She's Far From Hollywood

by Jo McNally

  Ty had a violent coughing fit.

  “Because if I didn’t give myself away, no one around here would want to be with me, right?”

  “Damn it, that’s not what I...”

  She left the room before he could finish. This felt sickeningly familiar. Leave it to Cole Caldwell to take an act of kindness and make it sound cheap and fake. She was almost out the back door when a strong arm wrapped around her waist. Her anger still burned bright, and she tried to pry his arm away by sinking her nails into his flesh.

  “Stop.” His breath moved across her ear. “Just stop. Listen to me, okay?”

  She gave up her attempts to escape but stood stiffly with her back to him.

  “Look, I told you my anger is on a hair trigger. I told you that, didn’t I?” She nodded, her shoulders easing against her will as he pressed a kiss to the base of her neck. “When Ty said you got the bar a $20,000 sound system, I...reacted badly. I’m sorry.” She felt him smile against her skin. “Hell, I haven’t said those words in months, and you’ve got me saying them every damn day. I don’t know if it’s because you make me screw up more, or if you just make me care when my screwups hurt you.” Another kiss. “Don’t leave this house angry, Bree. Not after last night. Don’t leave angry.”

  Her head dropped down, only to see Maggie sitting at her side, looking up with dark, worried eyes. “I’m sorry for what I said about spreading my legs...”

  He chuckled into her neck and she relaxed against his solid chest. The fight was over. “Yeah, that was a little tough to hear in front of my brother, but I guess I deserved it.”

  She turned and looked up at him, relieved to see a softer light in his eyes. “Is Ty still here? He must think we’re crazy.”

  Cole shook his head. His hands rested lightly on her hips. “He’s headed back to town. Ty knows I’m crazy, and he’s now having serious doubts about your judgment. He didn’t seem all that surprised to find us together, though. And he certainly wasn’t surprised to see us going at each other’s throats. I told him I’d meet him at the bar later and help with the new system.” He kissed her lips softly. “Breakfast was great.”

  She leaned into his kiss, but he brought her out of her warm thoughts with a sharp smack on her behind.

  “Now get up to Nell’s. I cleaned stalls for you, but I have my own place to run.” She grinned and turned away. Her hand was on the back door when he spoke again.

  “Brianna.” She looked over her shoulder, and the heat in his expression made her heart jump. “I’ve got to drive over to Bladenboro this afternoon to look at a cattle hauler, but I’ll be back tonight. I want to see you.”

  She watched the emotions move across his face. Desire. Affection. Fear. She knew she was mirroring the same. This was uncharted territory for both of them. She lifted her chin and shrugged, acting far braver than she felt.

  “You know where I live, Plowboy. If you forget, just follow your dog. She knows the way.”

  * * *

  “DO YOU HAVE any clue what you’re doing?” Ty handed Cole a drill while Cole balanced a speaker against the wall with his shoulder. Cole grunted.

  “With this speaker? Yeah, I think I’ve got it covered. It will definitely be attached to the wall when I’m done.”

  “I wasn’t talking about the speaker, and you know it. What’s the deal with you and Bree?”

  “She showed up during the storm last night, and things...just happened.” He leaned into the drill and sank the last screw into the wall. “I gave her full disclosure on the odds that I’ll make a mess of things, like I did this morning. She’s still in.” He shrugged at Ty’s dubious expression. “Maybe she’s as screwed up as I am.”

  Cole stepped off the ladder.

  “I’m worried about Bree being hurt,” Ty said. “But I’m more worried about you. You’re my brother. She’s going to be back in California as soon as they catch whoever’s stalking her. Have you really thought this through?”

  Cole frowned. He didn’t like to think about Bree leaving Russell. It just didn’t compute for him. But she was a product of Tinseltown. She’d been married to a movie star, and she’d probably end up married to another one. He was nothing more than a diversion while she hid out in his humble little part of the world. But maybe that was what made this thing between them work.

