Chrissy nodded. She couldn’t help but remember Winnie saying something like that to her. It had to be a sign. She needed to stop being scared. Time to pull up the big girl panties and go after what she wants.
“Wait. Are you planning on skydiving onto his doorstep? I can’t say I’ve ever had that dream, but it would make it awesome if you did that with heels, an overcoat and nothing else.” Rex wiggled his eyebrows at her.
Joshua rolled his eyes then reached over to retrieve the now dozing Donovan. “Ignore the southern idiot. Do what your gut tells you to do. That will never fail you.”
She stared as Joshua walked into the Winkin to retrieve his grandfather. Leaning back into the rocker she began to formulate a plan.
“You are thinking so hard right now that I can see smoke coming out of your ears. What are you planning?”
She looked up at Rex. “If I ask for your help, can you keep your trap shut?” Rex opened his mouth to protest but when he looked at her face, he closed his mouth with a snap. “That means not telling your mama or your sister or anyone else in town. Got it?”
He just nodded.
“Good. I need to make a few calls.”
Chapter 41
California Dreamin’
Chrissy sat in the middle seat of a flight going to California. It was easily the most impulsive thing she’d ever done. After talking to Joshua, she realized she really missed Max and needed to see him. When her decision was made, her first call was to the only person in California she knew would be able to keep the secret. If this all blew up in her face, then she didn’t want to destroy friendships. James would meet her at the airport and take her to Max’s house. He had offered to pay for her ticket, but she ignored him.
Once the ticket was bought, she talked to her mama. She was surprised with her mama’s reaction. It was a mix of happiness and apprehension. Without asking, she promised to watch Mariah until Chrissy returned. She avoided her father and only saw him as Rex drove her away from the bed-and-breakfast. Her heart still hurt from her father’s words.
“Are you ok, miss?” the gentleman next to her asked.
“Yes,” she said, clearing her throat.
“Ok. Will this be your first trip to California?”
Chrissy smiled. “No. I’m surprising my boyfriend.”
He smiled at her. “That’s fantastic. He’s a very lucky man.”
She ducked her head a bit without answering.
“Well, I will leave you to your reading.” He smiled once more than reclined his seat.
Chrissy looked at the book in her hand. A sexy highlander looked back from the cover. A picture of Max in nothing but a kilt floated through her mind. She opened her book to fall into the world of Scottish highlanders with their fair maidens.
“Chrissy!” James yelled jumping up and down.
She blushed as the other passengers from her flight passed her.
“James! Stop!” she snapped.
He scooped her up in a hug. Then they both froze. He’d never hugged her before. Even during their time sharing the suite in Costa Rica.
“Oops.” He put her down and stepped away from her. “I probably shouldn’t have done that since I am still technically your boss.”
Chrissy smiled. “It’s fine, James. I just hope Max has the same kind of reaction.”
They began walking toward the baggage claim with the passengers. “He will be over the moon.” He leaned close to her and continued, “I shouldn’t tell you this but one of the reasons they had to stop filming was because Max was out of sorts. He was snapping at everyone, forgetting his lines and even forgot to pull his punch in one of his fight scenes.”
“Oh, my God!” Chrissy covered her mouth.
James nodded. “I don’t know how sad you will be for who he punched, though.” He smirked.
“Who?”
“Ben.”
“What?”
“Yep. He knocked Ben out with one punch. Frank actually said it was quite entertaining. He’d been poking at Max since you’d left and it’s debatable whether he even tried to pull the punch.”
Chrissy bit her lip trying to hold back her laughter. Unfortunately, it escaped, and she doubled over laughing like a lunatic. When she finally pulled herself together, she said, “You’re right. I don’t feel bad that he punched him.”
The gentleman from the plane stopped next to her holding his luggage. “Looks like he was happy. Good luck to you, miss.” He slid a sly smile toward James.
“Thanks,” Chrissy said. She looked at James who was pale.
