”

  “You too, Luiz,” Ethan said, then he grinned. “Did Logan tell you I was hanging out in your old stomping grounds earlier this month?”

  Luiz grinned. “She told me you were in Rio, but tell me, how was the surf?”

  “The waves were kick-ass,” Ethan answered.

  Luiz nodded. “I surfed there many times as a boy. Best place in the world my opinion.”

  Ethan shrugged. “I’d put in the top five. Australia’s still my favorite.”

  Nora laughed. “Yeah, because you dominated there,” she said, sounding like a proud girlfriend.

  “I totally did,” Ethan said, not the least bit humble.

  I put my hands on my hips. “Please tell me you’re not ditching school to surf competitively, E,” I said, knowing he’d been vacillating with the decision.

  He shook his head. “Nah, I’m still going to compete, but I won’t do it full time. My life’s in L.A., and I don’t want to be away from this one,” he said, gesturing to Nora with his thumb.

  “Can’t live without me is more like it,” she teased, and I laughed.

  Jase leaned over to me. “I know exactly how he feels,” he murmured, and I turned to look up at his dirty, but adorable face.

  “Me too. But just think, while we’re apart, I’ll have three weeks to girlify your house.”

  His jaw dropped open playfully. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  I shrugged. “I’m thinking a lot of pink and even more lace.”

  Jase turned to Luiz. “Sorry, Luiz, but I need to quit the film since my girlfriend is threatening to turn my awesome house into Barbie’s Dream House.”

  Everyone laughed, and I looked up at Jase. “Don’t you mean our house?” I teased since he’d been the one telling me to call it that for over a month.

  He leaned down and kissed me. “Our house. How could I forget? I can’t wait to officially live with you, Logan.”

  “And I promise I won’t touch a thing. I actually love the way your – I mean our – house is decorated.”

  “Geez, have they been this sappy the whole summer?” Ethan mused loudly, and Nora elbowed him.

  “Yes, they have,” Luiz said, shaking his head. Then he winked at me.

  He was happy to see Jase and me back together, so he encouraged our sometimes nauseating behavior. And neither of us cared what anyone else thought, including the media who had raked me over the coals for taking him back. But none of that mattered, because I knew the truth, and that was that Jase had never stopped loving me, and I knew he never would.

  He took my hand in his as the four of us started to walk to where Charlie was waiting with the SUV Jase had rented for the summer. As we walked, Jase leaned over and kissed my forehead. “I love you.”

  I leaned into him, enjoying the warmth and comfort of being close to him. “I lov
e you too. I never realized when I begrudgingly went to that party at Ethan’s a year ago that my life would change so drastically as a result, but I’m so glad it did. I’m so glad I met you, Jase.”

  He grinned. “Not as glad as I am. I didn’t want to go to that party either, but it ended up being the best decision of my life. I’ll never forget when I first saw you, Logan. Something in me changed that night, and I’ve never been the same. I needed someone like you in my life, because you make me so happy.”

  I smiled. “And I swore I’d never date a celebrity,” I teased. “Now look at me, I’m practically living with one. What was I thinking?”

  Jase pulled me tighter to his side and lowered his voice. “That I’m hot, sexy and irresistible?”

  I laughed. “Well, duh, definitely that, but I there was more to it. I mean, I liked you when I read the article in Celebrity Weekly about your 25 favorite things last summer, because you seemed so funny and cool, but once I got to know you, I just fell in love with everything in here,” I said, tapping the space over his heart with my finger. “And I realized that you weren’t like other actors I’d met. You were genuine and kind and incredibly generous. I couldn’t help falling for you.”

  He smiled. “Yeah, I know how you feel. You know, I think I probably need to revise what they printed in that article.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Why?”

  He shrugged. “Because now if they asked me what my twenty-five favorite things were, I would just say Logan Kessler twenty-five times.”

  “Jase!” I said, because just when I thought he couldn’t get any sweeter, he did.

  “Hey, like I said, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  “So you’d put me before the Dodgers, beneits and Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake’s History of Rap? No way. I don’t buy it.”

  He laughed. “Baby, I’d put you before all of those things, because I know firsthand that without you, nothing else matters.”