“Am I going to have a cast?” Hearing a quaver in her voice, Nic sat down beside Rachel and held her hand.
“Yes. But because you don’t have much sensation in that leg, we’ll use a bivalve cast. It’s open and will allow us to see the skin and ensure no further damage occurs.”
“Will I be able to walk on it?”
The doctor shook his head. “The risk of re-injury is too high. You’ll need to use a wheelchair until the fractures heal.”
Rachel’s eyes filled with tears, and she made a small sound that tore Nic’s heart to shreds. His own eyes watering, he wrapped her in his arms and smoothed her hair. When she’d first been injured, the doctors had warned them of the severe bone loss that caused almost a third of paraplegics to suffer fractures within ten years. Why hadn’t he hired more ranch hands to help her? Damn it! She should never have been anywhere near a birthing mare.
“Will she,” Nic started, then cleared his throat. “When her leg heals, will Rachel be able to walk with crutches again?”
“Possibly.” The doubt in the doctor’s voice made Nic’s stomach drop. “But I have to warn you, there’s a very difficult road ahead. We’ll immediately start physical therapy on the uninjured leg to avoid loss of strength and range of motion. Then, after the injured leg is healed, it’s going to take many more months of therapy to regain the previous level of mobility.”
Rachel’s face drained of color; her eyes filled with fear. He’d give everything he had to change places with her, to make her whole, to see her dance again. He caressed her cheek. “Round-the-clock care, on-site physical therapy—we’ll get whatever you need, Rachel. I promise.”
The doctor nodded. “A technician will be in shortly to make your cast. You should be all set to leave in a few hours. Mr. Lamoureux, may I speak with you for a moment?”
Nic followed the doctor into the hall. As soon as they were alone, the doctor said, “Depression in situations like these is common. Since you don’t live with Ms. Lamoureux, is there someone, family or friend, who can keep an eye on her?”
“My friend, Rémi, owns the ranch next door. He can make regular visits and tell me if he notices any problems.”
“Perfect.” The doctor handed him a business card. “Call me if you have any questions or concerns.”
As soon as the doctor left, Rémi joined Nic in the hall. “How’re you holding up?”
Nic shook his head. “Rachel’s barely had time to get over losing our mother, and now this? The doctor warned me to be on the lookout for depression.” He met his friend’s gaze. “I’m really worried about her.”
Rémi clasped his shoulder. “She’s young and strong, and she has us. I’ll run the ranch until she’s able to take over again. We’ll get her through this.”
Nic slapped his forehead. “The kids! She’ll be devastated if she has to cancel the horse therapy sessions.”
“I’m sure I can find some teens on the rez who’d love to help out.”
“Thanks, man. I’m counting on you to be my eyes. If she seems even a little unhappy, I want to hear about it.”
“I’m on it, brother.” Rémi pulled Nic into a big bear hug. “Our little sister will be so sick of me hanging around, she’ll beg you to kick me off the ranch.”
Nic snorted. As if. Without Rémi, he and Rachel would both be lost.
At the end of a very busy week of making modifications to the house and hiring help for Rachel, he had to fly back to L.A. He hated to leave her. “I love you, Rachel.”
The sweet loving way she looked at him made Nic’s throat constrict until he could hardly breathe.
“I love you too. Now go, or you’ll miss your plane.”
With the bitter taste of guilt in his mouth, Nic drove the rental car to the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport and flew back to his life as Nic The Lover.
Nic struggled to make a graceful knot in his tie, as he stood in front of his bedroom mirror getting ready for the footprint ceremony to be held in his honor at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. He glanced at his Movado dress watch, a gift Vivian had insisted on giving him when he’d refused to buy a $25,000 Jaeger-LeCoultre. He had enough time to check on Rachel. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he placed the call.
“How did your visit with the doctor go?”
“He said things are progressing nicely, and if I’m very careful to let the leg heal properly and follow up with intensive physical therapy, he’s optimistic that I’ll walk again.”
