Dreaming With A Broken Heart (Hollywood Legends #1)

by Mary J. Williams

  “This is exactly what I was talking about.” Anson’s eyes narrowed. A sure sign he was annoyed. “Why are you questioning me? This is my house. My word is law. When you start forgetting that, it is time to pull in the reins.”

  “Now I’m a what? A farm animal?”

  “Don’t be impertinent, Jade.” He slid the envelope in front of her. “This is over. Understand? Right now.”

  Pictures. Before she opened the flap, Jade knew what she would find. Her father had her followed. All these months, thinking she had a beautiful secret all her own. She waited for the feelings of disappointment, embarrassment. Then she waited some more. When it didn’t happen, Jade realized it didn’t matter that her father knew. Knew the entire time. He didn’t say anything until now. At the time, she did have a secret because she believed it to be true. Now, when it no longer mattered, there was no way for him to spoil it. The memories were hers and her father couldn’t do anything about it.

  With a steady hand, Jade tipped the envelope, letting the pictures slide out. Garrett. Arriving at the motel. Leaving the office. Going into the room. Nothing incriminating.

  “These are pictures of a man in glasses and a baseball cap. So?”

  “Keep looking.”

  She was the subject of half a dozen shots. Unlike Garrett, she was easily recognized. Again, nothing to get excited about. She exited a cab then entered a room. The same room as Garrett. That was the last photo. None of them together. She knew the curtains were always tightly drawn. They never turned on a light. These pictures proved nothing.

  “When I think about my daughter meeting a man in that part of town. In a seedy motel? What were you thinking?”

  Jade returned the pictures to the envelope, and then set them on the desk.

  “I have nothing to say, Father.”

  Jade settled back in her chair. She wasn’t pretending not to care what her father thought. She didn’t.

  “Is that so?” Anson shook his head in amazement. “The furor over the last scandal is finally dying down. Do you want a new one to remind everyone? It won’t just be this sordid affair that gets talked about. Everything else will come with it.”

  “No one knows,” Jade countered. When her father simply gave her a steady, unblinking look, she finally understood what this was about. “No one except you.”

  “I wouldn’t want to leak this to the press, Jade. Unless you give me no alternative. Stop seeing this Hamish Floyd. When it’s time for you to date again, find someone better than a lowly assistant director. He’s an immigrant. A nobody.”

  Hamish Floyd? Not Garrett? Jade tried to take in what was happening. First, the blatant blackmail. Then finding out her father’s PI misidentified the man in the pictures. It was a lot to take in.

  “How did you find out who he was?”

  “The license plate on that beat up car he drives.”

  Anson shook his head as though the make of the automobile somehow made all this worse.

  “I see,” Jade sighed.

  Jade did see. She hated this. However, her father reminded her of something she let herself forget. Her life was a mess. Between an on-the-run abusive husband and a father who needed to control her, there was no room for a man. Especially a man like Garrett. His family was almost scandal-free. That was saying something in this town. Once his name became linked with hers, he would be forever tainted. She deluded herself if she thought they could go public. Trying for a normal relationship was hard enough. Add to it her baggage and his name? They were doomed before they started.

  Her father was going to win. As usual. It was up to her to make sure he never knew the real reason why.

  “Very well, Father. I won’t see him again.” Jade started to get up. Thinking again, she sat back down. “Do you ever get tired of it?”

  “I beg your pardon,” he asked vaguely. Having dealt with the matter, Anson Marlow had moved on. Jade had resumed her place of low-level importance.

  “Aren’t you sick of breaking me down every time I show a hint of a backbone?” Jade asked. This was something she had wondered about for a long time. She needed the answer. “Why bother? Why do you care, Father?”

  For a moment, she thought he was going to ignore the question. When he finally spoke, Jade wondered why he bothered. One more lie.

  “You are a Marlow. There is a standard to uphold.” Anson shrugged. “Though it shouldn’t be necessary, occasionally you need reminding.”

  “Bullshit.”

