Dreaming With A Broken Heart (Hollywood Legends #1)

by Mary J. Williams

  “I don’t need help sleeping,” Garrett said. “I need to stay awake.”

  “Nonsense.” Callie bustled around, checking the oven, grating cheese. “Some tea, a good, healthy meal, and the company of your family are what you need. You’ll stay here tonight. I don’t want you driving home in your condition. Especially at night on those winding roads.”

  “Don’t argue,” Caleb warned. “Your mother is right. You’ll be much better off driving in the morning.”

  “You won’t hear any objections from me,” Garrett assured them. “My old bed plus one of Lorena’s famous breakfasts. Sounds like heaven to me.”

  Garrett took the steaming mug from his father, breathing in the scent of lemon and lavender. In his experience, all herbal tea tasted the same. Like steeped grass clippings. Taking a sip, he decided this one was no exception. Seeing his mother’s satisfied smile, he kept his opinion to himself.

  “Where is everyone else? I saw their rigs in the driveway.”

  “Wyatt is in my office closing a deal. Colt is getting his dog settled out back. As usual we are sitting while he’s out of town.”

  “You love Amos,” Callie reminded Caleb. “I swear you can’t wait for Colt to have a location shoot out of the country so you can play with him whenever you want.”

  “Did I say I minded?” Caleb rolled his eyes, making sure Callie didn’t see.

  Chuckling, Garrett selected an olive from the antipasto tray his mother set in front of him, popping it into his mouth.

  “That takes care of two brothers. Where is Nate?”

  “With our guest down in the workout room. Caleb, sweetheart, will you get a bottle of Chianti from the wine vault.”

  “We have a guest?”

  “Mmm. I—”

  “There isn’t any Chianti,” Caleb called out.

  “Oh, honestly,” Callie sighed. “The man can oversee multi-million dollar productions, but he can’t find a simple bottle of wine.”

  Garrett smiled, watching his mother leave the room. Curious what Nate was up to, he walked down the hall to the left, taking the flight of stairs that led to the basement.

  The workout room was added when Caleb and Callie bought the house. Over the years, they renovated the area, modernizing the equipment, adding a meditation room, then a Pilates studio. The weight room was always in a state of flux. Since it got the most use, they made sure the equipment was always state of the art.

  When they were boys, Garrett and his twin brother had an ongoing friendly competition. They set goals to see who could lift the most weight. Or who could climb the rope the fastest. Nate always won. After a while, they gave up competing. Garrett graciously declared his brother the brawnier physical specimen. The only activities Garrett could beat Nate at were anything involving endurance. Nate might get there faster in a sprint. However, given enough time and distance, Garrett always overtook him.

  From the sound of it, Nate and his guest were in the room at the far end of the hall. Most of the time it was lined with well-cushioned mats. Caleb Landis was a black belt in several martial arts disciplines. When he wanted to hone his skills, he flew in masters from all over the world. This is where they would meet.

  He heard Nate’s voice, instructing someone to lead with his or her shoulder.

  “You need to put your body into a punch. If you only move your arm, you can’t get enough force.”

  Good advice, Garrett thought. Normally, Nate had the patience of Job. He didn’t mind going over and over something until his student caught on. It took a lot to frustrate his brother. However, when you crossed that line, watch out. Nate did not suffer assholes quietly. From the sound of things, Nate was in classic teacher mode.

  Garrett looked through the open studio door. He planned on getting a peek without disturbing the occupants. What he saw froze him in his tracks. Standing in the middle of the room, Nate’s hands on her waist, was Jade.

  For the first time in over two years, Garrett saw Jade out of the darkened motel room. His eyes drank in every detail. She was dressed in skintight black yoga pants that showed off a nicely rounded butt and shapely legs. The weight she had put on in the last six months looked good on her. Her black t-shirt was loose, only giving a hint of the full breasts he knew were underneath. She wore her blazing red hair pulled back in a long ponytail and her feet were bare, her toes painted a deep magenta.

  None of this was supposed to be for his eyes. Only a few days ago, she told him to hit the road. It seemed the fork in that road led her directly to Nate.

