“Not at all, darling. Haven’t you seen Annette in the brown bag, or Ralph in his famous gas mask? We’ve all done it, honey. Going in disguise was more than reasonable. It’s the part where you kept it up for over a month that’s unusual…and it’s not that I don’t understand, honey, but you like this guy. So for the love of God, just tell him. You don’t need me there to do that.”
“I hear you, Eva. Really I do. I just can’t do it. Maybe if I can convince him I meant to tell him right away, he won’t be so upset. If he’s still mad after that…well, at least you’ll be here…you know, for me.”
“In my experience, a lie for a lie doesn’t solve anything.” Eva stared at her for a moment until Alexandra gave her the hands down, all-out, pouty lipped and puppy dog stare. “Stop that, Lex. Don’t look so bloody stressed. Oh, all right, dammit. I’ll come! Last day on set is a week away. Finally this infernal movie will be finished filming, and if you’re still in Tucson and haven’t made your big reveal yet, I’ll fly to your rescue.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Alexandra gushed, hoping that by laying it on thick, Eva would not change her mind before the week was out.
“What are friends for?” Eva looked away from the screen for a moment. “Bloody hell, there’s someone at my trailer door. It’s time for me to play badass superspy chick for the cameras, honey. You can rest your pretty nerves until I get there, darling. If you can manage your little charade of the past few weeks, I guess I can handle this.”
Eva giggled and quickly said goodbye. Alexandra beamed down at the smartphone screen, grateful to have a plan in the works.
“Talk to you later, Eva.”
She hung up the phone and let out a long, relieved breath.
For better or worse, Sebastian will know who I am and why I did what I had to do…well, more or less.
The smell of something delicious cooking downstairs wafted into the bedroom a few minutes later. Alexandra heard her stomach growl insistently.
“I guess I can’t camp out in here indefinitely,” she muttered. “I’ll starve.”
She needed to get ready for Rosa to take her to the hospital, anyway. Rosa was probably on her way from a business meeting. Alexandra quickly made the bed and yanked out something to wear from the two shopping bags of clothes she now owned. After the chaos of the fire at Dad’s house, she had run out in a robe, with very little on underneath. No one would get access to Dad’s house until the fire department eventually cleared it, so she had no way of salvaging any of her clothes yet. Luckily, Rosa lent her some cash, and Bash was gracious enough to stop at a nearby department store to pick up a few other essentials.
Now, in trousers and a button-down shirt, she looked at herself in the mirror hanging from the back of the guestroom door. Deep down, she knew she could not try this crazy ruse under the same roof with Bash. Not now when she felt this attraction to him. Her torrid midmorning dream was evidence enough.
I can’t be alone with Sebastian Sullivan.
Not until I tell him the truth.
Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do right this minute. Trying to confess to Bash had left her paralyzed at the hospital. She had dug herself deeper by coming to stay with him and for now, she had to live with it.
“Here goes nothing.” She opened the door and tentatively walked down the stairs.
CHAPTER THREE
SEBASTIAN found it was way too easy to forget he was sharing a house with someone after living on his own for so many years. He remembered Alexandra was here when he woke up, but there were moments during his morning routine where it had slipped his mind.
He stepped out of his bathroom after a quick shower, and after wrapping a towel around his hips he thumped downstairs just like that, without a second thought. He only factored her in again after turning on the stereo to kick off the morning with a squeal of guitars. By then he had to live with it. His knee was still sore from last night before, so he decided he would make the trip upstairs after breakfast.
Humming to the music, he headed into the kitchen to get breakfast ready. He was in a good mood today, and planned to relax in the living room until it was time for physical therapy that afternoon. After whisking together eggs, chopped peppers and diced onions, he started on some omelets. He stood at the stove with wet hair swooped back from his face, bare-chested, taking in the mouth-watering smells as it cooked. A kickass rock tune was playing in the background when Alexandra walked into the kitchen behind him. She let out a yelp that was so unexpected, he almost tipped the saucepan.
“Whoa. What the hell.” Sebastian spun around in surprise to see her with a hand to her mouth, eyes wide open and her face blushing as red as rose petals. He instinctively clutched the towel that started to slip from his hips at the sudden jerk. They both stood there, frozen. Under normal circumstances, it would be appropriate to respond this way.
She’s a woman, I’m a near naked man, and we have so much chemistry between us, safety goggles might be required.
This particular circumstance was not even in the same realm as normal. She stood there, still fully engulfed in her game, wearing manly slacks with suspenders over a seersucker button-down shirt, seeming pleased that she could still pass for the lead singer in a boy band. Had he not been crushing on her since he was a teenager, long before she became a rock star and moved away to Los Angeles, then maybe he would be fooled. Nothing about it could fool Sebastian, not even her short, black hair. Everything about her gave her away, as far as he was concerned.
Alexandra Storme grew up next door to me.
She was my high school fantasy.
Christ, when will she give this up?
With the split second panic of almost losing his towel now behind him, Sebastian shrugged. As long as Alexandra was putting on her act, he was not going to call her on it. Fully aware that she was keeping it up to avoid the media attention while her father was convalescing, he left it alone. He was not about to mess with that.