Nic let out the breath he’d been holding. Her voice sounded stronger than it had since she’d been injured. “Make sure you follow the doctor’s recommendations to the letter. How are things going with the nurse?”
“Marie-Soleil’s fabulous and funny. Hey, who are you taking to the footprint ceremony tonight? Rémi’s coming over to watch it with me.”
“Vivian set me up with someone.” Without having even met his date, he knew the wanna-be starlet would be tall, blonde, and none too bright. But hey, they’d look great together on camera; Vivian’s setups always did.
“Another blind date! Why aren’t you taking Lauren?”
“Our relationship is strictly professional.” Nic could hardly believe the words coming out of his mouth. There was nothing strictly professional about his attraction to Lauren.
Rachel laughed, clearly seeing through his smoke and mirrors. “Have you at least talked to her since you got back?”
With a sigh, Nic fell back on to the bed. “No.”
Although he’d considered asking Lauren to accompany him tonight, he hadn’t heard from her in the ten days since they’d had dinner. Several times he’d asked Vivian if Lauren had called or sent proofs. But there’d been no sign of her. Maybe she’d decided he wasn’t worth the trouble. It was probably better this way.
“Why do you keep doing that to yourself?”
“Doing what?” Letting Vivian set him up?
“Pretending. I know you have an image but, once in a while, you could let yourself get close to someone you might actually like.”
“Trust me, Rachel. It’s for the best.”
“Best for who? Certainly not you.”
“Best for everyone. I live in a fishbowl. How could I ask a woman like Lauren to put up with that?” He sat up and looked at his watch again. “I’m going to be late.”
“This conversation isn’t over. Anyways, congratulations again.”
Nic cleared his throat. “It’s all for you, Rachel.”
“For once, I’d like it to be for you.”
So would I. But it was never going to be that way.
“Mom! Come quick.”
At Jason’s frantic call, Lauren ran into the living room still wearing the rubber gloves she’d put on to clean the bathroom.
“What is it, honey?”
“Nic Lamoro’s going to be on TV.”
She grinned. Jason’s mispronunciation of Nic’s last name made it all too clear why he and Vivian had decided to go with the much easier Nic The Lover. Pulling off the gloves, she sat down on the couch beside her son and braced herself against the impact of seeing Nic again. She’d been trying so hard not to think about him since he’d stood her up ten days ago that she’d managed to forget tonight was his footprint ceremony.
As she watched, Nic climbed out of a limo in front of Grauman’s. While he turned to wave to the enthusiastic fans, a large blond man she assumed to be his bodyguard helped a woman out of the car. The TV camera panned to the south side of Hollywood Boulevard, capturing the thousands of people who had turned out for the star-studded event.
“That’s Nic!” shouted Jason as he pointed to the television screen. “Why’s he all dressed up and who’s that woman?”
Lauren bit her lip. That woman, who looked like a supermodel in her black stripper heels and little black dress, emphasis on little, was exactly Nic The Lover’s type—tall, thin, and blonde. Black stilettos notwithstanding, Lauren was the polar opposite of this woman—short, brunette, and with more than a f
ew pounds to lose. How could she have thought he was even the slightest bit attracted to her? Trying to hide her irritation, she answered, “I think she’s his date.” Jason looked at her askance but didn’t say anything more. He wasn’t buying her act at all. Hmm, maybe she should have taken some acting lessons from Nic.
Together they listened to the on-site reporter. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Entertainment Buzz’s coverage of Nic The Lover’s footprint ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Here’s a tidbit for all you movie buffs. Silent film star Norma Talmadge started this tradition in 1927 when she accidently stepped in wet cement at the premiere of King of Kings. Since then, less than two hundred actors have placed their footprints, handprints, and autographs in cement tiles in the famous forecourt of this landmark theater.”
“Did you hear that, Mom? Nic must be really special.”
Lauren fought against the ache in her throat. “He's certainly something, all right.” Her gut twisted as she noticed Vivian hanging off Nic’s arm. At least his date had stayed in the main red carpet area.
