The Maverick Millionaire

by Alison Roberts

  That she’d made a bad mistake and that things could have gone very differently haunted Ellie for the rest of that first day.

  Her nose was rubbed in it, in fact, by being allowed on the ship during the early evening to watch a sunset scene being filmed on the gentle roll of the open sea just outside the harbour.

  A kiss scene between Jake and his stunningly beautiful leading lady, Amber.

  Bad enough to have to watch it once but, for some reason, the director made them do it over and over again. And Ellie was forced to watch. Not only was she trapped on a ship but she couldn’t even slip out of sight because the area of the deck not being used for the scene was so small that she and the other people watching were hemmed into a corner.

  The clapboards came down again and again as another take began.

  Ellie had to grit her teeth. She had no hope of controlling the stirring of feelings like longing. Envy, possibly. Just as well nothing had really happened between her and Jake. Imagine having to watch this if you were in a real relationship with one of them?

  ‘Couldn’t see what was wrong with the last one,’ someone close to Ellie muttered.

  A snort of mirth came from someone else. ‘Maybe they’re enjoying it too much.’

  Jealousy was such a destructive emotion. She had no right to be edging dangerously close to feeling that herself. No right at all and she would be wise to remember that.

  The director went in to talk to them at this point. He waved his arm, indicating the last of the glorious sunset gilding the water behind them and throwing the slopes of tree-covered land in the distance into soft silhouette. Maybe he said something about time being money and it was running out because Jake turned and took a couple of paces as if suppressing frustration.

  ‘Places, please,’ came the call for a new take. ‘Picture is up.’

  Jake turned back and it felt as if he’d known all along exactly where Ellie was standing.

  For a long, long, moment he simply stared at her, his face completely expressionless.

  And then the assistant director called for quiet, the sound crew confirmed they were ready and a now-familiar bark of ‘Action!’ was heard. The new take started and it felt to Ellie like she, along with the rest of the world, had been completely shut out.

  Amber was his sole focus. Kissing her was something Jake couldn’t avoid any more than taking his next breath. It was inevitable. As necessary to life as the oxygen around him.

  The cameras were gliding in for a close-up, but Ellie felt like she was too close already. She could feel the intensity of every moment of that long, long kiss. Could feel Jake looking at Amber in exactly the way he’d looked at her in the moments before that radio message had interrupted them. She could actually feel his lips getting closer. Touching...

  Dear Lord... How far did they go in a movie kiss? Were their tongues touching?

  Desire was still there. She could feel it curling—almost exploding—deep in her own belly. Ellie didn’t dare look at anyone near her in case they could see what she was feeling in her face. Not that she could look away from the kissing couple, anyway.

  Until, finally, it was over.

  ‘That’s the one,’ the director shouted. ‘Thanks, guys. It was perfect.’

  * * *

  The caterers, once again, had done an impressive job with the barbecue dinner laid on for cast and crew when the day’s filming was over. The array of meat and fish was complemented by numerous salads and fresh, crusty bread. Wine and beer were freely available at the table set up as a bar and clusters of people were enjoying the alfresco meal as stars glittered in an inky sky above.

  Jake had used a handful of coins with the time it took to get rid of his makeup and hair product. Dressed in black jeans and a matching sweater, he set out to look for food.

  And Ellie.

  Time was a luxury because the meeting to watch the dailies of today’s footage would be on before long and he needed to collect the next day’s shooting schedule, but if he didn’t do something about this, it was going to do his head in. For the first time in his life he’d felt self-conscious on set this evening. It was no wonder they’d had to do that kiss scene so many times. It had been impossible to get in the zone with Ellie standing there, watching him.

  Either they needed to clear the air between them or he’d have to ask for her to be kept off set and he could imagine the awkward questions that might result from that request. It would, no doubt, get back to Ellie too, and that would only exacerbate any ill feeling that was there.

