Hollywood Enigma: Hollywood Name Game Book 5

by Alexa Aston

  Going to the bed, she took his right hand and wrapped both of hers around it, willing her strength to flood into him.

  Del slid a chair over. “Sit, Scarlett.”

  She did as he asked. He took a seat on the opposite side of the bed and they remained silent, listening to Wynn breathing.

  The nurse came in several times over the next few hours, checking on Wynn. Cady returned and sat in a corner of the room. Scarlett kept Wynn’s hand in hers, refusing to release it. When Del suggested they go to the cafeteria downstairs for something to eat, she shook her head.

  “I’ll stay. You go.”

  “We won’t be long,” he said, escorting Cady from the room.

  Since they were finally alone, Scarlett felt free to speak, not knowing if Wynn could hear her or not.

  “Wynn, it’s Scarlett. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I know we had a fight but all couples fight. No relationship stays on an even keel. We’re both strong, passionate people and, sometimes, we’ll disagree. Sometimes, we’ll argue. You’ve got to know that no matter what, no matter how angry we are, no matter what we say or do, we’re meant to be together.

  “I need you, Wynn. Come back to me. Please. Please, come back. I need to tell you so many things but the most important of all is that I love you. I love you, Wynn Gallagher.”

  She pressed a fervent kiss against his knuckles, not holding back her tears. They spilled onto their joined hands.

  “Scarlett?” Wynn croaked.

  CHAPTER 25

  Scarlett’s head snapped up. “You know me?” she asked, holding her breath as she waited for him to answer.

  “Yeah. You’re Scarlett. My head hurts.”

  She kissed his hand again. “I know, baby. I know.”

  “It’s a little hard to see you. Everything’s . . .” His voice faded.

  “Blurry?” she offered, knowing he might be having trouble finding the word.

  “Uh-huh.” Wynn frowned.

  “You were in a car wreck,” she told him. “Do you remember that?”

  “No.” A moment passed and he asked, “I was in a car wreck?”

  “Yes. You’d just dropped Cady off.”

  He thought a moment. “Okay. Why?”

  “I don’t know where the two of you had been, Wynn. We can worry about that later. Right now, we need to let the nurse know you’re awake.”

  “Wait,” he said softly.

  She’d half-risen from her chair and sat again.

  He gave her a crooked grin. “I love you.”

  Scarlett’s heart burst with happiness. “I love you, too.”

  His eyes fluttered and then closed.

  “Wynn?” she asked softly.

  “I’m awake. My head hurts.”

  She leaned over and brushed a kiss on his lips. “I know.” Pushing the call button, she waited a few moments and then the tall nurse built like a linebacker hurried through the door. Scarlett glanced at the whiteboard and retrieved the man’s name.

  “Ted, Wynn is awake.”

  The nurse looked at his patient and frowned seeing Wynn’s eyes closed.

  “Wynn, tell Ted you’re awake,” she prompted.

  “I’m awake. My head hurts.”

  Ted’s features relaxed as he nudged Scarlett’s hands aside to take Wynn’s pulse. “It’s good to have you back, Mr. Gallagher. I’m a huge Carbon Man fan.”

  Wynn opened his eyes, looking puzzled. “Carbon Man,” he repeated.

  Scarlett thought he looked unsure as to who Carbon Man was.

  “I’m going to page Dr. Thomas,” Ted said and left the room.

  “Who’s Carbon Man?” Wynn asked the second the door closed.

  Scarlett took his hand again, her fingers entwining with his. “He’s a role you play. You’ve filmed three Carbon Man movies. Do you remember that?”

  His face scrunched up in thought. “Maybe.”

  “It’s okay. The doctor said you might have a few memory gaps when you woke up. I’m glad you remembered me,” she said warmly.

  He gave her a tired smile. “I wish I could kiss you but everything hurts. Even when I breathe.”

  “You have two broken ribs. It’s going to take time for your body to heal.”

  “I feel really bad. Like I had too much to drink and it’s the world’s worst hangover ever. And a truck hit me. An eighteen wheeler.” He thought a moment. “Does Carbon Man wear gray?”