I almost don’t care anymore that she thinks I’m gay.
Almost.
The thought flashed through his mind, and he resigned himself to let it all be. He relaxed his guard and shot her a laid-back smile.
“For a minute, I forgot you were here, Alex. Do you want some breakfast?”
He turned back to the omelet and hurriedly flipped it out of the pan onto a plate. He faced her again, dusting off his hands, waiting for her to say something.
“Oh, um…no thanks, man. I’m not hungry,” she said, backing toward the door closest to the hallway.
The flush still reddened her face, and he noticed her gaze had dropped to his abs. He put his hands on his hips to let her take a good look.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” he teased.
There were definite perks to knowing her secret and her not clueing in to the fact that he knew. He looked on as her eyes darted back to his face and the blush deepened.
“Yeah…no. I’m good.”
She dashed from the room, and Sebastian turned toward the stove again, trying not to laugh too loudly.
She’s not going to give this up.
If he were a betting man, he would put money on it.
If this was what it would be like to have Alexandra as a guest for the next few weeks, he was ready to let the shenanigans begin.
CHAPTER FOUR
ALEXANDRA was relieved when Rosa finally arrived to pick her up. It was not long after seeing so much of Sebastian in the kitchen, and the incident had sent her right back up to the guestroom, starving.
I’m such an idiot.
Alex Roberts probably should not have been all that bothered by seeing a man wrapped in a towel, but to Alexandra, seeing Bash nearly naked, he was too damned sexy to ignore. She decided that for the rest of the day, avoidance was best. Thus, with a little coaxing, Rosa had spent the better part of the day hanging out with her at the hospital so Alexandra would not have to hurry back to Bash’s place.
This can work.
All I have to do is stay away from Bash until Dad is released, or when Eva gets her.
Holy crap, I’m such a coward.
Now, after leaving the hospital where Dad was recuperating, Alexandra grimaced. She leaped up into Rosa’s car and stared at her in disbelief. The woman did not bat an eyelid as she stared back at her.
“What do you mean I don’t need to be at the hospital all day, every day? I’ve spent the better part of my trip here looking after Dad. This is where I want to be.”
Rosa had been right there with her through the whole traumatic ordeal of Dad being hospitalized the first time, getting better and then being readmitted after suffering from smoke inhalation during the fire. She had never once tried to overstep Alexandra or to make her feel unwelcome. Today was a different story.
What the hell is going on?
Rosa reached for her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. “Alexandra, I wouldn’t dare ask you not to come and see your own father. You know me better than that. Your being here is what helped him improve when he was admitted the last time.”
“So what are you telling me, Rosa?”
“I’m reminding you of this. Before you were aware that Maxwell was ill, you were already making plans to come to Tucson…to relax. This was supposed to be your vacation, wasn’t it?”
“Well…yes, but that was before.”
“You’ve been by his side every day since you got here. Honey, you need a break.”
Alexandra looked out the window, embarrassed for almost blowing up, now that she realized Rosa was only looking out for her well-being. “I’m sorry, Rosa. I’m worried about Dad. That’s no excuse, but I guess I’m just tired and cranky over this whole situation.”
“It’s all the more reason to take advantage of some downtime during your last few weeks here. The doctor said he will keep Maxwell hospitalized for observation, and to make sure the smoke he inhaled does not worsen his condition. You heard him yourself. I have every faith that your father will be back to his former health in no time.”
She faced the steering wheel and turned the key in the ignition.
Alexandra sulked a bit, but agreed. Rosa was right. She did not have to camp out at the hospital like this. While they were there today, Dad was lucid, upbeat, and only coughed once or twice. All he could talk about was how relieved he was that this hospital stay would not be as long as the last one. He was almost back to his old self.
“I do need a bit of a break from life in Los Angeles, but I feel like I have to keep busy.”
“Here’s a thought,” Rosa suggested. “Why don’t you spend some time getting the house together so it’s all repaired when they release your father?
“I guess I could do that.”
“The fire department cleared the house this morning, didn’t they?”
“Yes.”
“Did you phone the cleanup crew this morning?”
“Yes, I did. Sebastian said he would let them in if they made it there before he left for physio.”
“That’s perfect. Why not go ahead and hire a contractor to start the renovations? I’m sure your father trusts you to take care of it.”
“You know, that’s not a bad idea. It would give me something productive to do, and if they make enough progress on the main floor, Dad won’t have to get a temporary place.”
And I’ll be out of Bash’s place that much sooner.
She glanced out the passenger side window and smiled. It was a stellar idea.
“Bash can help you out,” Rosa added.
Alexandra gave her a sideways glance. “Oh, no! Not you too,” she groaned, shaking her head.
Rosa did not even deny her involvement in this set-up. Rosa and Dad were playing matchmaker. Dad had probably put her up to this. As soon as he found out Alexandra was staying at Sebastian’s house while the clean-up crew worked on making the Storme residence ready for repair, her enthusiastic father had lit up like a Christmas tree. Dad made a point of reminding her that Bash was the one who kept her company, brought over meals and kept her spirits high while he was ill.
