by Mel Curtis
“Fouls are not good.”
“Six fouls aren’t good. Three or four fouls shows you’re a man hell bent on scoring.” Evan held up one finger. “Just once.”
“And what will you do to improve your game for the team?” Ren demanded.
“I plan to run Chaos and dish the ball to the rest of you.” If Evan wanted back into the game, he was going to have be a team player.
“Do not make promises you do not plan to keep.”
“I plan on keeping this one.”
Ren eyed Evan with suspicion. “Why?”
Evan looked out the tinted window at the skyscrapers and smog of Houston. “I owe you. All of you.” And that was the closest thing to an apology Ren was getting.
Chapter 39
“What are you doing here so late?” Trina asked, pouring Amber a Vitamin Water in a martini glass.
“I thought you wanted to spend more time with me,” Amber said. She’d watched the Flash lose the game to Houston hours ago, watched Mimi Sorbet bounce up and down on the sidelines next to a smug Cora as Evan passed the ball to his teammates repeatedly until she wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t scored more than eight points. What was he up to? Amber didn’t know and she couldn’t sleep for wondering.
“Just so you know, hiding here isn’t such a good idea for you. You’re here all the time since you gave up basketball.” Trina moved down the bar to take someone’s order.
“Where else do I have to go?” Amber muttered.
“Here you are.” Looking like a Hollywood angel in a white silk shirt and gray slacks, his blond hair catching the light from the bar, Kent stroked Amber’s arm. “I expected to see you at Panache earlier.”
Had she become that predictable? Amber brushed Kent’s hand away. “Kent, I’ve earned my retainer. This is my time off.” Cy had convinced Amber to have dinner with Kent one more time, but that had been a mistake. Kent had moaned all through their meal about losing Mimi and losing an Oscar worthy role all in the same week.
“If you’re looking to relax and unwind, I’m your man.” Undeterred, Kent’s hand settled between Amber’s shoulder blades. He asked Trina for Perrier on the rocks.
“Where’s Mimi?” Amber asked, knowing full well where the blond actress was. After all, Evan preferred blonds.
Kent’s angelic smile dimmed. “Let’s forget about Mimi and talk about us. We’re good together.”
“You were good when we were together. Me? You kept me down. What’s worse is you kept me down on purpose.”
“Amber – ”
“You only want me around to help your career. I’m okay with being paid to help your career. My sleeping with you is not on the table.”
Two women behind Kent burst into laughter.
Kent’s face flushed a deep, unflattering scarlet. “You think this is some kind of joke? That you can make a fool of me?”
“Kent – ”
“Let me tell you something about fools.” Kent puffed out his chest. “Your father wanted me to hone my acting talent by making you fall in love with me.”
Despite suspecting she’d been his charity case, Amber’s world tilted.
“Dooley’s a great acting coach, by the way. Did you hear about the how he set up Diane Rothsler in a Beverly Hills mansion as a maid and Kruger von Lacken as their bodyguard? All before they broke out, of course. His method acting coaching is worth every penny.”
Recalling the way Sonny’s accent slipped and how he and Yvonne high fived when she kicked them out one day, Amber gripped the bar. “Why would he do that?”
Kent’s grin was ear splitting. “To teach some young heiress how to set boundaries. You wouldn’t believe the things they put that girl through – waking her up at dawn every morning, butting into her business.”
Amber’s head swam. “I feel I should remind you about the Foundation’s confidentiality agreement,” she said weakly. First thing in the morning she’d have Mr. Kremer call Diane Rothsler and Kruger von Lacken and remind them, too. Make that the second thing Amber tackled. The first would be to fire Sonny and Yvonne or whatever their real names were. As far as she knew there weren’t any actors on the short list of clients she and Blue had been given.
“Babe, you and I are beyond confidentiality agreements.”
Instead of changing the subject, Amber had to know how much of a charity case she’d been to Kent. If she had her way no one would ever be a Dooley Foundation charity case again. “So you and me…it was all just an act?”