  “Yes.”

  “I think I remember being in a gray, stretchy outfit.”

  “You look good in it.” She grinned. “You also look good out of it.”

  He chuckled and then groaned. “That hurt. Don’t make me laugh.” His eyes roamed over her. “You are my girlfriend, right?”

  “I am.” She tenderly cupped his check. “And you’re my everything.”

  Dr. Thomas quickly entered the room, followed by Del and Cady.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Gallagher. How are you feeling?”

  “Bad. My head hurts.”

  “He’s mentioned that several times,” Scarlett said.

  “I’m not surprised, Mr. Gallagher. A car doing almost fifty miles an hour T-boned you. I’m surprised you only suffered a broken arm and a couple of broken ribs. I’ve already paged another doctor who worked on you. We’re going to give you a thorough examination.” The physician turned. “I’ll need everyone to leave the room for a few minutes. It won’t take long.”

  As they left, Scarlett heard Wynn say, “Do you think my girlfriend is beautiful? I do.”

  They waited in the hall as another doctor entered Wynn’s room. Scarlett told both Youngbloods everything she could recall from her brief conversation with Wynn.

  “I’m glad he doesn’t remember the accident,” Cady said. “I’ll never forget the one I was in.” She shuddered.

  “I was able to tell him he’d dropped you off but I didn’t know where you’d been.”

  “An art exhibition for my boyfriend,” Del said. “Rob is on the floor below in a waiting room with your friends. Only family is allowed up here.”

  “I didn’t realize Keely and Mac were still here. I should go tell them Wynn is awake and that they should leave.”

  The door opened and Dr. Thomas stepped out. “I believe Mr. Gallagher is going to make a full recovery.”

  Relief swept through Scarlett. She said, “He repeated himself a lot. Is that a cause for concern?”

  “No. The fact that he’s articulate, forming full sentences is very good. Part of the muddled thinking will involve repeating himself. That will decrease dramatically in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours. He’s hungry. I’ll have a nurse bring him something to eat but it may be hard for him to chew because of the swelling in his face. We’ll keep him on a soft diet for a couple of days.”

  The other doctor came out and introduced himself. Scarlett learned that Wynn’s broken ribs had been stabilized and he’d received a steroid injection earlier to reduce the inflammation and pain and help him breathe more easily. The doctor would order one more injection but this could weaken Wynn’s immune system, so he’d need to be watched closely in case he developed pneumonia.

  They thanked him and returned to Wynn’s room. He talked with them a few minutes, asking where he’d been. When Del mentioned the art exhibit and Wynn meeting the artist, Rob Delgado, Wynn had no recollection of the night. He was also vague about the days leading up to the accident and Scarlett knew he’d forgotten about their argument. When the time came, she would need to tell him about it and hope he forgave her.

  Wynn told them he was tired and the three left him to sleep. Del texted Rob to meet him at his car and said he was going home to take a nap and shower and would return in a few hours. Cady said she would do the same since they’d both been at the hospital since late last night.

  “I’ll check in with Keely and Mac and then return to sit with Wynn,” Scarlett told them.

  A nurse gave her instructions to the waiting room and Scarlett took the stairs
down one flight, glad to be able to move after sitting for so long. Her stomach growled and she thought she better grab a sandwich at the cafeteria before she returned to Wynn’s room. She was eating for two now and wanted to do everything possible to ensure she had a healthy baby.

  When she stepped inside the waiting room, the number of people present overwhelmed her. Carreen was the first to reach her, embracing her in her typical motherly fashion.

  “What are you doing here?” Scarlett asked. “You live in Arizona now.”

  “I got your text,” her sister said. “I had to come.”

  She began to cry. Carreen dabbed her cheeks with a tissue. “Everyone’s here.”

  Scarlett glanced around and saw not only that Keely and Mac had stayed but Rhett, Cassie, Dash, Sydney, Knox, and London had all come.

  “Thank you for being here,” she said through her tears, going around the circle and hugging each one tightly.

