International Guy: Volume 4

by Carlan, Audrey

  Crista taps at her chin. “What you’re saying is I’m giving up the goods too quick, and freaking men out by talking about what I really want, which is marriage and children.”

  I reach for her hand and take hold, putting my other one on the top. “Let a man fall in love with you, not with what you can do for him in the future and vice versa. You need to really think about what you want in a man who you plan to spend the rest of your life with. Date. Have fun. Relax a little, and stop worrying about what the future will bring.”

  “You’re not married, and you’ve been with that awesome actress for, like, forever!” She pouts. “I don’t want to wait a long time to have my family.”

  I shake my head and sigh. “You don’t have to wait forever. Though it’s not unusual for a couple to date for a year or several before taking that ultimate step.”

  “So you don’t want to get married and have babies with the world’s hottest woman?” Her voice rises. “If she can’t get you to commit forever, I don’t stand a chance in hell.” Her voice wobbles, and I can hear the emotion pouring through, which usually is a precursor to tears. And I hate to see a woman cry.

  “Crista, you misunderstand. I absolutely plan on marrying my woman, when the time is right for the both of us. Every couple is different. There’s not an exact amount of time that has to pass, but the ideal scenario is you getting to know one another for a while before you make that life commitment. Understand now?”

  She sniffs, and I can see her chin wobble, but she holds it together. “I just . . . I just want to find the right man so bad. I’m not getting any younger, and I just know I’m meant to be a wife and mother. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to be, and the older I get, the less likely it is I’m going to find a man who wants me.”

  “Sweetheart, that’s not true. You can’t be more than what, twenty-five?”

  “Twenty-six actually.”

  “Well, I’m thirty. My woman is your age. We’ve been together a year, and we’re working on our forever and what that happy ending looks like for us. I promise you will find the right man for you; just don’t play all your cards on the first go. Make him work for the beauty that is you. Get me?”

  She tips her head from side to side as if she’s thinking about it. “Yeah, I guess I could try your way for a while, see how it goes.”

  “And as for the show, just pick the guy who seems the most fun to go out on a date with. No crazy questions about marriage and babies or you’ll scare the three of them off right away.”

  She giggles, and it sounds musical. “I can do that.”

  “All right. Head over to Royce now so he can go over your TV persona.”

  Crista stands up and tugs down her skirt.

  “And make sure when you do the show that you wear a skirt just a tad longer.” I grin and waggle my eyebrows. “Give the man something to look forward to uncovering on a future date. Hopefully somewhere around the fifth!”

  She laughs and waves her hand as she struts off in high-heeled sandals.

  Before the next one is done with Royce, I pull out my phone and note that my brother called and didn’t leave a message.

  I go to the favorites and press his name.

  Paul answers in his standard bark-like manner. “Yo, P-Drive.”

  “You called me, dude. What’s up? How’s Dad?”

  Paul sighs, and I can hear him moving around, a door opening and then slapping against wood. That noise is the distinct sound of my parents’ back screen door slamming shut. I’ve heard that sound a million times in my life and can recognize it anywhere.

  “Bastard’s cagey as hell. Tired of being locked up in his house. He’s in his fifties and doesn’t like to be told what to do, how to do it, and how hard to push his own body. He’s mad as hell, and the rest of us get the brunt of his anger. Mostly, he wants his body to bounce back as if he’s still twenty years old, but it’s not that simple.”

  “And therapy?” I ask, knowing my dad. He’s a terrible patient when he has a cold. I can only imagine what he’s like having to go to therapy two or three times a week.

  “Aw, brother, Pops hates going to physical therapy, but he’s actually improving. Was able to put a little bit of weight on his feet when the therapist and I held him up today.”

  The image of my father standing between two metal bars, spaced apart enough to fit his body, burns my mind like a blowtorch to the chest.

  “And Mom?”

  Paulie chuckles. “Ordering him around like normal. Only this time she does it when he’s stuck in his lounger and can’t run off. The thing is, in the end, what she nags him about, he listens to. He may bicker back, grumble, but he’s not giving up. He’s a fighter, always has been, always will be.”

