Crossfire
V
Fiancée?
I’d completely forgotten the newscast from a month ago, so absorbed in my own ordinary life with Matthew.
Keaton had already introduced me to Entertainment Tonight as his fiancée.
His divorce from Kelsey King had been finalized two weeks ago, and the truth about her feigned pregnancy was made public. I knew that because I was stalking E! Online for reports.
And Ash Salter was about to read with me.
He reached for my arm, tugging me closer, just as Keaton had only minutes before. He was the ultimate playboy of Hollywood, claiming a future of bachelorhood at only thirty-three. His windblown, blond hair and clear blue eyes were even more attractive in person.
“You knew when you married me what my job entailed, Kristie, I have to go-”
“Then I’m coming with you,” I insisted. Granted, it was clear that his acting abilities were far more developed than Keaton’s, but he wasn’t Keaton. My lack of enthusiasm was enough for Keaton to take notice, and my hovering director stood up and walked to me.
“Vivian, do what you did with me. Take a step toward him. Ash, slide your hand up her arm, drop at her shoulder.”
The actor did as Keaton instructed, and Keaton’s gaze went from pleased to furious within the span of three seconds.
“Wait, no, don’t touch her. Just keep your distance until you kiss her.”
I had just kissed Keaton.
I kissed him.
I had to kiss him, it was part of the script. I wasn’t Vivian, and he wasn’t Keaton, we were Kristie and John.
And Matthew would have to understand.
“Do you remember our honeymoon? In the mountains?” Ash was ad-libbing, or pulling from some place in the script we hadn’t gotten to yet. Before I could stop him, he backed me against the wall, his strong fingers sliding through my hair. “Baby, I won’t let anyone hurt you. Never. Do you understand me?”
And holy hell, his lips were on mine. There was a moment of question, but he charged through my defenses. When I softened my own mouth, he took that as a green light, his fingers encircling my neck, possessive, ardent. “Promise me you won’t interfere in this investigation, Kristie,” he breathed, his tongue darting in and out of my mouth.
Small tongue. Lips too soft.
Stop thinking about his kiss! You are a professional. Act like it.
“John,” I murmured, scraping my fingernails gently against his face.
“Cut! That’s good.” Keaton’s strangled voice sent Ash backwards, and the director moved between us. “A little too much enthusiasm for the scene, though, Salter.”
I grinned at the edge in Keaton’s voice. Jealous? Keaton? Impossible.
“Definite chemistry,” Max argued, glancing at his watch. “Okay, thanks, that’s it for today. Vivian, Ash, we’ll be in touch.”
My smile fell, and I realized that I’d been expecting a decision immediately.
“We’re doing one callback, tomorrow morning,” Keaton assured me. “Vivian, I want to talk to you before you leave.”
Max and Frank walked out of the office with Ash, and I spun around, glaring at Keaton.
“You should have warned me that I’d be reading with Ash fucking Salter! I looked like such an amateur! I know that Reese Witherspoon already auditioned for you, and she and Ash were in that… that cowboy movie-…,”
“V. Stop.” He reached for my water, lifting my hand and wrapping my fingers around the glass. “Listen to me. You need to keep your stress level low. I bought this book about pregnancy and read about what you went through, eclampsia. This is going to be considered a high-risk pregnancy for you. Have you seen a doctor yet?”
“No, but I have an appointment when I get home,” I admitted. Nervously, I twirled a long strand of auburn hair around my finger.
He bought a book? A pregnancy book?
Oh, God, my heart.
“You have an appointment tomorrow, at one of the best OB-GYNs in LA. And I’m going with you. Alone. Without Harry fucking Potter tagging along.”
“Would you stop with the glasses jokes? They’re so stupid,” I snapped.
“Fine. Sorry. Not really. Listen, you’re getting a callback, and the second audition will be less than five minutes long. Convince him to stay at the hotel, and then I’ll take you to the appointment.”
“Will I know right away if I got the part?” I asked, unable to contain my excitement. My wide smile took over my lips, and as though contagious, his grin stretched from ear to ear.