“The performance of a lifetime,” Kent beamed. “Dooley was brilliant. He had no scruples, just what this town needed.”
Amber swallowed back bile. She’d suspected for a week she’d been part of Kent’s therapy, but to hear him brag about it and place the blame on her father sickened her. Dooley was foolish, with wild ideas, but somehow Amber knew, “My dad wouldn’t do anything to purposefully hurt me.”
Kent laughed. “That’s what I like about you, Amber. You’re so gullible.”
“We made love,” Amber choked out.
“Yeah, that was an unexpected perk.” Kent’s smile broadened. “Your dad was pissed when he found out.”
Amber’s hands fisted in her lap. If she were Evan, she would’ve punched Kent by now. But then again, Evan would never have let himself be used as she had. “So why the video?”
“The point was to make you fall in love with me and then break your heart.” Kent smiled like the deceptively innocent archangel of doom and destruction. “What better way than to publicly humiliate you. It was perfect.”
Amber popped Kent in the nose with her right fist. Her knuckles cracked and pain avalanched down her arm. Amber shook out her hand as if that could make the stinging sensation go away.
A few people around them slowed, turned.
Kent folded both hands over his nose as if in prayer. “You punched me,” he said in a muffled voice.
“You deserved it.” Her hand stung, but the power of revenge took away some of the ache. “Doodles.”
“But…my nose. I make a living with this face.” Kent lowered his hands, now covered in blood. “I’m going to call my lawyer.”
Without thought, Amber slapped Kent with her left hand, sending blood raining across the bar.
“Holy crap.” Trina ran over. “That’s enough fodder for the gossip columns, you two.”
Amber surveyed the crowd that had gathered around them. At least ten people had phones out and aimed their way. What had she done?
“If you were a man, I’d beat the crap out of you.” Kent stood, pinching his nose. Blood stood out like large polka dots on his white silk shirt.
“How ‘bout you take me on?” Evan parted the crowd like Moses parted the sea.
Amber had never been so glad to see so much testosterone in her life.
Evan reached her side. “I leave you alone for a couple days and look what happens. You pick up right where I left off, trying to start fights in Tingle.”
More phones came out. The crowd closed about them, hungry for more blood. Some guy with a red baseball cap had a small, albeit serious, camera.
Whatever relief Evan’s appearance created, faded. “Evan – ”
“I’ll fight you for her,” Kent spat.
“Me?” Amber squeaked.
“No.” Kent scowled. “Mimi.”
As Amber gasped with indignation, Evan’s left fist connected with Kent’s chin, sending the actor staggering against the bar.
“You want a piece of me?” Kent drew himself up, fists held at the ready. “I trained with Chuck Liddell for a film, asshole. I – ”
Evan’s left hook sent Kent staggering into Amber, who stumbled back into the crowd, taking down a couple of models, if the bony knees in Amber’s back were any indication. Kent sprawled into a couple of tattooed men.
And then things got a little wild.
Hands grabbed, poked and punched at Amber. She slapped and kicked at whatever body was closest to her.
Evan haul
ed Amber up, only to be blindsided with a tackle by Kent, knocking Amber back to the ground. Their fall took out a couple more onlookers. All they needed were bikinis and a pit of mud and Tingle could up the cover charge.
The music kept playing. Amber had expected everything to stop and the lights to come up. But no, they were part of the show and as they rolled around and slapped and punched at each other, Evan managed to push Amber out of the ring of snarling bodies, but the ring kept getting bigger.
Kent wasn’t as good at physical combat as Evan was. In Kent’s defense, he didn’t roll over and cover his face. Some more bystanders got too close and tumbled into the mix. Evan and Kent were pounding on whoever was close now. It didn’t matter that they weren’t beating on each other. Where was Tingle’s bouncer, Barry?
Kent broke free, spotted Evan and hefted a bar stool, working his way closer so he could hit Evan with it. Amber lunged over the bar, grabbed a vodka bottle and darted in just in time to pound Kent on the back of the head just like they did in the movies. Kent dropped like a discarded rag doll.
