Hollywood & Vine

by Olivia Evans

  “And the bad news?”

  “I doubt I’ll be so lucky next time.”

  “Care to explain?” The forced restraint in Anders’ voice was evident.

  “Here.” Josie grabbed her bag and pulled out a magazine. “See for yourself.”

  Taking the magazine, Anders scanned the cover. A picture of him and Aubrey covered the front. “It would be my fucking luck that I expose Aubrey the day before Variety magazine goes to print. I hope those assholes were up all night doing the reprints.” With his expression twisted with disgust, he thumbed through the pages and settled back on the couch.

  “Hollywood lies exposed,” Anders said, his tone mocking. “In a Lifetime movie-esque turn of events during a fan panel yesterday, Anders Ellis exposed one of the many ugly truths about the deception among celebrities. In a move to promote their upcoming movie, The Double Cross, and fatten their already padded pockets, Anders Ellis and costar Aubrey Nash plotted to fool us all.

  “Pretending their onscreen romance had become their off-screen romance as well, Anders’ and Aubrey’s names were on the lips of every gossip columnist in the world. The news that once-unattainable playboy Anders Ellis was off the market had the media buzzing. Fans of their upcoming flick spent countless hours surfing the Internet searching for pictures of the duo.

  “The attention garnered from their faux relationship guaranteed their film would be a success. But in a tangled web of lies, it turned out Anders was indeed off the market, just not because of Aubrey. Unhappy about the turn of events, Aubrey acted as any woman scorned. She exposed Anders’ secret lover and played the victim. At least that’s what they wanted us to believe. Did Anders really have a secret girlfriend? Was she in on the lie? Or was everything a hoax that went too far?

  “Lies run deep through the veins of Hollywood. The public only sees what celebrities allow. One thing is certain, however. Anders outing Aubrey as a double-crossing costar will undoubtedly mark the end of her career.”

  With a groan, Anders tossed the magazine on the coffee table and dropped his head back. “What a fucking mess.”

  “It could be worse. They hardly mentioned me.”

  Anders lifted his head and locked eyes with Josie. “In this magazine, but not the others. They’ll each take an angle and sell their version as exclusive insider information. It’s how they stay in business. Everything’s connected. We’ll all have our turn in the hot seat.”

  The memory of Josie’s run-in with the paparazzi caused Anders to stiffen. “They’re going to start following you again, asking questions, watching where you go and who you’re with.”

  Josie bit the inside of her cheek and curled her fingers under the hem of her shorts. She wanted to tell him she could handle it, but the truth was the thought terrified her. Anders noticed. Wrapping his arms around her middle, he pulled her onto his lap.

  “Do you think it will be as bad as last time?”

  Anders didn’t want to lie, but he didn’t want to scare her either. He’d do everything he could to keep the attention away from her no matter how long it took. His muscles tightened as realization washed over him for the second time. “Ivy, I’m leaving.”

  “What?”

  “My press junket starts next week. I’ll be gone almost a month.”

  “But you just got here. And now this.” Josie motioned toward the magazines on the table. “It’s going to be just like last time.”

  “No. It won’t. Nothing about us is going to be like last time.” Anders hooked his finger under her chin and tilted her face up. “I need you to trust me.”

  “I want to, but you have no more control over those assholes than I do. Even if you did, you’re not going to be here.”

  Anders scooted back against the couch and shifted Josie in his lap. Dropping his face to her neck, he breathed a lingering kiss against her skin. “Come with me,” he whispered.

  “Where?”

  “The press junket. I can protect you if you’re with me.”

  “I can’t take a month off work, Anders. I have responsibilities here. And if I go with you, there will be no hiding that we’re together. If we think it’s going to be bad now, can you imagine how much worse it will be if it gets out that I’m traveling with you?”

  “I don’t want to be away from you.”

  “I don’t want that either, but we’ll figure it out. Maybe this will be a good thing.” The lie tasted bitter as it left her lips. Nothing about being away from him for a month sounded good.

  “Liar.”