“Hang out with a man one time, and suddenly everyone thinks there’s a relationship brewing,” she said to Rosa, rolling her eyes. “How many times do I have to tell you and Dad that Bash thinks I’m a guy? You know, I didn’t want to be the one to let the cat out of the bag, but Sebastian Sullivan isn’t really into vegan, if you catch my drift. He’s totally into beef.”
Rosa blushed as Alexandra chuckled t her on comment.
“Is that so? I never would’ve assumed that given what I’ve seen.”
“What have you seen?”
Rosa shrugged, and did not say anything more. There was something about the way she went quiet that made Alexandra wonder what exactly she was not saying.
***
Rosa dropped Alexandra off, and Sebastian’s Jeep was nowhere in sight.
“Thank goodness,” she said under her breath, hoping Rosa did not hear her.
His absence meant she could go right on up to her room without having any jaw-dropping encounters with him. She and Bash had exchanged their spare house keys this morning, and he had let her know he would likely be at his physical therapy session for a few hours this evening.
Before heading inside, she asked Rosa to pull into Dad’s driveway.
“Except for that second floor office window and above it, you almost can’t tell anything happened to the house,” Rosa said.
The two of them stared at Dad’s three-story home. From the outside, most of the house looked unscathed. The late evening sky hung dusky in the background, and only a small section of the grass out front showed some evidence of the ordeal where the firehoses had trailed through the lawn. The damage up on the second floor had done some damage to the interior of the two guestrooms and Dad’s office. Alexandra was not worried about his files. Rosa had backed up all his essential electronic folders, and took his important hard copy files to his office shortly after he had been admitted to hospital the first time.
Alexandra climbed out of the SUV and leaned into the open window of Rosa’s CR-V. “I think I’ll take a look around inside and see whether anything is salvageable. I’m hoping my guitar and the trunk of keepsakes in my room are okay.”
“I hope so too, dear.”
“Anyway, I guess I’d better get started. Tonight I’ll find a few more construction companies to call for quotes, now that I’m banned from daily visits to the hospital.”
“You’re not banned, dear. Your father and I just want you to get your mind off his health. He’ll be fine…and I think it would be a nice surprise if the renovations begin before he’s released. He would never ask you himself, but I know he would be so happy. You know how he is about people fussing over him.”
“He would be the first to tell me “Stop hovering, Alexandra!”, or something very similar,” she said, trying to mock her father’s gruff tone.
“Trust me, I know. Well, I’ll keep you posted on his progress, but as you already know, the doctor does not expect to keep him for much more than a week or two.”
“Sounds good. Thanks, Rosa.”
“No problem. In the meantime, if you need me for anything, you know how to get in touch with me. I’ll even be available to help you break the rules when you want to sneak in and see Max.”
“Thanks Rosa. I know this whole idea of keeping me away from the hospital is all his idea. See you later.”
“See you soon, dear.”
Alexandra waved goodbye when Rosa drove off. Pulling out Dad’s house keys from her satchel, she stepped up to the front door. As soon as it opened, the acrid stench of charred wood overwhelmed her. Thankfully, as Tucson was so dry during the summer months, much of the water had evaporated, which meant there would not likely be a musty smell from the water damage.
The cleanup crew they hired had been at the house. The front entryway was clean in the places where mud had been tracked in last night. She took a cautious step inside, testing her
weight on the stairs before climbing up to the second floor. The fire department had cleared the house, but the memory of the fire was still fresh enough to make her second guess her movements.
Up on the second flood landing, she passed the large water damage restoration fan the cleanup crew left to ventilate the space. She held her breath at the second door. It was clear where the fire had started. Dad’s office door was open. It looked like a war zone.
“Christ,” she whispered, shaking her head as she peeked in. The walls were black, and everywhere including the ceiling was coated with soot. One step inside, and her shoes squished across the semi-damp rug. Now she wondered how much longer the clean-up crew would be. She made a mental note to call and find out. Renovations would have to wait until all the water up here was gone. The floors and drywall would probably need replacing as well. A survey of the room confirmed Dad’s computer, printers and other electronics were wiped out. His file cabinet was scorched, but seemed intact. Still, there wasn’t much she could remove from this room tonight.
Ducking out of the office, she shuffled up to her bedroom. She threw open the closet and took a whiff. A heavy smoke smell lingered on everything inside. Fortunately, nothing was destroyed. She grabbed the backpack and threw in her wallet, tablet, phone and laptop before turning to the closet.
“I hope it’s something a good washing can take care of,” she said aloud. “Let’s see what I can do.”
She tugged out an armload of clothes to supplement her wardrobe while at Bash’s house. In one corner of the closet, she came across a dress that must have been missed when she had initially cleared out the space.
“Hey, how did you get here?”
She held it up, turning it side to side in the waning evening light, and let out a wistful sigh.
Reveal: A Contemporary Romance (Billionaire Rock Star Romance Book 2) Page 2