The music stopped. The lights came on. Barry and the police poured in the front door, draining the fight out of everyone.
Evan helped Amber to her feet. She’d lost a shoe, her dress was stretched out of shape and her hair was undoubtedly a mess. Evan’s lip was puffy and there was a cut over his left eye. Blood dribbled down his temple, splotches of it were on his hands. His black button down was missing a few buttons.
Amber trembled. What had she done? She’d fought like a banshee. She’d saved Evan’s skull by cracking Kent’s. And for what? Evan and Kent had fought over Mimi.
“I haven’t been in a brawl like that since college.” Evan surveyed the club as if he was lord of all the ragged attendees. “I guess I should feel lucky you held your temper with me the other morning. You pack quite a punch.”
Unwilling to make light of the fact that she’d hit someone – three times – not to mention the ensuing cat fight with patrons of Tingle in which her transgression were too numerous to count. Heartache and frustration drained the battle lust from her veins. No matter what she did or said, Evan didn’t love her and soon there’d be a dozen clips of this fight on TMZ and YouTube. The Dooley Foundation would never recover. Amber laughed. It was either that or cry. And if there was one thing she’d learned from Evan, it was that life was all about bluffing.
Feeling defeated and dirty, Amber wiped her hands down the side of her dress. “I need an antibacterial wipe.”
Evan chuckled. “We both need to be hosed down. How about we sort out the legal bullshit and meet back at my place?” Where he’d get down on one knee and tell Amber how much he loved her.
Amber looked around Tingle as if assessing the damage. He could feel the frigid cold front moving between them. And then she turned, swallowed and asked, “Why don’t you ask Mimi?”
“Why would I ask…” Mimi. Who’d been his number one fan at recent games. The woman Kent wanted to fight him for. “Amber.”
But she’d already hobbled away toward the bar where the police were asking the women to gather. Evan made as if to follow her, but another cop denied him the chance, sending him with the rest of the men to the dance floor.
Evan needed to tell Amber he loved her, but the words stuck in his throat. People were starting to point out Amber to policemen, as if this was all her fault. She needed a sign from Evan, something to let her know he was in her corner, not Mimi’s. Evan glanced around until he found just the thing.
“She hit me.” Kent pointed at Amber as he staggered to his feet, gripping the arm of a policeman like a lifeline and distracting everyone from a small camera smashing to the ground.
“Only because castration is illegal,” Amber said wearily from across the room.
“I’m pressing charges,” Kent said, standing taller and repeating it louder when he realized everyone was looking at him.
Evan stood next to a swarthy young man wearing a red baseball cap. They both stared at the remains of a camera at their feet. Evan shrugged innocently, as a policeman, sensing trouble, stepped between them.
But Amber didn’t look.
Chapter 40
L.A. Happenings by Lyle Lincoln
… OMG! Kent Decklin and Evan Oliver went to blows over Mimi Sorbet at Tingle. Send their mail to the L.A. pokey. Can the Flash’s superstar make bail in time to play their last regular season game? Everyone will be waiting outside the jail to see who Mimi bails out.
“We have to bail Amber out,” Blue told Cora. He’d spent the morning shopping with Mrs. Tiegler, who seemed to consider Blue her whipping boy, a position he was willing to take as long as she paid the Foundation. Blue had only found out about Amber being in jail when he returned to the office at noon.
“After the game.” Cora packed up her girly paraphernalia into a brown purse as big as a man’s satchel.
Blue glanced over his shoulder at the reception desk where Gemma frowned at him. “Amber can help us with the Flash contract.” Blue wasn’t entirely convinced Amber could close the deal, and yet he wasn’t certain Cora could either. But Cora had the advantage since she’d traveled with the Flash this week.
“Jack Gordon fired Amber. Evan Oliver got in a fight over Mimi Sorbet. Amber’s screwed this up so far. Another few hours in jail while we boost our sales won’t kill her.” When Cora shouldered her bag and smiled serenely at Blue he was reminded of the way she’d been able to twist their father around her finger with that same expression. Blue was also reminded that close to a month had gone by and he had yet to land any substantial business. Recording half the Flash contract was too tempting to pass up.
