by Dani Dundee
“You know what?” I say. “It’s okay. Skyler has a right to her feelings, but,” I turn to her, “couldn’t you have brought all this up some other time?”
“When? When you were on the red carpet? Miss Margot! Miss Olivia Margot. If you have a minute,” she yells across the bar. “I’m your biggest fan, Olivia. Please, please listen to me.” Skyler gulps her drink, spilling some down her front. “Oh please.”
Alright then. Apparently, she wasn’t just ignoring me all these years. But I’m not putting up with this right now. “You done?” I ask, drinking my own beer and hoping the alcohol can kick in enough to make my adrenaline stop rushing. My hand trembles and I try to hide it. “I think you’ve made your case.”
“Whatever, bitch—”
“Hey,” Devon stops her. “Chill the fuck out. She didn’t do anything to you.”
Now Tyler’s laughing at the scene and I’m growing more mortified by the second. Couldn’t we just talk about Dazed & Amused where the local bands all used to play or high school prom when we snuck liquor into the punch bowl but the teachers caught on too quickly for anyone to enjoy it? Or maybe I’m the only one who’d rather reminisce than bring up spontaneous grudges.
“I see why he’s with you,” Skyler says, pointing an unsteady hand at Devon. “He likes saving lost puppies too, huh?” She turns to him and leans over the table, getting closer. “Does it turn you on, being the knight in shining armor? You know, I bet Olivia never told you about the time she got caught screwing Tyler at his grandmother’s house.” She looks back at me, “You remember that, right?”
My entire body goes cold. Why’s she doing this? And Tyler…he’s not even fazed—a smug look on his face like he’s proud to be involved in the conversation. He sends side glances to Devon to make sure he’s listening, and I know Devon well enough to know he must be scathing inside.
“You’re a class act,” Devon says to Skyler, his voice steady and serious.
“Let’s drop it,” Marlena tells her sister. “I was thinking of going to Cafe Renata for lunch tomorrow. You ladies want to join me?”
I think she’s trying to do damage control so Skyler can get it out of her system before the wedding, but there’s no chance I want to hang out with her now that I know what she really thinks about me. Marlena stares down Skyler until she agrees, but it won’t work with me.
“Thanks, but we have some things to do tomorrow.”
“No problem.” Marlena beams, always the sensible one, unlike her sister.
Skyler scoffs and pours herself more beer. Over the next few minutes, the tension only seems to rise. I can’t take this. Skyler’s looking for more fuel to cause problems. Tyler keeps staring at me. And Marlena’s trying to keep spirits high. It’s not fair for her to have all this drama suddenly explode on her weekend. My skin is crawling, and I want nothing more than to get the hell out of here.
“Actually, we need to get going.” I nudge Devon to get him moving. “But I’ll see you soon, alright?” I give Marlena a side hug and nod towards Chase, Shelly, and Dave. “It was great seeing you guys.”
I mumble a few more goodbyes, refusing to look at Skyler, and Devon and I leave. I don’t stop until I’ve reached the car. Then I take a moment to try and breathe.
“What just happened in there?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t expect any of that. And sorry. She could’ve left out the personal stuff.”
Devon loops a finger into a belt loop on my jeans, and lures my hips closer to his. My arms find their way around his back where I graze my fingernails over his skin. Just his touch sends me into overdrive. My thoughts race, my heart thumps louder, all my worries disappear into oblivion.
He tells me, “I assure you, there’s nothing in your past that’ll come close to being as awful as mine. Don’t worry about it. But if I get the opportunity, I’m punching that Tyler guy in the face.”
***
CHAPTER FOUR
Devon
The first night may have started as a bust, but I made up for it once Olivia and I got back to the hotel—I made it up to her three times, in fact. Now, the sun’s competing with me to see who can wake her up first. I’m ready to make her day begin on a very high note.
I trace my fingers over her bare stomach, and she stirs in her sleep, rolling toward me.