“How do you know him?” James asked.
“He sat next to me on the plane. Why?”
James shook his head. “It’s nothing. I used to know him.”
“What do you mean?” Chrissy stopped him as he picked up her luggage.
He sighed. “He was my first.”
Chrissy blinked. “You mean your first…first.”
James laughed. “Yes. He made me realize that what was missing in my life wasn’t a woman but a man.”
“Oh.” Chrissy’s words abandoned her.
“Let’s go and get you laid by your sexy movie star.”
She linked her arm with his as he carried her luggage. “Is Jeremiah waiting for you?”
James didn’t answer but continued to his car. Chrissy put her hand on his arm and asked, “What’s going on, James?”
He put the suitcases in the trunk then turned to her.
“We are on a break,” he said blandly.
Chrissy furrowed her brow. “Your decision?”
James turned away from her. “No.”
With a sigh, Chrissy wrapped her arms around him from behind. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “It’s fine. I guess if we are meant to be, we will come back together.”
“That’s awfully mature of you.”
James stuck his tongue out at her. “Get your cute butt in the car so that I can take you to your man’s house.” He smacked her butt.
Chrissy jumped from the smack and squealed getting into the car.
As James drove further into wealthier and wealthier neighborhoods, Chrissy fidgeted with her hands. Her overly caffeinated butterflies were doing loops in her stomach. Her knee bounced causing James to put his hand on it to settle her.
“We’re almost there. Are you sure you want me to drop you off? I can go with you to the door,” he offered as he pulled into an ungated driveway.
“I’m sure. It would kind of lose the ‘surprise I’m here’ vibe if my boss is standing next to me.” She grinned at him.
The long driveway wound for about a mile. Then the car stopped in front of a gate. James parked and turned toward her.
“Alright.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “You got this. Go have crazy sex that I can only dream about tonight.”
Chrissy laughed and jumped out of the car. She retrieved her suitcase from the trunk then walked toward the gate.
James rolled down his window. “I forgot to tell you. The passcode is C-H-R-I-S-S-Y.”
She blinked at him. “Are you serious?”
He smiled and nodded. “Changed it when he got back. I had to stop over the other day, and he had to give me the new one.”
Chrissy’s heart grew in her chest. “Thanks, James.”
“You’re welcome. If you need me, I am just a call away.”
She nodded then walked over to the keypad. Using the headlights to illuminate the pad, she entered the code. The gates silently opened showing her a wonderous house in front of her.
Outside lights shown on the large mansion. It was exactly what she thought Max would live in. She counted a total of sixteen windows. Eight on the second floor and the same on the first floor. The lawn was meticulously manicured along with shrubbery that was shaped just right. It reminded her of a European country home. The large drive was even gravelly like those you’d expect to see in front of a Scottish lord’s home.
Her shoes crunched on the gravel a
s she approached the door. Two steps up and she rang the doorbell. She held her breath as the door opened.
“Surpri—” Her word stuck in her throat.
A familiar woman stood in front of her in a barely-there camisole and booty shorts. Her wavy blonde hair hung loose around her.
Chrissy blinked then said, “Alyssa?”
Chapter 42
Unexpected Pain
“Chrissy?” Alyssa had a confused look on her face.
“Uhm…I think I made a mistake.” Chrissy gripped her suitcase in an iron fist and stepped away from the door.
Alyssa blinked then shook her head. “No! Wait! It’s not what you think,” she yelled to the retreating Chrissy.
Chrissy stopped with her back to her. “What?”
“It’s not what you think,” Alyssa huffed out.
“Ok. Then what is it?” she asked.
Alyssa bit her lip then sighed. “Max is my brother.”
Chrissy blinked. “You’re his sister?”
She let out a little laugh. “What, we don’t look alike?”
“Well, no.”
“I know. I look like our dad and Max looks like our mom. That’s why he looks so effeminate.”
Chrissy grimaced. “He does not look effeminate.”