  “I sounded pretty confident though, right?” Josie joked, but nothing about their situation was funny.

  “It was weak at best.”

  Josie huffed and elbowed him in the stomach. “Well, do you have any other suggestions?”

  Anders traced random patterns over her exposed skin as he tried to come up with a solution. “Do you have any time off work?”

  “I told you I can’t―”

  “I’m not talking about traveling with me,” he interrupted. “I don’t leave for a week. Take a few days off and stay at my house. It’s more secure. You’ll have everything you need. It can just be us.”

  Josie agreed without hesitation. She wanted that uninterrupted time with him. She wanted to stay in their bubble and reconnect. “I have a few days coming up when I don’t have to be in the studio. I’ll need to let Craig know, and I need to grab some drawings from the studio that I’ve been working on.”

  “Can Madison get them for you? I’m not trying to push, but I’m worried about you going there after what happened yesterday.”

  Nodding, Josie went to her bedroom to pack and call Madison while Anders jumped in the shower. As expected, Madison agreed. Of course this was only after Josie promised to call when she watched the video of, as Madison put it, “Anders losing his shit on Aubrey.”

  After Josie took a quick shower and Anders loaded her car, they were ready to leave. Josie’s stomach knotted with excitement and anxiety as she followed Anders out of her neighborhood. She tried not to dwell on the fact that in a week she’d be alone again while Anders promoted his movie. The thought of being left to deal with the paparazzi alone terrified her, but if the end result meant she got to have Anders, it would be worth it.

  Josie scanned the entrance of Anders’ neighborhood as the gates swung open. She didn’t notice any suspicious vehicles, but she knew that didn’t mean they weren’t being watched. Levi had opened her eyes to that fact. Pulling onto Anders’ street caused Josie’s stomach to flutter with nerves. She never thought she’d be there again. Never in a million years did she imagine Anders showing up at her door in the middle of the night to pour his heart out to her, to offer it to her. But he had, and she wasn’t going to waste a second of their time together. It seemed Anders had the same idea.

  Gathering Josie’s bags, Anders ushered them through the front door. Before Josie could blink, her bags were on the floor and Anders had her pinned against the wall. His kisses were demanding, and his need consumed them both.

  “I’m sorry,” he panted, yanking Josie’s shirt over her head. “I can’t…having you here.” Anders stiffened and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to calm his racing heart and the overwhelming rush of emotions that hit him when she stepped inside his home. Wrapping his hands in her hair, he tilted her head and pressed their foreheads together.

  “I have replayed you walking out this door in my head a million times. I’ve imagined chasing you down and demanding you listen to me. I’ve imagined telling you to go to hell, that I didn’t need you. But I never allowed myself to imagine you here again, like this, with me. I couldn’t. It hurt too fucking much. Having you here now…” Anders pressed their lips together and opened his eyes, locking her in his tortured gaze. “I have missed you every second of every day, Ivy.”

  Desperation and longing swelled between them as they made their way to his bedroom. Teeth bit into sweat slickened skin, the dull ache soothed by open-mouth kisses. Collapsing in a heap
of heavy limbs on his bed, they hugged each other close, relishing in the intimacy of the moment. A lazy grin lifted the corners of Josie’s mouth as she looked around the room.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with me staying here?”

  Anders’ smile mimicked hers even though his expression radiated confusion. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  With a cheeky grin, Josie waved her hand toward the floor. “I’m not picking this shit up. You’re going to have to be okay with the fact that I’m sort of a slob.”

  With a low growl, Anders rolled on top of her and pinned her hands above her head. “You’re not sort of a slob. You’re a complete fucking mess, and I’m totally throwing your shit in the trash if you leave it on the floor.”

  Josie laughed, wrestling an arm free and pinching his side. “What are you going to do when I have nothing left to wear?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? If you have no clothes, you can never leave. Sounds kind of perfect to me.”

  Josie’s eyes stung with unshed tears as she smiled. Winding her fingers in his hair, she pulled his face to hers. “Kiss me.”

