by Julia Bright
Andrew shrugged. “It’s not too bad. Your next move will determine everything.”
“Do you think I can pull it off?”
“Yes. You’re good. I think you can make it work, but you and Rose are going to have to actually act like a real couple. You can’t leave it up to chance. Everyone, even Zach, must believe you and Rose are a couple.”
Cam shook his head. “He’s going to hate me.”
“I’ll go talk to him later, make sure he knows you’re on his side.”
Cam sighed. Everything was happening so fast. “So tonight, what should we do?”
“You should stay in a hotel tonight.”
“Fuck, this is going to cost a lot, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but you’ll get thirty to fifty thousand up front and then three percent with some options for more depending on how the film does at the box office.”
Cam scratched his head. None of the other films he’d done had earned that much. He’d worked for peanuts, and then prayed the movie did well in residuals, and few had, but he needed this one to be a box office smash.
He and Zach had been lucky, finding their house when they had. The fact that it had been in foreclosure had been their big break, otherwise they would have never been able to buy it. Since they owned the house outright, he didn’t have a mortgage. He had some money set aside, but it wasn’t enough to play around for too long. The five hundred or so to cover Rose’s rent wouldn’t be too bad, but it would all add up.
“The hotel, can we maybe not do that?”
“Where will you stay? You have to be together. You can’t stay at her place. She has two other roommates.”
“Fuck—sorry about that. I’m just frustrated.”
“I get that. Take a deep breath. We’ll go look at this house and make a big deal of the two of you being together. We’ll make sure you’re seen at a restaurant, and then, if you think Zach can behave, you can stay at your place.”
Cam felt like he was about to lose all hope. His life was being turned upside down all because of two photos he’d taken and not deleted. This really was all his fault. He’d fucked up and now everyone was paying the price.
Chapter Thirteen
Rose followed Melissa to a room at the other end of the hall. When she stepped through the door, the first thing she noticed was the chaise lounge in the middle of the room. Flowers were arranged artfully and displayed in beautiful cream-colored vases. The lighting was low and she wondered how often this room was used.
“You can shower through here.” Melissa opened a door before stepping away and over to a refrigerator. “I have some fruit and cheese you can snack on. I’m sure you’re exhausted. I’ll give you about twenty minutes to shower. You can dress in this room after. The hair stylist is on standby and will arrive by the time you’re done.”
Melissa walked out the door, closing it behind her. Rose wanted to drop to the chaise lounge and cry. Instead, she headed to the bathroom and stopped cold when she flipped on the lights—or she should say chandelier. Never in her life had she ever seen a bathroom like this one. The place was more than just impressive. It was beautiful. She couldn’t even begin to describe the room. Marble and stunning mirrors decked the place, and the icing on the cake was the incredible tiled floor that was a work of art. She loved everything about the room. It should be in a palace, but if it were, she would never have seen it in person. Heck, she shouldn’t be here to see this in person.
Rose stepped over to an ornate towel rack and ran her fingers over a thick terrycloth towel. The towel was thicker than any she’d ever experienced. Why was there such an extravagant bathroom in this office?
She undressed, peeling off the sweaty, dirty uniform that was starting to feel a little too lose. The pregnancy angle wouldn’t work for long, not if she was losing weight. She stepped into the huge glass enclosure and reached for the knob in the center of the shower, but there were too many options—four knobs, three levers, and so many different nozzles and other water outlets that she didn’t know what to do. Finally, she turned one knob and jumped back when the water came out a little too cool. It warmed quickly, so she stepped under the spray, relaxing as the water worked its magic. After a minute, she picked up the bottle of shampoo and squirted some into her hand, breathing in deeply. It smelled amazing, like coconuts and clean ocean water.
