by Ali Parker
I secretly hoped that happened soon. I didn’t want too many people getting excited for a marriage that wasn’t likely to happen. When the news of our breakup got out, I imagined it would be a repeat of today, but people would be offering condolences with others offering to set me up with their gorgeous niece or some other family member.
Chapter 37
Hailey
I stretched my legs and rolled over to feel for Terran’s body. He wasn’t in bed. I sat up, rubbing my eyes and looking at the clock on the table. It was almost eight. He said he had an early day and had probably already left. I was bummed he didn’t bother kissing me goodbye but told myself I couldn’t let the little things bother me.
I threw on the T-shirt he had given me last night to wear to bed. I had opted to sleep naked. I loved the way his skin felt next to mine and wanted to feel every inch of his warm, hot body against me. I walked out to the kitchen and saw his used coffee mug sitting on the breakfast bar. I picked it up, rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher before making myself a cup. I didn’t have anything to do today and decided to take my time exploring his place. It seemed like anytime we were at his house, our time was spent in his bedroom.
With my coffee in hand, I drifted out to the living room, walking to the mantle over the gas fireplace to check out the framed pictures. He rarely talked about his family—if ever. I got the impression there had been some bad blood between him and his father. I didn’t want to stir up any of that and didn’t pry. When he was ready, he would tell me.
I smiled when I saw the picture of him standing with an older version of himself on a golf course. They looked happy. Both men were smiling and seemed to be having a great time. My eyes drifted to another picture of the same older man. He was on a boat, holding a huge fishing pole in his hand that was bowed with something obviously very big on the line. The man had wrinkles around his eyes, and his hair was more of a salt and pepper instead of all black like Terran’s. It was definitely his father.
I loved that he kept pictures of his father in his house. I knew the photos were special to him, which made them special to me. I sighed, looking at another photo of Terran as a little boy. His black hair was shaggy back then as well, falling in his eyes and giving him the look of a real hellion. Despite the devilish look in the child’s eyes, his father was beaming with pride. My heart ached for Terran’s loss. I knew it all too well myself.
I could hear the faint sound of my phone ringing and dashed into his bedroom to pull it out of my purse.
“Hello?” I answered, slightly out of breath.
“Hailey, this is Tara at Gabriel’s office. Do you have a minute to talk with him?”
“Sure,” I said, nervous and excited at the same time.
I paced while she put me on hold, wondering what it was he had to say.
“Hailey!” his loud, energetic voice came on the line.
“Hi, Gabriel. What’s up?”
“I’ve got an audition for you. It’s short notice. Can you be there this afternoon?”
My mouth fell open before I quickly pulled myself together. “Yes, absolutely. When and where?”
He gave me the details as I jotted them down on a piece of paper I found at the bottom of my purse.
“Thank you!” I said excitedly.
“Knock ’em dead!”
I hung up, quickly changed into my own clothes and dashed out the door. I only had two hours to get ready. Apparently, they had changed their minds on what they were looking for, and Gabriel was convinced I was exactly the fresh new face they needed.
I changed outfits a good ten times before finally deciding on one. I was so nervous. I didn’t have any lines. It was them looking at me in the flesh to see if I was what they were looking for.
When I showed up at the audition, I was one of about fifty women. I could practically feel my odds of landing the job dwindling in front of my face. There were at least twenty blondes with blue eyes waiting to be seen.
Slowly, one by one, names were called. I was near the bottom of the list. When my name was finally called, I jumped up and practically ran to the double doors where the casting people were waiting. I took a deep breath, pulled my shoulders back and walked into the room. There were three people sitting at a table, each of them with a sheet of paper in front of them, their pens poised. I immediately felt the pressure.
There was another man standing behind a camera off to the side.
“Hi,” I said with what I hope was a friendly, relaxed smile.
“Good afternoon. We’ll be recording this to review later to get a better idea of your on-camera presence. Please start with your name, agent and read from this script,” one of the men explained, holding up a small notecard.
I took the card and quickly read it.
“Stand on the red X on the floor,” one of the women said.
When I turned to find the X, I saw two large monitors mounted behind me. I immediately felt my palms grow sweaty and the nerves kick in. They were going to be watching me on the screen. I worried about my lack of makeup. I should have known better. I should have put on camera makeup. When Gabriel said in person, I assumed in person, not in person on TV. I took a deep breath, exhaling the nerves and turned to face my audience, hoping I didn’t look completely washed out in the monitor.
I smiled and dove right into the script after stating my name. When I was finished, I looked at them, waiting for some kind of response.
“Just a moment, please,” the only male at the table said, holding up a finger.
I stood on the X, waiting to hear how miserable I had been, doing my best not to appear nervous.
The guy turned to face the cameraman. “Johnny, replay that for us. Hailey, can you stand off to the side please?”
I nodded and moved out of the way. My face appeared on the screens, and a second later I heard my voice coming over the speakers mounted on the wall. I cringed, thinking my voice sounded a little dull. I should have used more enthusiasm I realized, noticing my hair looked a bit wild as well. This was part of the learning process I reminded myself. I could pick my brief audition apart all day long.
