Hollywood & Vine

by Olivia Evans

  Fuck you, Anders. I don’t have to do anything. Go to my house. It’ll be a waste of time. I’m not there.

  It took less than thirty seconds for him to respond.

  WHERE ARE YOU?

  Fire burned inside her and all of a sudden she wanted to give him the key. She wanted to scream at him for being an asshole, even if it only inflicted a small measure of the pain he’d inflicted on her. She wanted a moment’s reprieve from the turmoil twisting inside her.

  I’m at the studio. If you have something to say, I suggest you hurry. I won’t wait for you. Not ever again.

  Anders clamped his hand around the phone before jerking his arm back and sending it flying against the passenger side door. He looked at the car across the street and smirked. “Fuck you, assholes,” he growled. They could follow him to the studio, but they wouldn’t be allowed inside. They wouldn’t get their money shot.

  In less than ten minutes, Anders pulled through the gate, his breaths nothing more than angry pants as he stormed inside. The moment he saw her, the world melted away. Her stance was both casual and defensive as she leaned against the front of Craig’s desk. With her arms crossed over her chest it was clear she was ready for a fight, and he was going to give it to her.

  “Who the fuck do you think you are?” The words were out of his mouth before he crossed the threshold.

  Josie’s lips parted in shock and her pulse thundered in her ears. “Excuse me?”

  “Don’t act like you have no idea what I’m talking about, Ivy.” He spat her name like it was poison. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t harmless ivy inked across her skin, but the kind that made flesh burn and weep as it spread like a disease.

  Her flinch wasn’t visible on the outside, but inside her chest cracked at the hateful way he spoke her name. Every doubt and insecurity she ever felt hit her full force. He didn’t care about her. He never had. Josie shut down, her vision tunneling into a black hole of anger, sorrow, and regret. “If you have something to say, asshole, I suggest you say it. I’m not going to stand here and try to figure out what’s going on in that fucked up head of yours.”

  Anders shook his head in disbelief. “The magazine, Josie. The motherfucking magazine. Did they pay you well? Did you enjoy selling me out? I never pegged you for a malicious bitch, but I guess I was wrong. Big fucking surprise there.”

  The last word hadn’t even fallen from his lips before her hand connected with the side of his face. “You’re a piece of shit, Anders Ellis. You treat me like I’m nothing, you cheat on me, and now you have the nerve to insult me? Fuck you.” She spun around to grab the envelope when the rest of his words registered. Turning back to face him, she ignored the look of shock still etched across his face. “And for the record, I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.”

  Anders snapped out of his daze. “I’m talking about the magazine delivered to my house today about my secret affair with you. Nice touch making yourself a stripper, by the way.”

  The color drained from Josie’s face as confusion and dread sank like lead in the pit of her stomach. “What?”

  The drastic change in her demeanor caused Anders’ throat to tighten. When he spoke again, his voice was more uncertain but no less angry. “Stop playing games. I know you’re the one who talked to those leeches. No one else knows I call you Ivy.”

  Angry tears burned Josie’s eyes as confusion turned to panic. “Stop being so dramatic and tell me what you’re talking about!”

  “Stop pretending you don’t know! You went to a reporter and told them about us. The article mentioned you by name. It wasn’t just bullshit gossip.” He pulled the crumpled page from his pocket and thrust it into her hands.

  “Oh my God,” Josie choked as she scanned the page. She didn’t know what hurt most: the article referring to her as a stripper, the way it painted her as the other woman, or Anders’ belief she had something to do with its publication. “What is this?” Tears welled and slid down her cheeks, each one draining the anger from her body.

  Anders laughed, the sound harsh and angry. “I can’t believe you’re still denying it.”

  “Why? Why would I do this?” she screamed. “Are you out of your fucking mind? I have nothing, nothing, to gain from this.” Her hands shook and her heart...was decimated. He didn’t know her at all.