  What the fuck?

  “What do you think?”

  Garrett almost jumped out of his skin. He was so engrossed in the unfathomable scene he hadn’t heard his mother’s approach.

  “Well?” Callie asked; her voice lowered to a whisper. She stood with him in the doorway, her arm slipping around him.

  “Well, what?”

  Garrett was only half listening. Jade? With Nate? What the hell was going on?

  “Garrett,” Callie said impatiently. “I asked what you thought.”

  “I think Nate has his hands all over Jade Marlow,” Garrett grumbled.

  “Jade asked if I knew a good self-defense teacher. Naturally, I thought of your brother. He was happy to show her the basics.”

  Garrett’s eyes narrowed when Nate’s hand got a little too close to Jade’s ass.

  “He seems to be enjoying himself.”

  “I thought so, too,” Callie beamed. “I think Nate would be good for Jade.”

  “Mmm,” Garrett mumbled. “Wait. What? Nate and Jade? As in…?”

  “Don’t you think they make a good-looking couple?” Callie smiled. “I know Jade is skittish about men. Who could blame her? Nate is such a gentle soul. She needs to be treated with kid gloves. Your brother is perfect.”

  Garrett couldn’t believe his ears. His mother wanted to play matchmaker to Jade and Nate? Unbelievable.

  “My first thought was Wyatt.”

  “Wyatt.” Christ, this just got stranger and stranger.

  “It makes sense,” Callie reasoned. “Two wounded hearts. They could heal each other.”

  “I don’t think so,” Garrett protested. Wyatt could get his own woman. Jade was not available.

  “I agree,” Callie beamed, unaware of Garrett’s turbulent thoughts. “Wyatt isn’t ready. I think Jade is. If it’s with the right man.”

  “A man like Nate.”

  “Maybe. I’m still feeling out the situation. Hey, you two,” Callie called out. “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes.”

  “Sounds good,” Nate grinned. He winked at Jade. “We’ve worked up quite an appetite.”

  Laughing, Jade turned towards Callie. It looked like she was about to say something. Then she saw Garrett. When she started to sway as if she would faint, Garrett instinctively took a step toward her. Nate, being closer, beat him to it.

  “Hey, are you all right?” Nate gave her a concerned look, his hand on her arm holding her steady. “Did I push you too hard?”

  “No,” Jade assured him. “I’ll be fine.”

  “You need a hot meal in your stomach,” Callie said firmly. “Before I came down, I filled the tub in my bathroom. By the time you have a nice soak, dinner will be on the table.”

  Jade took the towel Nate held out. She walked across the room, wiping her face. Garrett kept his eyes locked on her, willing her to look at him. Daring her.

  Jade passed him without a glance.

  “Thank you, Callie. I won’t be long.”

  “Such a sweetie,” Callie said.

  A few days ago, Garrett would have agreed. Now, he wasn’t sure what Jade was. Cold-hearted bitch? No, that didn’t fit. Tease? Nope. There was nothing sexual in the way she interacted with Nate. Something was going on that went beyond a simple break-up. Whatever it was, Garrett planned to find out.

  “She started out timid.” Nate joined them on the walk back upstairs. “That isn’t unusual. If you’ve never hit anyone, it isn’t
an easy thing to do.”

  “I liked that part.”

  Nate grinned. “You’re a natural, Mom. You also grew up on a farm with three older brothers. By the time you got to Hollywood, you knew how to give as well as you took.”

  “After eighteen years putting my brothers in their place, the male sharks in this town were a breeze.”

  “Jade needs to build some upper body strength” Nate explained. “She’s started working out again, something she stopped doing after she got out of the hospital. I gave her a program of weight training and conditioning. I’ll have her kicking ass in no time.”

  “Watch out for flying rice.”

  Nate’s turned from grabbing a bottle of juice from the refrigerator. He was used to intense workouts. Unlike Jade, he hadn’t broken a sweat.

  “Rice?” Nate frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “Didn’t Mom tell you?” Garrett tried to make his words sound teasing. Keeping the edge off was difficult. “She thinks you and Jade will make the perfect couple. Mind you, her original choice was Wyatt.”