  “It’s what he taught us. Never give up if you want something bad enough.” I rub at my forehead and sigh. “What you’re doing, Paulie, stepping up for Dad and Mom . . .” I run my hand through my hair and stand up to pace the room. Anxiety and negative energy pump off me so intensely I have to move in order to calm them.

  “Wouldn’t be anywhere else. ’Sides, you and the brothers have got Lucky’s, and I’ve been living here, so no reason not to pony up, yeah?”

  “Yeah. Still, I know it’s got to be a lot on you when you and Denny are going through the start-up of Ellis Imports. Still can’t believe he named it after you.”

  He chuckles full and deep. “Yeah, well, I think that was a subtle hint that my man wants us both to carry the Ellis name.”

  I grin. “Denny is definitely slick and goes after what he wants, which is you, my man!” I laugh, enjoying Paul’s romantic ups and downs.

  “Speaking of . . . I’ve got good news!”

  I smile, needing a dose of some happy family news right about now. “Lay it on me, brother.”

  “Not only did Denny and I start the interior design on the business, we found a little house, bro.”

  “No shit?”

  “Straight up. We finally found a pad of our own. Denny is over the moon. I thought he was excited when he bought the warehouse on the pier for our company. Not even close. My guy is ecstatic about the house.”

  “Tell me about it. Where is it? Close to me and Sky?”

  Paulie laughs again. “Too rich for my blood. It’s a two-bed, two-bath with a yard big enough for me to have a dog, and the kitchen and living room are open plan so Denny can entertain to his heart’s desire. He says he can’t wait to have you all over for dinner.” His voice dips into a command rather than a suggestion. “We’ll be setting that up soon, so I can make my guy even happier he made the move from his country to ours. You good for that?”

  “Definitely. Sky and I are in all the way. Stoked for you, man. Layin’ down roots with your mate, buying a home, building a business . . .”

  “It’s what it’s all about. The American dream. The nice thing about that is everyone’s dream is different, but it all settles on being free to live life how you want to.”

  “It’s why you fought so hard, brother. This is your time. You’ve served your country with honor and commitment; now it’s time to give that same attention to your guy. Give yourself and your man the life you’ve always wanted.”

  “Fuck yeah.”

  “Fuck yeah.”

  “When can I tell Denny you’ll be back, so we can show you the house? He also wants to get with Skyler about the interior. He said he likes your home so much he wants to soak up your girl’s talent for making a house a home.”

  I smile wide. My girl has done a damn fine job making our home perfect for us. Even though some of her choices seemed wild and wacky at the time, I’ve chosen to just trust her judgment. There’s nothing you can’t paint over or replace except for the woman who put it there. I prefer to let her go wild and sit back and watch the show. It’s always a good one and ends with both of us being happy.

  Paul continues. “Figure Denny and Sky can knock some ideas around, and while they do that, you and me can toss some meat on the grill. Maybe
get Mom and Dad outta the fuckin’ house for once in the past three months.”

  “Grilling with my brother, my mate and yours shootin’ the shit about interior design while we leave ’em to it? Bring Pops and Ma outta their shell for some food and easy laughter? Sounds perfect to me. When I get home, we can set it up. In the meantime, happy for you, Paulie. It’s all coming together for you. After what you’ve done for our country, you deserve this. All of it. Everything good the world has to offer.”

  “Man, I don’t need or want for much. Just my man, my family being around me and healthy, a cold beer, and a place to put my feet up and lay my head at night. Everything else is just aces.”

  And he’s right. The bare necessities are what truly make a person content.

  “We’ll set it up. Happy for you,” I say again.

  “Thanks, Park. Call when you’re back, yeah?”

  “Will do. My love. You know you got it,” I say, my voice thick with emotion.

  “You know you got it right back, little bro.”

  I chuckle and end the call. When I turn around, Tara Darling is sitting in the hot seat waiting for my instruction.