  He spotted her, standing to one side of the large group of people, looking a little uncertain. She had changed out of her uniform and, like him, was wearing jeans. She might find that camisole top wasn’t enough for the chill the evenings could offer later, but even as Jake had the thought he saw Ellie push her arms into the sleeves of an oversized cardigan that draped gracefully, like a kind of shawl. She might be feeling out of place here, but she still held herself tall, confident in her independence.

  The cast and crew were predominantly male. Actors, stuntpeople, camera crews, sound technicians, the grip crew, the continuity guys and others. Yeah... There were a lot of men here and Ellie was a very beautiful young woman. She wouldn’t be standing alone for long, that was for sure.

  Snagging a bottle of lager and a glass of wine, Jake headed in her direction. He held the glass up as he got closer as if it could pass as a peace offering.

  But Ellie shook her head. ‘I might be out of uniform for the night but I’m on duty twenty-four seven,’ she told him.

  No chance that a drink might ease the atmosphere, then.

  ‘Doesn’t sound like much fun.’

  Ellie’s smile was bright. Too bright. ‘I’m loving it so far,’ she said. ‘I’ve never been on a movie set before. Can’t believe how lucky I am to score this gig. Guess I have you to thank for that?’

  Jake said nothing. He was staring at her, but Ellie was looking around. At everyone except him.

  ‘I didn’t think you’d want to come,’ he said quietly.

  ‘Hey...’ Her gaze brushed past his fleetingly. ‘This is my chance. Who knows—the fame might rub off on me. Someone will spot me doing my job and Hollywood might be calling with a role for a paramedic in some upcoming movie.’

  That did it. Jake’s voice was quiet but cool. ‘If you’d wanted fame, you could have had it in spades by now. You must have had any number of chances to get your picture in magazines and all over the internet by now. Why didn’t you take them?’

  That threw her. He managed to catch her gaze this time. And hold it. He could actually see the way she was searching for a new line. A plausible way of covering the real reason.

  He almost smiled. She’d never make an actress, the way her feelings played out over her face like that. Unless she could tap into them, of course, and use them when she needed to. Like he did.

  When he saw the softening in her eyes he knew that the real reason she hadn’t acceded to the media’s demands was because of...what was it...loyalty? To him?

  What had he done to deserve that? Now was the time to thank her for respecting his privacy. To apologise. Explain and put things right. But even as he took a breath he could see Ellie’s expression changing again. Getting distant. She had found something to hide behind.

  ‘That would have been more like shame than fame,’ she said. ‘D’you think I wanted the whole world knowing what an idiot I was for not recognising you?’

  Jake raised an eyebrow. ‘I was in disguise.’

  ‘You told me your name.’

  ‘So? It’s just a name. Have you ever done an internet search on yourself and found how many people in the world have the same name as you?’

  ‘Fine.’ But Ellie wasn’t going to accept an excuse. ‘Maybe I didn’t want to come across as some uncultured slob who never watches movies.’

  It was nowhere near the truth and Jake wasn’t getting anywhere. Moving so fast Ellie had no time to prepare a defence, h
e discarded the drinks he was holding and grabbed her hand. Never mind if he missed seeing the dailies. He could catch up later. This was more important.

  ‘Come with me,’ he ordered.

  She had no choice. It was lucky she’d been standing where she was, not only on the outskirts of the group but almost beside a track that Jake knew led to the beach. Intent on their meals and downtime, no one saw them slip away.

  ‘What the—?’ Ellie was resisting the firm grip on her hand and the way Jake was pulling her forward. ‘Where are you taking me?’

  ‘The beach.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘We need to talk.’ The words were clipped. ‘Somewhere private.’

  He felt her resistance ebb. By the time they reached the beach it almost felt like Ellie was happy to hold his hand, but it was harder going in the soft sand. When they got to the firmer sand close to where the gentle waves were slowly curling onto land, she gave a tug that made Jake let go.

  ‘My shoes are full of sand.’ She pulled off the canvas sneakers and emptied them but didn’t put them back on. Instead, she rolled up her jeans as far as her knees and walked out far enough to let the foamy water cover her feet and ankles.