Alyssa let out a triumphant laugh. “Ha ha. Gotcha. Come on in. He is going to love that you are here. He can quit being a grumpy ass.”
“What do you mean?” Chrissy asked.
“All he’s been doing is moping around, biting my head off and throwing things. It’s really been trying living with him.”
“Oh.”
“Come on. Let’s have a drink and some girl talk.” Alyssa linked her arm with Chrissy’s, and they walked into the expansive house.
The moment Chrissy walked into the foyer her breath caught in her chest. It was magnificent. Dark wood flooring flowed between rooms and up a large staircase. Warm colors painted the walls making it feel homey and welcoming. It was nothing that Chrissy would have imagined for Max.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” Alyssa said, watching Chrissy take in the vast new surroundings.
“Not what I would have imagined for Max.”
Alyssa laughed and led Chrissy into a large room off the main foyer. “Yeah. Patty can really be sentimental.”
“Who’s Patty?” Chrissy asked.
“Oh. Whoops. He did say I wasn’t supposed to call him that,” Alyssa said with a bit of a strange accent.
“Who?”
She cleared her throat. “Max. Max is Patty. Patty is Max, or should I say he is actually Patrick Maxwell Owens.”
“Excuse me? Are you telling me he has been lying to me all this time?” Chrissy snapped out.
A look of panic crossed her features. “No. No one knows his real name. I don’t even think Zee or Terrance do. I wasn’t even supposed to say anything. Please don’t be mad at him.”
Chrissy sat on a soft couch that sucked her in a bit too far. She attempted to look angry but when she looked like she was being swallowed whole by a couch it was a bit hard to hold on to dignity. Alyssa looked at her clearly trying not to laugh. Chrissy gave up and started laughing.
“Dear lord. Help me out of this thing,” Chrissy said between laughs.
Alyssa doubled over laughing. “I don’t know. Maybe I should let you stay there for Patty to find.”
“Get your ass over here so I can kick it.” Chrissy struggled to try to get up and only ended up kicking her feet in the air.
Alyssa’s laughter started over again. After a few minutes she was able to compose herself and put her hand out for Chrissy to grasp. With a tug Chrissy swore she heard the couch actually release her with a sucking sound.
“That couch is the devil,” Chrissy said.
“I’m sure if you tell Patty to chuck it, he will.”
Walking over to an innocent looking chair she touched the seat first to make sure it was firm. Alyssa giggled as she poured them an amber liquid. Chrissy took a chance and sat in the seat. She relaxed when it didn’t immediately suck her in.
“What are you pouring over there?” Chrissy asked.
“Unfortunately, it is the only liquor left in the house. Since he’s been having a hell of a time lately, he went through all of it. But this is the good stuff. O’Shaughnessy’s reserve whiskey is the best out there.”
Chrissy took the glass and smelled it. She knew it was going to burn going down but maybe if she had a bit of liquid courage then she’d be ready for Max. Chugging the liquid fire, she coughed.
“Shit,” Chrissy coughed.
“Girl, you don’t chug O’Shaughnessy. You sip it. Let me get you a refill.”
Chrissy went to stop her, but they heard the front door open. Alyssa turned to her and grinned. She ran out to the hallway. The butterflies that had taken up residency in Chrissy’s stomach were now doing drunken donuts running into each other. However, with a deep breath she stepped over to the doorway to jump out with a surprise.
“Maxy!” A high-pitched giggle filtered down the hall.
“What the hell is this?” Alyssa asked in a whispered yell.
“These are my friends. They helped me home,” Max slurred. He was clearly trashed.
“Where are we going, Maxy? You promised to show us a good time,” another feminine voice said.
Chrissy felt the world drop out from under her. She knew those voices. The high-pitched giggle was Dee Dee his co-star from Canon Love. The other was Jane Foster. What the hell was going on?
“Uhm…Max? I think you should send your friends away,” Alyssa said frantically.
