by Lori Ryan
“The police said his face was covered by a hat. He was dressed in black with a jacket that had ‘Security’ written on the back. That may have been why no one in the neighborhood called the police. They don’t know how he got in the gate though, or how he didn’t trip the alarm.” Jackie paused.
“What?” she asked.
“We can’t rule out that someone gave him the codes.”
“That can’t be possible. Only you and I know the access codes.”
“And Cheryl,” Jackie added.
Cheryl was Jackie’s assistant and a trusted friend and loyal coworker.
“Cheryl would never do that.”
“That’s what I’d like to think,” Jackie said. “The police are talking to her, too.”
Sophie fell back on the sofa, her heart thundering in her chest. “Oh, my goodness,” she sighed. “What did he do? Did he take anything?”
Jackie remained tight-lipped and Sophie knew there was more.
“What did he do, Jackie?”
“He broke a lot of the framed pictures in the house.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.”
Jackie swallowed and stared a long time at Sophie before she continued. “He scratched out your face in all of them.”
Sophie clapped her hand over her mouth as she drew in a sharp breath. “Is it that guy? The one at the signing party in Chicago?”
“We’re not sure,” Jackie said. “But I’ve added more security around you. They’re plain-clothed so you won’t even notice them.”
“Jackie, I don’t think it’s good that I stay here.”
“It’s actually perfect, Soph. Your tour bus will leave without you at the end of the weekend. No one would ever suspect you stayed. Just try to stay low-key until we have more information. The police said they got some good footprints around the perimeter of the house. And they think he has an electronics background because he was totally able to disarm your security system.”
“So it’s not Cheryl?” she asked.
Jackie shrugged. “The police are checking out several leads.”
“Oh, my gosh,” she said, her voice shaky. “How can this be happening?”
“Babe,” Jackie rubbed Sophie’s leg, “you know there are whack jobs out there.”
“Yeah, but they’ve never gotten this close. And most are professing their undying love, not threatening to cut up my face.”
“I honestly think Canyon Creek is the safest place for you right now.”
“Where will you be? I mean if I decide to stay past the weekend?”
“Wherever you want me. I’ll stay here in the town. It’s a fun place, lots of stuff to do. I’ve always liked Grant’s family. And I’m pretty sure Aunt Sally and I could get into some serious trouble together.”
Sophie laughed. “Maybe Bethany could visit?”
Jackie shrugged and placed her water bottle on the coffee table. “Maybe.” She sat for a moment in silence and Sophie felt like Jackie might have more to say. “I think there’s a reason you haven’t signed the divorce papers. You know I haven’t been Grant’s biggest fan from the start, but I really think he’s changed. And there are things he needs to tell you.”
Sophie furrowed her brows. “What things?”
“Just…things.”
“Jackie…” Sophie dragged out her name.
“Give him some time, Sophie, that’s all I’m saying. And remember, he’s in mourning, too. We all handle death differently. Just because he didn’t show it the same way as you doesn’t mean he wasn’t just as devastated.”
Sophie looked up at the ceiling. Had she ever thought about Grant mourning the loss of their babies? No, she hadn’t. She’d only blamed him when he wasn’t there for her. She’d been angry.
“I’m not committing to thirty days.”
“Okay,” Jackie said.
“And I want you to be here, be close, in case I need you. Okay?”
“Always. I’ll always be here for you, Soph. I’ll check in with security daily. Hell, hourly.”
She leaned against her sister for support, both physically and emotionally. “Thanks, Jackie. I love you.”
Her sister kissed her temple. “I love you too, Sophie.”
Sophie closed her eyes. She would take this chance to come to terms with what had happened with her and Grant. And then she would walk away for good. Because her heart couldn’t afford to let him in again. It wouldn’t survive another hit.
Chapter Eleven
Grant stood at the back of the large warehouse they’d converted into a theater just a few short weeks ago. The crowd for the viewing of his movie was growing by the minute and he felt like his stomach was doing flips.
He never got nervous at screenings, but this was different. This was his directorial debut, in his home town. Yes, the movie had already won accolades at other festivals, but this was different.
He had another reason to be fidgety. Sophie would be here tonight. He was excited for her to see this movie, to see how hard he’d worked to put out a great film filled with grit and heart.
“You ready, bro?” Ben asked, slapping him on the back.
“Yeah, I think so.”
Emmett moved next to him. “Dude, you look scared shitless.”
“Or like you’re about to shit your pants,” Max said, laughing.
He turned to see the rest of his brothers standing close and smiled. He’d never had them all together at one screening before. Sure, one or two had flown out to be with him at a premiere but not all together like this. He wasn’t just nervous about Sophie being here. He wanted his family to be proud, too.
“Dude, it’s going to be fine,” Jake said, reading his mind. “The movie has already won some pretty prestigious indie awards.”
Max leaned it. “The festival brochure said this guy in your movie becomes a male prostitute.”
Grant stared at his brother, whose eyes were wide with what looked like worry. He bit back a laugh. Max had faced down 250-pound linebackers during his days in the NFL as a wide receiver, but he was having trouble with this?