  ‘Bit of sea water’s just as good as a session of physio,’ she said.

  Jake closed his eyes and groaned. ‘I didn’t think. I’m sorry. There I was pulling you along that rough track and I didn’t even ask how your ankle was.’

  ‘It’s fine. And this is nice. The water’s delicious. You should try it.’

  There was something different about Ellie’s voice. She sounded more like the Ellie who Jake remembered.

  And the suggestion sounded more like a peace offering than he’d managed with that unwanted glass of wine. Jake toed off his shoes, but he couldn’t get his jeans any further than the swell of his calves. He walked into the water, anyway, uncaring when the first tiny wave soaked the denim.

  For a while they simply walked together, listening to the wash of the sea. Smelling the fresh air and looking up at the deepening blanket of stars. The moon was rising now, but the pale light didn’t dim the night sky.

  And it was perfect. Even alone with his brother, Jake had never felt this...peaceful...in the company of another person. Able to be exactly who he was and know he would be accepted for that.

  Liked, even?

  Maybe. He had a bit of work to do first.

  It was Jake who finally broke the silence. ‘The sky never looked like this in New York. I grew up not even realising how many stars there are out there. I grew up without the chance to realise a lot of other important things, too.’

  He waited out the hesitation in Ellie’s response. ‘Such as?’

  ‘That who you are doesn’t mean as much as what you are.’

  Ellie stopped walking. Jake could feel her puzzled look behind him. He stopped too, and turned back.

  ‘I grew up as Rita Marlene’s kid,’ he told her. ‘That won’t mean much to you but—’

  ‘I know who she is,’ Ellie interrupted him. ‘Everybody knows who she is...was. She’s up there with Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn Monroe. One of the world’s most beautiful women.’

  ‘And she was married to my father. Charles Logan. One of New York’s most powerful men. There wasn’t anybody who didn’t want to get close to one or both of my parents. Getting their kids to get friendly with the Logan kids was a goldmine.’

  Ellie said nothing but he could tell she was listening.

  ‘I didn’t mean to get into acting as a career,’ he continued. ‘I just sort of fell into it when Ben and I got back from Afghanistan. Well...after I got rehabilitated, that is. The opening was always there, thanks to who my mother was, and it seemed like a fun thing to try for a while. More fun than Ben was having, being responsible and getting into the family business anyway. So I took that part in ER and then it just snowballed.’

  ‘Mmm...’ Ellie was still standing there, letting the waves soak her ankles.

  ‘What I’m trying to say, in a roundabout way, is that I didn’t tell you who I was because I had the chance to be someone nobody else ever sees. Myself.’

  The moon was bright enough for Jake to see Ellie’s face so clearly he could swear her eyes were shining with unshed tears. He allowed his gaze to travel over her features. That glorious hair. The proud way she held her head. She was such a beautiful woman.

  ‘I thought...I thought it was because you didn’t trust me.’

  ‘We were complete strangers,’ he pointed out. ‘Thrown together by extraordinary circumstances. We were trying to survive in what felt like the middle of nowhere and I was worried sick about Ben. Did you trust me?’

  The hesitation was there again. ‘Y-yes,’ Ellie finally said. ‘After you carried me along the beach like that? And after you rescued me from under that tree?’ Her lips wobbled slightly. ‘I...trusted you.’

  ‘Past tense?’ Maybe they were clearing the air here, but could they get back to what it had been like between them? It was only now that Jake realised how much he wanted that.

  ‘I...’ He could see the muscles in Ellie’s throat working as she swallowed. ‘I don’t really let myself trust anyone these days.’

  ‘Why not?’

  The silence went on too long this time and Jake had no right to push. He could respect her need for privacy. It didn’t need to stop him being honest.

  ‘Not trusting you was part of it, I guess,’ he admitted. ‘But that was something I did learn as I grew up. A lesson that’s only been hammered in a lot deeper in recent years. The only person I’ve ever been able to trust completely is my brother Ben.’ Jake flinched as a higher wave splashed the back of his legs. Or was it because of the thought he couldn’t repress? ‘And I can’t even trust Ben now.’