  “What did you say?”

  “Bull. Shit. The stuff that comes out of the back end of a male bovine. You, Father, are full of it.”

  Jade enjoyed the shock that flitted over her father’s face. The red, angry flush that followed she liked even better.

  “That kind of language is not permitted in this house, young lady.”

  “Is that the best you’ve got? No more threats?” Jade shook her head in amazement. “This isn’t about your good name. It’s about control. You don’t love me. You certainly don’t like me. What good am I to you? I’ll tell you,” she continued before he could respond. “I may be an annoyance, but I’m your annoyance. Your flesh and blood. DNA doesn’t lie.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You had our DNA tested,” Jade informed calmly. “Why wouldn’t you? Your wife ran off. God forbid she saddle you with another man’s child. You had to be sure. Tell me, Father, were you relieved or disappointed when you found out I’m yours?”

  “How do you know about that?”

  The test results were in the office safe along with his other secrets. Why he kept the results, Jade didn’t know or care. When she realized what they were, a big part of her hoped she wasn’t his daughter. No such luck.

  “Does it matter?” Did anything between them matter anymore?

  “This is getting us nowhere,” Anson said dismissively. “Remember, Jade. Your actions reflect back on me. Drop your playmate. This is my house. You follow my rules.”

  “Understood.” Jade stood to leave. She was at the door when her father left her with one more dictate.

  “Clean up the language. I never want to hear you swear again.”

  “Believe me,” Jade said. “It won’t be a problem.”

  Without a backward glance, Jade closed the door. She walked back the way she came. Up the stairs. To her room. When she was alone, she took out her phone. Before her resolve started to crack, she found Garrett’s number. Jade wouldn’t let herself hesitate. She hit delete. It was a little thing. Symbolic. She had the numbers memorized. However, this way she would have to think before calling him. If she had to do more than push one keypad, she could talk herself out of it.

  When she left her room that morning, she thought she had a future with Garrett. Now, she knew it could never be. Was a little taste of happiness better than none at all? What was the saying? You couldn’t miss what you never had. Had Garrett been hers? She wanted to think so. She wanted the memories. She would never wish away the time they had together. Remembering would hurt. Still, it was better than not feeling anything.

  Once that was taken care of, Jade’s next action was one that was long overdue. Taking one suitcase from her closet, she packed the few things she owned that held any value. From her jewelry box, she took her maternal grandmother’s pearls. Earrings that belonged to her mother. She left the rest. Tucked underneath the velvet lining, she retrieved her most precious possession. A picture of her mother. As far as she knew, it was the only one that survived. Her father shredded the rest. This one was given to Jade by the lawyer who handled the transfer of the money her mother had left her. It was hers if she wanted it. Those were the only instructions she gave.

  At the age of twenty-one, Jade couldn’t remember her mother. No one ever spoke of her or described what she looked like. Did she want a picture of the woman who abandoned her? It didn’t take her long to decide. Curiosity won out over everything else.

  Jade ran her finger over the image. The woman in the p
hoto was smiling. She looked happy. Carefree. She was tall and thin. Her hair was red. If Jade could travel back thirty years, it would be like meeting her twin. Was this the answer? Jade wondered as she slipped the picture into her purse. Was her father’s contempt directed at the woman in the photo as much as it was to Jade? It would be difficult. How galling to destroy the printed images only to see a living, breathing reminder every day?

  Jade packed a few pieces of clothing — the essentials. When she closed the case, it was only half-full. She didn’t want or need anything else. The clothes in her closet, half of which had never been worn didn’t tempt her. She no longer needed them. She wasn’t sure if she had ever wanted them.

  Without a backward glance, Jade picked up the suitcase. For the last time, she walked down the staircase and out the front door.

  Jade didn’t care if the maid scrambled to tell her father. There was nothing he could do. She was twenty-seven years old and leaving home.

  Jade Marlow was finally free.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  GARRETT FROWNED AT his phone. This was the fourth time his call went to voice mail. He could understand Jade not answering. Why the hell wasn’t she getting back to him?