  Anders brushed his nose against hers, a smile on his face as he dropped his lips closer only to pull away at the last second.

  “Don’t tease,” Josie chastised, her fingers winding tighter in his hair. “I might lose interest.”

  With a low chuckle and a mischievous gleam in his eye, Anders put forth his best effort in making sure she never lost interest in what he had to offer.

  The days that followed passed as expected. The news of Anders’ outburst reached every gossip outlet in the world. Reporters, agents, studio reps, lawyers, and every other bottom-feeder on the planet fought to get an inside track. Unfortunately for them, the objects of their desire were nowhere to be found.

  Having her things delivered from the studio under the ruse of being documents for Anders kept Josie’s whereabouts unknown. Of course, that did nothing to deter people from speculating. As much as Josie would have preferred to avoid the outside world altogether, she knew burying her head in the sand wouldn’t do any good.

  For Anders, it wasn’t an option at all. Not only did he have to deal with his impending trip but also with the backlash of his outburst. Nathan had done his best to put out fires, but there was no stopping the legal papers Aubrey had drawn up to sue him for slander and a host of other things. When Anders read the papers delivered by a process server, Josie had to restrain him from leaving the house. She pointed out once again that he was too pretty for jail.

  When her joke fell flat, Josie gave him the documents from Levi. Anders’ jaw flexed with anger as he saw the physical proof of Aubrey’s scheming and Levi’s involvement. In the end, though, he didn’t give a fuck about either of them. He had Josie and that was all that mattered. After a quick call to Nathan, Anders sent him scans of everything Josie had given him and then made a point to show his gratitude. Twice.

  The lawsuit was retracted a few days later.

  For Anders, it was over. He wouldn’t have to deal with Aubrey or Levi again. For Josie, things were a little more complicated, at least where Levi was concerned. Madison called later that day to let Josie know she’d told Holden about Levi’s involvement. To say he was upset was an understatement. He felt betrayed by his friend and hurt that Josie hadn’t confided in him. Josie knew she had a lot of apologizing to do, and much to her disappointment, those apologies would start soon.

  Josie leaned against the doorframe of Anders’ bedroom while he packed his suitcase. She smiled when he looked at her, but it didn’t reach her eyes. For almost a week they’d lived in a bubble, wrapped in secret smiles and soft touches. They’d teased, bickered, and taken advantage of every second they had together. She didn’t want to go back to the real world. She wasn’t ready for what waited outside the protective walls of Anders’ home.

  “What’s with the pout?”

  Shrugging, Josie pushed away from the door and crossed the room. She fell onto the bed and stretched her arms above her head. “I’m sad I won’t be waking up in this amazing bed after tomorrow.”

  Anders chuckled. “You don’t have to lie, Ivy. It’s okay to admit you’re going to miss me.”

  “What I’m going to miss”―Josie sighed, pulling the corner of the sheet to her face and rubbing it against her cheek―“are these sheets. Maybe I should take them with me. They need to be washed anyway. I’d be doing you a favor.”

  “I see. So you’re only with me for my thread count.”

  “And what a thread count it is.” Josie grinned and rolled out of the way when Anders reached forward and pulled the sheet from her hand.

  “Stop molesting my sheets,” Anders scolded, laughing when Josie buried her face in a pillow and flipped him off. Stepping over her clothes scattered on the floor, Anders swore under his breath and moved to his dresser. She was so messy. He heard Josie groan as her feet hit the floor.

  Grabbing some clothes from a drawer, he turned from the dresser, his steps faltering when his eyes landed on Josie. Her arms were filled with the clothes Anders swore she threw on the floor just to mess with him. The nagging feeling that had weighed on his chest dropped to his stomach. He understood it then. He knew what he was feeling.

  He didn’t want her to leave. Seeing her stomp around his room in a huff as she shoved her things in her bag was a scene he was all too familiar with. It had played in his mind hundreds of times. Granted this time was different, still, that knowledge did little to soothe the sharp sting of the memory.