  “How is Wynn?” Keely asked. “We don’t know anything beyond him being in intensive care.”

  “He finally woke up a few minutes ago.”

  Scarlett took a seat and walked them through Wynn’s injuries and what the doctors had shared about his condition.

  “It’s going to take time for him to heal. Time for his thoughts to quit jumbling and calm down. He may never remember the past few days.” She sighed. “He’s alive, though. That’s all I care about.”

  Her gaze met Cassie’s and somehow Scarlett knew her sister-in-law had learned about the argument with Wynn. It made sense because if Wynn had come looking for her, Rhett and Cassie’s would have been the first place he’d gone.

  “I need to get back upstairs. But while you’re all here, I wanted to tell you that I plan to be with Wynn. Whether he makes a full recovery or not. I’m committed to him.” She paused. “I love him. I did before this happened and nothing’s changed.”

  “You know we’ll support you in whatever, Scarlett,” Rhett said. “I’m speaking for the entire group. Whether it’s launching your own firm or being with Wynn, we love you.”

  “Thank you. I love all of you, too.” She stood. “I want to get back. Everyone needs to go home. There’s nothing more you can do here. I’ll send out a group text if anything changes.”

  Hugs were exchanged again. She admonished Mac for staying so long, knowing he had to be back for a second night shoot in a few hours.

  “Don’t worry about me, Scarlett. I stayed up three days straight in the army on missions. This is a piece of cake.” He grinned. “Besides, my character is supposed to have a haggard look. My lack of sleep is just saving the makeup artist time trying to un-pretty me.”

  He enfolded her in his arms. “You take care. I’m going to get Keely home and into bed. Call if you need anything.”

  “I will,” she promised.

  London pressed a bag into her hand. “I sent Knox downstairs while you were updating us on Wynn’s condition. You need to eat.”

  “Thank you. Thank you for coming.”

  London smiled. “What are friends for?”

  Carreen walked out with her. “I can see you’re okay. I’m going to fly home tonight but let me know if you need me.”

  “I will. Thanks for rallying the troops.”

  Rhett stepped forward. “I’ll walk back with you.”

  Scarlett led him to the stairwell and they climbed the flight to the next floor.

  “I’m sorry I sent you the vague text yesterday. I know you’ve already received the email from Lymon McGraw. Normally, I’d run something of that magnitude by you.”

  “You don’t have to. You may be my baby sister but you’re a smart, mature woman.” His hand cupped her cheek. “In the future, I’m sure that’s the kind of thing you’ll talk over with Wynn.”

  “I hope so. Did Cassie tell you he and I had a huge fight?”

  “She did. Not what it was about. It wasn’t important. I knew somehow you two would work it out.”

  “I don’t think Wynn remembers it went down,” Scarlett admitted. “I’ll tell him, though. I know it won’t always be smooth sailing between us but I’ve found The One, Rhett. I’m not letting him go.”

  “Good.” His thumb stroked her cheek. “Let us know if he makes any progress and when he’s out of intensive care and can have visitors.”

  “I will.”

  Rhett opened the stairwell door for her and Scarlett returned to Wynn’s room. She ate the sandwich and chips and was excited to find a chocolate chip cookie at the bottom of the sack. A new nurse came in to check Wynn’s vitals and she saw Ted’s name had been replaced on the whiteboard.

  After the nurse left, Scarlett climbed into bed with Wynn. She turned on her side and snuggled against him, resting her head gently on his shoulder. Feeling his warmth against her reassured her that everything would turn out fine.

  CHAPTER 26

  Wynn slowly became aware of the warmth against his side. Then the scent of vanilla wafted through the air.

  Scarlett lay beside him.

  He opened his eyes and blinked several times. Looking at the ceiling tiles, he realized the blurred vision he’d experienced the last time he awoke had subsided. He wanted to look at Scarlett but something stiff held his neck in place. Something cold was also draped over his head. Fortunately, the painful throbbing at his temples had eased to a low, dull ache.

