Fame

by Jillian Dodd

  We get up and head to the kitchen.

  I make the caramel sauce while he cuts potatoes and stirs up the batter. Thank god we actually have all the ingredients, or I may have actually hopped on a plane.

  “Am I being weird because I know I’m pregnant and I think I should be craving things or does being pregnant just cause me to be weird?”

  “How are you being weird?”

  “Aiden, I’ve been napping in between taping. I never do that. I’m ravenous. I’m horny.”

  He pours some batter into the waffle iron, shuts the lid, and then joins me in front of the stove, putting his chin on my shoulder and sliding his hands around my waist.

  “I think napping is good for you. As is eating. And I hope you stay this horny. It’s fun. I mean, don’t get me wrong, we have a great sex life, but the last week has been exceptional.”

  I stir the potatoes and add just a little more cayenne pepper as Aiden’s hand slips inside my robe, coming to rest on my stomach.

  “You are obsessed with touching my stomach. People are going to know before we tell them.”

  “I’m dying to tell our families. They were so excited about the engagement, they’ll be over the moon about a baby.”

  “I go to the doctor today. I’ll ask him when’s a good time to tell them. I mean, what if it doesn’t work out?”

  The waffle timer dings, so he’s talking as he pops it out and starts another.

  “You mean like a miscarriage?”

  “Yeah, like Peyton and Damian. They were so excited they told everyone the second the line turned pink. She had planned the nursery. Then they went in for their first ultrasound and found out there wasn’t even a baby. What was that called again?”

  “A blighted ovum,” he says. “That sucked. But they had their family to support them. You took her to Paris to help cheer her up. They’ve had two boys since then and she’s only a few months away from having their third.”

  “I know. I’m just . . .”

  “Scared?” He pulls me in for a hug.

  “Yeah, Aiden, I’m scared.” I start crying. “I really want a baby. I really am excited to be pregnant. But I don’t want to disappoint you. I don’t want to screw it up. I don’t know how to be pregnant. What if I’m not good at it?”

  He kisses me and wipes my tears. “Shh, baby. I promise, no matter what happens, you won’t ever disappoint me.” He kisses my nose then grins at me. “If something happens, it will be my fault.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Faulty sperm.”

  I stop crying and start laughing.

  “You’re silly. I love you.”

  He kisses me one more time as the waffle machine dings. “I love you too. Let’s eat.”

  We help ourselves to the food.

  I quickly demolish mine and go back for seconds.

  “Is it almost as good as Inga’s?”

  “Yes, it tastes amazing. So, I have a board meeting first thing this morning, then my doctor’s appointment, then I’m having lunch with the girls, and then we film late tonight. It’s going to be another long day.”

  “Don't forget, I’m taking your grandparents up to the vineyard after the board meeting. You’re still meeting me this weekend, right?”

  “As long as we get the scenes done. We’re on a tight schedule.”

  “Are you sure I shouldn’t go to the doctor with you?”

  “Yeah, they said they’ll just double check that I’m pregnant, give me prenatal vitamins, and answer any questions.”

  “When do we get to see it?”

  “The first ultrasound is usually around twelve weeks. That’s when we’ll hear the heartbeat, hopefully.”

  “And how far along are you now?”

  “I did one of those calculators online. Yesterday would have been six weeks. Speaking of that, when you asked me to marry you, when did you expect to get married?”

  He stops his fork mid-stride. “How about we cancel everything and do it today? I can’t wait for you to be Mrs. Arrington.”

  “I’m thinking Keatyn Arrington sounds like a movie star name.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that I’m changing my name as soon as we’re married. No maiden name. No hyphen. I can’t wait to be your wife. Also, I don’t want to get married with a huge baby bump. And I don’t want to wait until after we have her to get married.”

  “Her?”

  “Or him.”

  He places his hand gently on my belly and speaks directly to it. “So, little miss, if Mommy and Daddy get married soon, do you promise to cooperate and not make Mommy faint or throw up?”

  He smiles, kisses my stomach, and says, “She says yes. And wants to know how soon we’re talking.”

  “Three weeks. We have a ten day break in the schedule while the crew goes to set up the location. We could get married and even sneak in a honeymoon.”

  “So we just go away and get married?”

  “Does the vineyard count as going away?”

  “That’s where you want to get married?”

  “I can’t think of a better place. And I was thinking of asking Ariela if she could coordinate it with the vineyard’s event planner.”

  “Maggie will be thrilled. They were always so close.”

  “I know. I’m going to call Maggie today and make sure she’s cool with it.”

  “No more surprising like last night?”

  “Last night was a bit of a disaster.”

  “Yeah, no more matchmaking for you.”

  “Exactly. So, I asked Maggie about the vineyard’s schedule yesterday and she said they’re booked with weddings and events all of October. So everything we do, or most of it, will have to be at our place.”

  “That shouldn’t be a problem. We have plenty of land. I even had your party barn built this spring.”

  “And we’ve yet to throw a party there. I feel bad,” I say, covering my mouth to stifle a yawn.

  He grabs my hand. “Let’s finish this discussion in bed.”

  “But we need to clean up.”