  Anders dropped his clothes on the bed and crossed the room to where Josie stood. Wrapping his fingers around her arm, he tugged until she followed him, a questioning look on her face.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Shaking his head, Anders pulled her onto the bed. “Nothing. I just…well I thought that maybe…” He huffed in frustration and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Just fucking stay here, okay?”

  Josie flinched at the angry bite in his voice before her eyes narrowed with annoyance. “What are you talking about?”

  “I want you to stay here while I’m gone. It’s stupid for you to go back to your house. You have no security, nothing to keep those nosy bastards from walking right up to your door. It’s fucking ridiculous to even consider it.”

  Josie wrenched her arm free and stood from the bed. Hands on hips, she glared at him. “What is your problem? Don’t tell me I’m ridiculous for going back to my own home. I managed to get through just fine without your protection last time, didn’t I?”

  “If you consider almost getting hit by a car ‘just fine,’ then sure. You did fan-fucking-tastic.”

  “Wow,” Josie exhaled, stepping away from him. “You go from zero to asshole so fast sports cars would be impressed.”

  Anders swore under his breath and stood. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I’m scared, damn it.” He pointed at the pile of clothes at her bag. “I’m scared that if you leave you’re not going to come back. What if you change your mind while I’m gone? What if you realize I’m not worth it after all?” Anders stepped forward and cupped her jaw, tilting her head until their eyes met. “If you’re here, even if I’m not, it means you’re still with me. I’ve watched you pack your shit before. I can’t stand seeing you do it again.”

  The lines around Josie’s eyes softened, and she wrapped her fingers around his wrists. She pulled him closer until his forehead rested against hers. “I’m not going anywhere. Not like that. Don’t you get it? I never really left, never really been done. Why do you think I kept the same number? Why do you think I continued to answer your texts? I didn’t want it to be over. I never have. And besides, that was before. Now, after everything that’s happened? I’m not walking away. I promise. But I can’t stay hidden. Someone will see me coming in and out of your neighborhood. I think it’s best if I go back to my own place while you’re away. It doesn’t mean I’m never coming back.”

  Anders exhaled. “I’m sorry for acting like a dick.”

&nbs
p; “You need to get that tattooed to your forehead. It would save you a lot of time.”

  “Smart-ass.”

  “Asshole.”

  “Will you at least promise if things do get out of hand or you don’t feel safe that you’ll come back here?”

  With a small grin, Josie nodded in acquiescence. “Okay.”

  The following morning, Anders loaded Josie’s things in the front of her car and checked his watch. “What time is Madison supposed to be here?”

  “Any minute. What about your driver?”

  Anders blew out a breath and looked toward the gate. “Same.”

  “You finish grabbing your stuff. I’ll open the gate.”

  “Are you sure I can’t change your mind? There’s still time to book an extra ticket. Or you can tell Madison you’ve decided to stay here after all.”

  “Stop,” Josie whined. “This sucks enough without you giving me that pouty face.”

  Anders exaggerated his pout. “Is it working?”

  “Well, it might have, but then you got cocky.” Before Anders could respond, Josie’s phone chimed. “Maddie’s here.”

  Turning away from a sour-faced Anders, Josie stepped inside and pressed the button to open the gate. They’d decided earlier in the week to have Madison come over and switch cars with Josie. They weren’t sure if it was necessary, or if it would do any good, but it made Anders feel better and that was enough for Josie. Eyeing the bathroom, Josie dashed down the hall, unaware of the additional occupant in the front seat of Madison’s car.

  Anders turned toward the sound of the approaching car, his jaw tensing when he saw Holden with Madison. He wasn’t in any mood for a pissing contest. He wanted to kiss his girl goodbye. He wanted to demand that Madison keep an eye on her and not let her stubbornness get her into trouble. Not that Holden would stop him from doing either but it pissed him off nonetheless.

  “These are some digs you have here. Compensating for something?” Madison chuckled when Anders looked at her with narrowed eyes.

  “Jesus Christ. Do you and Josie have a list of insults you pass back and forth?”