A huge roar rose from the crowd when the reporter announced, “Folks, Nic The Lover is heading across the boulevard to greet his fans.”
“Do you think someday I’ll get to meet Nic?” Jason asked.
If he’d asked her while she’d still been in D.C., she probably would have replied, “Sure, someday.” But now? “I don’t think so, honey.”
Security guards spread out along the row of barriers as Nic walked along the fence, shaking hands and talking with his fans. The crowd constantly surged forward and back as people tried to get closer. A few had signs or pictures for him to autograph. When one lady handed him a Sharpie and asked him to sign her shoulder, he laughed but complied.
At one point, he reached over the barrier to wipe the tears from a young girl’s face. When he kissed her check, Jason made a face like he’d swallowed a bug. “That’s just gross. Who’d want to kiss a girl?” His eyes opened wide as he realized what he’d said. “Oops. Sorry, Mom. You don’t count.” Lauren smiled and ruffled her son’s hair.
In that moment between Nic and the young girl, she’d caught a glimpse of the sweet, caring boy she’d known in high school. But Nic wasn’t that boy anymore. He was a man who could capture a woman’s heart with a simple grin, just as he’d captured hers. Her heart ached, knowing she’d never again get to run her fingers through his dark hair or kiss his smooth lips.
But the reality was that while she’d been making herself sick worrying about him, he’d probably been living it up somewhere with the blonde.
He was, after all, Nic The Lover.
“Socialize, be polite, talk to the reporters. I got it.” To take some of the bite out of his words, Nic smiled at Vivian.
She gently rapped his arm, but she was smiling too. “You’re impossible. Now go enjoy yourselves.”
Nic took his date by the arm and started to mingle. Almost immediately, he was waylaid by reporters milling around the red carpet area. “Good evening, Nic,” called out the reporter from Entertainment Buzz. Kaden stood back for the interview, vigilant but out of camera range.
“Good evening, Tammy.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, our honored guest this evening, Mr. Nic Lamoureux or, as he’s better known, Nic The Lover. Nic plays Blake Winters in the highly acclaimed Bad Days, recently premiered at the GI Film Festival in Washington D.C. Nic, how did you like working with Jane Carver?”
Nic smiled and turned toward the camera with the flashing red light atop it. “Jane was wonderful as Emma Sanders. It was a pleasure to work with such a talented leading lady. In fact, the entire cast and crew were tremendous.”
“One last question, Nic. Everyone’s dying to know.” She glanced around with a wide, knowing grin. Then she turned back and looked pointedly at him. “Where’s your girlfriend?”
Nic blinked. What girlfriend?
The reporter raised an eyebrow. “The photographer. From the festival.”
“Tammy, this is—” Hoping she’d get the hint, he pulled his date forward by the arm, and widened his eyes at her. What the fuck was her name?
“Summer. Summer Rayne. I’m an actress. Nice to meet you, Tammy.”
Nic barely resisted rolling his eyes. Jesus Christ. Where did Viv find these women? With a smile for Tammy, he placed his hand on Summer’s lower back and guided her deeper into the crowd of assembled celebrities.
His step faltered when he overheard Tammy say, “Well, there you have it. Ladies of America, rejoice. Playboy Nic The Lover could not be captured by the wily single mom photographer from Seattle. The staff here at Entertainment Buzz are placing bets on how long Nic will play in the Summer Rayne. Who’ll be next? Tune in tomorrow night and we’ll let you know.” Laughing, she moved on to her next interview.
Nic ground his teeth. Vivian planned to tone down his image in a few years but insisted he had to stick with the sex symbol act for now. Nic couldn't wait to have a normal life again.
And Lauren? What did she want?
Stop right there, idiot.
By all appearances, she’d dropped him like a box office bomb. If he were smart, he’d leave things at that. With the stalker on his tail, it wasn’t safe to get involved.
Glancing at the woman beside him, he saw Summer smiling brightly, unfazed by the insinuation that she’d be only a one-night stand. Then again, she didn’t need to care. She’d gotten what she wanted: her name mentioned on national television twice. That was the Hollywood way—use and be used.