When the short scene was over the man was nodding his head. “Go ahead and have a seat in the waiting area if you will. It shouldn’t be long.”
I nodded my head. “Thank you for your time,” I murmured before heading out, saying the only thing I could think of.
I sat down, wondering how miserably I had failed. I reminded myself it was my first audition. Gabriel told me I would likely be turned down the first few times. I knew I was supposed to learn from my mistakes. I just hoped they weren’t too harsh with their critiques. Another name was called. I looked around and realized the other women who had completed their auditions had already left.
I replayed what the man had said. He told me to wait. Nervous butterflies in my stomach were making me jittery. I wanted to get up and pace but knew that would make my inexperience way too obvious. Instead, I sat there, tapping my foot as I waited.
“Miss Hollis?” the woman who’d been running things out front called my name.
“Yes?” I asked, standing up.
“They’d like to see you again.”
My mouth felt dry as I walked back into the room, my palms sweaty and my legs nearly knocking together as I pushed the door open.
“Hi,” I said in a meek voice.
“Hello, again. We’d like to give you another script to read. This time, we want you to get comfortable, move around or do whatever comes naturally,” the man instructed.
I took the script, reviewed it a few times and thought about me talking to Mandy about the new lodge the commercial was promoting.
“I’m ready,” I announced, taking my spot on the X.
“And go,” the cameraman directed.
I got right into the spiel, making it a point to look at the people at the table and not directly at the camera like Gabriel had warned. I imagined Mandy was sitting there and felt myself relaxing. Once it was
over, I realized I had flubbed the lines a little.
The man was grinning. The two women beside him were nodding their heads.
“Perfect. Absolutely perfect,” the man said, rising from the table to walk toward me.
“Thank you,” I said with a relieved smile.
“You’re exactly what we’re looking for. We’ll call Gabriel and work out the details. I love to see a new face in the business, especially one that is so natural. You were born to be in front of a camera. It shows in the way you move and the way you speak as if you are talking to your best friend.”
I felt myself blushing with compliments. “Thank you. I really appreciate that. I will work hard and do my best.”
He pulled a card out of his pocket and handed it to me. “You’ve impressed me. I think there are quite a few directors in the movie industry that would be interested in meeting you. Give this to Gabriel, tell him to get in touch with me. I have a few connections with producers and directors that are starting new projects. You might be what they’re looking for.”
“Really?” I gasped in disbelief.
He smiled. “Really. Everyone wants to find the next big star. I think you might be her. Have him call me.”
I held onto the card as if it were the most prized possession in the world. “I will do that. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. We’ll be in touch.”
I nodded my head and walked out of the room. I felt like I was floating. I waved to the woman behind the desk as I walked to my car. I had gotten the job. I couldn’t believe it. Not only had I gotten the job, the director thought I had a real chance at getting in the movies. I pushed the button on my key fob and climbed behind the wheel, placing both hands on the steering wheel as I stared out the windshield.
The ring caught my eye. I looked at it and smiled. I didn’t think I could be any happier. Everything in my life was going so well. It was like being in a fairytale. I started the car and drove home, my mind racing as I thought about the possibilities and what my future would look like. I imagined myself at the premiere of my new movie, wearing some gorgeous dress with Terran beside me, looking as handsome as ever in a perfect tux.
When I walked into my apartment, I looked around and thought about what I would take with me when I moved in with Terran and what I could put into storage.
“Woah!” I said out loud, catching where my thoughts were going. I was getting way ahead of myself. I needed to take a step back. I couldn’t push all of it onto Terran just yet. I had to handle him with kid gloves. He was a little skittish I thought to myself, giggling with the image of him being a very large, timid tiger.
I’d tame him.
Chapter 38
Terran
I had just wrapped up a client meeting and was putting together some notes about the account when Lena buzzed me.
“Yes?” I asked.
“You have a call from Jim, your attorney.”
“Thanks, go ahead and put him through,” I told her, anxious to hear what he had found out from Bob.
I had been waiting for two days to find out when I’d be getting the company signed over to me completely. Jim had told me Bob was out of his office for a couple days, and he would let me know as soon as he heard something. It couldn’t come soon enough.
“Jim, how’s it going?” I asked as a greeting.
“We need to meet,” he said in a gruff voice.
“I’m busy today. I can check with Lena and let you know when I’m available.”
“No. This is urgent. I need to see you right away,” he said, his voice tight.
“What’s going on?” I asked, irritated by his evasiveness.
“When can you be here?” he replied, not answering my question.
I sighed. “Give me thirty minutes at least.”
“Hurry up, this is serious,” he said hanging up the phone.
I shook my head, wondering what the hell was wrong now. I couldn’t believe it was proving this difficult to get my inheritance. My dad must be laughing from the great beyond at the hoops he was making me jump through. It was really starting to piss me off.