  “Ty, having an end date is what we both need. I’ve been out of circulation for a long time, and so has she. Might be good to have a fling with someone who doesn’t expect long-term in any way, shape or form. We scratch each other’s itches, so to speak, and we already know how it’s going to end, so there won’t be any drama when it’s over.”

  Ty handed him a cold beer from behind the bar. “Scratch your itch, huh? And am I right in guessing she takes care of your itch very nicely?”

  Cole smiled and shook his head. “Between you and me? Best. Sex. Ever. Hotter than hell. But it’s more than that...it feels different with her...” He realized he’d said far more than he’d intended. “Ty...”

  His big brother gave him a smile. “Look, if anyone deserves a few nights of hot, sweaty sex with a gorgeous woman, it’s you. Just be careful. With her heart, and with yours. I saw that adoring look in your eyes when you walked into the kitchen this morning.”

  Cole slid onto a bar stool. “You’ve been hanging out with Tammy and Emily too much. You’re starting to sound like a girl. Bree and I talked it out, and we’ve established reasonable expectations.”

  “Little brother, she made you laugh. Out loud.”

  Yeah, there was that. He shook his head. He wasn’t ready to examine that too closely.

  “We’re just two adults having a mutually beneficial, and very temporary, sexual relationship. Nothing more.” If he kept saying it out loud, he might just start to believe it.

  Ty stared at him then grinned. “Okay. Whatever you say.”

  The front door opened and Tammy walked into the bar with Emily following. Before the door closed, Emily bolted straight to the dance hall, eager to inspect the new karaoke machine.

  Ty called after her. “I still have to finish programming it, Em.” Emily nodded as she examined the control board.

  Tammy rolled her eyes and sat next to Cole, accepting the cold soda Ty offered her. “It’s all she’s talked about since you told her it arrived. She’s already making a list of the songs she wants you to order. Oh, and by the way, she announced that she expects her sixteenth birthday party to be held here at the bar. During the afternoon and alcohol-free, of course.”

  Cole frowned. “Isn’t her birthday two months away?”

  “Yup. That’s how excited she is about karaoke, Uncle Cole.” Her smile faded. “Umm...did you happen to watch the news this morning?”

  Ty choked back a laugh but went silent when Cole leveled a glare at him and shook his head.

  “The morning shows were all talking about Bree,” Tammy said. “There’s some story about her having a breakdown and running off to a rehab center in Utah.”

  Bree had told him about the fake story somewhere around 2 am. Those whispered conversations in the dark felt just as intimate as the sex, if that was possible. The false rumor would hopefully force her stalker to make a mistake. She hadn’t mentioned anything about it becoming national news, though.

  “They were showing a lot of pictures of her on television, Cole. I’m guessing tonight’s entertainment shows will all be doing the same. It’s a lot of publicity for someone trying to stay anonymous. Even people who never saw the reality show are now seeing her face.”

  “Not that many people here in Russell have seen her...” he started, but Ty interrupted.

  “Except for that Saturday night right here in the bar.”

  Tammy nodded, looking guilty. “We were so caught up in changing Bree’s looks that we let our enthusiasm run away with our g
ood sense. It’s hard to disguise that gorgeous face.”

  Cole thought about how that gorgeous face looked last night, under him in bed. And later, on top of him on the chaise. Laughing in the back of Nell’s truck. Fierce with anger whenever they quarreled. The silence was broken when Emily started singing a Carrie Underwood hit on the karaoke system. Leave it to a teenager to figure out the technology faster than her dad. The sudden noise was enough to kick his mind back in gear. If anyone in Russell started asking questions about Bree, her safety could be at risk.

  “Other than that night, hardly anyone has seen her, and they’ve all met her as Anna. Arlen and his dad saw her when we were putting up hay...”

  Ty interrupted. “I’ll talk to Arlen. He and George can be trusted.”

  “I know. But what about the crowd in here? All the guys she danced with...”