They made their way through the crowd. With Summer’s help, he side-stepped countless questions and comments from the press regarding his relationship with Lauren. He couldn’t understand the press’s fascination with her. Okay, maybe he could.
Lauren’s sincerity and innocence were rare in Hollywood, where even the young were jaded and cynical. And his fans could relate to her, a single mom trying to raise her kid the best she could, because she was like them.
As they walked through the crowd, Summer flashed him a seductive smile. “When we’re done here, maybe we could hang out at your place for a while.”
Like hell. He never went out with the same woman more than twice, and he never took them home. The loft was his sanctuary, the only place he could take off his movie star mask and just be himself. Summer stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Or we could go to my place.” She nibbled his earlobe.
“That could work.” He disentangled himself from her arms and surreptitiously checked his watch. Fifteen minutes to go.
Summer pressed a hand to her chest. “Oh Nic! My chest is starting to feel tight, and I forgot my purse with my inhaler in the car.”
The crowd roared as more celebrities arrived. Shit. It wouldn’t be safe to leave the red carpet area. “Kaden, can you get Summer’s purse from the car?”
“I’ll get the head of security to assign a guard to cover you.” Kaden walked over to a burly man about thirty yards away.
Nic spotted some acquaintances and led Summer over to make introductions. When a commotion arose behind him, he glanced over his shoulder. Bodies parted like the Red Sea to reveal a woman walking with a determined step in his direction. He did a double take and spun around to stare at the approaching Anna Nicole Smith look-alike.
The woman was very tall in her red stiletto heels. Curly blonde hair hung halfway down her back. Her curvaceous body was crammed into a very tight, very short crimson dress, the bodice of which left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her smile, enhanced by the matching lipstick, resembled the grin a lioness might make upon spying her prey.
All he could do was take a step back before she launched herself at him. He let out a strangled “Ooof!” as Anna Nicole tackled him to the ground.
CHAPTER 5
Was he being punked?
Nic landed hard on his back, the woman draped across his chest. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smothered his face in a pair of double D’s. He wasn’t able to d
rag in a lungful of air until she scooted down to kiss his forehead, nose and cheeks. The situation was kind of funny. He’d even been on the verge of laughing—until she started talking.
“Oh Nic, I’m so sorry I was late and you had to come here with that bimbo. Why, she’s just using you to get on TV,” she told him in a southern accent. “I knew you weren’t really interested in that photographer either. Don’t you know, sugar, I’m the only one for you?” And with that, she kissed him long and hard on the mouth.
What the fuck? Was this woman NicsBitch? Her dress looked poured on, but she could have a knife hidden beneath those mammoth breasts. Christ, she was an octopus, all eight of her hands groping him in places he preferred to have groped only in private.
He had to get her off. She was attached to his face and he couldn’t breathe.
Arching his back, he pulled his knees up to get some leverage, placed his hands on her shoulders and, pushing as hard as he could, heaved her to the side. Her weight and the momentum caused them to roll over until he was on top of her.
Gently but firmly, he extricated himself from the tentacles of her arms. He managed to get on his knees before she blocked him by wrapping her mighty thighs around his waist and locking her ankles at the small of his back.
Kaden arrived at a dead run. He grabbed the woman under her arms and wrenched her away. Boots stomped on the ground behind him and in a rush, a group of shouting security guards arrived. As they hauled the woman to her feet, Nic remained kneeling, sucking in air.
Cameras flashed furiously, illuminating him and his zealous fan as the guards led her away. She was crying and calling out to him, begging him for help. What she’d said too closely echoed NicsBitch. Until the police confirmed she was harmless, he wasn’t stepping one foot closer to her, tears or no tears.
Summer knelt beside him and pressed his hand to her chest while Kaden spoke with the security guards. “Oh Nic. That was so awful. The nerve of that cow pretending to be your girlfriend.”
DEADLY OBSESSION Page 6