  At least this time, he knew he was in a hospital room. And why. Both Scarlett and some doctor mentioned a car accident. The doctor—what was his name?—had said Wynn might never remember the actual impact. Knowing how Cady still experienced nightmares of the car crash she’d been in, he figured this was probably a blessing.

  Wynn’s thoughts drifted as he tried to recall the last thing he’d done. The image that came to mind was of Scarlett. He had her pressed against a door, kissing the life out of her. Actually, more than kissing. They’d had sex. Hot, wild, passionate sex. Thinking of his mouth on hers was a pleasant memory. Then he pictured himself sitting around a table. Several people were there. After a few moments, he remembered it was an RCDS meeting. Dash had invited him.

  Then nothing.

  “Are you awake?” Scarlett stretched against him, her fingers lightly touching his chest.

  He wouldn’t tell her that it hurt because she would move away. Wynn didn’t think he could stand that. Since his head seemed too heavy to turn and face her, he glanced down and saw her hand against his chest. Dark bruising covered most of it, as if someone had splattered him with purple and black paint. A flash of his body banging against and then bouncing off the steering wheel caused sweat to break out along his hairline.

  “I’m awake,” he managed to get out, his heart pounding rapidly at the sensation that lingered.

  “You sound better than before.”

  “My head felt like it might explode,” he admitted. “Now, it’s died down to something manageable. I can think more clearly.”

  “How about your sight?”

  “Much better.”

  “Good.” Her hand stroked him lightly. “Do you remember attending an art exhibit with Cady? Del introduced you to Rob Delgado, the artist.”

  He caught glimpses of a crowd. Paintings hanging on a wall. A handsome, bearded man.

  “Del’s gay,” he said. “The guy. The artist. That’s his boyfriend.”

  “You remembered. That’s great.”

  “I’m getting flashes of images, as if my mind is rapidly clicking through a collection of pictures. They’re not always in order but I can visualize the gallery. And Rob.” Wynn sighed. “I had no idea Del was gay. Cady knew.”

  “Women have intuition about these things.”

  He reached out and placed his hand over hers. “I have a great mental picture of being with you.”

  “You do?”

  “I do. I remember parting your bra and seeing your breasts. Touching them. Tasting them. Tasting you. That’s very clear in my mind.”

  Wynn heard her breath catch.

  “I don�
�t know how long I’ll be out of commission but I know exactly what I want to do to you, Scarlett. How I want to run my hands over your satin skin. Make a kiss last for an hour. I love you.”

  “That’s twice you’ve told me since you awoke,” she said softly.

  “I should’ve told you before the accident. What I do remember is how happy I am with you. How I’ve learned things about myself that I never knew existed. You’ve challenged me to think about everything in different ways. You make me want to do more with my life.”

  She pressed a kiss against his shoulder. “You’ve done the same for me, Wynn. I never realized that I’d thrown up a huge blockade around myself. I haven’t wanted to get close to a man until you came along. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

  “You do? Hmm. That sounds like a proposal to me, Scarlett Corrigan. Are you asking me to marry you?”

  She blew out a long breath. “I need to tell you something first.”

  When she didn’t speak, he urged her on. “Tell me.”

  “It’s something you obviously don’t remember. We had our first argument.”

  “I can’t imagine fighting with you.”

  “We did. The fact that we’re both passionate, stubborn, opinionated people contributed to it. When you slammed that car door . . .” Her voice faded.

  As it did, a burst of anger seared through him. In an instant, he remembered what they fought about. How hurt and betrayed he’d felt.

  And how he’d sought her out, wanting her forgiveness.

  “I did something terrible to you,” she said.

  “No. It wasn’t terrible. You were doing your job. Rhett and Cassie needed you. You made sure I had the best legal counsel available to go with me to the Rylon signing.”

  She sat up and he caught sight of her finally. Her long, dark hair had that bedhead look that he liked on her. Tears brimmed in her eyes.

  “You did the right thing, Scarlett. You should’ve told me about it sooner. When so much time passed and then I learned about Henry’s machinations, I exploded. I overreacted. It was stupid. I knew right away I’d acted irrationally. I tried to find you the next day and beg your forgiveness.”