God, he was gorgeous. He made jeans look so professional, and so damn sexy. His crisp, white button-down complimented his tanned skin, and every part of my body longed for him.
I wanted nothing more than his lips on mine.
Guilt tugged at my conscience.
“Yes, you’ll find out tomorrow,” he answered me.
“Okay. I’ll convince him to stay at the hotel.”
“Good. You were really good today, kiddo. But you could be better. And I’m going to make you better. I’m going to make you a star.”
All of the uncertainty that had filled my soul over the past month suddenly became shatteringly clear.
I lowered my voice to a whisper.
“Keaton,” I began, lifting my eyes to his. “I want to make sure that I deserve your beautiful heart… before I give you mine.”
He sucked in his breath sharply, taking a step closer.
“Kiss me,” he ordered.
“No.” I flattened my palm over his strong chest. “No, I made a promise.”
“You are terrible at keeping promises.”
“I’m working on that.”
He dropped his forehead to mine, sighing and closing his hazel eyes. “Get some sleep tonight. Don’t stress. Put your feet up and… do peaceful, pregnancy shit, okay?”
“Peaceful, pregnancy shit,” I mimicked, laughing softly. “You got it, Maverick.”
As I turned for the door, I heard him move to the bar and fill a glass with ice.
Matthew was standing near the elevator, pacing when I left Keaton’s office. “You were alone with him?”
“Yes, Matthew. And I did really well, thanks for asking,” I added, stalking toward the elevator.
“Of course you did, I know you’re talented,” he added, touching the button on the panel. “So, is that it? I just met Ash Salter. He’s actually a pretty cool guy. Did he read, too?”
“I read with him,” I hurried. “I read with both him and Keaton.”
The elevator doors opened, and I stepped out ahead of him.
“Wait, why him? He’s not an actor,” Matthew scoffed, hurrying to catch up with me.
“I just did a couple lines. It was nothing. The casting director, Max, liked my chemistry with Ash though. I think I might get this part, Matthew.” I turned to him, unable to hold back my excitement for a moment longer.
Instead of smiling, his eyebrows knitted. “Vivian, I want you to be happy and successful, but I don’t want you to be disappointed. Let’s just wait for the call, okay?”
As though on cue, my cell phone rang.
Keaton’s name flashed across my iPhone.
Matthew took my elbow, pulling me closer to the building as I answered the phone.
“Keaton?”
“Tomorrow morning. Nine AM.”
I squealed, lifting my eyes to Matthew. He gave me a forced smile.
“I’ll be there. Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I shrieked. Matthew nodded, walking toward the road, watching for a cab.
“You’re welcome, V. You’ve got Max convinced. Don’t forget what we talked about. I’ll send a car for you in the morning. Text me your hotel info.”
“It’s the Regent Beverly Wilshire.”
“Really.” He chuckled incredulously. “Wow. That’s, what six, seven hundred a night? He paying for that from the money you’ve been sending him?”
I prickled at his constant jabs at Matthew.
He was silent for a long moment, and I let him remember the fact that he’d hired me to be his girlfriend for the weekend.
After it was obvious that he realized that I meant the check that he’d written for me in his last attempt at utter assholery, he laughed hard.
“Well played, Miss Hale.”
“I don’t play games, Mr. Thorne.”
He breathed another short laugh. “Tell Poindexter to keep his hands to himself.”
“Keaton,” I protested, still smiling as I lifted my eyes to the hundreds of windows along the side of the building.
“You got that reference, didn’t you? Revenge of the Nerds.”
“Yeah, I got it,” I relented, still grinning.
“That’s my video store girl.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, see you tomorrow.”
I ended the call before he could insult Matthew again.
Putting my phone away, I watched as Matthew hailed a cab. “So, you got the callback?” he asked, nodding his thanks to the cab driver who stopped.
“Yes!” I cried, so excited, and he grinned, wrapping his arms around me.