“We need to leave for the game now,” Cora said, gliding toward the door. “Traffic’s gonna be a bitch.”
Still, Blue hesitated.
“Don’t listen to her, Blue.” Gemma clomped around her desk in jeans and combat boots. “Amber’s the reason you’ve come this far.”
Cora directed an icy glare at their receptionist. “Amber’s fine. If she needed us, she would have called. She didn’t call you to bail her out, did she, Gemma?”
“No,” Gemma frowned. “But that doesn’t make what you’re about to do right. She deserves full credit for the Flash contract.”
“We’ll give Amber some sales credit for helping Evan Oliver.” Cora smiled. “Won’t we, Blue?”
Blue nodded absently, but didn’t move. Amber would have bailed him out first thing. Hell, she had before when he’d been young and stupid.
“Blue?” Cora snapped her fingers. “Are you coming or not?”
“Not.” So what if he and Cora got credit for the Flash contract? Without Amber they’d never make another sale. Blue turned to Gemma. “Get me Franklin Kremer on the phone and then give me the address of the county jail.”
“Did I or did I not tell you Amber Rule was trouble?” Cy demanded when Evan finished the bail process. He’d been charged with disorderly conduct and third degree assault.
Evan ignored Cy. “I need to get Amber out of jail.” He’d screwed up everything with Amber at Tingle. He shouldn’t have punched Kent. At least, he shouldn’t have punched Kent when the dirt bag was giving Amber the impression that they were fighting over Mimi. The manipulative actress meant nothing to Evan. He was in love with Amber. But he didn’t have much practice professing love. “I doubt her family will bail her out.”
“Everyone in this town has their own lawyer. It’s like the cost of citizenship.” Cy took Evan by the arm. “You need to get to the Forum. The game starts in less than two hours and we’ve got to win this one, remember?”
Evan spun free, turning back to the clerk behind the window. “Did anyone post bail for Amber Rule?”
“Women get booked into the Century Station jail,” the clerk answered with a snap of her gum. “This facility is for men only.”
Cy tugged his arm again. “I’m sure Amber has people to post bail for her. She’s probably already a free woman. But if you don’t wi
n this game we lose it all – AND1, endorsements, the NBA.”
Cy was right. Amber’s brother or her lawyer had undoubtedly already posted her bail. This was Evan’s last chance to solidify his contract with the Flash and ensure his future in the NBA. Once he’d done that, he’d have plenty of time to decide how to convince Amber he loved her. He’d start with flowers. He’d ask her out on a date. He’d –
“If you want this, we have to go. Now.” His agent moved toward the door.
Evan followed, albeit slowly, still worried about Amber. “Did you post bail for Decklin, too?”
Cy held the door for Evan and smiled, gesturing with a nod of his head toward the swarm of paparazzi at the curb. “I arranged for Mimi to post his bail. Thought it might be nice for you to smile and wave for your fans on the way out, too.”
“You’re such a media whore. You’ve been sending Mimi to my games, haven’t you?”
“Can’t take all the credit. It was Cora Rule’s idea.”
Evan hesitated in the doorway, fully aware that keeping his face and name in the public increased his value for endorsements, his ability to fill seats and increase televised game viewership.
Amber would hate that kind of media manipulation. Would Amber let the media he needed to milk come between them when he confessed he loved her? Evan tripped as he came through the door, suddenly worried. He should have told Amber he loved her last night when he’d seen her slap Kent or when he helped her up as the police charged into Tingle. But he’d been stupid, on an adrenalin high from the melee, simultaneously proud and humbled by the way Amber had saved his skull from Kent. How had he ever thought Amber wasn’t a fighter?
“Your future is riding on the outcome of the next few hours. You can’t show any weakness,” Cy said, mistaking Evan’s hesitation as he nudged him out the door.
“This sucks,” Trina announced, as if her assessment was news to any of the other women in the cell, who’d had to listen to Trina whine most of the night.