Her sexy blue eyes flutter open and she takes me in. “Good morning,” she says.
I answer by moving closer and kissing her naked skin. I start at her navel and work my way up, savoring her salty sweet taste. I hear a quiet moan escape her as I near her breasts, the heat of my mouth warming her. Her back arches as I take her into my mouth, my tongue teasing her sensitive nipple. Another moan, and I’m no longer interested in being soft and delicate with her.
Moving down to the end of the bed, I tease her legs apart. I look up at her, she’s in that stage of sleepy wakefulness when everything feels dreamlike and intense. Her eyes watch me watching her. I look down, and from my view, her body gives away how much she wants me right now—her slit glistens with that want. It entices me like an addiction I don’t want to quit. I plant a firm kiss on her clit and revel in the way she squirms. Sucking the little nub into my mouth, her moans mix with giggles as the ecstasy rushes through her. I tease her with my tongue, and my hands make their way up the inside of her thighs. My fingers play with the soft folds of skin leading the way into that sexy bliss. Spreading her further apart, I move down—my mouth never leaving her body—and plunge my tongue into her.
She cries out, “Oh god. Yes.”
I massage her firmly, while my fingers take over her clit, rubbing it in slow circles. She tastes like candy and feels like heaven on earth. Clutching a pillow to her face, she stifles bursts of screams. That’s my cue to rub her faster, lick her harder—my free hand reaching under to grip the flesh of her fine ass. Her body jerks, the first hint of convulsion making me hold on to her even tighter.
Olivia ditches the pillow and wraps her thighs around my head, locking me to her. She’s too far gone to care what people might hear next door, and her moans make me harder than a block of cement. She rips at the bed sheets, gripping them in her fists. My tongue returns to her clit while I reach inside of her with my fingers and find her g-spot.
In seconds, I feel her come before she screams out in pleasure. Her muscles take hold of my fingers, and a warm flood soaks my hand. I slow my movements, prolonging the orgasm and letting her fall back to earth.
When she’s had all she can take, I lay back down next to her, watching her trying to catch her breath.
“Good morning,” I say.
She laughs and kisses my chest. I’m not against another round, but this morning was just for her. Before I decide whether or not to plow into her again, I notice the room isn’t much quieter, even without Olivia’s yelling.
“Is someone outside the door?” she asks, her voice distant and soft.
I get up to check, putting on my discarded boxer briefs in the process. Looking out the peephole on the door it’s clear. No, not someone. More like, some-many. “Dammit. It’s those assholes from the ScandalLust tabloids.”
“What?” Olivia sits up in bed, covering herself with the sheet as if they’re about to come through the door any second. “How’d they know we’re here? Oh my god.” She lowers her voice to a whisper. “Do you think they heard us having sex?”
I walk to the other side of the room to the window looking out to the parking lot. A van and a car are parked haphazardly outside the hotel. From my experience, that probably means there are about four of them, unless a member of the paparazzi actually decided to park in a designated parking spot for once.
Behind me, Olivia’s phone starts ringing.
“Hello?” she answers. I can barely make out an excited voice on the other end of the line. I hear Olivia say, “Are you kidding me? … What the hell? … No, no. It’s not your fault. … It’s okay. Thanks.” She hangs up and says to me, “I’m going to kick her fucking
ass.”
“Who?”
Olivia gets up, naked, and rips through her suitcase, yanking out clean clothes. She stomps into the bathroom and starts the water for the shower. “Skyler, is who. She’s the reason they’re here.” She points out the bathroom toward the door of our room. Then she tests the water temperature and gets in. This is my girlfriend on a mission, ladies and gentlemen.
I lean against the doorframe of the bathroom and ask her, “What did Marlena say?”
Through the shower curtain, Olivia speaks loudly. “She said Skyler just showed up at her house, all pleased with herself. She made a joke about us being all Hollywood and how she hopes we enjoy her gift.”
“Her gift being the paparazzi showing up?”