  Anders’ throat constricted when Josie’s face crumpled. He squeezed his eyes shut, wanting to erase the image of the tears streaking down her cheeks. For a moment, his doubt resurfaced before it was replaced with a feeling of déjà vu.

  The scene was almost identical. He stood in the middle of his living room, clutching the glossy pages of a similar magazine. Tears shimmered in his eyes as Eva stood before him, begging and pleading him to believe her. She said it wasn’t what he thought. That she wasn’t fucking his best friend behind his back. He’d come so close to falling for Eva’s lies, but he wouldn’t make that mistake again. He wouldn’t allow Josie to make a fool of him too.

  “Hurting me, that’s what you have to gain. You think I cheated and refuse to believe me when I say I’d never do that to you.”

  “Hurt you?” A sob tore from Josie’s throat as she shook her head. “I can’t hurt you. You’re dead inside. You take and take until you suck the life from everyone around you, until they’re as broken and barren as you. Believe me,” she choked, her palm pressed flat over her chest. “I have experienced firsthand how you break people.” She grabbed the envelope from her desk and turned to face him. The paper shook as she shoved it and the magazine page into his hand. “I didn’t do this. I could never be this vicious. It would be too much like you.”

  Anders stood frozen long after Josie had left, his eyes fixed on the article. His mind fractured as it jumped from the past to the present. The reality of what he said and how he acted made his knees buckle. On unsteady feet, he stumbled to the desk and leaned against it. He ripped open the envelope and let the key fall into his palm.

  “Ivy,” he whispered into the silence. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

  Thin white curtains fluttered from the breeze wafting through the window in the quiet bedroom. Sunlight danced over the floor and crawled across the bed where Josie lay on her stomach, her head turned toward the wall. Warmth caressed her cheek and sweat-soaked tendrils clung to her forehead. She blinked over red, swollen eyes, not bothering to move or focus on anything other than the blank surface of the wall.

  When she’d stormed out of the studio after her fight with Anders, she hadn’t fully processed his accusations. However, once she was home and the remaining traces of adrenaline seeped from her body, everything came crashing down. She cried more that night than she’d ever cried in her life. The realization that she didn’t know Anders at all, and he didn’t know her, was a painful one.

  She’d spent the following day wrestling with the truth that her first run at love had been a disaster. Maybe this was the path fate had planned for her. She’d spent her entire life so focused on first school, then work, that she’d managed to close herself off from any emotional attachments. Perhaps the only way for her to start living again was to have those walls shattered, brought down by an explosion of intense emotions.

  Her conviction that what happened with Anders was for the best―that it was only a stepping stone along the path of her life―gave her comfort. He wasn’t remorseful or apologetic. She just needed to treat what they had with the same detached, apathetic attitude.

  She put on a brave front and held her smile in place, even when Madison harassed her for every last detail. Josie explained as best she could, but it was all still a mystery to her.

  Madison felt there was very little mystery involved. She believed Aubrey was behind it all. Josie agreed, but what she couldn’t understand was why Aubrey would expose a story that made her look like a fool. However, going down that path brought up questions that made Josie’s stomach flip. Theories she didn’t want to entertain swam in her head until she felt like she was drowning
.

  It was later that night when her conviction burst like a broken dam, all because of the single harmless beep of the cell phone she’d ignored since the night before. She had unlocked the screen, expecting a missed call from Madison or Holden, but instead, she found text after text from Anders. The first one was mere hours after she left the studio, and the most recent was from two hours earlier. Twenty-seven texts covered her screen, and every one said the same thing.

  I’m so fucking sorry.

  All but the last.

  You were right. I am a piece of shit. You never deserved any of this.

  Angry tears blurred her vision. She didn’t want his apology. She wasn’t even sure what his apology was for: his accusations or what he’d done with Aubrey. The seed of doubt planted by her conversation with Madison split open and a sliver of hope began to sprout. She wondered if it was possible he’d told the truth, but just as quickly as hope appeared, it withered and retreated, leaving a gaping hole. The reality was, it didn’t matter. Sometimes sorry just wasn’t enough. Everything Anders said was lip service. There was no conviction. Being sorry changed nothing.