  Nate barely saved himself from spitting the juice across the room. “Wyatt and Jade? No offense, Mom, but they would be a mess. Too much baggage on both sides.”

  “I realized that,” Callie said. She gave Garrett a warning look. “I know you boys hate the idea of my matchmaking. I wasn’t going to push, Nate. I simply thought if you hit it off, it would be good for both of you.”

  “Sorry, Mom. Jade and I edged into the brother/sister dynamic right away.” Nate scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Not that she isn’t gorgeous. And sexy. I can’t say why there wasn’t any spark. Maybe it’s the sadness I see in her eyes when she doesn’t think anyone is looking.”

  “My big protector.” Callie cupped Nate’s face with her hands. “I should have realized. You need a woman as tough on the outside as you are.”

  “With a marshmallow center,” Garrett added. Good old Nate. The relief he felt at hearing his brother explain his feelings for Jade was short-lived.

  “There’s always Colt.”

  “What?” Garrett couldn’t believe his ears. Different woman every night, Colt? Had Nate lost his mind?

  “I thought of that. They are close to the same age.” Callie smiled at Garrett. “Take the lasagna out of the oven, sweetheart. It needs to sit before we cut it.”

  “Colt is a bit wild,” Nate mused.

  “Exactly,” Callie agreed. “He is having too much fun sowing his wild oats. Jade needs a man who can focus on her. Colt’s eye wanders too easily.”

  Setting the casserole on the stove, Garrett added a silent, damn right.

  “Sometimes, no matter how much you wish it, there isn’t a good fit,” Callie sighed. “We know plenty of eligible men. When Jade is ready, I’ll set her up with one of them.”

  “Excuse me.”

  Callie smiled. “Did you need something, Garrett?”

  “What about me?”

  Callie and Nate exchanged puzzled looks.

  “What about you?” Nate asked.

  “Jade? And me?” Garrett threw up his hands. “Come on. You considered your other sons.”

  “Did I bruise your ego?” Callie reached over to squeeze his hand. “You were actually my first thought. Fleeting thought.”

  “Really? Why?” Garrett looked at Nate. “What am I lacking?”

  “Don’t ask me,” Nate said. He kissed Callie on the forehead. “I need a quick shower. I’ll leave you to soothe Garrett’s ego.”

  As Nate passed by, Garrett punched him in the arm. It was like hitting galvanized steel.

  “Need some ice for that?” Callie asked.

  “No, my hand is fine.”

  “I meant for your ego.” She smiled at Garrett’s disgruntled look. “What is it with brothers? If one of you has something, the others suddenly need one too.”

  “None of them has had Jade.” That distinction belonged to Garrett. And he planned on keeping it that way.

  “Do you want to know why I dismissed you so quickly?”

  “Please.”

  “When you are directing a movie, you can’t think of anything else. It’s one of the things that makes you so good,” Callie explained. “That single-minded devotion has taken you to the top in a short period of time.”

  “You don’t think I can split my focus,” Garrett said.

  “Jade needs to feel like the center of someone’s world. She’s never had that before. Trust me; it’s a heady feeling for any woman.” Callie sighed.

  “With the right man,” Garrett pointed out. “You like it because it’s Dad. There’s a fine line between devoted and stalker.”

  “Which is why I thought of Nate,” Callie told him. “He knows how to hold something close while allowing it room to breathe. Your father is like that. Wyatt tried to be,” Callie’s eyes grew sad. “Unfortunately, his wife wanted to be smothered. That isn’t a healthy trait on either side of a relationship.”

  “You don’t think Colt and I are capable of giving a woman the kind of love Dad gives you?” Garrett hated to think that was true.

  “Of course you are,” Callie assured him. “Colt isn’t ready for that kind of commitment. And you, Garrett, right now your love is your work. When you find the right woman, you’ll make room for both.” She pulled him down, kissing both cheeks. “Now, enough heavy stuff. Go remind Wyatt the work day is over.”