  “I’ll do it later,” he says sweetly, pulling me toward the bedroom.

  Once we’re snuggled up, he says, “I get the feeling you’ve already been scripting out this wedding.”

  “A little. Mostly just trying to figure it out logistically. It’s not going to be easy to plan our dream wedding in three weeks. Have you thought about it?”

  “Of course, obviously, the dance floor needs to be covered in twinkle lights. And I love the idea of saying our vows in the same spot where you brought the dirt.”

  “Me too,” I say, yawning again.

  I lay my head on his shoulder and am almost asleep when Aiden says, “You know Riley and Ariela kissed last night, right?”

  My eyes shoot back open. “What? When? Where?”

  “When you told her to go talk to him.”

  “They kissed then?”

  “Yeah, it was crazy passionate. Her leg was wrapped around him. I thought they were gonna do it up against our bar.”

  “Then why was he such a dick to her?”

  “I think maybe when they kissed, he told her it didn’t mean anything. Because they got interrupted by Marvel and when she pulled away, she said she knew it didn’t mean anything. He was pretty rattled.”

  I smile. “He still loves her.”

  “She still affects him. That’s different than love. It’s been a long time.”

  “But he hasn’t fallen for anyone else. And god knows it’s not from lack of dating.”

  Aiden chuckles. “No matchmaking. He’s our friend. She hasn’t been our friend for ten years. And that was her choice. I’m not sure asking her to help with the wedding is such a good idea, honestly. We don’t know if we can trust her.”

  “Hmm. You’re right. Maybe I’ll get a second opinion.”

  “Inviting her to lunch with Vanessa?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good plan. Vanessa reads bull
shit a mile away.”

  Even though it’s six in the morning, I grab my phone and fire off a quick text to Ariela, asking her to meet me for lunch today.

  Then I lay my head back on Aiden’s shoulder and close my eyes.

  Captive Films - Santa Monica

  RILEY

  I’m sitting at my desk waiting for Keatyn. We always meet an hour before every board meeting. It’s our routine. Something that originally helped smooth out our nerves when we started working at the company and helping to guide its future. The company was already successful when she took it over. It had done well buying movie futures and investing in classic film rights. Grandpa Douglas always says Don’t fix what ain’t broken, and we listened. With his guidance and business expertise, we kept the best of the past and followed our own vision to give it a bright future. I’ll never forget how much fun we had making our first film. What a summer.

  I’m lost in memories—memories of that exciting summer with Ariela, doing what I loved and being with who I loved—when Keatyn steps into my office.

  “Hey,” she says, a little frown gracing her face.

  “Hey,” I say back.

  “I’m sorry about last night.”

  “It’s okay. Believe it or not, it got worse.”

  “You look a little hungover. Did you go out?”

  “Yeah. Called Knox. Went to a club.”

  “Where you were surrounded by beautiful women?”

  “Until Ariela showed up.”

  Keatyn’s eyes get big with shock. “She showed up at the club? Was she following you?”

  “She said it was a complete coincidence. That when she got home her friend wanted to go out. Her friend chose the club. They waited an hour to get in.”

  “Maybe you should ask her out on a date.”

  “I have no desire to go on a date with her ever again.” I run my hands through my hair, hoping my hangover will go away quickly. I don’t know what I was thinking. I never go out the night before a board meeting. I hit a button on my phone and demand, “Tyler, bring us some coffee.” Maybe that will help. “Shit, Keats. Why did she have to come back and ruin my life?”

  “Speaking of that, I kinda hired someone without telling you.”

  “What? You hired Ariela? What the fuck? Work is my sacred place. You told me that I couldn't hire the girls I date. That I couldn't mix business with pleasure.”

  She tilts her head at me, giving me an amused smile. “You just said you have no desire to date her, so if I hired her, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

  Tyler, my assistant, walks through the door with dark roast coffees. Best hangover cure ever. And it smells amazing.

  He hands one to Keatyn, comments on how lovely her new Chanel bag is, and then sets mine on the desk in front of me. “Rough night, boss?”

  I wave him away and he prances back through the door. Yes, I hired a gay assistant the day I started working here full time.

  Although, I originally hired him because I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about sleeping with him, I hit the jackpot. He’s been my assistant for the last five years. I keep giving him big raises because, quite frankly, I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s my right hand man. Incredibly organized, meticulous, never gossips, picks out most of my wardrobe, and works as hard as I do.

  “Thanks, Tyler!” I yell.

  A few moments after he leaves, Keatyn says, “Oh, shit.”

  Then she rushes over to my trash can and throws up.

  Actually, she doesn’t throw up.

  She dry heaves into it. Nothing comes out.

  She’s just gagging.

  And it makes me gag.

  I grab the trashcan from her and puke into it.

  “Oh, god,” she says, covering her nose and turning white. She leans over and presses the button on my phone. “Tyler! Get in here!”

  Tyler rushes back in, looking confused. Then he covers his nose too.

  “Riley threw up. Can you please get this trash can and that coffee out of here? And maybe bring him some crackers and a Sprite instead?”

  “I’d recommend a nice reviving green tea smoothie. Shall I go fetch one?”

  “No,” both Keatyn and I say.