“I knew it. I’m proud of you,” he whispered, tipping my face to his.
“Matthew.” I ducked away from his kiss, gesturing to the waiting cab. “Please don’t,” I urged softly.
His face fell, and he looked away. “Right.”
I’d always wanted to stay at the Regent Beverly Wilshire, especially since it was the setting for Pretty Woman. When I told Matthew that our two night stay would be on Keaton’s dime, he slammed the taxi door so hard that the driver dropped a slew of foreign curse words his way.
“I’m paying for our room. He can go fuck himself.”
“Matthew,” I warned, glancing around the lobby of the grand hotel. “Lower your voice.”
“No.” He dropped my bags to the gleaming floor, and I watched him retrieve a credit card from his wallet as he approached the desk.
The twinge of guilt that I’d felt earlier was now developing into a full-blown panic attack.
And I was right back where I’d started. I cared so deeply about Matthew and loved him for a million reasons in a billion ways.
None of those ways felt remotely close to the way that I loved Keaton.
Can I love both of them? I narrowed my eyes, focusing on my sandals as he checked us into our room.
Of course I could love both of them.
But I could only choose one.
“Come on,” he said softly, joining my side.
We walked to the elevator, and the attendant smiled politely as Matthew indicated which floor we were on.
The hotel room that I’d shared in Pittsburgh with Keaton didn’t compare to the elegance that waited for us in our suite. I padded across the plush carpeting in my bare feet, lowering to the bed.
“Richard Gere and Julia Roberts filmed here. Warren Beatty lived here. Did you know that Dashiell Hammett wrote The Thin Man in this hotel? The stars who have stayed here… Cary Grant, Al Pacino…Tom Hanks. Oh, my God, Matthew, this is amazing.”
Falling back to the gazillion-thread-count sheets, I smiled and closed my eyes, imagining actually getting the chance to meet any of my idols.
“And Vivian Hale,” he added. “Soon they can add you to their list of celebrities.”
I sensed his bitterness, turning my face his way. “You’re being really short with me,” I said carefully, knowing that Matthew wasn’t going to talk until he was ready.
And I had a feeling that I already knew what it was.
“I’m not going to apologize for losing my temper. I hate that guy, Vivian, and I have no idea what you see in him. Part of me wants to just get my bags and leave you here, since that’s what you seem to want anyway.”
“I told you that I’m coming home with you tomorrow night. This is an audition.” He was already irritated, so I pushed forward. “He’s sending a car for me in the morning. I’ll be back here no later than noon, and we can have lunch and get to the airport, okay?”
“Oh, he’s sending a car for you, that’s nice.” He tossed his wallet to the dresser, disappearing into the bathroom.
I rolled to my back, staring up at the elegant ceiling.
What I thought was stress, or indigestion, quickly became nausea. I bolted upright and ran to the bathroom, jiggling the locked handle. “Matthew, let me in, I’m sick.”
The click of the door handle registered somewhere in the back of my mind. I made it just in time to the toilet, and he dropped to his knees, gathering my hair and rubbing my back.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Vivian. Did I do this? Don’t be upset,” he comforted, even as I wretched again.
“No, I’m okay.”
I reached for the toilet paper roll, lifting my guilty eyes to his. Pressed against the wall of the most lavish bathroom that I’d ever had the pleasure of puking in, I let the inevitable tears fill my eyes.
He watched me carefully. He knew me just as well as I knew him, and the realization passed over his eyes before I could even form a word.
“It’s his, isn’t it?”
My eyes pleaded with his.
I’m not ready. Not for this.
Finally, bravely, I nodded, drawing my knees up to my chin.
His face went pale, and his eyes swept over my body.
“And he knows?” Matthew demanded, staggering toward the door.
“I only told him yesterday.”
“Damn it… damn it.” He backed against the door, pressing his fingertips to his temples. “I’m losing you. I’ve already lost you.”
He was halfway across the suite by the time I caught up with him. “Matthew, please, wait,” I managed in broken syllables.