  When you find the right woman. The words rang through Garrett’s head. For the past six months, he had found his thoughts divided between making movies and Jade. Until his mother verbalized it, Garrett hadn’t given it a thought. Before now, he easily put his focus solely on the project at hand. Women were fun diversions he used to blow off steam during the few off hours he allowed himself.

  Now, there was Jade.

  She didn’t pull his focus. Finding time for her and his work wasn’t a hardship; it just… was. He could do both because both were important. No, not important. Vital.

  Garrett needed a small list of things to survive. Food. Air. His family. His work. And now Jade.

  The realization both frightened the hell out of him and made his spirit soar. His happiness was suddenly linked to another person. Without conscious thought on his part, Jade Marlow now had the ability to crush his heart with the force of a sledgehammer. No one should have that kind of power over another human being. Unfortunately, when you let yourself love someone, you didn’t have any choice.

  Garrett felt his knees grow a little weak. Love. He loved Jade. It seemed the old adage was true. Love came when you least expected it — at its own convenience. Ready or not, here it was.

  Was Jade ready? If she was, could she love him? Garrett knew one thing. It was too soon. She was still regaining her strength, both physically and mentally. She was trying her wings for the first time. Flying solo for a while would be good for her. Garrett was fine with that. However, he wasn’t stepping out of her life. If she wanted nothing more than a friend he could do that. Temporarily. The day would come, he hoped, when that wasn’t enough.

  In the meantime, despite being in love with her, he was royally pissed off. That break-up text she sent him still rubbed him raw. Garrett smiled in anticipation. Suddenly, the thought of sitting across from Jade at his family’s dinner table held a lot of appeal. That touch of discomfort she was bound to feel would serve her right.

  JADE WALKED DOWN the stairs. With every step, a feeling of dread settled over her like a heavy wool blanket on a hot August afternoon. Coming here tonight when she knew Garrett would be here was ten kinds of stupid. The moment she saw him she knew her plans were foolish. Why did she think they could be friends? The mere act of walking past him without touching him had taken more willpower than she knew she possessed. How was she going to endure an entire meal?

  Jade wore the same jeans and cotton blouse she put on before arriving here. She left her hair loose, adding a touch of lip-gloss. Her skin had a healthy glow, the combination of exercise and a warm, fr
agrant bath. She no longer looked ill. Every day, the fragility that clung to her for months after the stabbing faded a little more.

  As she approached the kitchen, the sound of masculine laughter rang out. She could do this. How different could it be than the thousands of times she would plaster a smile on her face to entertain her father’s business associates? If she could sit through hours of mind-numbing conversations about the fluctuating foreign market, she could make it through this.

  “I’m telling you, Judy Dench pinched my butt.”

  “She’s lovely, Colt,” Garrett said. “A great actress. But when you start fantasizing about women in their seventies, it’s time to get professional help.”

  Wyatt high-fived Garrett. Nate doubled over with laughter.

  “Stop teasing your brother.” Callie gave her sons a warning look. She smiled at Colt, her silver eyes brimming with laughter. “Don’t let them make you feel bad, Colton. It’s the granny thing. Some men find it irresistible.”

  There was another burst of laughter. Caleb joined in the good-natured ribbing when he asked if Colt pinched Dame Judy back.

  “Jade,” Colt called out when he saw her. “Finally. Come join me. You can be my ally against this loving family of mine.” Rushing forward, Colt took Jade’s hand, leading her to his side of the kitchen island.

  “You can’t ask Jade to take sides, Colt.” Nate swung Jade into his arms, depositing her on a bar stool between him and his father. “Until she gets used to us, consider her Switzerland.”

  “As in sweet and creamy, like fine chocolate?”

  Jade knew Colt was kidding. Still, she couldn’t control her blush. It wasn’t every day the sexiest man alive flirted with you. No matter what his intent.

  “Enough.” Callie set a glass of Chianti in front of Jade. “Jade, I blame myself for getting caught up in the teasing. Once it starts, you never know where it will go.”

  “I don’t mind,” Jade assured her. She didn’t want them to treat her like an outsider. “I’ve never been around a big family. This is nice.”

  “Show of hands,” Callie declared. “All in favor of making Jade an official member of the family?”