  The mess in Vancouver was deeper than he anticipated. The temptation to dump it on someone else grew with every frustrating layer he peeled back. The problem wasn’t complicated. It was messy. Unions. They were a touchy bunch. Luckily, they weren’t unreasonable. He was making progress. By the end of the week, he expected things to be running smoothly. In the meantime, he was going crazy wondering why he couldn’t reach Jade.

  Two days had passed. That night. That amazing, beautiful night carried him through the next day. With almost no sleep and too much coffee, Garrett dragged himself from meeting to meeting. He had a job to do, yet all he could think about was Jade.

  He considered calling someone to check up on her. Who? His mother was an option. Jade told him about her long visit with his parents. Garrett was thrilled to know his mother had reached out. Jade needed another woman to confide in. From what she said, a nice foundation was in place for their friendship to grow.

  What could he say to his mother without giving away his involvement? He wanted his relationship with Jade to become public, but disclosing how it started was another thing. It would be difficult to explain why he was worried without spilling all the details. If he made something up, he would be stuck with the lie for as long as he was with Jade. Since he planned on that being a very long time, starting out with a lie, especially to his mother, wasn’t a good idea.

  That eliminated his entire family. Garrett felt trapped in a state of limbo. In all likelihood, there was a perfectly reasonable explanation why Jade wasn’t answering his calls. He should wait a few more days before raising the alarm. Unfortunately, Jade’s situation was unusual. She had an MIA husband who could show up without warning. What if he already had Jade? Her father couldn’t be relied upon to call the police. The man could just as easily ignore Jade’s disappearance. When questioned, all he had to do was concoct some story about how he thought Jade was visiting friends for a few days. He had no reason to think there was anything amiss. Meanwhile, Stephen Marsh could have snatched Jade off the street and no one was doing anything about it.

  Given the choice between overreacting and ignoring a potentially deadly situation, Garrett knew there was no choice. Jade was all that mattered.

  Garrett decided the best place to start was the Marlow residence. If he called asking for Jade and she came to the phone, problem solved. If they told him she was out, he would try again later. If he were given the runaround, he would take more drastic measures.

  Getting the phone number wasn’t a problem. He knew plenty of people who had that information. Charity events, social get-togethers. An unlisted number was easily obtained when you ran in the same social circles.

  Taking a calming breath, Garrett dialed the number. He only had to wait through one ring before the phone was answered.

  “Hello. Marlow residence.”

  “May I speak with Miss Marlow?”

  The pause that followed did nothing to steady Garrett’s nerves.

  “Miss Jade Marlow?”

  “That’s right,” Garrett said. Was there more than one Miss Marlow?

  “One moment, please.”

  With each ticking second, Garrett felt his level of unease rise. After several minutes, he was ready to reach through his phone and strangle the nearest person. What the hell was going on? When someone finally came back, it was not the same woman who answered. Definitely not a good sign.

  “Excuse me. To whom am I speaking?”

  “To whom am I speaking?” Garrett countered.

  “This is Mr. Marlow’s associate, Mr. Black. What is your business with Miss Marlow?”

  “Personal,” Garrett replied. “And none of yours.”

  “If you are unwilling to state your business, Miss Marlow is unavailable. Call again if you have a specific reason for contacting her. Good day.”

  That was it. No more hesitating. Garrett wasn’t waiting around to find out if Anson Marlow was being a controlling prick, or if Jade was missing and no one was doing anything about it.

  Jack Winston would know what to do. Garrett was about to make the call when his phone rang. His mother. He couldn’t ignore her call. Hoping a few more minutes wouldn’t matter, Garrett answered.

  “How is the most beautiful woman in the world?”

  Too much, Garrett wondered. His mother was ultra-sensitive to her son’s moods. She was sure to see through his attempt to sound upbeat — normal. She was beautiful. It was the tone that might have given him away.

  “Is everything all right?”