He turned, holding his hand up to tell me to stop. “You only slept with him once?”
“Just once,” I swore, the base of my palm skidding against my cheek as I brushed my tears away. “I confused the months with my shot, and-”
“And he brought you out here to stay. With him. This whole audition is just bullshit, right? What in the hell is wrong with you? Did you know how hard it was for me to come here? To talk to him? To be civil?”
“I… I know… I know that it was, but I really do want you here, and I…”
“God, Vivian, you’re breaking my fucking heart.”
Never in my entire life had words hurt me so deeply. He took his glasses off and lowered to the chair near the desk, pressing his hands to his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Matthew, please,” I begged, moving to drop to my knees in front of him. “Please.”
“Please what? Please wait for you? I have waited for you. I’ve waited for too long. If you think for one second that I’m willing to wait on the sidelines while you fuck around with that guy, you’re out of your mind.”
“I’m ruining everything,” I cried, shaking my head and pressing my forehead to his knee. “I don’t want to hurt you, and I don’t want to hurt him, and I want this movie so badly… and now, this baby… Matthew, please just help me. Help me deal with all of this. I was alone, living with Gram, just… just peaceful, and now I feel like my life is out of control, and I have all these decisions that I need to make right this minute… and no matter what I do, I’m going to hurt someone.”
“Vivian.” He slid his hands through my hair, lifting my face to his and brushing my tears away with his thumbs. “I don’t care if it’s his baby. If you love me, and you want this life that I’m trying to make for us, then you’ve got it. I’m telling you that I can’t wait any more. Me. I won’t watch you be with him.”
I climbed to my feet, and he stood with me.
“If you can’t wait, I understand. But I can’t tell you what I want… if I don’t even know myself.”
He exhaled slowly, his eyes locked in mine.
“Well, no matter what happens, you need to take care of yourself. I need to get you to a do
ctor.”
I nodded, thinking about the appointment Keaton had scheduled for me the following morning.
“And that doctor’s going to tell you not to do the movie, you know that, right?”
I blinked. I’d never thought about what a high-risk pregnancy meant, or the restrictions that would be placed on me.
“I…”
“You have options, Vivian.”
I froze, lifting my gaze to his.
Options?
“Do you mean abort this baby?”
He sighed, his jaw clenching. “I would never, ever ask you to do something that you didn’t want to do. But I was there. I saw you nearly bleed to death. Vivian.”
I covered my stomach with my hand.
My cell chimed a text at that moment, and I sniffed, moving toward my purse on the bed and reaching for my phone.
Keaton.
Keaton: V… I want the fairy tale.
I read the words, my heart warming.
Pretty Woman. It was my favorite quote, and I didn’t remember ever telling him that.
I was sure that he just knew.
“Huh.” Matthew’s voice over my shoulder made me jump, and I turned to him as he read my text. “I had the fucking fairy tale. And it ended with the one person that I loved more than my own life nearly bleeding to death, my son dying, and you running away from me.”
I lowered my phone, pressing my hand to my mouth. “Oh, Matthew, no. No.” Dropping the phone to the bed, I turned to him, wrapping my arms around him. “You’re right. I’m not running again. I’m not. I’ll keep my distance from Keaton. Okay? Matthew?”
I would have said anything to take away the pain that I’d caused him.
“If you’re filming in Utah, and I’m teaching in Ohio, how would I even know?”
His words burned. I held his face in my hands.
“It’s only three months. I can fly home every weekend. Or you can fly to me. I’ll make sure I negotiate weekly pay into my contract so we can afford it. And you have to trust me. Please.”
He stared into my eyes, and I felt like he was reaching into my soul.
Finally, after a long moment, he sighed. “Vivian, I know you. The real you. You have a conscience, and morals, and you know the difference between right and wrong. That’s one of the reasons that I love you so much. Yes, I trust you, and if that makes me the stupidest guy in the world, then that’s on me, not you.”
Before A Perfect World: Movie Trilogy, Book Two (The Movie 2) Page 2