“Yes,” Grant said with amusement.
“And you’re the guy in the movie?” He could almost hear Max gulp.
“Yep.”
“Jeez.” He shook his head and ran his fingers through his thick hair. “We gonna see your bare ass up there?” Max nodded toward the screen.
Grant glanced over his shoulder at his rear-end. “It’s an award-winning ass if that makes a difference.”
Max groaned. “Yeah, that’s not the issue. I don’t like watching you make out with anyone on the screen. It’s weird watching your brother do that shit, man or woman.”
“Do you seriously make out with him?” Aaron asked.
Grant shrugged. “Maybe.”
His brothers all stared at each other.
“Calm down, princess. It’s tasteful. And more than that, it’s realistic. This shit happens to people. I needed viewers to feel it.”
“Incoming,” Emmett said from beside Grant.
All the men turned and stared at the woman walking toward them.
Jackie.
They knew Sophie’s sister wasn’t a big fan of Grant’s.
Jackie bolted toward them, her dark brown hair flowing behind her like a cape. She had few similarities to her sister, but tonight, her look of scrutiny was familiar. She couldn’t hide the hint of watchfulness in her expression. In the year since he and Sophie had been separated, Grant had always been glad that Jackie was there to protect her.
“What’s up, Max?” Jackie said, surprising them all with the laughter in her voice. “Still into chicks?”
When Max had first met Jackie and found out she was gay, he’d told her he was into chicks, too. It had been one of his more comical drunken moments.
“Just one chick now,” Max answered with a huge smile.
“Congrats. Sophie said you’re married and expecting. Twins. Who knew you had it in you?” Jackie turned to Grant. “Can
I talk to you for a second?”
“Uh, yeah sure. Guys.” He moved around them and led Jackie to the side.
“What’s going on,” he asked as he stopped and turned toward her. “Is Sophie all right? Is she here?” He scanned the small building but didn’t see her.
“Settle yourself, thespian, she’s here.” She laughed. “I’m just here to tell you not to screw this up. Sophie still isn’t keen on spending thirty days with you.”
“Why?”
“Nothing.” Jackie shook her head. “You haven’t told her about the video, have you?”
Grant stepped back, looking around to be sure no one had overheard. “No. I don’t want her to know about that.”
She looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “It’s your in with my sister. If she finds out what you did to save her—”
“I don’t want her to know. Ever.” He said it with more vehemence than he’d meant. But it was true. He’d saved Sophie from the kind of exposure and violation that he never wanted her to know about.
Jackie’s eyes narrowed as she studied him.
“I don’t want her to be with me because of what I did,” he explained. “I want her to be with me, love me, for me, not for the fact I was able to bury a video that should never have been made. If she wants to stay and give our marriage and me another shot, I want it to be because of me, not because of what I did for her.”
“I don’t know, girls kind of like that whole knight in shining armor stuff.”
“Do you?”
“Well, as a lesbian, we don’t see a lot of knights on humble steeds.”
Grant laughed. “What about a fair maiden in a shining apron.”
“You’re bordering on sexism, oh brother-in-law of mine.”
He smiled at her rare display of familiarity.
“What?” she asked.
“I’m just glad you still consider me family. And that you’ve decided to help me.”
“Well, you did save my sister from public abuse and humiliation, so there’s that. I’m not going to lie. I thought you were an obnoxious dick before.”
“I can be.”
She nodded. “So true.”
“Are you ever going to tell me how you found out that I buried the video?”
“Trade secrets.” She tapped her temple. “I have to keep my cards close to the vest to keep you on your toes, but I’ll always protect my baby sister.”
“And so will I.” They stared at each other a long moment.
“I know you will,” Jackie said.
“But you didn’t in the beginning?”
“I didn’t know you, Grant. All I knew was your reputation on the camera.”
“Well, I’m grateful you’re here now and helping me get another shot.”
“She’s super pissed at me.”
“Why?” he asked.
“She knows I’m up to something and she doesn’t like secrets. That’s why I’m here. I really think you should tell her what you did, Grant. It will explain a lot of your behavior earlier this year.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ll see.”
The lights flashed and Grant knew the movie was close to starting.
“I have to go. Where are y’all sitting?”
Jackie pointed up to the back of the theater “I snuck her in upstairs so she wouldn’t be spotted.”
Grant followed her gaze to the makeshift balcony they’d built for the projectors but didn’t see Sophie.
“She won’t come in until the lights go down,” she said.
He understood the need for stealth. It was part of both their lives, unfortunately. Living in the public eye had cost him and his wife in a lot of ways. Of course, his own immature actions and the way he’d closed himself off after her miscarriages hadn’t helped. But he hoped like hell he could make up for that now.
“You’ve got one shot with her, Grant,” Jackie said, all playfulness gone from her tone.
He nodded. “I know, I know.”
Someone in the front announced the film and called out his name.
“Thanks Jackie.” He leaned down and kissed her cheek, surprised when she smiled up at him.
“Good luck.”