  “It’s not the guys you have to worry about, Cole.” Tammy gave him a thin smile. “It’s women that watch entertainment news. Like Amber and her posse. Amber said Bree looked familiar, and that worries me.”

  Cole’s pulse slowed and his body settled into battle readiness. This was a situation. And he knew how to handle situations. His response team was already gathered in this room. They just needed a plan.

  “We need to keep Bree out of sight and off the radar.”

  “Should she move out of the cottage? Maybe in with Nell?”

  Cole hesitated just long enough for his brother to start chuckling again.

  “Baby, if she moves anywhere, it won’t be Nell’s place.” Ty winked at his wife’s confusion. “Guess who was cooking breakfast at my brother’s place this morning, wearing nothing but his T-shirt and a satisfied smile?”

  Tammy’s jaw dropped.

  “Cole, you didn’t!”

  “Hey!” He threw his hands up in defense while sneaking another glare at his big-mouthed brother. “We’re both adults, Tammy.”

  His sister-in-law looked as if she didn’t know how she felt about this development, and he couldn’t blame her. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it, either.

  “She cooked you breakfast?”

  “Apparently they worked up an appetite.” Ty looked proud of himself until Tammy and Cole rounded on him. He busied himself wiping down the bar.

  Cole thought for a minute. “Look, we basically live on a dead-end road. Other than the produce stand, there isn’t any traffic, so we can keep her out of sight. Tammy, do you think there’s any way Amber would listen to you and keep her mouth shut if you explained the situation?”

  “Maybe, but I doubt it. We’re not exactly close, and I wasn’t all that pleasant to her in the bar. But...” She looked at him, tipping her head to the side with a smile. “She might listen to you.”

  “No. No way.” He didn’t want anything to do with his former fiance.

  “She’s a shrew, but she’s not completely evil, Cole. She had feelings for you at one time. She accepted your marriage proposal, after all.”

  “And then ran out and cheated on me. Not a real good sign of true love.”

  “Perhaps. But she still dumped you, not the other way around. You’re not the bad guy in this scenario. She might feel guilty enough to help you.”

  He shook his head, but not quite as vehemently as before. Tammy had a point; it just wasn’t one he wanted to agree with. “I’d head straight home now, but I’ve got an appointment in Bladenboro...”

  Tammy stood. “Don’t worry about it. Emily and I will go to Nell’s this afternoon and stay with her. Em can run the stand so Bree stays out of sight.”

  Cole didn’t answer. He didn’t even notice when Tammy and Emily left a few minutes later. He’d not only let a woman break through his defenses and make him feel things. He’d also allowed himself to get pulled into her orbit and invested in her safety. That wasn’t supposed to happen, and he felt more vulnerable than he had in a long time.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  BREE WAS HAPPY to see Tammy and Emily pull up that afternoon. It had been a long, quiet day with far too much time to think. Too much time to wonder if the night of unexpected intimacy and passion was the best thing to ever happen to her or the biggest mistake of her life.

  Tammy insisted Bree stay on the porch with her so she could duck inside if someone pulled up while they were relaxing there. Emily happily went to work reorganizing Nell’s produce stand, cleaning displays and touching up the signs with a permanent marker.

  Tammy broke into Bree’s thoughts. “Are you sure you’re okay with the media going nuts about your story? I mean, they’re making you sound like an addict or something. Doesn’t that make you crazy?”

  Bree just shook her head. “The media always makes me crazy, but we want the publicity this time. And frankly, I couldn’t care less what the media thinks of me. I just hate that this mess has managed to follow me to my hideaway.” She looked at Tammy and grinned. “No pun intended, of course.”

  Tammy reached for the iced tea, but the pitcher was empty. “I’ll refill this, but maybe we should start dinner? We could have it ready for Nell when she gets home.”

  When Nell arrived that evening, she was carrying an armful of shopping bags and wearing a wide, relaxed smile.

  “My goodness, look at all these pretty ladies in my kitchen! What’s the occasion?”