She worked the shampoo into her hair then rinsed. She was starting to feel rejuvenated. After pouring a bit of conditioner into her hand, she wondered if she’d been approaching this all wrong. As she rubbed her hands together then applied the conditioner, she really felt better. They could handle this and maybe she could get a part in a movie or two. It had to be better than barely surviving by working doubles at the diner. Plus, Cam Harris wasn’t bad-looking. He seemed like a nice guy.
After rinsing her hair and using the sweet-smelling soap that reminded her of honeysuckle and summer, she was ready to make this work. Once she dried with the impossibly thick towels, she wrapped herself in the pale-yellow robe that had been hanging on the back of the door. She stepped into the main room and gasped when she saw three strangers standing around with Melissa.
“Rose, the hairdresser is here. Come. Sit. You can slip into the dress after we dry your hair.”
Any ounce of resolve or confidence she’d mustered earlier melted away. This was too intense and she wanted to crawl back into the bathroom and hide, but Melissa grabbed her by the arm and led her to a chair she hadn’t seen earlier.
“I’m Dee, and I’m going to be doing your hair. Let me look.” Dee unwound the towel she’d used to pull her hair from her shoulders.
They positioned Rose so she faced a mirror, and she watched as Dee scrunched up her nose and shook her head. Dee turned away from her and reached into a bag before shaking her head again and turning to stare at Rose.
“I’ve seen worse. I can work with you. You need a slight trim.”
“Wait, you’re cutting my hair? You haven’t even touched it.”
“I don’t need to. If I had more time I could make you look fabulous, but we’ll have to settle for presentable. Adam will be doing your makeup. He’s going to start with a few skin treatments.”
Melissa turned and left the room. Rose felt like she’d lost her best friend. Alone with Dee, Adam, and some other person who didn’t seem to have a purpose, she knew she would never be able to pull this off.
The third woman came over, sat on a stool in front of Rose, and began giving her a pedicure. Overwhelmed didn’t even begin to describe how she felt. It was bizarre to have three people totally focused on her. Dee combed her hair then began snipping at the ends. Adam had smeared something over her face that smelled like a cross between lemons and strawberries. Her feet were being worked on, and she still had no idea what the lady’s name was.
The team of three moved as though they were choreographed. Adam now stood on her right side and Dee cut her hair on the left side of her head. The foot woman stood and began giving her a manicure. Her nails were clipped, filed, and smoothed, all without asking her what shape she wanted or color. She guessed it had already been decided.
“Excuse me,” Rose said, but her voice cut out and she had to try again. “Excuse me, but what is your name?” she asked the nail woman.
“Mary.” The answer was short and the woman didn’t even look at her.
“Thank you.” Rose was out of her depth.
The door opened and Melissa and Andrew stepped in. Rose felt totally exposed in the robe and nothing else. If she’d known there would be people here by the time she stepped out of the shower, she would have taken the clothes into the bathroom with her and dressed in there before stepping one foot out here where there were way too many people for her to feel comfortable.
“We will be heading out in thirty minutes. Thank you, Dee, Adam, and Mary for stopping by. We really appreciate it. Rose, Cam is almost finished getting dressed. He’ll be in here in a few minutes,” Andrew said.
“In here?
” she squeaked, hating the way her voice rose. “He can’t come in here.”
“You’ll be dressed by then.”
“No, tell him to stay out.”
“Okay. It looks like Dee is almost done. Your nails are being painted with non-chip, fast-drying polish. Adam will apply a simple palette of color, using your natural beauty instead of trying to paint on a face. We want you to look wholesome and natural, like you have no makeup on and this is how you stepped out of the house this morning. We need you to make the American public fall in love with you.”
She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and drew in a sharp breath. It was her, but it didn’t really look like her. Goop still covered her face, and her hair was sticking up at odd angles. “This is insane.”
Dee, Adam, and Mary all three burst out laughing as if she’d said the funniest thing. Andrew patted her on the shoulder and gave her a weak smile.
“Welcome to Hollywood.” Andrew turned and walked out quickly, shutting the door behind him.