“I’ll need it.” He laughed. He wasn’t talking about with the movie. He had a feeling neither was she.
“Yeah, you will.”
As he made his way to the front of the theater, he swallowed down the nerves that always threatened to consume him anytime he was in public. He’d always been much more comfortable in front of the camera than in front of an audience.
It was one of the things he’d enjoyed about being a director. He’d been behind the camera in that role, and it felt right. Still, whether as actor or director, he still had to come out and face the crowd eventually.
As he took the stage and the crowd cheered, Grant purposefully donned the mask that had served him well during his career, the cocky bastard who seemed so sure of himself. It was a good thing he was an actor because being in front of people, giving interviews and answering questions, had always been his hardest role.
He walked to the middle of the stage, met there by his costars, his eyes trained to the back of the theater. He still didn’t see Sophie and tamped down his disappointment. She would be there, she just had to be. In the meantime, he’d put on his best game face, field the questions and try to hide the fact that, as with most things in life, he truly didn’t know what the hell he was doing.
Chapter Twelve
Sophie stood in the back of the theater, hidden by Jackie as she listened to Grant speak. He always gave off the air of such confidence and poise, but she knew the truth. It was an act. An act that killed her. How she wished he would just be honest with everyone, share his fears and his struggles. But Grant always seemed to have an overwhelming need to look perfect for his fans.
Sophie tried for years to reach that type of controlled presence, but learned early-on that perfection was never attainable. She knew it killed Grant to fall from grace earlier this year, disappointing the people who adored him, to have them finally realize he was only human. But there he was with his shields up again, in spite of all that had happened.
More than losing face last year though, she knew Grant had hated the violence that had gone with it. She hadn’t talked to him since he’d attacked his manager, but he wasn’t like the roles he’d played in action films. The fight had been well documented, having been captured on video by dozens of bystanders but Sophie knew Grant well enough to know something behind the scenes had brought the attack on.
Grant wasn’t a violent man—cocky, yes, violent no. She just wasn’t sure if she wanted to know what it was. Or if she even still cared.
Baloney, a voice in her head whispered. She cared very much. She only wished she didn’t.
Grant Sumner had a way of jumbling her thoughts and scattering them around until she didn’t know which way was up and which was down. His charisma and sex appeal was part of his charm for most, but for Sophie, it was a constant reminder of why she’d left.
They were two different people. They wanted different things. He wanted his career. She wanted to start a family. He was ready to take his acting to the next level. She was ready to take a break from singing and touring despite her frantic schedule over the last nine months.
Touring had been the only way to keep her mind from thinking about what all she’d lost in the last two years. Three babies, a marriage, and possibly the love of her life. Not to mention the fact she hadn’t been able to write a decent song since she’d left Grant.
Magazines, bloggers, fans—all of them were starting to talk about the fact she hadn’t put out any new material.
“Hey,” Jackie bumped her elbow into Sophie. “You doing okay?”
“I think I need to go, Jackie. I can’t do this.” She turned toward the stairs.
“Do what?”
“Pretend like this thing between Grant and me can work. What could he possibly say or do in thirty days tha
t he didn’t do in three years?”
Jackie stared at her sister for a long moment.
“What?”
“Fine,” Jackie said, her lips pursed as she grasped her wrist. “Let’s go. But as soon as we get back home, you’re signing those papers once and for all. You sign them and you walk away for good. You move on with your life. This is it Sophie. Shit or get off the pot.”
Sophie’s eyes went wide. She’d never heard this tone from her sister before. Yes, she’d seen her sister use this type of approach in business negotiations, trying to garner Sophie the best deals, but Jackie had never been this scathing to her before.
Sophie tugged her to a stop. “What are you saying?”
“The man is asking for thirty days, Sophie. You’re being a brat.” She tugged her again. “Come on, if you’re not going to stay, let’s go.”
“Wait,” Sophie said, louder than she wanted. “Jackie,” she hissed, ducking her head.
Her sister turned and stared at her. “What, Sophie? What do you want?”
She glanced over the railing at the small theater. People were buzzing in their seats, waiting for the movie to start. She stared back at her sister, not sure what to say.
“We’ll watch the movie, then I’ll get us back to Denver,” Jackie said, stepping around her with annoyance.
Sophie felt lost. She had no idea what she wanted. Actually that wasn’t true. She knew exactly what she wanted and who she wanted it with.
She wanted a family, a yard, with lots of trees for her children to climb like she had growing up. She wanted to stare off her back porch at a scene that was so relaxing and beautiful, it inspired songs, someplace like an ocean or a lake. Or a mountain, she thought. She wanted time to spend with her friends and family, real time, not just stolen moments between concerts and recording sessions.
And in every scene, every dream, she saw one man by her side. Always. What she still wanted was Grant Sumner. She just wasn’t sure she should want him.
Unable to say the words out loud, she sat in a folding chair against the back wall, swallowing back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks.
Jackie sat beside her, reaching over and slipping her hand into Sophie’s “I’m sorry,” she whispered, squeezing tight. “I’m just so worried about you.”