  “Are you going to grill me like Royce did?” she says as I approach the empty seat in front of her and maneuver my body into it.

  “Absolutely.”

  7

  SKYLER

  “Calm down, Skyler. You’re making me nervous, and I never get nervous.” Ellie walks over to the bar in our hotel room, pours a glass of red wine, and brings it over to me. “Here. Drink this and relax. She’ll be here any minute.”

  I nod, grab the full glass, and take a sip. The cherry and currant notes of the wine flutter against my taste buds in a welcoming flavor I can appreciate. I lean back into the cushy leather chair and let the anxiety of the day flow out of me with each sip.

  “You know, we’ve worked every angle of this plan from top to bottom. Worst-case scenario is he finds out what you’re up to and that you’ve been fibbing recently.”

  “No, the worst case is him finding out and breaking up with me because I lied to him. We promised we wouldn’t ever lie to one another again.” I worry the bottom of my lip with my thumb and index finger.

  “Skyler, are you having second thoughts?”

  I frown and drink more wine. “Not exactly. It’s just the longer it goes on before the big reveal, the more scared I get of doing something that will make me lose him. He’s my life now, Ellie. Without him, Tracey might as well have taken me out that day.”

  Ellie makes a slashing move with her hand. “Cut that thought off right there. I do not want to hear any more negativity. You’re deep in this now. There is no going back. The pieces are in place, and a lot of people are in on this. It’s time to go with the flow and let the plan work its magic.” She places her hand on her hip and taps her foot. “Honestly, Skyler, if I thought Parker was going to be unhappy about what you’re going to do, I wouldn’t have agreed to help. That man dotes on you. He’s a hundred percent in love with you. You share a home. Animals. Friends. There’s nothing to worry about. Okay?”

  I suck in a huge breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. I just needed a little pep talk, I think. I’m good. Back in the game.”

  She chuckles as the bell to our penthouse suite rings. We chose to stay in a different hotel than the guys to be extra careful that we wouldn’t accidently bump into them.

  I gulp down a good deal of wine as I wait while Rachel and Ellie go to the door. Nothing like liquid courage to soothe all that ails you.

  Elliott enters from the hall with a tall blonde trailing behind her, and Rachel behind them.

  “She’s clear. Patted her down, checked her purse.” Rach lifts her chin and goes back to her crossword puzzle where she was sitting at the bar-top kitchen area across the suite. She sits in a way that’s still facing us so she can assess the group and keep an eye on the door and balcony at all times. Nate is in his room getting a much-needed nap. He hates to admit it, but even though he’s back, he still has to take it easy and build up his strength.

  “Oh my God,” I whisper, my mouth dropping open in shock when Tara Darling shuffles toward me with her hand out in greeting, a wide smile on her face. It’s not every day that you meet your doppelgänger.

  “Ms. Paige, it’s such an honor to meetcha! I’m a huge, huge fan of yours.” She squeezes my hand brutally and yanks it up and down. “I can’t believe this!” the woman practically squeals as excitement gets the best of her.

  I yank my hand out from hers and shake it. “Wow. You’ve got quite the grip.”

  “Oh shoot, I’m so sorry. My daddy always said I had the handshake of a wrestler.” Her voice dips into a bit of a southern accent.

  “Yes, well, thank you for coming, Ms. Darling,” Ellie says. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “A Coke will do just fine if you have one. And you can call me Tara.”

  “Sure.” Ellie opens a cabinet in the bar until she finds a can of Coke, grabs a crystal tumbler, adds ice, and pours the drink before bringing it over to Tara. She then picks up her own glass of wine and proceeds to sit on the couch next to the woman, turning her body toward her.

  “We appreciate you coming to speak with us,” she says to start the conversation.

  Tara pushes a lock of her hair behind her ear, licks her lips, and swallows. “Oh, surely it is all my pleasure, Ms. Black.” Tara’s gaze moves to meet mine. “I’m just so thrilled to be working on a project with you, Ms. Paige. I can’t even express my gratitude.”