  “You do realize you both have to speak at the board meeting in exactly forty-two minutes, right?” Tyler chastises.

  “We know,” Keatyn says, dry heaving again.

  Tyler turns up his nose at us and quickly removes the offending items.

  “We’ll be in my office,” Keatyn tells him, as she grabs my jacket sleeve and pulls me across the hall.

  She plops down on the couch and pulls me down with her.

  “Whew,” she says. “What were we talking about again?”

  “Ariela. You hired her?”

  “No, I didn’t hire her to work here. Although, I invited her to lunch with the girls today. And if she passes Vanessa’s bullshit meter, I will probably ask her to help with my wedding.”

  “Bullshit meter?”

  “Aiden isn’t convinced we should trust her.”

  “And what do you think?”

  “Honestly, I think she made a big mistake ten years ago and has been paying for it ever since.”

  “She destroyed me.”

  “I know. But this could be a good thing, Riley. You never got closure. Maybe, now, you will.”

  Tyler brings in a tray of assorted crackers then backs out of the room saying, “Excuse me, while I go bathe in hand sanitizer.”

  “He’s funny,” Keatyn says with a laugh as she shoves two crackers into her mouth.

  “So, are you ready for the board meeting?” I ask, changing the subject. I don’t want to talk about Ariela anymore. I can’t.

  “Of course, I love board days. I get to see my grandpa.”

  “We've come a long way from the Eastbrooke kids full of dreams. Captive Films has done well. Very well.”

  “That's because we always choose projects we’re passionate about.”

  “I was looking at the reports before you got here. The board will be quite pleased. The Keatyn Chronicles, part three, is doing insanely well.” Her ring catches my eye. “It’s really cool he got you a sunset for your finger. I always thought I'd get Ariela . . .”

  I stop.

  Shit.

  Why does she keep invading my thoughts?

  Why can’t I get the fucking kiss or the elevator out of my mind?

  Or the way she shoved her hands down my pants like it was her right.

  Or the look on her face when she saw Shelby.

  “A big pink diamond,” Keatyn says, finishing my sentence and four more crackers.

  “Yeah.”

  “Did you notice she was wearing the Hello Kitty ring you gave her?”

  “Yeah, bitch move.”

  “She told me last night she wore it to give her strength. She came to California for you, Riley.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it. So if not Ariela, who the hell did you hire without asking me?”

  “Don’t get mad, but . . .” There’s a knock on the door. “Grandpa!” she says, jumping off the couch and ending our conversation.

  After the board meeting, Grandpa says to Keatyn, “I better see you this weekend.”

  “I’ll be there,” she replies.

  “You’re going up to the vineyard this weekend?” Dallas asks Keatyn.

  “Yeah, hopefully I’ll get there Saturday. But I’ll be there, for sure, on Sunday. Aiden’s flying up today with my grandparents.”

  “RiAnne’s mother is in town to help her shop for the nursery. How would you feel about having me and a mess of kids join you?” Dallas asks Grandpa.

  “Sounds like heaven,” Grandpa says.

  “Sounds like hell,” I mutter, even though I love his kids.

  Grandpa hears me and slaps me on the back. “Hollywood, you need to start thinking about settling down yourself. Money can’t buy you love.”

  “No, but it can buy you a whole lotta sex. Right,
Riley?” Dallas quips.

  Grandpa laughs at Dallas’ joke, but is serious when he speaks to me. “I hear your old flame is back in town.”

  “Where’d you hear that?”

  Dallas raises his hand. “Guilty.”

  “Not that it matters but I’ve moved on.”

  “You need to kiss her, son.”

  “Why?”

  “Because a kiss will tell you just how moved on you really are.”

  Keatyn starts to open her mouth, but I glare at her, stopping her from announcing to the world that I already kissed Ariela.

  And that we both know I haven’t really moved on.

  I’ve never moved on.

  Rodeo Drive - Beverly Hills

  VANESSA

  “What’s your schedule like today? Can you meet at Harry Winston’s before lunch?” I ask Keatyn, when she answers her cell. “I just got the final check in my divorce settlement. I need to buy myself a reminder of why no one should ever get married.”

  “Aiden and I got engaged in Paris last week,” she says, laughing.

  “If you tell me it was at the top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset, I’m going to puke.”

  “Ha! It was! It was beautiful and perfect. And wait until you see my ring!”

  “I can’t believe you’re just now telling me? And how the hell did the press not get wind of it?”

  “We’ve really only told our families.”

  “Hmm. Not to talk shop, but we’ll make a big announcement of it. Come of think of it, it’s a great movie tie in. It will be good for you and Captive Films.”

  “Oh, I never thought of it that way, but I guess it does sort of show fans our big happy ending, right?”

  “Exactly. And I should rephrase my original statement. I’m buying myself something fabulous to remind myself why I should never get married again. You should absolutely marry Aiden. How was the board meeting?”

  “Short and sweet. Riley and Dallas did their presentations and told them how well we’re doing. I gave them an update on new projects. Everyone left happy. I just finished an appointment and was going to kill some time shopping before lunch. So, as usual, you have impeccable timing. I’d love to meet you there.”