  ‘Why not?’

  He could have followed Ellie’s lead and simply stayed silent, but he chose not to. ‘Because he lied to me.’

  ‘What about?’

  Jake couldn’t help looking around but they were alone on the beach. Two dark figures, late at night. They were probably virtually invisible.

  ‘If I tell you,’ he said softly, ‘you’ll know I’m trusting you. Really trusting you.’

  And maybe this was the most sincere apology he could offer. He saw Ellie nod, but he also saw her slight shiver. Anticipation? Or was she cold?

  He held out his hand and this time she took it willingly. He led her up towards the softer sand that still held the warmth of the day’s sun and, although he let go of her hand when they sat down, they were still sitting close enough to touch.

  For a long time he couldn’t find the words to start. It was too big and by telling it to someone else it was going to make it real. But Jake had forgotten how he’d met Ellie, hadn’t he?

  ‘I heard him yelling at you,’ Ellie said quietly. ‘When you were both arguing about who got to get rescued first. I heard him say “Why do you think she killed herself?” Is that what this is about?’

  Jake’s nod was jerky. ‘I didn’t know. I’ve always believed it was an accidental overdose.’

  ‘Who was he talking about?’

  ‘Our mother.’

  ‘Oh...Jake...’ This time it was Ellie who reached for his hand. ‘That’s horrible.’

  ‘It’s believable, though.’ Jake’s voice was raw. ‘Looking back, I can see she was an alcoholic, but who wouldn’t be, married to my father? He was a bully. A complete bastard, if I’m honest. And she was dependent on prescription meds. The media used to describe her as being “beautiful but fragile” and that hit the nail on the head. But...I thought she loved us. That she wouldn’t choose to leave us alone with our father.’

  ‘Of course she loved you.’ Ellie’s tone was fierce. ‘But sometimes that’s not enough. And sometimes people convince themselves that the ones they love will be better off without them, however wrong that is. How...how old were you?’

  ‘Fourteen.’

  ‘Young enough to still think it was somehow your fault
.’

  ‘Except I didn’t. Because I didn’t know it was suicide. Ben kept that to himself.’

  ‘He loves you, too. He was protecting you.’

  The words were simple.

  And Jake could feel the truth of them. There was only a twenty-minute difference in age but Ben had always had the mindset of an older brother. The more responsible one. The more protective one.

  Ben had been the one to spend a night in jail after one of their worst teenage pranks, hot-wiring the Lamborghini belonging to one of their father’s guests and then crashing it. He himself had been safely out of the way, admitted to hospital overnight thanks to the concussion he’d suffered.

  They’d never talked about that night either. Because it had been the next morning that their mother had been found dead?

  And, while Jake had been the one with the more visible injury after that dreadful incident in Afghanistan, it had been Ben who’d really been traumatised. He had been unconscious after the bomb blast. He had no memory of it. Ben was the one who’d been in the midst of the carnage. Trying to keep his brother alive amidst the screams of dying children.

  His brother had retreated into being even more responsible after that, finally—reluctantly—picking up the reins of their father’s empire when the old man had been felled by a stroke, whereas he had just kept having fun. With easy access to the first rungs of a Hollywood career thanks to the legacy of their famous actress mother, his own talent at making others believe combined with what the glossy magazines called his raw sex appeal had ensured a meteoric rise to stardom.

  The brothers had drifted apart in the intervening years and maybe he had been harbouring resentment about the way Ben viewed the movie industry. In the light of what he’d said about their mother, though, it was far more understandable.

  Was there a way back?

  It had taken Ellie to point out what should have been obvious all along. Maybe she was wise enough to have some other answers.

  ‘Why can’t he tell me that himself? Talk to me?’

  ‘You’ll have to ask him that yourself. But he’s a bloke.’ Ellie slanted him a look that was pure woman. ‘You lot have trouble talking about feelings.’