  Of course, as she lay in bed, hair slick with sweat and eyes tired and swollen, she knew even though it changed nothing, it didn’t stop the questions. It didn’t stop the hurt. Growling in annoyance, she flung the sheets back and stood from the bed.

  She didn’t have time to lie in bed and mope like a teenager. With only one day of filming left, and the studio wanting the casts’ wardrobe packed away immediately after it wrapped, the next two days would be insanely busy. With that thought in mind, she stepped into the shower, her shoulders a little more relaxed. At least part of her nightmare would soon be over.

  While the movie might have been a wrap for Josie, the same could not be said for Anders. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me,” he spat, glaring at the two men in front of him.

  “Look, I’m not sure how it happened. It was an accident,” the man to the left argued.

  “Accident? Or incompetence?” Anders was furious, and the men in front of him were receiving the full brunt of his fury.

  “Now, Anders. Calm down. These things happen. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days and we’ll be done. Consider it a mini vacation from all the recent bullshit.” The director lifted his brow, a knowing expression on his face.

  Anders blew out a heavy breath. When he received a call at six in the morning requesting he come to the studio, of all the scenarios he imagined, being told several scenes from Arizona had to be redone was not one of them.

  “When do we leave?” It was pointless to argue.

  The director smiled. “We’re going to shoot the last of your scenes today while a skeleton crew gets a head start to Arizona. They’ll set up so we can get started as soon as we arrive.”

  “Then let’s get to it,” Anders sighed.

  The director turned to the man next to him. “Chris, will you contact Craig or Josie and tell them which outfits we’ll need?”

  Anders spun on his heel, his heart hammering. “Is she coming?”

  The hopeful look on his face caused both men to gape in surprise. Their matching expressions made Anders want to slam his head against the wall, but he’d already asked, and he couldn’t take it back. Standing tall, he waited for an answer. It was the director who broke the silence.

  “No. It’s unnecessary. Wouldn’t you say?”

  “Completely unnecessary,” Anders agreed. “I’ll see you on set.”

  Chris looked between the director and Anders’ retreating form and shrugged. He grabbed his notes and took off in search of Josie or Craig. It was Josie he spotted first. He chuckled at the sight before him. Garment racks covered every square inch of floor space. In the middle of the room stood Josie, her face red from exertion.

  “I thought I was having a rough morning.” He grinned when she jumped and put her hand over her chest.

  “Crap! You scared me.” Smoothing her hair into a ponytail she looked around the room, her face scrunched in displeasure. “I can’t imagine your morning sucking more than mine.”

  “Oh, I beg to differ. I’ve spent the last hour with Anders Ellis. You can’t top that,” Chris joked. He pulled out the sheet of paper with the items he needed and extended it to Josie, unaware of the way her face had paled. He shook the paper when she made no move to take it.

  Josie’s eyes darted between the paper and Chris. “What’s this?”

  “We have to go back to Arizona and do some reshoots. I need you to get the clothes for the scenes listed and box them up before we go.”

  “I’m not going to Arizona.” The words tumbled out of her mouth.

  Chris’s eyes widened at the vehemence behind her words. “No,” he reassured her. “You don’t have to go. I just need you to get these clothes together. I know you’re packing all this stuff up, so you might want to snag what we need before they get lost in the shuffle.”

  Josie’s shoulders slumped as she took the paper from Chris. “Sure. No problem. I’ll grab this stuff now.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be around later to pick up the boxes.” Casting a final questioning glance over his shoulder, he disappeared down the hall.

  “Fuck.” Josie released a shaky exhale.

  “Damn, Josie. Are you robbing the place?” Madison laughed. She walked over to one of the racks and pulled a top from its hanger while keeping her eyes on Josie. “Because if so, this will look great with my white skirt.”

  Josie rolled her eyes. “Put it back. I’m not stealing this stuff.”