It’s only been two minutes, but the shower shuts off and Olivia pushes the curtain aside. She’s drenched, dripping water, and fuming with anger. “Can you hand me a towel?”
I grab a plush white towel and wrap it around her myself. “It’s alright. No big deal—”
“Are you serious? Of course it’s a big deal. All I wanted this weekend was for things to be normal. My friend is getting married. You think she needs all this extra drama?” She dries off and quickly gets dressed. Her hair still dripping, she runs the towel over it for a second before tossing it into a messy ponytail.
Back in the room, she finds her purse and pulls out a pair of oversized sunglasses. She puts them on, along with a coat of lip gloss.
“So what’s your game plan here, killer?” I ask, trying to hide my amusement.
She slings her purse over her shoulder and grabs the keys. “I don’t know yet. But Skyler’s not getting away with this.”
Without waiting for my response, she throws the door open and pushes through the paps.
I guess I’m not invited.
*
Olivia
Two of the tabloid vultures stayed behind hoping Devon would follow me. The other two are on my tail.
“Olivia, what are you and Devon Stone doing in Lake Eaton, California?”
“Olivia Margot, can we get a quick shot?”
“Just one. Smile for us, baby.”
I jump into Marlena’s Subaru, start it up, and back out in a hurry. They’re still shouting to me from outside, but I give them the finger and drive off, hoping I can get far enough before they can follow me.
These are my old streets, so I choose a roundabout way to get to Marlena’s that the paps will never guess. Damn these small towns, I’m there too fast to even think of what I’m going to do. I pull into Marlena’s driveway, and jump out, checking behind my shoulder to see if I was followed. The coast is clear.
I don’t bother knocking and barge in, finding Marlena and Skyler sitting in the living room. They both jump up when they see me.
“Olivia. What are you doing here?” Marlena asks. I see her glance out the window to see if anyone else is out there, though I catch a slight thrill in her voice like she might be excited about the media showing up in our little town.
“What the hell did I ever do to you?” I ask Skyler, getting in her face.
“Whoa, calm down Hollywood Princess.” She sits back down, as if to make me feel like I’m overreacting, but I can sense the shift in her tone. Never before would I have marched up to her like this. Old Olivia hated conflict. She always let people step on her. But not anymore. I stand over her, waiting for an explanation. “I like the sunglasses. Nice touch.”
I yank them off my face and shove them into my purse. “You realize those assholes ruin everything? They get in your face. They cause accidents. They have no consideration of people’s personal lives. And you told them we’re here!?”
“There’s an easy solution, you know?”
“Oh yeah? And that would be…?”
“Don’t be here. Take your rich boyfriend, and get the hell out of town. This isn’t your home anymore, and we don’t want your snobby ass around.”
My jaw drops. “Snobby? You’re kidding right? When have I ever been snobby to you?”
“It’s not about me, Princess. Think again. Marlena was always there for you, and you? You left town and only thought about yourself.”
I look from Skyler to Marlena, my eyes wide with disbelief. “What the hell is she talking about?”
“It’s nothing,” she assures me. “It’s nothing,” she repeats to her sister.
“It’s not nothing,” Skyler argues. “She was a shitty friend, and you shouldn’t have invited her back out here.”
I’m missing something, but apparently I need to be talking to Marlena, not Skyler.
“You know what? Let’s talk outside.” Marlena pushes me toward the door, and we leave Skyler behind. Once we’re away from her, she says, “I’m so sorry about her. I love her dearly, my sister and all, but even I want to kick her for this one.”
“What was she talking about in there? I felt like she was yelling at the wrong person or something.”
“It’s nothing. She’ll get over it. I did.” She smiles, but her words are speaking volumes.
“Get over what, Marlena?” I watch her hesitate. “Tell me.”
She takes a seat on the bench on her front patio. I follow suit, sitting next to her. “Look,” she says, “I don’t blame you at all, you need to know that.”
“Blame me for what?”