  “You’re welcome. And you may call me Skyler or Sky. Everyone does.”

  “Sky . . . ,” the woman says with a hint of wonder in her tone.

  I smile and set my wine on the glass coffee table before bringing my hands together in front of me, my elbows resting on my knees in a casual position. “Let’s talk about how it went today, shall we?”

  Tara nods several times while twisting her fingers in her lap as though she’s an eager puppy looking for attention. “I played it so cool. At first, I was worried he was going to throw me off the stage. He did not like seeing a look-alike of you appear in the lineup of contestants. Definitely made him uncomfortable,” she gushes.

  A niggle of worry taps at my subconscious. The last thing I want to do is make him uncomfortable. I know leaving me was hard on him in the first place after all we’ve been through recently.

  Maybe I’m going about this the wrong way?

  The scary thought is a seed in my gut, growing bigger with each word that Tara says.

  “And then when Louise came in and laid it out that she intended to hire a look-alike, he seemed to feel a little bit better about that, though I don’t know why.”

  “Shit, he was probably worried more drama was happening.” I look at Ellie, my heart pounding and my stomach twisting into knots.

  She shakes her head. “Skyler, it’s not a big deal.” She gestures to the woman sitting next to her. “Did it seem like a big deal in the end, Tara?”

  Tara shakes her head. “No. Though his partner, Royce, that really hot African American guy . . .” Her voice deepens. “You ever see a man wear a suit better than him?” Her eyes bug out as she fans herself with one hand.

  “Yeah, I have. Parker,” I state flatly, my mind flashing on a variety of images where my man was suited up and looking fine as hell.

  Tara beams. “Well, he wasn’t wearing a full matching designer suit, so I guess I’ll just have to wait until I get the pleasure of seeing that to base my decision on.”

  I clench my jaw. “You were saying about Royce . . .” I lead her back to the point of the conversation, the part that I’m interested in hearing.

  “Oh yes. He grilled me. Wanted to know where I came from, who my parents were, what school I went to, and why I wanted to be an actress, as well as why I wanted to be on the show.”

  “And what did you tell him?” I ask, my heart thumping against my rib cage in a beat so loud I can almost hear it outside of my bo
dy.

  “The basics. Answered everything truthfully except why I was on the show. Told them I was looking for airtime—which isn’t untrue, I totally am—but also that I wanted a love connection.”

  “And do you think they bought it?” Elliott interrupts.

  “Definitely. I’m a good actress. I’ve won awards and everything back home in Tennessee.” Tara lifts her chin and stretches her spine, making her seem taller.

  I grab my wine and sit back, tapping the edge of the glass with my nail. “They’re going to have her story checked. They’ll find out that she doesn’t usually look so much like me and will wonder why.”

  “Didn’t you say that Wendy was on her honeymoon? Who are they going to have drop everything and look her up?” Ellie asks.

  My publicist . . . on point and so freakin’ smart.

  “That is true! Mick will not let Wendy anywhere near her phone or laptop. They’d have to call him and only if it were an emergency. If they called about a random actress who happens to look like me, he’d hang up on their asses so fast.” I giggle and lift my hand to Ellie, who high-fives it. I turn to Tara, and she smacks my hand in the air too, following along, not really knowing who we’re talking about or why we’re excited but doing it anyway.

  “Rach!” I lift my hand in the air, and without her even looking up from her crossword, she air-fives me.

  My badass guard. So cool!

  Rachel’s always paying attention, even when I don’t think so. It’s a little creepy and a whole lot awesome.

  “Okay, I feel a little better. What did Parker ask you?”

  Tara maneuvers her body so she’s sitting exactly like I am. Her gaze flickers from my hand movements to my body, and she matches me exactly. Not too shabby. In our business, every actress loves having the object of her role available to her so she can pick up on subtle nuances, gestures they make, their body language, how their voice rises and falls in cadence in order to make the character we’re portraying more realistic.

  “He asked me what type of man I was looking to connect with and why.”

  “And what did you tell him?”