She wanted to sink down in the chair. Instead, she kept her head high as the three people worked on making her look “presentable” as they called it.
When Dee pulled out the hair dryer, the other two stepped out of her way. It only took a few quick minutes to get her hair dry and then Adam was back but with tweezers. He plucked at hairs between her brows, then he proceeded to pluck out about twenty hairs on her upper lip. She didn’t know whether to feel insulted or embarrassed, finally settling on indifferent. Her nails and toes had been painted a cool shade of coral. Dee was working on her hair, curling the ends before she grabbed a huge clip, sweeping back a section and securing it at the back of Rose’s head. All the while, Adam had been brushing on makeup, his own face scrunched up, his lips twisted as he studied the colors in his hands and then her face. They’d turned her so she couldn’t see the mirror, which was probably just as well since she was so freaked out she’d probably scare herself.
“Now for the dress. Adam, turn around,” Dee said.
“I have no underwear on.”
Mary grabbed a bag and pulled out a pair of panties, holding them out for Rose to stick her legs in.
“Hurry, we don’t have much time,” Dee said.
Rose had never had anyone help her dress, and she guessed these three were used to it. Pushing away her insecurities and doubts, Rose stepped into the underwear and stood, reaching down to pull up the panties.
Mary swatted her hands away. “Your nails. I’ll do this.”
Dee helped her into a bra, somehow managing to keep her covered the whole time. They’d wanted her to ditch the robe, but she’d said no. Then Melissa removed the dress from the garment bag and held it up for a second. The hair on her arms lifted. This wasn’t a normal dress. Rose could tell from the fabric that it had to be a designer label. This dress hadn’t been picked up at a discount store. This was the real deal.
“Time to get dressed,” Melissa said.
“Is that for me?” Rose couldn’t believe she was going to be wearing the beautiful creation Melissa was holding up. “Who is the designer?”
“Carmen Marc Valvo. And don’t worry, it didn’t really cost us seven hundred dollars. He owed us a favor and we got it for a song.”
“Oh my God. I can’t wear that,” Rose said.
The door opened and Andrew stepped inside. “You will wear it and you’ll love it. Carmen is very pleased to be dressing you before you start showing. Carmen will more than make up any money when women all over America rush to the stores to buy one of his dresses.”
She shook her head and horror washed over her. Andrew was in the room and she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Last time she’d been sitting, but this time she was standing and about to drop the robe and put on the dress in question. She shook her head and wrapped her arms tighter around her waist. “I’ve never worn a dress that cost that much money. I don’t know what to do.”
“Put on the dress and wear it like you belong in a seven hundred dollar dress.” Andrew took the garment from Melissa and carried it over to Rose. “Here, let me help you.”
“You?” She looked to Melissa who lifted a brow and pursed her lips.
Melissa winked. “Just let him help you into it. You won’t be the first woman he has dressed. Trust me. He knows how to get you into clothes without ruining your hair or makeup. It’s the height.”
Reluctantly she removed her robe and lifted her arms, allowing Andrew to slide the delicate material over her head. It fluttered down her body and covered her curves as if the dress had been made specifically for her. Andrew tugged up the zipper and patted her on the shoulder.
“You look lovely. Now, let’s go get your boyfriend and let him have a look.”
Mary helped her into a beautiful pair of shoes that had a one inch heal. Her toes peeked out and showed the pretty nail color. From what she could see, she did look amazing.
Andrew turned and walked away. Rose followed with Melissa tagging along behind her. Before she left the room, she turned back to the group who had fixed her up.
“Thank you, Dee, Mary, and Adam. You all three did great work. I really appreciate it.”
Dee stepped forward, her smile wide. “We loved helping you. You have natural assets, so it was easy to work on your hair.”
“Your face is magnificent,” Adam said.
“You’re beautiful,” Mary added. “Don’t let the press get to you. They are mean. Keep your chin up and be yourself.”
“Thank you.”