“A couple years ago, Chase and I found out I was pregnant.”
Oh my god. That’s huge news, and yet, “You never told me that.”
“I know. I mean, I tried. I called a few times, but you were busy with school and that guy you were dating back then and…” She holds her hands up. “Really! It’s okay. But,” she clears her throat, “I lost it, obviously… And since you didn’t know about the pregnancy anyway, I figured you didn’t need to know about the miscarriage.”
The pain in her voice makes it all too clear this is still a difficult wound for her. My stomach drops, and my eyes well up with tears. “God, Marlena. I had no idea. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry it happened. And I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” I stand up and pace to the other side of the patio, leaning against one of the supporting columns. Suddenly, I’m less angry at Skyler. She must have known all about this, and she must have been the one to comfort Marlena when it all happened. And I was nowhere to be found at the time. “Maybe Sky’s right,” I say. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here.”
“That’s nonsense. I want you here.”
“I know. But it’s causing so much stress, and it’s barely been twenty-four hours. This should be the greatest weekend of your life, and I can’t be the one to bring it down. I’ve already hurt you without knowing it. I don’t want to do any worse.”
Marlena stands up and walks over to me. She pulls me into a hug and tells me in her most serious voice, “Your ass isn’t going anywhere. If I have to lock you in a closet until tomorrow, I will.” She steps back, smiling. The sadness is barely there anymore. Instead, I’m looking into the kind eyes of my sweet friend—someone who’s always put others first. I could learn a lot from her. “I’ll talk to Skyler. Please don’t go back to LA, okay? Tomorrow will be here quicker than we know it.”
***
CHAPTER FIVE
Olivia
By the time I get back to our hotel, I’m relieved to see the parking lot empty. I get out of the car and do a cautious look around. I’m not willing to believe the paparazzi up and left on their own accord.
But I don’t see them. I hurry inside and find Devon in our room, fully dressed now, staring at his laptop.
“They think we’re eloping,” he says bluntly.
“What?” I barely have time to drop my purse on the table before he hits me with that one. “You have to be kidding.”
“Nope.” He reads from the screen. “Devon Stone Sneaks off on a Weekend Getaway to Elope!”
“Perfect. So next week, they’ll be making up rumors about our nonexistent marriage being on the rocks.” Devon looks at me, confused. I hold my left hand up. “They’ll no
tice a lack of rings.”
He returns his attention to the computer. “This one’s even better: Olivia’s Not Keeping the Honeymoon a Secret—A Week in Belize for the Newlyweds.”
I roll my eyes. If the tabloids were always true, Devon and I have broken up a half dozen times, he’s got a cheerleading squad-worth of secret lovers, and I’m manipulating him for all his wealth. And the best part—people believe this crap. I dread going back to LA with this new rumor and all the confrontations we’ll face once we get there.
Devon’s phone rings on the side table. He keeps reading. “This one says, Breaking the Silence: It was a Shotgun Wedding! Calvin Stone Made His Son Tie the Knot.”
The phone continues to ring. He acts as though he can’t hear it.
“Are you gonna get that?” I ask.
Without turning his head, he reaches over and hits a button on the side. The ringing abruptly stops. “Thanks to your friend’s sister, I’ve been getting phone calls nonstop all morning.”
“From who?”
“Oh, you know. Florists offering to deliver fresh flowers for our big day. You have six different white gowns of your choosing. We have three deejays, five photographers, and two ordained ministers on call hoping to hear from us later.” Finally, he looks up and meets my dumbfounded gaze.
We both burst out laughing.
“This is too ridiculous,” I say. Then I remember the lack of paparazzi outside. “Where did our cameras go?”
“Probably left to hunt down our secret venue. We weren’t giving them anything here, and you know they need their stories.” He points to the screen as proof. “We should get out of here before they decide to come back though.” He closes the laptop and hops out of bed. “I’ve got somewhere to take you.”
“Surprises. I like surprises.”