  “Tammy and Emily were afraid I was going to be upset about seeing my face plastered all over the news tonight. They keep forgetting that the only bad publicity is no publicity.” She forced a laugh, but the truth was she’d been feeling more and more apprehensive about the story airing. A year ago she would have been eager for any kind of publicity, but now she wanted the press to leave her alone. She was just so weary of it all. “They’ll make a big deal about it until the next scandal comes along. It’s such a circus.” There was a beat of silence in the kitchen.“Come on, let’s go see how bad it is.”

  She turned on the television and clicked through the channels until she heard a familiar tune. It was the theme from Spotlight Tonight, one of several “news” programs that survived by spreading celebrity gossip and sensational stories about the entertainment business. Bree used to watch it religiously to see what was happening in her world. That felt like a lifetime ago.

  “Bree, they’re showing the story!” Emily grabbed her arm in excitement.

  A photo montage was running behind the solemn-faced anchor, who was talking about Bree’s sad fall from glory. She was the former Miss California who married one of the sexiest actors in Hollywood, lived a life of excessive luxury then was publicly betrayed by her husband. Now she’d apparently suffered an emotional breakdown and vanished. Two “friends” appeared on screen to say how worried they were about her. Both women had stopped returning her calls shortly after her divorce. Yeah, right, they missed her.

  There were whispers about the Seventh Heaven drug treatment center in Utah. The center denied Brianna Mathews was a patient with them. The anchor winked at the camera, saying “We all know what that means, don’t we?” The story ended with a video of paparazzi surrounding the gates of Seventh Heaven, hoping for a glimpse of poor, tragic Brianna Mathews. A chill settled over her. They looked like vultures.

  The show’s host was back on screen now. “Brianna’s agent hinted that a comeback was being planned, and we hear she might be dancing next season on a popular show. Also, she has a cookbook coming out for the holidays. We reached out to her ex-husband, Damian Maxwell, but his representatives said he had no comment. Of course, Damian is filming the action-hero movie that’s supposed to be his own comeback, and they’re predicting a blockbuster hit...”

  Bree straightened her back and lifted her chin, harnessing her sudden panic with a deep, slow intake of air. She’d become national news. Her face was on every network. The paparazzi would be offering boatloads of money for further clues to her exact loc
ation. They were focused on the Utah angle for now, but how long would she be safe here?

  “Bree, darlin’, it’s okay,” Nell said softly.

  “No. It’s not...” She started pacing the floor. “I shouldn’t stay here, Nell. But I can’t go home. Hell, I don’t even know where home is anymore.”

  The beach house in Malibu no longer felt like home. Not only was she not safe there, but she didn’t know who she was there. She dropped her head in frustration and was surprised to see her hands were steady, although she felt like she was shaking so hard she could barely stand.

  Nell’s arm slid around her shoulder. “Oh, honey, haven’t you figured it out yet? Child, you’re already home.”

  * * *

  BREE COULDN’T STOP replaying Nell’s words in her mind when she got back to the cottage.

  Child, you’re already home.

  Those four words resonated in ways she couldn’t define. While California no longer felt like home, she hadn’t considered that she may have found a home right here in this tiny North Carolina town. Her new friends. The Hide-Away. The farms that stretched on for miles. The hard and rewarding work. The sexy, temperamental farmer across the road. Could she make a home here? She snorted. What would she do? Run a farm? Plan five-star events in Russell?

  She ruffled through the final pages of the paperback she’d just finished, with the hero and heroine riding off victoriously into the sunset. She was relieved to hear Maggie’s soft whine outside the front door, if only for the distraction from her spinning mind. She opened it and jumped back.

  Despite her sassy words to Cole that morning, she didn’t expect to see him taking up the entire doorway, his hands braced above the frame as Maggie trotted inside. He stared at her so intensely she was tempted to look down to see if her clothing had burst into flames. His mouth was a grim straight line, but when their eyes met, his gaze softened and warmed.