I shut down my laptop and stopped to tell Lena I had an emergency and was leaving the office.
“But, you have a meeting in ten minutes,” she blurted out.
“I have to go. See if someone else can take it,” I said already on the way to the elevator.
Jim’s secretary told me to go right in. I could hear male voices as I pushed open the solid wood door. Two men were facing the desk when I walked in.
“Terran, you’re here,” Jim said, standing and looking very relieved to see me.
The other two men stood as well, turning to look at me. I groaned, recognizing my Uncle Lance. I didn’t know the other man. I strode forward, my eyes boring into Lance who seemed a little too happy to be sitting in my lawyer’s office.
“What’s this about?” I asked glaring at my long-lost uncle.
“Have a seat,” Jim instructed.
I sat down in the third chair that had already been brought in for me. I stared at Jim, seeing strain and tension on his face and just knowing my life was about to get messy.
“This is your uncle, correct?” Jim asked me.
I shrugged. “I believe so. I couldn’t say for sure. I haven’t seen him in a very long time. In fact, I never saw him at my dad’s memorial service,” I said, sneering at the only living blood relative I had.
“I was out of town,” Lance said with a smile that made me want to hit him.
“Why is he here? Why am I here?” I asked Jim.
Jim cleared his throat and looked down at several documents. “Lance contends the engagement is a sham. He has asked the court to have the money distributed to the charities outlined in your father’s will.”
“Don’t forget about that company,” Lance added.
“Excuse me?” I growled staring at my uncle.
“Yes, he has also filed a motion to have the company dissolved, per the will,” Jim said in a low voice.
I shot Lance a glare, wishing him dead where he sat. “I’ve fulfilled the terms of the will. His motion has no standing.”
Lance shook his head. “Bullshit. You know as well as I do that engagement is a load of horseshit. You’re doing it to get the money—money you don’t deserve!”
I raised an eyebrow. “What do you have to gain from this?” I asked, knowing right away something had to be motivating him.
“Absolutely nothing. You’ve always been a spoiled brat. I told your father a long time ago he was spoiling you and needed to be firmer with you. He coddled you as a boy and now look at you.”
I shrugged my shoulders and smirked. “Yes, please, do look at me. I’m the successful CEO of the company I started. The company I built from the ground up.”
“With daddy’s money,” he spat back.
“He invested in the company—in me. It paid off very well for him.”
“You’ve had enough handouts in your life. I’m here to do what your father couldn’t—cut you off and make you stand on your own two feet, like he did to me,” Lance growled.
I looked at Jim. “Is this legal? He walked out of my father’s life a long time ago because my father refused to give this man another dime. Lance here loves the poker games. Unfortunately, he is a shitty player and ends up losing everything. My dad got tired of bailing him out and sent him packing. This is all an attempt to get me removed from the will so he can make a move to get my father’s money.”
“Speculation gets you nowhere,” the other man chimed in.
“Who the hell are you?” I snapped.
“I’m Bill Graves, and I serve as the attorney for your uncle.”
I rolled my eyes. “I guess that pretty much confirms my speculation then, doesn’t it? He’s hired you to try and get his hands on money he has no right to.”
“He was my brother before he was your father. Nothing can break that bond,” Lance said, feigning emotion.
I rai
sed an eyebrow, looking back at Jim. “Seriously? Do we have to waste our time with this?”
Jim folded his hands and took a deep breath. “As I’ve explained to these gentlemen, I do feel this is a waste of time and money. The engagement is real and therefore, you have met all the conditions. I already have the wheels in motion to seal everything up.”
“Good, then you can take a hike, Lance.”
He shook his head. “Nope, I’m going to prove your engagement is fake.”
I scoffed. “How exactly are you going to do that? I guarantee if you ask her if we’re getting married, she’s going to say yes.”
Lance grinned. It was an evil grin that actually made me very nervous. “Are you sure about that?”
I nodded. “Yes, I am. She’ll show you the ring and tell you the story of how I proposed.”
Lance shook his head. “You didn’t even know this woman three months ago, and now you’re ready to marry her after being a bachelor your entire adult life. No judge is going to believe that, especially with your reputation. You’ve never had a relationship.”
“No one can tell me what’s in my heart. And seriously, are you stalking me? Why the hell are you so interested in my love life?” I shot back.
Lance burst into laughter. “You don’t love her. You don’t love anybody. All you want is the money, so you concocted this little scheme to get it. It’s the oldest trick in the book, but I’m not going to let you get away with it.”
“Empty threats, as usual. I don’t know why you came back, but I guarantee you will not get your hands on my father’s money or anything else that was his. You turned your back on him a long time ago. He wanted nothing to do with you, and neither do I. Go away, Lance. No judge is going to hear your case,” I warned him.
He was shaking his head in disgust. “You think you’re so smart. You’ve always thought you were smarter than everyone else. I’ve got news for you kid. You’re not smarter than me. You can’t scam your way into a fortune. I’m here to make sure of that.”