“Why?” Jane asked.
“It’s none of your business,” Alyssa snapped.
“Well, Max owes me, and he’s promised to pay up tonight.” Jane laughed then said, “He owes us both.”
Chrissy was going to be sick. How could she have ever thought Max Hamilton ever truly loved her? He was what he was. He would never change. When she heard them approach, she shrank into the shadows of the room as they stumbled down the hallway. Alyssa followed trying to get the women to leave. After they passed the room, she ran over to where her purse was and pulled out her phone.
Chrissy: SOS…I need you to come back and get me.
James: What’s wrong?
Chrissy: It wasn’t what I expected. Please come get me.
She felt tears begin to well in her eyes.
James: On my way. Be there in ten.
With a deep breath she listened to the hallway. There were no more noises. It was her chance to escape. Max not answering any calls and texts now made sense. She eyed her suitcase and realized she wouldn’t be able to escape noiselessly if she took it. Fuck it! She just needed out.
Turning down the hall she heard, “Chrissy?”
She looked at Alyssa’s frantic face. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe this.”
Chrissy nodded. “I need to leave. I have a ride. Just don’t tell him I was here.”
“Ok but—”
“Lyssa, do we have any more—” Max halted in the hallway.
Chrissy froze when she saw Max in only boxers standing in the hallway blearily looking at her.
“Chrissy?” His voice sounded as if he saw a ghost.
“I have to go,” Chrissy said to Alyssa and made a break for the door.
“CHRISSY!” Max bellowed behind her.
Running with everything she had she distantly heard a crash while she ran away from the man that had given her hope that love could exist again. Tears streamed down her face as she ran further and further down the driveway. Faintly she heard shouting. Her heart broke with every step. This was a pain she had never wanted to feel again. She finally got to a spot where she began walking then crumpled into a heap on the side of the driveway.
James pulled up not long after and loaded her into his car without a word.
Chapter 43
A Snake Waiting for a Plane
“Welcome back, Dirty Laundry fans. Boy, d
o we have some juicy gossip for you today. It’s a follow up on a story we ran not long ago. It appears that Chrissy Benson is out of the picture with our beloved Max Hamilton. Max was seen at a prominent hot spot, Area 411. He was seen leaving with the gorgeous Dee Dee and another unknown woman. However, this unknown woman has been linked with Max before. He was seen leaving her hotel room looking a bit disheveled less than a month ago.”
Pictures flashed across the screen. Video of Max stumbling outside the bar followed by stills of him leaving Jane’s room at the Costa Rican resort. The host of the show leaned in for dramatic effect.
“Here is the best part. I can only share if you keep it between us.” A canned audience clapped. “Alright, Chrissy Benson was seen leaving Max Hamilton’s residence in quite the hurry. Guess whose arms she ran into…Can’t guess? It was the one and only James Mathewson. Let’s hope James fairs better with that maneater than Max Hamilton and Ben McGhee did. That is all for today, gossip fans. Tune in next week for our next pile of Dirty Laundry.”
“You know you can’t believe those gossip rags, Chrissy,” James said as he drove her to the airport.
“I know.” Her voice came out like a robot.
“So, why leave now? Stay and fight for him.”
A defeated laugh escaped her lips. “Fight for him? Why would I fight for someone that clearly doesn’t want me?” She shook her head. “I’m better off going back home, taking care of my family and being alone.”
James shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. You have a job here. Come back. You and Mariah can come live with me. I would be an awesome roommate.” Emotion coated his words.
“Thank you, James. I just can’t be out here. I’m not made for L.A. I just don’t fit.”
He grasped her hand as he pulled up to the drop off. “Please rethink this. I have a feeling there is more to this than we know.”
“You’re sweet, James. But I’ve been down this road before. I’m not a woman that men want a forever with. For some reason the grass is always greener anywhere but with me. I need to get back to my life. You are always welcome to visit.” Chrissy leaned over and kissed his cheek.
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