  Shit, Garrett thought, kicking himself for not being a better actor. Maternal radar. Even Colt, Oscar nomination and all, had a hard time fooling their mother when something was bothering him. Luckily, Garrett was in a different country. He could fib his way around Callie when they weren’t together. If she could see his face, his lies dissolved like tissue paper in a rainstorm.

  “Unions.”

  The one-word answer did the trick. His mother had been in the business long enough to understand. Hell, she belonged to one. On top of that, she was married to a producer. In one way or another, the Landis family dealt with unions every day of their lives.

  “Poor baby,” Callie cooed sympathetically. “Are they giving you a hard time?”

  “No more than would be expected. I should wrap things up in a few days. Getting back to actual movie making will be a relief.”

  “I’m sure,” Callie said. “You’ll be here for your father’s birthday, won’t you?”

  “Have I ever missed one?”

  Caleb Landis’ birthday bashes were legendary. Garrett’s earliest memories were of the yearly party her mother threw to celebrate. Each one had a theme. Turkish Harem. Carnival in Rio. And one of Garrett’s personal favorites, Under the Sea. Beautiful waitresses dressed like Ariel from the Little Mermaid? Garrett’s favorite lobster rolls? His father in a Sebastian the Crab costume? Priceless.

  “What’s this year’s theme?”

  “It’s a surprise.” Garrett could hear the excitement in his mother’s voice. She loved throwing parties. When it celebrated the birthday of the man she loved, she was in heaven.

  “That means a costume will be delivered at the last minute.” Garrett groaned. “Please, Mom, I beg you. No skirts.”

  The Scottish bash she threw two years ago still haunted Garrett. Insisting they dress as accurately as possible, Callie made her husband and sons go commando. Sure, they could have worn underwear. She didn’t physically check them at the door. It simply never occurred to any of them to go against Callie’s wishes. As a result, Garrett spent a drafty evening hoping his kilt wouldn’t fly up.

  “All your boy bits will be fully covered,” Callie promised with a laugh. “You know, when you were little, I couldn’t keep you from dropping your drawers. There was nothing you
liked better than running around naked.”

  “Something I thankfully grew out of.” Garrett looked at his watch. Time was getting away from him. “Was that why you called?”

  “No. I wanted to know if you sold your old downtown loft. I know you had it on the market.”

  “No,” Garrett frowned, wondering why it mattered. “There have been a few inquiries, but nothing serious.”

  “That’s what I thought. If I vouch for the person, would you consider renting it? At a discount. A big one.”

  “Mom.” Garrett sighed. “Is this one of your rehabilitation projects? I’m not keen on the idea of turning my place over to a crack addict or prostitute. Reformed or not.”

  “No,” Callie reassured him. “Nothing like that. Though you should keep an open mind, sweetheart. Everybody deserves a second chance.”

  “I agree,” Garrett said. “I just don’t want them relapsing on my newly refinished hardwood floors.”

  “Well, that’s a discussion for another time. I have a friend who needs a place to stay. Her budget is tight. I had a heck of a time talking her out of a studio on the east side. I shudder when I think of the dirty halls. The place smelled like mildew and I swear I heard something scurrying around in the walls.”

  “You know I trust your judgment. The money doesn’t matter. You decide.”

  “I knew you’d come through,” Callie said with delight. “Jade might put up a fuss. She’s on an independent kick that I thoroughly approve of. That’s why I didn’t suggest she move in here. We have that cute little guest cottage that—”

  “Wait,” Garrett interrupted. “Jade Marlow? Is she your friend?”

  “Oh, that’s right. You don’t know. Your brothers stopped by for dinner last night so they are up to date.”

  “Mom.” Garrett tried his best to keep the impatience out of his voice. “What about Jade Marlow?”

  “She moved out of her father’s house. Just like that.” He heard Callie snap her fingers. “It wasn’t planned. One morning, she packed a bag and left. Checked into a motel. She won’t tell me where. I suspect it’s worse than the studio apartment.”