“Time to go.” Melissa was at her side, her phone in hand showing the time.
Rose nodded then left the room with Melissa, looking back once to wave at the trio. She hadn’t had a chance to glance in the mirror since her hair had been dried and she had no clue how she looked, but she didn’t feel like herself at all.
She drew in a slow breath, trying to calm her nerves as she trailed behind Melissa. They stepped around a corner and she stopped in her tracks. Cam was dressed in crisp blue jeans and an Oxford shirt that matched the gray in her dress. His stubble had been artfully trimmed and his hair was perfectly styled so it looked just tousled enough to be a little messy and unstyled.
“Wow,” Cam said. “You look amazing. God, no one is going to question why I’m dating you, more like they’ll wonder how a guy like me got a girl like you. You’re so beautiful.”
Her cheeks heated and she shook her head. “I’m just me.”
Cam stepped closer and took her hands before brushing his lips over her cheek. For a moment, it felt real. The desire, the interest, all of it felt like maybe they were a couple, but they weren’t. They weren’t a real couple and none of this was real. She wasn’t pregnant, and there wouldn’t be a baby. In a few weeks, this would all be over. She was doing this to get a job as an actress, and she needed to prove she could play the part. Her heart squeezed because a small part of her wanted the lies to be true. She wanted the fantasy of a good-looking, kind, sexy, sweet, and smart man at her side.
“It’s time to go meet the real estate agent.” Andrew waved his arm to the exit.
Panic flared. “My things. Where are they?” Rose asked.
Andrew held up a bag she hadn’t even noticed. “Melissa stored everything in here. We have you covered.”
Cam led her out the door and into the elevator lobby. The ride down didn’t do anything to help her calm. It was frightening how fake everything was. She still wanted a piece of it all even though this was dimming the allure of becoming a star. Hollywood was a mean city, she’d heard it before, but seeing the machinations up close was frightening. Though being primped and pampered was something she could get used to, but like in real life, it came with a cost.
Chapter Fourteen
Cam couldn’t keep his eyes off Rose. Every move she made had him checking his emotions, trying to remember she wasn’t his. They weren’t a happy couple, and she wasn’t carrying his baby. Heck, they hadn’t even kissed, and they sure as heck hadn’t had sex, though he w
anted to. Just the thought of her beneath him had his cock twitching.
If he’d been trying to pick a woman to date, Rose would be the perfect choice. She had everything he’d ever sought in a companion. He’d been right to think she would be a good mate. Too bad they’d been thrown together like this without having a chance to make a go at a relationship.
“And this room is a little smaller, but it’s right by the master bedroom. You could have the baby close by,” the lady said. Her name was Jackie, or Sue, or Mandy. He wasn’t sure. Normally, he was better with names, but Rose had him distracted.
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Cam, won’t that be great. The baby can be near while we sleep.” Rose played her part well.
“That’s awesome. Do you like it?” he asked, trying hard to make it seem like they were a couple. The house was furnished and the owners were living somewhere else like Paris or Luxembourg, for the next year. He understood them not wanting to let the place sit empty, and they’d moved some of their things into storage, but it was odd thinking of living with another person’s items surrounding him.
Rose gave him a wobbly smile. “Yes, and do you?”
His heart squeezed. This was a bit much. The real estate agent had no clue this was a set up, and he and Rose had to convince them it was the real deal. “If you do, then yes. We’ll take it.”
The property agent smiled and nodded. “Awesome. The owner only wants to do a year lease. I hope that is okay.” They’d wandered back to the kitchen, which was small but nice enough.
“Yes. We’ll do a year.” Even when Rose left, he still wanted a place to live where he didn’t have to fend off hookers his brother brought home. He hoped Zach could clean up his act, but he had to watch out for himself for once. Zach was great, but Cam needed to live on his own and get his life together. Maybe if he were stronger and not trying to figure out his own way, he could make it work living with Zach, but until things changed with his brother or himself, he needed the distance.