  “Ugh. Fine. You’re no fun.” She hung the shirt and with a dramatic sigh spun to face Josie. “Whatcha got there?”

  Josie looked at her hands then back at Madison. “They have to do reshoots in Arizona. I’m getting the clothes together. Well, I’m going to have one of the interns do it. And before you ask, no I don’t have to go.”

  Madison nodded before her eyes widened. “Oh, no. You don’t want to do that.”

  “What are you talking about? Do what?”

  “You don’t want to be around the interns. They’ve done nothing but talk about the article and speculate about the identity of Ivy. It’s all anyone can talk about.”

  “Ah, hell,” Josie groaned and leaned against the desk. “I can’t wait for this movie to be done so I can put this bullshit behind me.”

  “I can give the list to the interns if you want.”

  “No.” Josie pushed off the desk. “Keep the interns busy so I don’t get blindsided. Anders should be on set. I’ll run in his trailer, grab what I need, and get out of there.”

  “Okay. I’ll have them move a bunch of stuff around to keep them busy. It’ll be fun.”

  “Ah, torturing the interns. Reminds me of the good old days.” Josie laughed at the mischievous glint in Madison’s eyes as she tiptoed out of the office. With a sigh, Josie grabbed a box and headed to Anders’ trailer. The sooner she packed his things, the sooner she could get out of there.

  Of course that idea went to hell when she walked inside and found empty clothes racks and taped up boxes. She had no idea who packed his things, but she was certain whoever it was did so in hopes of finding something about Ivy.

  With a frustrated grunt, she ripped open a box and began searching. She tried not to linger on the memories of her time with Anders in the trailer. Memories of the way he would pull her close and nip at her ear while she straightened his bow tie. Or how when he shed his clothes, he somehow managed to coax hers to the floor as well.

  “Ivy?”

  She stiffened at the sound of Anders’ voice. Quickly swiping her hands over her cheeks, she was grateful to find them dry. Clearing her throat, she put the last piece of clothing in the box she brought and closed the lid. She pushed up from the floor and looked at the surrounding boxes. The floor was a mess, but she couldn’t be bothered to clean it up. One of the interns would take care of it.

  She glanced at her watch and swore under her breath. More than two
hours had passed. Picking up the box, she turned and faced him. “Anders.”

  “What…what are you doing here?”

  She motioned with her head toward the box. “Gathering the stuff you’ll need for Arizona.”

  “You don’t have to leave because I’m here.” Anders dragged a hand through his hair and shifted his weight. He wanted to ask if she got his messages, but he didn’t want to bring up the way he acted that night. He was just happy to see her.

  “Oh, no. I’m done. But I need to get this over to Chris, so...” She tightened her grip on the box and waited for him to step to the side. His face twisted with indecision, his eyes darting between her face and the door. When he made no move to get out of her way, she pulled in a deep breath and stepped forward. “Okay then.”

  “Ivy, wait.” His words were loud, abrupt, and caused Josie to jump in surprise. He wasn’t sure why he told her to wait. There was nothing he could say that wouldn’t end with an argument, but filming was over. The realization this could be the last time he saw her made him feel desperate. It caused a sense of loss to swell inside him like nothing he’d ever felt. He had to tell her one more time how sorry he was, whether it made a difference or not.

  “Don’t do this. I need to go.” Josie kept her voice even and low. She didn’t want to fight and the damage between them wasn’t repairable. She hesitated another second to see if he would move. When he didn’t, she moved to step around him again.

  “Just wait, goddamn it.” He reached out, grabbing her arms and pulling her to him. Their faces were a hairsbreadth apart. Anders pinched his eyes shut to control his reaction to her proximity. Her skin made his hands feel like they were on fire.

  “I’m not doing this.”

  The sound of her voice brought Anders out of his stupor. He released her and pulled the box from her hands, dropping it to the floor. With the box no longer providing a barrier, he stepped closer. “I just…” Blowing out a frustrated breath, he tried to relax the tension in his jaw. “I’m sorry about the other night. I wasn’t thinking. I should never―”